Tortoza—Its governor feeble—The Spaniards outside disputing and negligent—Captain Fane lands at Palamos—Is taken—O’Donnel resigns and is succeeded by Campo Verde—Description of Tortoza—It is invested—A division of the seventh corps placed under Suchet’s command—Siege of Tortoza—The place negotiates—Suchet’s daring conduct—The governor surrenders—Suchet’s activity—Habert takes the fort of Balaguer—M‘Donald moves to Reus—Sarsfield defeats and kills Ugenio—M‘Donald marches to Lerida—Suchet goes to Zaragoza—The confidence of the Catalans revives—The manner in which the belligerents obtained provisions explained—The Catalans attack Perillo, and Campo Verde endeavours to surprise Monjuic, but is defeated with great loss—Napoleon changes the organisation of the third and seventh Corps—The former becomes the army of Aragon—The latter the army of Catalonia 36 CHAP. IV. Suchet prepares to besiege Taragona—The power of the Partidas described—Their actions—They are dispersed on the frontier of Aragon—The Valencians fortify Saguntum—Are defeated a second time at Uldecona—Suchet comes to Lerida—M‘Donald passes with an escort from them to Barcelona—His troops burn Manresa—Sarsfield harasses his march—Napoleon divides the invasion of Catalonia into two parts—Sinking state of the province—Rovira surprises Fort Fernando de Figueres—Operations which follow that event 52 CHAP. V. Suchet’s skilful conduct—His error about English finance—Outline of his arrangements for the siege of Taragona—He makes French contracts for the supply of his army—Forages the high valleys and the frontiers of Castile and Valencia—Marches to Taragona—Description of that place—Campo Verde enters the place—Suchet invests it—Convention relative to the sick concluded between St. Cyr and Reding faithfully observed—Sarsfield comes to Momblanch—Skirmish with the Valencians at Amposta and Rapita—Siege of Taragona—Rapita and Momblanch abandoned by Suchet—Taragona reinforced from Valencia—The Olivo stormed—Campo Verde quits Taragona, and Senens de Contreras assumes the chief command—Sarsfield enters the place and takes charge of the Port or lower town—French break ground before the lower town—The Francoli stormed—Campo Verde’s plans to succour the place—General Abbé is called to the siege—Sarsfield quits the place—The lower town is stormed—The upper town attacked—Suchet’s difficulties increase—Campo Verde comes to the succour of the place, but retires without effecting any thing—Colonel Skerrett arrives in the harbour with a British force—Does not land—Gallant conduct of the Italian soldier Bianchini—The upper town is stormed with dreadful slaughter 70 CHAP. VI.