fortresses were now threatened by Marmont, who had crossed the Agueda. Wellington therefore moved north to Beira, after placing a garrison in Badajos, and leaving a force with Hill to operate in Estremadura, and to assist in levelling the trenches and repairing the defences of the newly acquired fortress. Marmont advances on Rodrigo again retires. When Marmont moved upon Ciudad Rodrigo, Carlos d'España retired towards Almeida, and Victor Alten towards Pena-Macor. The French pushed on towards Almeida; but shortly afterwards Trant advanced from Lamego to the Cabeça Negro mountain, behind the Almeida bridge; the French retired from before the fortress, which had been but slightly repaired, and Trant united with Wilson at Guarda. Le Cor stood fast with the Portuguese militia at Castello Branco, from which, however, he was for one day compelled to fall back to Sarnadas. Marmont moved to Sabugal, and while Trant was thinking of surprising him, the marshal planned a night surprise of Guarda, and his horsemen were entering the streets at daybreak when a drum beat the alarm. Trant's militiamen at once evacuated Guarda; but his rear guard, being hard pressed by Marmont's cavalry, flung away its arms and colours, and ignominiously fled across the Mondego, where 200 of them were captured and a large number cut down or drowned. Some of the principal delinquents, who escaped from the perils of the musket and the river, were subsequently put on their trial, and, being found guilty of cowardice, were shot by Marshal Beresford's orders, and the regiments which had thus disgraced themselves were disbanded. The rapid advance of Wellington, whom exaggerated rumours of the disasters in the north had reached, and the flooding of the Agueda, rendered Marmont's position perilous; but the water subsided before the allies could concentrate: he recrossed the Agueda, and dispersed his army for supplies in Leon. Marmont's invasion had destroyed the smaller magazines and disordered the means of transport. The allies were therefore now quartered at all the points of water-carriage, the head-quarters being fixed at Guinaldo, and all the waggons and mules in the army were engaged in bringing up stores to Almeida and Ciudad Rodrigo. The army was thus spread over a great line-along the Portuguese frontier from Badajos to the Douro, and down from the Douro to the Mondego-and the invasion of Spain was postponed till the field magazines should be completed, and the crops sufficiently grown to supply forage for the horses. As soon as the means permitted, a great blow was to be struck at Marmont, and the overthrow of the army of the west would deliver Andalusia, for Soult could not safely remain there when his communications with France were severed. CHAPTER VIII. THE SALAMANCA CAMPAIGN, AND THE MARCH TO MADRID AND BURGOS. Hill surprises and destroys the bridge of Almaraz-Expeditions to distract the French-Change of Ministry in England-Wellington advances to Salamanca: besieges the forts-Skirmish at Morisco: the forts of Salamanca reduced-Skirmish at Tordesillas: Marmont outmanoeuvres Wellington-Wellington prepares to retreat-Battle of Salamanca-Clausel retreats to Burgos-Rejoicings in Salamanca-Wellington moves from Valladolid on Joseph-Skirmish at Majalahonda-Wellington's difficulties-Clausel retreats through Burgos-Wellington besieges Burgos-Advance of Souham-Wellington appointed CaptainGeneral of Spain: Soult takes Chinchilla-Wellington abandons the siege of Burgos-Skirmish on the Hormazo and at Venta de Pozo-Disorders and sufferings of the retreat-Combat of the Carrion-Skirmish at Puente Larga: Hill retreats from Madrid-Concentration of the French: Wellington's position on the Tormes-Retreat from Salamanca: skirmish at Matilla and on the Huebra -Retreat ended at Ciudad Rodrigo-Dispositions for the winter-Results of the campaign. S a preliminary step to the march against Marmont's army, it was desirable to cut the connection between him and Soult by the bridge of Almaraz, the only practicable passage over the Tagus which, between Toledo and the frontier of Portugal, was yet in the hands of the French. This bridge was of great importance to Soult since the loss of his pontoon bridge in Badajos, and it had therefore been protected by strong works. On the left bank of the river there was a bridge-head, regularly entrenched and flanked, Hill