Operations in Andalusia--Blockade of Cadiz--Dissentions in that city--Regency formed--Albuquerque sent to England--Dies there--Regency consent to admit British troops--General Colin Campbell obtains leave to put a garrison in Ceuta, and to destroy the Spanish lines at San Roque--General William Stewart arrives at Cadiz--Seizes Matagorda--Tempest destroys many vessels--Mr. Henry Wellesley and general Graham arrive at Cadiz--Apathy of the Spaniards--Gallant defence of Matagorda--Heroic conduct of a sergeant’s wife--General Campbell sends a detachment to occupy Tarifa--French prisoners cut the cables of the prison-hulks, and drift during a tempest--General Lacey’s expedition to the Ronda--His bad conduct--Returns to Cadiz--Reflections on the state of affairs 169 CHAPTER VI. Continuation of the operations in Andalusia--Description of the Spanish and Portuguese lines of position south of the Tagus--Situation of the armies in Estremadura--Complex operations in that province--Soult’s policy 188 CHAPTER VII. Situation of the armies north of the Tagus--Operations in Old Castile and the Asturias--Ney menaces Ciudad Rodrigo--Loison repulsed from Astorga--Kellerman chases Carrera from the Gata mountains--Obscurity of the French projects--Siege of Astorga--Mahi driven into Gallicia--Spaniards defeated at Mombouey--Ney concentrates the sixth corps at Salamanca--The ninth corps and the imperial guards enter Spain--Massena assumes the command of the army of Portugal and of the northern provinces--Ney commences the first siege of Ciudad Rodrigo--Julian Sanchez breaks out of the town--Massena arrives and alters the plan of attack--Daring action of three French soldiers--Place surrenders--Andreas Herrasti--His fine conduct--Reflections upon the Spanish character 201 BOOK XI. CHAPTER I. Lord Wellington’s policy--Change of administration in England--Duel between lord Castlereagh and Mr. Canning--Lord Wellesley joins the new ministry--Debates in Parliament--Factious violence on both sides--Lord Wellington’s sagacity and firmness vindicated--His views for the defence of Portugal--Ministers accede to his demands--Grandeur of Napoleon’s designs against the Peninsula--Lord Wellington enters into fresh explanation with the English ministers--Discusses the state of the war--Similarity of his views with those of sir John Moore--His reasons for not advancing into Spain explained and vindicated 215 CHAPTER II.