SPAIN. 
the Douro afforded the best hope, that the south of Spain 
might be relieved ; but this also afforded the enemy the op¬ 
portunity of directing his numerous troops, and concentrating 
all his principal resources. These circumstances had pro¬ 
duced the necessity of rapid and harassing marches; and 
the very shameful inattention of our ministry and the com¬ 
missariat to the wanfci of the army, had diminished the 
numbers, exhausted the strength and impaired the equip¬ 
ment of the army. . 
Notwithstanding the ill success which had thus attended 
the expedition under Sir John Moore, the spirit of patriotism 
which appeared still to actuate the southern provinces of 
Spain, and the hope that the common cause might there be 
supported to greater advantage, induced the British ministry 
to send another military force to the western peninsula of 
Europe, to co-operate with the patriots who still continued 
in arms. Accordingly, a body of about 15,000 forces, 
under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley, whose bravery 
and good conduct in the battle of Vimiera, had recom¬ 
mended him, in a particular manner, both to the ministry 
and the nation, was dispatched towards the coast of Portugal, 
where Marshal Beresford still maintained a British force; 
while General Hill, with about 5000 infantry, and 400 ca¬ 
valry, sailed from Ireland with the same destination. Ge¬ 
neral Hill arrived at Lisbon on the 4th of April, and soon 
after Sir Arthur landed with the main body. On the 7th of 
April the army moved forward towards the Douro, and 
crossed that river during the night of the 11th, a little above 
Oporto. Here they fell in with a French detachment from 
the army of the Duke of Dalmatia, which they routed and 
put to flight, after a short but well contested action. 
After this action the Duke of Dalmatia found it necessary 
to retreat. He passed through the defiles of Salamonde, and 
thus gained considerably on the British army, though he 
was obliged to leave behind him part of his artillery. On 
the 19th of May he was at Allaritz, and on the 20th he con¬ 
tinued his retreat across the Minho, which he passed at 
Orense, thus leaving Portugal once more in possession of the 
British forces. 
Sir Arthur Wellesley, after having remained for some 
time in the Portuguese territory, to refresh his men after the 
fatigues which they had undergone, advanced into Spain, 
and effected a junction with general Cuesta, who then com¬ 
manded a considerable part of the remains of the patriotic 
army. In the latter end of July, the allied army, had ad¬ 
vanced to Talavera de la Reyna, in the neighbourhood of 
which they were encountered by a formidable French force, 
consisting of a corps commanded by Marshal Victor, another 
under General Sebastiani, the guards of Joseph Buonaparte, 
amounting to 8000 men, and the garrison of Madrid. This 
large force was commanded by Joseph Buonaparte in person, 
assisted by Marshals Jourdan and Victor and General Sebas¬ 
tiani. 
On the 27th of July, an attack was made by the French 
army on that of the allies, who had taken up their position 
at Talavera. The attack was vigorous, but was repelled with 
great spirit and success, though not without considerable loss 
on the part of the British. 
The defeat of this attempt was followed about noon of the 
28th by a general attack of the enemy’s whole force, on the 
whole of that part of the position which was occupied by the 
British army. The general attack began by the march of 
several columns of infantry into the valley, with a view to 
attack the height occupied by Major-general Hill. These 
columns were immediately charged by the 1st German light 
dragoons and 23d dragoons, under the command of General 
Anson, and supported by General Fane’s brigade of heavy 
artillery; and although the 23d dragoons suffered consi¬ 
derable loss, the charge had the effect of preventing the 
execution of that part of the enemy’s plan. At the same 
time an attack was directed upon Brigadier-general Alex¬ 
ander Campbell’s position in the centre of the combined 
armies, and on the right of the British. This attack was 
most successfully repulsed by Brigadier-general Campbell, 
supported by the king’s regiment of Spanish cavalry, and 
Voi,. XXIII. No. 1580. 
421 
two battalions of Spanish infantry; and the allies were left 
in possession of the enemy’s cannon. 
An attack was also made at the same time on Lieutenant- 
general Sherbrooke’s division, which was on the left and 
centre of the first line of the British army. This attack 
was most gallantly repulsed by a charge with bayonets, by 
the whole division. 
Shortly after the repulse of this general attack, in which 
apparently all the enemy’s troops were employed, he com¬ 
menced his retreat across theAlberche, which was conduct¬ 
ed in the most regular manner, and effected during the night, 
leaving in the hands of the British 20 pieces of cannon, 
ammunition, tumbrils, and some prisoners. 
Though the French were defeated in this engagement, and, 
according to Sir Arthur Wellesley’s account, must have lost 
at least 10,000 men, the loss of the British was very great. 
By the official returns it is stated to exceed 5000. And the 
action, though brilliant, does not appear to have been 
attended with much advantage to the allies, as, from the 
reinforcements which the French army was daily receiving. 
Sir Arthur Wellesley was soon compelled to fall back towards 
the frontiers of Portugal, leaving behind him much of his 
baggage and the whole of his sick and wounded. It must 
be recorded to the honour of the French commander, into 
whose hands these unfortunate men had fallen, that he treated 
them with the utmost humanity, and afforded them every 
accommodation which the nature of their situation admitted. 
The British army now crossed the Tagus, and held a south¬ 
west course till reaching Badajos, where it remained during 
the rest of the year, in a position which covered that 
fortress. 
In the early part of 1811 the south-west of Spain, was 
the scene of very active operations. A body of Spaniards 
and British, marching northward from Gibraltar, approach¬ 
ed the south-west extremity of the line occupied by the 
French troops engaged in the blockade of Cadiz. General 
Graham commanded the British, and on 5th March, at noon, 
was drawing near to the close of a long march, when he 
received intelligence of the advance of a French force. 
Knowing the height of Barrosa, which he had just left, to be 
the key of the position, he immediately countermanded his 
corps, and had proceeded but a short way, when he found 
himself unexpectedly near to the enemy, whose left division 
was seen ascending the hill of Barrosa, while their right stood 
on the plain within cannon shot. To retreat was wholly 
unadvisable; an immediate attack was determined on, though 
unsupported by the Spaniards, and inferior to the enemy. 
A battery opened against the right division of the French, and 
caused them considerable loss, but they continued to advance 
until a charge with the bayonet drove them back with great 
slaughter. With the other division on the ascent of the hill, 
there took place a similar conflict with a similar issue- both 
sides fought with courage, and both sustained a heavy loss • 
that of the British was above 1200; that of the enemy nearly 
double. The action lasted an hour and a half: our success 
was owing partly to the effect of our guns, but still more to 
the firmness of the infantry. 
About the same time, but at a distance of 200 miles to the 
north of Cadiz, the important fortress of Badajos fell into the 
hands of the French. This painful intelligence reached Lord 
Wellington when following up the retreat ofMassena; and 
no time was lost in detaching a body of troops to the south 
of Portugal to enable Marshal Beresford to advance and form 
the siege of Badajos. This called from the south the army of 
Soult, 20,000 strong; on their approach, Marshal Beresford 
raised the siege of Badajos, and marched to meet the French 
near the river Albuhera, or Albuera, with a force numerically 
superior, but among which there was only 8000 British. 
Our army awaited the attack in a position as good as a coun¬ 
try, in general level, afforded; but our general, in an evil 
hour, entrusted to the Spaniards a rising ground which 
formed the key of that position. The French columns suc¬ 
ceeded in driving them from it, and were about to rake with 
their field-pieces all the allied line. A British division 
marching to attack the enemy with the bayonet, were 
5 P unfortunately 
