The next year, 1812, opened with the siege, assault, and capture of CIUDAD RODRIGO, and immediately afterwards ensued the successful siege of BADAJOZ. Sending _Hill_ to destroy the bridge of Almarez, _Wellington_ proceeded northwards, and on the 22nd of July defeated Marmont at the battle of SALAMANCA, the crowning feat of a long series of brilliant manœuvres. The English General thereupon marched towards Madrid, and, driving King Joseph before him, entered the capital in triumph on the 12th of August. But the French were so strongly reinforced that the British troops were obliged to retire for the winter to Portugal. [Sidenote: June 21st, 1813, VITTORIA.] [Sidenote: July 24th to Aug. 2nd, 1813, PYRENEES.] [Sidenote: Nov. 10th, 1813, NIVELLE.] [Sidenote: Dec. 9th to 13th, NIVE.] In May, 1813, the Army finally quitted Portugal, and again advancing drove the French northwards by brilliant strategy. On the 21st of June _Wellington_ gained a splendid victory over King Joseph at VITTORIA, capturing 150 guns and his whole transport. The companies of the Regiment with _Picton_ and the 3rd Division played an especially brilliant part. Ignominiously driven from Spain the French Army rallied on the Bidassoa, where Soult assumed command, having been despatched by Napoleon to supersede his brother King Joseph and Marshal Jourdan. He immediately attacked the English, but was defeated with great slaughter at the battle of the PYRENEES, which lasted eight days, July the 24th to August the 2nd. The 5th Battalion was at this time commanded by Major Fitzgerald.[21] _Wellington_, then advancing into France, forced the passage of the Bidassoa on October the 7th, and defeated the French at the battle of NIVELLE, terminating the campaign by a victory on the NIVE after a battle lasting five days. [Sidenote: Feb. 27th, 1814, ORTHES.] In February, 1814, occurred one of the most brilliant manœuvres of the war—the famous passage of the Adour, which was forced in the teeth of a Division of the French Army, the company of the 60th leading the advance of the Guards’ Brigade, to which it was attached. On the 27th of the same month Soult was again totally defeated at ORTHES. [Sidenote: April 10th, 1814, TOULOUSE.] _Wellington_, following up this victory, advanced on Toulouse, where, on the 10th of April, the British troops won the last of the fourteen great battles fought in the Peninsular War, in twelve of which the Regiment had taken a glorious part. The repulse of a sortie from Bayonne was the final episode of this memorable war. Thus closes a momentous record of gallant achievements of the Regiment. Among the officers of the 5th Battalion who distinguished themselves during the Peninsular War, besides those already mentioned, were Major Woodgate,[22] Lieutenant-Colonel Galiffe,[23] Captain Schoedde,[24] and Captain de Blacquière.