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witness of that unparallelled bravery which has ever been the distinguishing characteristic of British sailors. The vain-glorious Emperor had actually caused this display of English valor. Having expressly ordered the attack upon the captain of the Naiad. But what must have been his chagrin and disappointment: instead of seeing that ship brought into Boulogne, to behold one of the first rate ships of his boasted Flotilla towed away in triumph by the victorious crew of the Naiad.

CHAP. XXVI.

Campaign in the Peninsula. War between France and

Russia.

1812. THE inordinate ambition of Bonaparte had deluged the Peninsula with blood. The brave and noble resistance of the Portuguese and Spaniards, aided by the powerful arm of Great Britain, and supported by the military science, the unprecedented skill, the unrivalled valor of a hero unequalled in the annals of the world, forms a most interesting era in the history of mankind, which will be celebrated for ages yet to come.

Suchet had unfortunately made a rapid progress in Valencia, the capital of that province, had fallen into his hand on January 9, 1812. The French took in that city, three hundred and seventy-four pieces of artillery, one hundred and eighty thousand pounds of powder, three millions of cartridges, sixteen thousand, one hundred and thirty-one prisoners of the line: one thousand nine hundred and fifty sick in the hospitals: one thousand eight hundred cavalry and artillery horses: twentyone stands of colours, eight hundred and ninety-three officers, and twenty-two brigadier-generals. In consesequence of this valuable service rendered by Suchet, his Imperial Master created him duke of Albuera. On January 29th, Cinidad Rodrigo, which had so long been besieged, was taken by storm by Lord Wellington, and his lordship immediately after laid siege to Badajoz. On

March 25th, the batteries were opened, and on April 6th, Badajoz was taken by storm. In this brilliant affair the loss of the British was severe : according to the lists returned annexed to his Lordship's dispatches, there were killed, seventy-two officers, and fifty-one non-commissioned officers, and nine hundred and ten rank and file. Three hundred and six officers, and two hundred and six non-commissioned officers, and three thousand two hundred and forty-three privates wounded. The storming of this important place occupied six hours; the most energetic efforts had been made by the enemy to render it impregnable. The British were forced to scale the walls, and as soon as the ladders were raised, the enemy contrived to throw them down: and when the walls were scaled, our brave troops fell upon a "chevaux de frize" composed of swords with the keenest edge. During the siege of Badajoz, Marshal Marmont made an extensive range with his army, and traversed the country to Abrantes, the depredations he committed were of a most destructive nature. Soult having advanced as far as Villa Franca, was encountered by a detachment of British forces under the command of Sir Stapleton Cotton, who obtained a complete victory over the enemy, whose loss was considerable in killed, and those made prisoners.

The gallant Sir Rowland Hill had a splendid action with the French at Almarez on the 19th of May, in which one hundred of the French were killed, and three hundred taken prisoners, the loss of the English amounted to two hundred and ninety-seven. Lord Wellington now advanced to Salamanca,* which the French, instantly on his approach, abandoned, leaving about eight hundred men in some fortifications which they had erected. On June 17th, the British troops entered that town. In an action which took place between General L'Allemand, and General Slade, the latter experienced a defeat. The men that were left by the French at Salamanca, capitulated to Lord Wellington on June 27th. The meritorious services of Lord Wellington occasioned the Prince Regent in the name and on behalf of his Majesty, to elevate

* Salamanca is an ancient, large, rich, and populous city in Leon. It has a famous university, which Le Sage, in his exquisitely fine novel of "Gil Blas" has celebrated. It consists of twenty-four handsome Colleges. There were formerly seven thousand students.

him to the dignity of Marquis. He was also created by the existing authority of Spain, Duke of Cinidad Rodrigo.

On July 21, his Lordship defeated Marshal Marmont, on the plains of Salamanca, in an engagement which lasted seven hours, and which was carried on with unabated vigor, and unprecedented valor. The French, in this great battle, lost twelve thousand men, including those killed and made prisoners, the number of the latter amounting to four thousand: the loss of the allies was, five thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine. General Marmont was wounded, and carried off the field. The army of the allies now obtained possession of the capital of Spain, and the Marquis of Wellington entered Madrid on August 12: in this city two thousand five hundred prisoners were taken, one hundred and eighty-nine pieces of cannon, nine hundred barrels of powder, twenty-three thousand two hundred and fifty-four stand of arms; and vast magazines of ammunition, clothing, provisions, &c.

The Maquis of Wellesley had laid siege to Burgos, and in October, 1812, he had prepared a mine, which was to be sprung as on an appointed day; the explosion took place; as also that of a mine sprung by the French at the same time. The storming of Burgos now commenced, but proved inefficient, and a loss was sustained of one hundred killed, and many wounded. While engaged in this enterprise, Marshal Soult, with Joseph Bonaparte, marched on the road to Madrid, of which being apprised, the Marquis left Burgos, and advanced towards the capital. On October 21, he left Burgos, having instructed Sir Edward Paget to continue the blockade; but finding it inexpedient to attempt the relief of Madrid, which fell again into the hands of the French, he continued his retreat to Portugal.

We have had occasion to remark that great jealousies prevailed amongst the members of the supreme junta, and the commanders of the Spanish armies, with respect to the English. The Marquis of Wellington had been appointed by the junta Generalissimo of the Spanish forces; this occasioned a great spirit of dissatisfaction. General Ballesteros absolutely refused to serve under the Marquis, and stated his objections in very indecorous VOL. II.-33.

SS

and ungracious language. He addressed a letter, on October 24, to the war minister, expressing his dissatisfaction, and his determination not to serve under an English General: in consequence of this irregularity of conduct, the Spanish General was placed under arrest, and dismissed from his command.

It is very evident, that the alliance between Russia and France was involuntary, on the part of the former power. The Emperor Alexander was forced, under existing circumstances, to make peace with Napoleon; but he was too well convinced of the gigantic strides the Emperor of France was making to acquire universal despotism, long to remain an unmoved spectator of the scenes which opened to his view. The first symptoms of a change in his political sentiments were developed at the close of the year 1810. Alexander then published an ukase, which respected the commercial intercourse with France; and annulled that part of the treaty which. had been made with Napoleon, prohibiting the admission of English ships into Russian ports. In addition to this, Russia had assumed, in 1811, a warlike attitude, as if she threatened an invasion of the Duchy of Warsaw. Bonaparte saw, with great concern, the change which evidently was demonstrated in the conduct of the court of St. Petersburgh. The Duke of Bassano, the French minister for foreign affairs, presented several strong remonstrances on the subject.

In February, 1811, some divisions of the Russian army marched into Poland; and a declaration was drawn up by the Russian court, explaining the cause of commencing hostilities against France; this declaration was sent to every court in Europe.

Napoleon was not inactive with respect to making vigorous preparations for the approaching war with Rus sia; he formed in March, 1812, an alliance with Austria, by which the Emperor Francis engaged to grant his son-in-law thirty thousand men: a treaty was also concluded between France and Prussia.

In April the campaign commenced, with four divisions of the French grand army taking the field. The first marched to the Oder; the second to the Elbe; the third corps to the Lower Oder; and the fourth crossed the Tyrol, and proceeded to Silesia. Alexander, on the 22d of the same month, placing himself at the head of his

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