Cuesta passes the Alberche--Sir Arthur Wellesley sends two English divisions to support him--Soult is appointed to command the second, fifth, and sixth corps--He proposes to besiege Ciudad Rodrigo and threaten Lisbon--He enters Salamanca, and sends general Foy to Madrid to concert the plan of operations--The king quits Madrid--Unites his whole army--Crosses the Guadarama river, and attacks Cuesta--Combat of Alcabon--Spaniards fall back in confusion to the Alberche--Cuesta refuses to pass that river--His dangerous position--The French advance--Cuesta re-crosses the Tietar--Sir Arthur Wellesley draws up the combined forces on the position of Talavera--The king crosses the Tietar--Skirmish at Casa de Salinas--Combat on the evening of the 27th--Panic in the Spanish army--Combat on the morning of the 28th--The king holds a council of war--Jourdan and Victor propose different plans--The king follows that of Victor--Battle of Talavera--The French re-cross the Alberche--General Craufurd arrives in the English camp--His extraordinary march--Observations 377 CHAPTER III. The king goes to Illescas with the fourth corps and reserve--Sir R. Wilson advances to Escalona--Victor retires to Maqueda--Conduct of the Spaniards at Talavera--Cuesta’s cruelty--The allied generals hear of Soult’s movement upon Baños--Bassecour’s division marches towards that point--The pass of Baños forced--Sir A. Wellesley marches against Soult--Proceedings of that marshal--He crosses the Bejar, and arrives at Plasencia with three _corps d’armée_--Cuesta abandons the British hospitals, at Talavera, to the enemy, and retreats upon Oropesa--Dangerous position of the allies--Sir Arthur crosses the Tagus at Arzobispo--The French arrive near that bridge--Cuesta passes the Tagus--Combat of Arzobispo--Soult’s plans overruled by the king--Ney defeats sir R. Wilson at Baños, and returns to France 410 CHAPTER IV. Venegas advances to Aranjues--Skirmishes there--Sebastiani crosses the Tagus at Toledo--Venegas concentrates his army--Battle of Almonacid--Sir Arthur Wellesley contemplates passing the Tagus at the Puente de Cardinal, is prevented by the ill-conduct of the junta--His troops distressed for provisions--He resolves to retire into Portugal--False charge made by Cuesta against the British army refuted--Beresford’s proceedings--Mr. Frere superseded by lord Wellesley--The English army abandons its position at Jaraceijo and marches towards Portugal--Consternation of the junta--Sir A. Wellesley defends his conduct, and refuses to remain in Spain--Takes a position within the Portuguese frontier--Sickness in the army 429 CHAPTER V. General observations on the campaign--Comparison between the operations of sir John Moore and sir A. Wellesley 447 APPENDIX.