Return of Sir Arthur Wellesley to England. -State of Europe

at that Period. He proceeds to the North of Germany. -

is appointed to the Colonelcy of the Thirty-third Regiment.

- Returns to England. His Marriage. Proceedings in

Parliament relative to Marquis Wellesley's Administration of

the Government of India.— Sir Arthur defends his Brother's

Conduct. Summary of the Parliamentary Proceedings on

this Subject

-

225

CHAP. XI.

Expedition to Copenhagen.

-

-

Course adopted with regard to

Denmark justified by the Conduct of the other European

Powers. Investment of the Danish Capital. Sir Arthur

Wellesley employed on a detached Command. He defeats

a Danish Force at Kioge. Capitulation of Copenhagen. -

Return of the Armament to England. Sir Arthur Wellesley

resumes his Duties in Parliament, and as Secretary for Ireland.

Anecdote

245

CHAP. XII.

-

-

-

-

State of Europe at the Close of the Year 1807.- Napoleon's

Designs on Portugal and Spain. - Degenerate State of those

Two Nations. Godoy. - The Spanish Army. - French

Troops. System of Napoleon. Treaty of Fontainebleau.

-Invasion of Portugal.-Flight of the Royal Family to

Brazil. Portugal annexed to France. Alarm at the Court

of Madrid. Tumults at Aranjuez. Abdication of Charles

the Fourth in favour of his Son. The French occupy Madrid.

Charles protests against his Abdication, and implores the

Mediation of Napoleon. - Duplicity of the French Emperor.

-He decoys the whole of the Royal Family to Bayonne. -

Cession of the Crown of Spain to Napoleon. Tumult and

Massacre at Madrid. - Insurrection throughout Spain.

The Junta of Seville declares War against France.

of the French. Battle of Rio Seco. Joseph Buonaparte

enters Madrid.

Battle of Baylen. Critical Position of

Junot in Portugal. Proceedings of the French in that King-

dom previous to the Arrival of Sir Arthur Wellesley

--

CHAP. XIII.

Spanish Deputies arrive in England. The British Government

determines to assist the Spaniards. Sir Arthur Wellesley

-

-

is appointed to command the Force collected for this Purpose.

He receives his Instructions, and proceeds to Cork.

Sails from Cove, and precedes the Fleet to Coruña. Ex-

aggerated Accounts of the Successes of the Patriots. Pro-

ceeds to Oporto, and thence to the Mouth of the Tagus, to

confer with Admiral Sir C. Cotton. -Decides on disembarking

the Army at Mondego Bay. -Rejoins the Fleet of Transports,

and hears of the Appointment of Sir Hew Dalrymple to the

Command. Prepares to land

-

Page 294

CHAP. XIV.

-

---

-

Faulty Arrangements made for the Command of the British

Army in Portugal. - Sir A. Wellesley decides on commencing

Operations, without awaiting the Arrival of Reinforcements.

His Reasons for taking this Step. The Army Disem-

barks. Arrival of General Spencer's Corps. · Difficulties

to be overcome, and Inconveniences to which the British

Commander was subjected. Interview with the Portugueze

Authorities. The Army moves forward to Leyria. - Is

joined by the Portugueze Troops. - Extraordinary Proposal

of their General. Separation of the Two Armies. - Position

of the French Forces.Affair at Obidos. - Battle of Roliça.

-Observations on the Operations of the Belligerents up to this

Period

- -

-

314

CHAP. XV.

-

-

Junot resolves on concentrating his Forces and attacking the

English Army. Movements of the French. Difficulties

experienced by Sir Arthur in obtaining correct Information.

The English Army again moves towards the Coast to cover

the Landing of General Anstruther's Brigade. Sir Arthur

purposes advancing by the Coast Road to turn the French

Army. Arrival of Lieutenant-General Sir Harry Burrard,

who disapproves of the proposed Advance. Position of the

-

English Army. Battle of Vimeiro. Sir Arthur proposes

-

to pursue the beaten Enemy, but Sir Harry Burrard orders a

Halt. Reflections on this Subject. - Arrival of Lieutenant-

General Sir Hew Dalrymple to assume the Command 344

-

CHAP. XVI.

-

-

Junot calls a

Vacillating Conduct of the British Commander.

