league in front of Talavera. At two in the afternoon of the 27th, the enemy crossed the Alberche, which was every where fordable, and attacked Major-General Mackenzie, who retired upon the position that had been taken up by Sir Arthur, with the consent of the Spanish leader.

The intention of the enemy to try the result of a general engagement was now no longer doubtful, and, full of confidence in his gallant little army, Sir Arthur beheld the approach of the foe, formidable not only from numbers, but also from the troops being inured to war. His mind, however, was not free from anxiety at this momentous crisis, and an expression of deep thoughtfulness saddened the usually animated countenance of this chief, as he rode along the line. The troops had for some days received a very scanty supply of provisions, and the feelings of the British General were agonized by the privations of his brave soldiers. Every representation had been made without avail, to hasten the arrival of the supplies from Placentia, and General Cuesta treated the wants of the British with a marked indifference.

The position occupied by the combined army, extended nearly three miles; the Spanish infantry in two lines, forming the right, were posted behind the ruined inclosures of the olive grounds and vineyards adjoining the suburbs of Talavera, which they also occupied with their extreme flank resting upon the Tagus. The right of the British line, under Brigadier General Alexander Campbell, joined the left of the Spaniards, and extended along some open ground to a height, on which Major-General, now Lord, Hill's division was posted; MajorGeneral Sherbrooke commanded the centre, and Major-General Mackenzie's division, which had been previously in advance, now formed a second line in the rear.

About half past six o'clock the enemy appeared in considerable force on the heights opposite the centre of the British line, and commenced a heavy fire, which was immediately returned from the guns, placed on an eminence in the rear of MajorGeneral Hill's division. At the same time the French made a vigorous attack in order to gain possession of the height, from whence, after a most obstinate conflict, they were driven at

the point of the bayonet. The enemy also pushed forward se veral corps of infantry, supported by a strong division on the right, with a view of carrying the town of Talavera, in which object he failed, and was driven back by the fire of the Spanish batteries. In the course of the night the enemy made a second assault upon the height, from whence, after gaining a momentary possession, he was dislodged, by Major-General Hill, with prodigious slaughter.

The night was spent in a state of mutual alarm: at length day broke upon the contending armies; who were drawn up opposite to each other, in the positions they respectively occu→ pied at the beginning of the action on the preceding evening. About six, the engagement was renewed, and continued without intermission until eleven o'clock, when the firing ceased, as if by mutual consent, for nearly three hours, during which interval the French appeared to be employed in cooking, and the British army reposed, on the ground, seemingly regardless of the enemy's presence.

The principal efforts of the French, throughout the morning, were again directed upon the left, but Major-General Hill successfully repelled every attempt to turn his position, and obliged the enemy to retire with considerable loss. Sir Arthur, surrounded by his staff, observed the progress of the battle on a height to the left of the British line. From this point he witnessed every movement that was made, and, in the midst of the hottest fire, issued the necessary orders with his characteristic coolness and judgment. Two of his aides-de-camps, Captains (now Sir H. F.) Bouverie and (now Sir Ulysses) Burgh, were wounded by his side.

At one P. M. the enemy was observed bringing up fresh troops, and forming his columns, apparently for the purpose of renewing the attack; and about two o'clock, they again advanced under a heavy cannonade, and made a general attack upon the whole of the position, occupied by the British. The enemy's attacking columns, on the right, were received by BrigadierGeneral Campbell's division at the point of the bayonet, and driven back with the loss of their artillery. The efforts of the enemy on the left were equally unsuccessful as before, and a

charge made by Brigadier-General (now Sir George) Anson with the 23d light dragoons and German hussars, upon a solid column of infantry, although attended with a severe loss to the former regiment, had the effect of checking their further advance in that direction.

