HISTORY OF EtROPE. 



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By this rapid view, this bare 

 outline, our readers may be en- 

 abled to trace the principal links 

 in the chain of events that brought 

 the hostile powers in Spain to 

 measure their main strenjjth with 

 each other, more easily than 

 if the attention to these prin- 

 cipal links had been distracted by 

 a vast number of intervening cir- 

 cumstances and events of subor- 

 dinate and inferior importance. 

 Nevertheless, at the point when 

 the contending armies, gradually 

 concentrated, were placed in rela- 

 tive positions that were to lead to 

 a succession of battles decisive of 

 the campaign (the only point in 

 which its history begins to possess 

 any great degree of interest) it 

 may be proper to pause, and to 

 take a brief retrospect of such of 

 the occurrences as were most inte- 

 resting in themselves, or were most 

 immediately and materially con- 

 nected with the main action. 



On the side of Portugal, gene- 

 ral Beresford, with the rank and 

 title of field marshal, was ap- 

 pointed generalissimo, and was 

 employed with great activity and 

 success in organizing and disci- 

 plining a Portuguese army. The 

 general was in the laudable prac- 

 tice of occasionally issuingbulletins 

 for the information of the Portu- 

 guese army and nation, in which 

 he communicated events both fa- 

 vourable and unfavourable, and 

 took occasion to illustrate the 

 happy effects of discipline and 

 good order on the one hand, and 

 the fatal consequences of insubor- 

 dination and anarchy on the other. 

 Chaves, a frontier town of Portu- 

 gal, in the province of Tralos- 

 montes, a most important military 

 station, and garrisoned, it was said, 

 Vol. LI. 



by upwards of ] 0,000 French, was 

 besieged by a numerous force of 

 Spanish patriots, under the com- 

 mand of general Silviera. The 

 citadel of Chaves surrendered by 

 capitulation on the 25th of March. 

 During this siege the communica- 

 tion between the French and the 

 north of Portugal was wholly ob- 

 structed by the patriots on the 

 frontiers. 



The character of the war it^ 

 Spain at this period is well exem- 

 plified by the complete victory 

 gained, 28th of March, at Medel- 

 lin, by marshal Victor over general 

 Cuesta ; and the celerity with 

 which the Spanish general was en- 

 abled t»» re-assemble and recruit 

 his broken and dispersed army, 

 and again to make head against 

 the enemy. On the day above 

 mentioned, the Spanish general 

 found the whole division under 

 Victor, consisting of about 20,000 

 infantry, and 3,000 cavalry, drawn 

 up in front of Medelin, a town 

 on the Guadiana, in the province 

 of Estremadura. The French in- 

 fantry, formed into close columns, 

 presented a formidable front to 

 their opponents for repelling an 

 attack ; and at the same time one 

 fitted for making an attack, if the 

 French should deem it advisable 

 to risk one. The flanks of the 

 infantry were covered bj' the ca- 

 valry, and in their front were 

 raised six batteries. Against the 

 enemy, so drawn up and defended, 

 general Cuesta did not hesitate to 

 commence a rapid and general at- 

 tack. His infantry advanced with 

 great steadiness and gallantry not- 

 withstanding the tremendous fire 

 from the batteries in front of the 

 enemy. The manoeuvres which 

 he directed for the purpose of 



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