surprises and destroys the bridge of Almaraz. and commanded by a very strong redoubt on an eminence above, Fort Napoleon, which was garrisoned by 400 men. The bridge was connected on the right bank by a flêche, or arrow (a field work consisting of two faces forming a salient angle), with another very strong redoubt, Fort Ragusa. The mountain road, winding over the steep sierra, was blocked at the pass of Mirabete by the old castle, which had been greatly strengthened, and was connected with a line of minor works along the brow of the hill. The task of surprising this position was entrusted to Hill. While feints were being made of invading Andalusia by throwing a bridge across the Guadiana at Merida, and by sending the Portuguese troops into the Alemtejo, Hill suddenly appeared on the evening of the 18th May on the high ground of Mirabete, before Almaraz, with the 50th (Queen's Own), 71st (Highland Light Infantry), and 92nd (Gordon Highlanders). The French believed that no attempt would be made to seize the works at the bridge until the castle and the works in the pass had been reduced; but they were surprised at dawn on the 19th May by a rush being made for Fort Napoleon by the 50th and part of the 71st, and after a sharp resistance, they fled across the bridge to enter Fort Ragusa. But the communication with the fort was destroyed, either by the commander on seeing the attack on the left bank, or by those of the fugitives who first got across; and, only a few escaping, those who were not drowned in the Tagus surrendered. The commander of Fort Ragusa evacuated it, and fled with his men to Naval-Moral, where he was brought to trial by court-martial, sentenced to death, and shot at Talavera. All the works at the bridge, with a great quantity of stores, thus fell into the hands of Hill, and were destroyed. He would also have succeeded in taking the Mirabete fort if a false alarm had not been given by Sir William Erskine that Soult was in Estremadura, upon which Hill retired again to Merida. The enemy being dislodged from Almaraz, Wellington was able to send Colonel Sturgeon to repair, without their knowledge, the bridge at Alcantara, and substitute that more rapid means of communication for the road leading by Villa Velha. The success of Hill's enterprise placed the British corps south of the Tagus fourteen marches nearer to the army in Beira than the armies of Soult and Marmont were to each other, and the loss of time in concentrating was therefore very serious for the French. A little later, when reinforcements were received, Hill moved upon Drouet, who fell back to Azagua. General Slade attacked, contrary to orders, General Lallemande's cavalry in the Maquilla defile, and dispersed them; but his own squadrons were broken up by the reserves, and he lost about 50 killed or wounded and 100 prisoners. Drouet received reinforcements from Soult, and Hill thereupon fell back upon Albuera. His menacing attitude was to be maintained during the movement of Wellington into Spain, and insurrections were to be fomented in Andalusia. Expeditions to distract the French. Other arrangements were also made for distracting the enemy. Silveira and D'Urban were to issue from Tras os Montes, along the Douro, and connect with Castaños, who, with the Galician army, was to besiege Astorga; an expedition under Sir Home Popham was to co-operate with the Spaniards on the Biscay coast; and the Sicilian expedition was, in concert with the forces in Murcia, to threaten Catalonia and Murcia. The guerrillas, exasperated by the prolonged warfare, became more active in increasing the privations of the troops and in cutting off detached parties; and such was now the hostility to the French, that 5,000 men were required to escort a bearer of despatches. Change of The change of administration at home was favourable to Wellington's designs of pursuing the war with vigour. Mr. Perceval, assassinated in May, was succeeded by Lord Liverpool, and the Marquis Wellesley was succeeded by Lord Castlereagh. The death of Perceval removed all personal opposition in the Cabinet, and though Castlereagh was not so ardent as Wellington's own brother, yet he interfered little in the affairs of the Peninsula, and the military policy of the Cabinet was entirely moulded by the great commander's views. When the periodic rains had ceased, Wellington crossed the |