336 



SPAIN. 



more than one of their generals was assassinated in 

 consequence of tin- suspicion. The French gained 

 many victories and took many fortresses; but the 

 conquerors remained masters only of the places 

 which they occupied. The guerillas surrounded 

 and harassed them every where.* No line of com- 

 munication was safe for the French : their means of 

 support failed. In vain did Napoleon, December 

 4, 1808, abolish the feudal privileges, and the inqui- 

 sition ; in vain did Joseph try every means to win 

 the love of the people; nothing could avail against 

 the fanaticism of the monks. Austria now de- 

 clared war. Napoleon was obliged, in January, 

 1809, to leave the conduct of the war to his mar- 

 shals; and the Spaniards considered his departure 

 as a victory. During the following five years, the 

 French generals did all that talent and courage 

 could do; but the charm of Napoleon's presence 

 was wanting, and Wellington finally triumphed 

 over them. The situation of Joseph became 

 extremely unpleasant, even as regarded his rela- 

 tions with France, as has been stated in the article 

 Joseph Bonaparte. Many of his adherents began 

 to waver when the rumour was spread that Napo- 

 leon intended to separate some provinces from 

 Spain; against which, however, Joseph declared 

 himself explicitly. The struggle continued during 

 six bloody campaigns, from May 2, 1808, to the 

 battle of Toulouse, April 10, 1814. Everywhere, 

 and almost daily, blood was shed, from Cadiz to 

 Pampeluna, and from Grenada to Salamanca. No 

 mercy was shown. Spanish women tortured and 

 murdered the prisoners. Seven hundred French 

 prisoners were drowned in the Minho. In Oporto 

 and Coimbra, the French sick and wounded were 

 murdered in the hospitals. Even non-combatant 

 officers were killed. The supreme junta created 

 armies with restless activity. Napoleon's exertions 

 were also great. The French forces in the penin- 

 sula, when most numerous, viz. when Massena 

 marched with 80,000 men to Portugal, amounted 

 to 200,000 infantry and 30,000 cavalry; and, in 

 1813, when Madrid and Valladolid were evacuated 

 by them, to 130,000 infantry and 20,000 cavalry. 

 The non-combatant officers, besides, were extreme- 

 ly numerous. In the French lines, the sword and 

 dagger, plague and want, were active in the work 

 of destruction. De Pradt estimates the loss which 

 France suffered in the actual expenses of the war, 

 during six years, at 230,000,000 of francs, without 

 reckoning the loss occasioned by the interruption 

 of commerce. Two objects chiefly occupied the 

 French generals in 1809 and 1810 the re-conquest 

 of Portugal, and the march over the Sierra Morena 

 to Cadiz. As the British had become masters of 

 Portugal, and the northern coasts of Spain, includ- 

 ing Ferrol and Corunna, were again open to their 

 ships, the re-conquest of Asturia was not effected 

 by Ney and Kellermann until May 1420, 1809. 

 In the meantime, Sir Arthur Wellesley (subse- 

 quently duke of Wellington) advanced from Lisbon, 

 by the way of Alcantara, up the Tagus, and Cuesta 

 joined him near Traxillo, whilst the British general 

 Wilson advanced over Placenzia, and the Spaniard 

 Venegas, from the Sierra Morena, towards Madrid. 



namoa the Kinpeoinaao, Collected a body of them in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Madrid. Among the other g-uerilla leaders, Mina 

 and Porlier were distinguished. This system preserved the 

 energy and the confidence of the nation unbroken. After 

 ev.-ry reverse, the Spaniard consoled himself with the well- 

 known non importa. 



This bold plan of attack was frustrated by the bat- 

 tle of Talavera (July 27 and 28). The British, 

 indeed, were victorious over Joseph, Victor and 

 Jourdan; but, not being sufficiently supported by 

 the Spaniards, and being threatened by Soult and 

 Ney advancing on their flank, they were obliged to 

 retire to the frontiers of Portugal; after which 

 Venegas also began to retreat, and was defeated by 

 Joseph at Almonacid, August 11, as was Wilson by 

 Ney, in the passes of Baros. Madrid thus escaped 

 a siege. August 18, the Spanish orders of monks 

 were abolished; but this measure was far from po- 

 pular, and the sufferings of Spain, which the people, 

 as usual, attributed to the existing government, 

 tended greatly to aggravate the excitement of the 

 mass of the nation against their French sovereign. 

 The central junta at Seville now resolved to yield 

 to the universal wish, to assemble the cortes and to 

 nominate a regency. New armies were created. 

 Arezaga advanced with 55,000 men as far as Ocana, 

 where, however, he was entirely defeated by Mor- 

 tier, November 18. Madrid, therefore, was again 

 saved ; but in Catalonia, Arragon and Biscay, the 

 bloodiest struggle was carried on with the bands of 

 the insurgents. The Empecinado's troop advanced 

 even to the vicinity of Madrid. In Old Castile, 

 the troops of Barrioluchio, Cou villas, Rodrigues 

 and Jacobe, in Navarre, the troops of Mina, were a 

 terror to the enemy. The largest company of 

 them, 4500 men, under the dreaded Marquesito, 

 formerly a colonel in the army, encountered several 

 French generals in the open field. In vain did the 

 French establish fortresses on their lines of com- 

 munication, and endeavour to protect their rear bj 

 movable columns. Yet their plan against Andalu- 

 sia succeeded. With 22,000 men, the rash Are- 

 zaga thought he could maintain the line on the 

 Sierra Morena, fifteen leagues long, intrenched and 

 mined, and having in its centre the fortified pass of 

 Peraperos, against 60,000 troops commanded by the 

 best generals of Europe. Dessolles and Gazon, on 

 January 20, 1810, took the pass of Despenna- 

 Peras; Sebastian! stormed the defile of St Estevan, 

 and took the bridges over the Guadalquivir; and, 

 January 21, Joseph entered Baylen. Jean was 

 conquered; Cordova submitted. Sebastian! occu- 

 pied Grenada January 29, Malaga February 6, and 

 Joseph entered Seville February 1, from which the 

 junta had fled to Cadiz. This place, the only one 

 which remained in the hands of the Spaniards, de- 

 fended by 16,000 men under Albuquerque, and 

 4000 British soldiers under Graham, and the com- 

 bined British and Spanish fleets, was besieged Fe- 

 bruary 6; but all the efforts and offers of the French 

 were in vain. The war in Catalonia and Arragon 

 continued. In Leon, the French conquered As- 

 torga, April 22, and now directed their arms against 

 Portugal. In this country, to the north of the 

 Tagus, Wellington commanded a British army of 

 30,000 men, and Beresford a Portuguese army of 

 59,500 men, besides 52,800 militia. The right 

 wing of Wellington, at Badajoz, was joined by 

 20,000 Spaniards under Romana, and 8000 under 

 Ballesteros. The main body of the allied force was 

 posted on the heights of Lisbon, which had been 

 rendered impregnable. Wellington's plan, therefore, 

 was defensive. Massena began his undertaking in 

 June, by the siege of Ciudad-Rodrigo, which sur- 

 rendered July 10, and Ney entered Portugal, over 

 the river Coa, July 24; but Almeida, which was 

 defended by Coxe, detained Massena until August 

 27, when it was obliged to capitulate. Wellington 