Council of War. General Kellermann arrives at the British

Head Quarters to propose a Suspension of Arms. - Objections

of Sir A. Wellesley to the Articles proposed. He signs the

Armistice. The British Admiral objects to the Stipulation

regarding the Russian Fleet. - Instructions drawn up by Sir

A. Wellesley for the Officer charged with the Negotiation of a

Treaty. Convention of Cintra. Amendments made in it

at the Instigation of Sir A. Wellesley. It is ratified by Sir

Hew Dalrymple without the proposed Alterations being made.

Allusions to the Events in the Correspondence of Sir A.

Wellesley. Remonstrances of the Portugueze General, and

Opinion of the British Army with regard to the Convention.

-Sir Hew Dalrymple proposes to send Sir A. Wellesley to

the Asturias. Sir Arthur communicates his Views for the

future Conduct of the War in Spain to Lord Castlereagh,

and submits his Sentiments as to the Re-establishment of the

Council of Regency in Portugal to the British Commander.

- Determines to return to England

-

-

CHAP. XVII.

-

Page 369

-

Dissatisfaction expressed in England at the Convention of

Cintra. Embarrassment occasioned to the Government by

the Non-arrival of the Official Accounts of the same. -

Rumours affecting Sir Arthur Wellesley's Reputation. Nu-

merous Petitions calling for Investigation into the Trans-

actions in Portugal. A Board of Inquiry is ordered to as-

semble. Its Report.-Observations thereon. — It is ordered

to re-assemble, and give a decided Opinion on certain Points.

The King expresses his Disapprobation of Sir H. Dal-

rymple's Conduct. Sir A. Wellesley resumes his Duties as

Chief Secretary for Ireland, and his Seat in the House of

Commons. Proceedings in Parliament. Sir Arthur is ap-

pointed to take the Command of the Army in Portugal - 403

-

CHAP. XVIII.

State of Spain after the Evacuation of Portugal by the French.

Formation of the Supreme Junta of Government. — Posi-

tions of the French and Spanish Forces. Commencement

of Military Operations. - Napoleon places himself at the

-

-

Head of his Army.-The Spaniards are defeated at Espinosa,

Burgos, and Tudela. An English Army advances into Spain.

from Portugal under Sir John Moore, and a Corps lands at

Coruña under Sir David Baird. Sir John Moore reaches

Salamanca. Perplexities and Hesitation of the British Com-

mander. He at length concentrates his Army, and advances

against Marshal Soult.

Reaches Sahagun; but retires on

hearing of the March of Napoleon from Madrid. — Retreat

of the English to Coruña

-

Page 417

CHAP. XIX.

- -

-

Prospects of the Belligerents at the Opening of the Year 1809.

Operations of the French and Spanish Armies. - Invasion

of Portugal by Marshal Soult. The British Ministry deter-

mine to reinforce the Army at Lisbon. Sir Arthur Wel-

lesley appointed to the Command in Portugal. - Positions of

the French Armies. Plan of Operations.

Douro. Disastrous Flight of Marshal Sonlt

-

-

-

-

Passage of the

444

CHAP. XX.

-

The English Army returns to Coimbra. Movement of Marsha

Victor. Sir Arthur Wellesley marches to the Tagus. His

Plan for the Campaign. - Victor withdraws across the Tagus.

Positions of the French and Allied Armies. Marshal Be-

resford detached to the Eastern Frontier of Portugal.

Junction of the British and Spanish Armies.

Talavera

Page 85. line 12. insert "to" after “preparations."
136. line 2. from bottom, for "west" read "east."
183. line 24. for “for if ready” read “ as if ready.”
247. line 14. insert an † after "expediency.
252. line 21. for "Zeeland" read "Laalande."
265. line 20. omit "de."

271. line 30. for "translantic " read "transatlantic."

295. line 17. for "differing" read “different.”

295. line 18. after "result of"" insert "a contest between."

PREFACE.

It does not always follow that the opinion formed of an eminent individual by his cotemporaries is confirmed by that of posterity; but there can be little hazard in affirming that the Duke of Wellington must be recorded in British annals as the most illustrious man the empire has produced. His military fame rests on a broad and imperishable foundation, while as a statesman he has long stood foremost in general estimation.

Nothing is more surprising than the almost uniform success that has attended him throughout a varied and eventful career: as Midas by a touch converted all to gold, so did every thing prosper under the hand of Wellington. And although great and extraordinary acts have characterized his whole life, yet nothing connected with his Grace ought to excite a higher degree of admiration than the publication of his voluminous despatches and letters. To have permitted the appearance of a selection from those documents, would have been little in comparison, (setting aside their intrinsic value,) for we possess many collections of letters written by distinguished persons; but we should