Romana surprises Villa Franca--Ney advances to Lugo--Romana retreats to the Asturias--Reforms the government there--Ney invades the Asturias by the west--Bonnet and Kellerman enter that province by the east and by the south--General Mahi flies to the valley of the Syl--Romana embarks at Gihon--Ballasteros takes St. Andero--Defeated by Bonnet--Kellerman returns to Valladolid--Ney marches for Coruña--Carera defeats Maucune at St. Jago Compostella--Mahi blockades Lugo--It is relieved by Soult--Romana rejoins his army and marches to Orense--Lapisse storms the bridge of Alcantara--Cuesta advances to the Guadiana--Lapisse retires--Victor concentrates his army at Torremocha--Effect of the war in Germany upon that of Spain--Sir A. Wellesley encamps at Abrantes--The bridge of Alcantara destroyed--Victor crosses the Tagus at Almaraz--Beresford returns to the north of Portugal--Ney and Soult combine operations--Soult scours the valleys of the Syl--Romana cut off from Castile and thrown back upon Orense--Ney advances towards Vigo--Combat of San Payo--Misunderstanding between him and Soult--Ney retreats to Coruña--Soult marches to Zamora--Franceschi falls into the hands of the Capuchino--His melancholy fate--Ney abandons Gallicia--View of affairs in Aragon--Battles of Maria and Belchite 308 CHAPTER IV. State of the British army--Embarrassments of sir Arthur Wellesley--State and numbers of the French armies--State and numbers of the Spanish armies--Some account of the _partidas_, commonly called _guerillas_--Intrigues of Mr. Frere--Conduct of the central junta--Their inhuman treatment of the French prisoners--Corruption and incapacity--State of the Portuguese army--Impolicy of the British government--Expedition of Walcheren--Expedition against Italy 334 BOOK IX. CHAPTER I. Campaign of Talavera--Choice of operations--Sir Arthur Wellesley moves into Spain--Joseph marches against Venegas--Orders Victor to return to Talavera--Cuesta arrives at Almaraz--Sir Arthur reaches Plasencia--Interview with Cuesta--Plan of operation arranged--Sir Arthur, embarrassed by the want of provisions, detaches sir Robert Wilson up the Vera de Plasencia, passes the Tietar, and unites with Cuesta at Oropesa--Skirmish at Talavera--Bad conduct of the Spanish troops--Victor takes post behind the Alberche--Cuesta’s absurdity--Victor retires from the Alberche--Sir Arthur, in want of provisions, refuses to pass that river--Intrigues of Mr. Frere--The junta secretly orders Venegas not to execute his part of the operation 357 CHAPTER II.