Important events had in the meantime occurred on the continent of Europe. Napoleon having reduced Germany to submission to his will, and forced Russia to accede to his decrees, next attempted the subjugation of Spain and Portugal. The Spaniards and Portuguese rose in arms to assert their national rights, the French emperor having conferred the crown of Spain on his brother Joseph, who relinquished the throne of Naples in favour of Marshal Murat. In the summer of 1808 Portugal was delivered by a British army under Lieut.-General Sir Arthur Wellesley, and in the autumn Lieut.-General Sir John Moore received orders to advance with a body of British troops from Portugal into the heart of Spain; several regiments were embarked from the United Kingdom to co-operate in the enterprise. On the 4th of June 1808, the battalion embarked from Guernsey, proceeded to Harwich, and from thence to Ramsgate, having previously occupied Weely Barracks and Danbury Camp. Lieut.-Colonel Charles W. Doyle[10] having been appointed a brigadier-general and employed on a special mission in Spain, the command of the second battalion devolved upon Major Hugh Gough, and on the 28th of December following, it embarked at Ramsgate to join the army under Lieut.-General Sir John Moore, with numerous supplies of men and stores; but being dispersed by a storm, it rendezvoused at Cork, from whence it was ordered to proceed to Portugal. [Sidenote: 1809.] The battalion arrived at Lisbon on the 12th of March 1809, and joined the army under the command of Lieut.-General Sir Arthur Wellesley. It was employed in the operations against the French at Oporto, and advanced in April following in pursuit of the French army, which had retreated from Portugal towards Madrid.