Deficiency of Intelligence amongst the French.-Souham advances against Wellington.-Insubordination and Arrest of Ballasteros.-The Allies raise the Siege of Burgos.Retreat of Wellington.-Hill's Retreat.-Junction of the allied Armies.- Capture of Sir Edward Paget.-Wellington out-manœuvres Soult and continues his Retreat.-The adverse Armies go into Winter-quarters.-The Errors of the British Government.-Wellington's Address to the Army upon their bad Conduct. The Commissariat.— Wellington's Consideration in the removal of Officers PAGE 149 CHAPTER IX. 1813. Wellington goes to Cadiz.-His Conditions of accepting the 179 CHAPTER X. 1813. Spanish and Portuguese Armies organised by Wellington.Soult recalled by Napoleon.-Opening of the Campaign.— Wellington's Plans.-He bids Farewell to Portugal.-Passage of the Esla.-Junction of the right and left Wings of the British upon the Douro.-Wellington enters Valencia. -The French retreat, and attempt to destroy Burgos. -Graham's Movements.-Advance to Vittoria.-Graham defeats Reille.-Description of the great Basin of Vittoria. -French Position.-Wellington's Plan of Attack.-Battle of Vittoria.-Total Rout of the French.-Wellington on the Pyrenees. His Complaints of the Cortes 196 Soult re-appointed to the Command.-Disasters of Sir John Murray. Position of the Allies.-Battles of the Spanish Pyrenees.-Description of San Sebastian.-Siege.— Attempt to storm.-Suspension of the Siege. -Deficiency of Naval Force.-Siege of San Sebastian resumed.-Storming of the Town.-Spanish Libels.-Wellington's Opinions of the Affairs on the Eastern Coast of Spain.-The Duke of York withdraws many of the old Soldiers from Wellington's Army. Opposition of the Cortes.-Expectations excited by the English Journals.-Inclemency of the Weather.— Description of the Frontiers.-Passage of the Bidassoa.— Battles of the Pyrenees.-Resignation of Sir T. Graham.— The French threaten to blow up Pamplona.-Surrender.- Dreadful State of the Weather.-Battle of the Nivelle.- Soult defeated.-His Retreat.-Infamous Conduct of the Spaniards.-Allied Troops put again into Cantonments.— Description of St. Jean de Luz.-Wellington's Opinions on the State of France.-Active Hostilities resumed.- French entrenched Camp.-Disposition of the allied Forces. PAGE 302 CHAPTER XV. 1814. Battle of Orthez.-Wellington hit by a spent Ball.-Soult is defeated.-Deputation from Toulouse.-Bordeaux occupied by the Allies under Beresford.-Soult's Proclamation. -Soult retreats to Tarbes.-Toulouse.-Battle of Toulouse.-Defeat of Soult.-Wellington enters Toulouse.Napoleon's Forfeiture decreed.-Battle before Bayonne. -Soult sends in his Adhesion.-Convention of Toulouse. -Wellington takes leave of his Army.-Ferdinand con fers upon him the military Order of the Sword 326 CHAPTER XVI. 1814-1815. The Duke goes to Paris.-Spanish Affairs.-The Duke returns to England, and assumes his Seat in the House of Lords. Returns his Thanks personally to the Commons.Goes to the Netherlands.-Revisits Paris.-His Negociation with the French Government.-Slave Trade.-American Privateers.-Riot at Rennes. He joins the Congress at Vienna. -Intelligence of Napoleon's Evasion from Elba.— Treaty concluded by the Allies. He takes the Command of the Army of the Netherlands.- Murat defeated in Italy. Wellington's Plan of Campaign adopted by the Allied Monarchs 360 Immense exertions of Napoleon.-Puts his army in motion for the Netherlands. He leaves Paris and joins his army on the Frontiers.-The French attack the Prussians.Wellington at Brussels.-Ball given by the Duchess of Richmond.-Call to Arms at midnight.—Battle of Quatre Bras.-Blucher retreats on Wavre.-The Duke outmanœuvres the French.-He retires on Mont St. Jean.— The Position described.-Hougoumont.-La Belle Alliance. -Wellington's Tree.-Night before the Battle.-Battle of Waterloo. Last Charge of the French defeated.—Arrival of the Prussians.-The English advance and rout the enemy. -Wellington on the Field of Battle by Moonlight.-Brussels during the Battle.-Captured Guns secreted by the Prussians.-Honours conferred on Wellington in consequence of the Victory PAGE 385 CHAPTER XVIII. 1815. Factions at Paris.-Wellington enters France.-He marches to Paris. Abdication of Bonaparte.-French Commissioners. Military Convention.-The Allies enter Paris.-The Duke reclaims the Fisheries belonging to the King of the Nether. lands. Final Settlement.-Character of Wellington APPENDIX 430 457 CHRONOLOGICAL ACCOUNT OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS IN THE 478 THE LIFE OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON. CHAPTER I. 1811. Massena's utter want of good faith.-Indiscretion of the British Officers.-Complaints against the Portuguese Government.Grand plan of Campaign in Spain.-Recapture of Campo Mayor. -Fall of Olivença. Floods of the Guadiana.-Memorandum. -Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro.-Almeida evacuated by the French. Wellington's advice to Lord Liverpool.-Reply to Mr. Whitbread.-Massena recalled from Spain, and succeeded by Marmont.-Lord Wellington goes to Estremadura. WHEN the Prince of Essling invaded Portugal, he had sixty-five thousand men under his command, amply supplied with all the muniments of war, and, in regard to courage and discipline, well able to take the field against the best and bravest troops of Europe. That number had since been increased by a reinforcement of ten thousand more, who were sent to him while at Santarem. He now recrossed the frontiers with a broken and dispirited band of less than forty thousand-all this waste of human life having served no other end than the purchase of eternal dishonour to the French people, both as meu |