Meanwhile the centre was warmly engaged. Exactly at 3 o'clock several heavy columns advanced upon this point, and deployed, with the utmost precision, into line, as they entered the plain, which lay betwixt the heights occupied by the hostile armies. This was the grand attack, and, on the first indication of the enemy's intention, Lieutenant-General Sherbrooke gave directions that his division should prepare for the charge. The French came on over the rough and broken ground in the valley, in the most imposing manner, and with great resolution, and were met by the British with undaunted firmness: as if with one accord, the division advanced against the enemy, whose ranks were speedily broken, and thrown into confusion, by a well-directed volley. The impetuosity of the soldiers was not to be repressed, and the brigade, on the immediate left of the guards being halted, that flank, from its advanced situation in the eagerness of pursuit, became exposed to the enemy, who had already given way, and deserted his guns on the hill in front, until observing this part of the line unsupported, the French rallied, and returned with increased numbers to the attack upon the centre. Brigadier-General Harry Campbell now gave orders for the guards to retire to their original position in line, and the 1st battalion of the 48th regiment was directed to cover this movement, by the Commander of the Forces, who saw and provided for every emergency during the tremendous conflict. Foiled at all points, the French withdrew the remains of the columns, which had been unsuccessfully opposed to the centre, and about five in the evening commenced their retreat across the Alberche to Santa Alalla, leaving a rear-guard of 10,000 men on the heights, behind the ruin, which were withdrawn on the 31st.

The loss of the British army, which entered the field 18,300 effective men, with 30 pieces of cannon, in the two days' action, consisted of 34 officers, 767 men, killed; 195 officers, 8,718

men, wounded; 9 officers, 644 men, missing; making a total of 5,367. The loss of the enemy was not less than 14,000 men, and 20 pieces of cannon.

On the 29th of July, the day after the action, the light brigade, 3000 strong, and a troop of horse-artillery, under the late Major-General Robert Craufurd, joined the army, having made a forced march of twelve Spanish leagues, or fifty miles, in the preceding twenty-four hours.

The thanks of Parliament were voted to Lord Wellington after the battle of Talavera; and his Lordship addressed the following letters to the Lord Chancellor and Speaker of the House of Commons in answer to their communication of the same.

"My Lord,

66

Viseu, March, 6, 1810. "I have had the honor of receiving your Lordship's letter, in which you enclosed the resolutions of the House of Lords of the 26th of January, conveying the approbation of their Lordships of the conduct of the general officers, officers, and troops, under my command, and of myself in the battle fought at Talavera on the 27th and 28th of July last.

"I have communicated to the general officers, officers, and troops, these testimonies of their Lordships' approbation; and I beg leave to assure your Lordship, that I have received the honor which their Lordships have conferred upon me, and the army under my command, with a just sense of its high value and importance: with gratitude for the favor with which their Lordships have viewed our efforts in his Majesty's service, and a desire to merit the continuance of their Lordships' approbation by a zealous discharge of my duty. I request your Lordship to accept my thanks, for the handsome terms in which you have conveyed the pleasure of the House of Lords;

"I have had the honor of receiving your letter of the 2d of February, in which you enclosed the resolutions of the House of

Commons of the 1st February: expressing the approbation of the House of my conduct and of that of the general officers, officers, and troops, composing the army under my command in the battle fought at Talavera, on the 27th and 28th of July last.

"In obedience to the orders of the House, I have communicated to the general officers, officers, and troops, this honorable testimony of the approbation of the House; and I beg leave to adopt this mode of expressing to the House the high sense I entertain of the honor which they have conferred upon me, and upon the army under my command; and to assure them that I shall endeavour to merit their approbation by a zealous discharge of my duty.

"I must likewise request you, Sir, to accept my thanks for the kindness towards me, which you have manifested in the manner in which you have conveyed to me the pleasure of the House, a kindness of which I had already repeated proofs during the period that 1 had the honor of being a member of the House of Commons.

"I have, &c.

"WELLINGTON.

"The Right Hon. the Speaker of the House of Commons.”.

During the stay of the army at Talavera de la Reyna, both before and after the action, the supplies of every kind had been very insufficient, and the inhabitants of that town evinced no disposition to relieve the wants of the British, and to accommodate the sick and wounded. On the morningof the 3d of August, the British army moved from Talavera; but for an hour after the troops were under arms, they remained uncertain whether Sir Arthur intended to advance upon Madrid, or proceed against Marshal Soult, who, in conjunction with Marshals Ney and Mortier, had arrived at Placentia. Sir Arthur decided upon the latter object, and accordingly the army retraced its former steps, and the same afternoon again halted near the town of Oropesa. Although by this movement the British left behind a considerable number of their sick and wounded, yet little anxiety was felt on this account, as they relied on the Spaniards keeping Marshal Victor