HISTORY

OF THE

WAR IN THE PENINSULA

AND IN THE

SOUTH OF FRANCE,

FROM THE YEAR 1807 TO THE YEAR 1814.

BY

MAJOR-GENERAL SIR W. F. P. NAPIER, K.C.B.

Span 658,45 Fr 1487.8.8

Pierce fund

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

BOOK THE TWENTY-THIRD.

CHAPTER III.

Respective situations and views of lord Wellington and Soult--Partisan
warfare The Basques of the Val de Baygorry excited to arms by the
excesses of Mina's troops-General Harispe takes the command of the
insurgents-Clausel advances beyond the Bidouze river General
movements-Partisan combats-Excesses committed by the Spaniards
- Lord Wellington reproaches their generals His vigorous and

resolute conduct-He menaces the French insurgents of the valleys

with fire and sword and the insurrection subsides-Soult hems the

allies right closely-Partisan combats continued-Remarkable instances

of the habits established between the French and British soldiers of

the light division-Shipwrecks on the coast.

p. 1

CHAPTER IV.

Political state of Portugal-Political state of Spain-Lord Wellington

advises the English government to prepare for a war with Spain and

to seize St. Sebastian as a security for the withdrawal of the British

and Portuguese troops-The seat of government and the new Cortes

are removed to Madrid-The duke of San Carlos arrives secretly with

the treaty of Valancay - It is rejected by the Spanish regency and

Cortes-Lord Wellington's views on the subject

11

CHAPTER V.

Political state of Napoleon - Guileful policy of the allied sovereigns -

M. de St. Aignan-General reflections-Unsettled policy of the English

ministers-They neglect lord Wellington-He remonstrates and exposes

the denuded state of his army.

26

CHAPTER VI.

Continuation of the war in the eastern provinces Suchet's erroneous

statements Sir William Clinton repairs Taragona-Advances to Villa

Franca-Suchet endeavours to surprise him-Fails-The French

cavalry cut off an English detachment at Ordal — The duke of San

Carlos passes through the French posts-Copons favourable to his

mission-Clinton and Manso endeavour to cut off the French troops at

Molino del Rey-They fail through the misconduct of Copons-

Napoleon recals a great body of Suchet's troops-Whereupon he rein-

forces the garrison of Barcelona and retires to Gerona-Van Halen—

He endeavours to beguile the governor at Tortoza Fails - Succeeds

at Lerida, Mequinenza, and Monzon-Sketch of the siege of Monzon

-It is defended by the Italian soldier St. Jaques for one hundred and

forty days-Clinton and Copons invest Barcelona-The beguiled

garrisons of Lerida, Mequinenza, and Monzon, arrive at Martorel-

Are surrounded and surrender on terms. Capitulation violated by

Copons - King Ferdinand returns to Spain - His character-Clinton

breaks up his army - His conduct eulogized-Lamentable sally from

Barcelona-The French garrisons beyond the Ebro return to France

and Habert evacuates Barcelona-Fate of the prince of Conti and the

duchess of Bourbon-Siege of Santona

P. 47

BOOK THE TWENTY-FOURTH.

CHAPTER I.

Napoleon recals several divisions of infantry and cavalry from Soult's

army-Embarrassments of that marshal-Mr. Batbedat a banker of

Bayonne offers to aid the allies secretly with money and provisions-

La Roche Jacquelin and other Bourbon partisans arrive at the allies'

head-quarter-The duke of Angoulême arrives there-Lord Welling-

ton's political views-General reflections-Soult embarrassed by the

hostility of the French people-Lord Wellington embarrassed by the

hostility of the Spaniards-Soult's remarkable project for the defence

of France-Napoleon's reasons for neglecting it put hypothetically-

Lord Wellington's situation suddenly ameliorated-His wise policy,

foresight, and diligence-Resolves to throw a bridge over the Adour

below Bayonne, and to drive Soult from that river-Soult's system of

defence Numbers of the contending armies-Passage of the Gaves-

Combat of Garris-Lord Wellington forces the line of the Bidouze and

Gave of Mauleon-Soult takes the line of the Gave de Oleron and

resolves to change his system of operations
68

CHAPTER II.

Lord Wellington arrests his movements and returns in person to St. Jean
de Luz to throw his bridge over the Adour-Is prevented by bad
weather and returns to the Gave of Mauleon-Passage of the Adour

by Sir John Hope-Difficulty of the operation-The flotilla passes the

bar and enters the river-The French sally from Bayonne but are

repulsed and the stupendous bridge is cast-Citadel invested after a

severe action-Lord Wellington passes the Gave of Oleron and invests

Navarrens Soult concentrates his army at Orthes-Beresford passes

the Gave de Pau near Pereyhorade-Battle of Orthes-Soult changes

his line of operations-Combat of Aire-Observations

· P. 89

CHAPTER III.

Soult's perilous situation-He falls back to Tarbes-Napoleon sends him

a plan of operations-His reply and views stated-Lord Wellington's

embarrassments-Soult's proclamation-Observations upon it Lord

Wellington calls up Freyre's Gallicians and detaches Beresford against

Bordeaux-The mayor of that city revolts from Napoleon Beresford

enters Bordeaux and is followed by the duke of Angoulême Fears of

a reaction—The mayor issues a false proclamation - Lord Wellington

expresses his indignation-Rebukes the duke of Angoulême- Recals

Beresford but leaves lord Dalhousie with the seventh division and

some cavalry-Decaen commences the organization of the army of the

Gironde Admiral Penrose enters the Garonne Remarkable exploit

of the commissary Ogilvie-Lord Dalhousie passes the Garonne and the

Dordogne and defeats L'Huillier at Etauliers- Admiral Penrose

destroys the French flotilla-The French set fire to their ships of war

-The British seamen and marines land and destroy all the French

batteries from Blaye to the mouth of the Garonne

121

CHAPTER IV.

Wellington's and Soult's situations and forces described-Folly of the

English ministers-Freyre's Gallicians and Ponsonby's heavy cavalry

join lord Wellington-He orders Giron's Andalusians and Del Parque's

army to enter France-Soult suddenly takes the offensive--Combats of

cavalry-Partisan expedition of captain Dania-Wellington menaces

the peasantry with fire and sword if they take up arms-Soult retires

-Lord Wellington advances-Combat of Vic Bigorre-- Death and cha-

racter of colonel Henry Sturgeon-Daring exploit of captain William

Light*--Combat of Tarbes Soult retreats by forced marches to Tou-

louse-Wellington follows more slowly-Cavalry combat at St. Gau-

dens-The allies arrive in front of Toulouse-Reflections.

138

CHAPTER V.

Views of the commanders on each side-Wellington designs to throw a
bridge over the Garonne at Portet above Toulouse, but below the con-
fluence of the Arriege and Garonne-The river is found too wide for

* Since colonel and surveyor-general of South Australia.