War in the south of France—Soult’s political difficulties—Privations of the allied troops—Lord Wellington appeals to their military honour with effect—Averse to offensive operations, but when Napoleon’s disasters in Germany became known, again yields to the wishes of the allied sovereigns—His dispositions of attack retarded—They are described—Battle of the Nivelle—Observations—Deaths and characters of Mr. Edward Freer and colonel Thomas Lloyd 326 CHAP. II. Soult occupies the entrenched camp of Bayonne, and the line of the Nive river—Lord Wellington unable to pursue his victory from the state of the roads—Bridge-head of Cambo abandoned by the French—Excesses of the Spanish troops—Lord Wellington’s indignation—He sends them back to Spain—Various skirmishes in front of Bayonne—The generals J. Wilson and Vandeleur are wounded—Mina plunders the Val de Baygorry—Is beaten by the national guards—Passage of the Nive and battles in front of Bayonne—Combat of the 10th—Combat of the 11th—Combat of the 12th—Battle of St. Pierre—Observations 363 CHAP. III. Respective situations and views of lord Wellington and Soult—Partizan warfare—The Basques of the Val de Baygorry excited to arms by the excesses of Mina’s troops—General Harispe takes the command of the insurgents—Clauzel advances beyond the Bidouze river—General movements—Partizan combats—Excesses committed by the Spaniards—Lord Wellington reproaches their generals—His vigorous and resolute conduct—He menaces the French insurgents of the valleys with fire and sword and the insurrection subsides—Soult hems the allies right closely—Partizan combats continued—Remarkable instances of the habits established between the French and British soldiers of the light division—Shipwrecks on the coast 410 CHAP. IV. Political state of Portugal—Political state of Spain—Lord Wellington advises the English government to prepare for a war with Spain and to seize St. Sebastian as a security for the withdrawal of the British and Portuguese troops—The seat of government and the new Cortez are removed to Madrid—The duke of San Carlos arrives secretly with the treaty of Valençay—It is rejected by the Spanish regency and Cortez—Lord Wellington’s views on the subject 425 CHAP. V. Political state of Napoleon—Guileful policy of the allied sovereigns—M. de St. Aignan—General reflections—Unsettled policy of the English ministers—They neglect lord Wellington—He remonstrates and exposes the denuded state of his army 440 CHAP. VI.