=Talavera.=--In the spring of 1809, Sir Arthur Wellesley left England to take command of the Anglo-Portuguese army, and, landing at Lisbon on April 22nd, placed himself at the head of 25,000 British and Portuguese, crossed the Douro, drove Marshal Soult out of Oporto, advanced into Spain, and giving battle to the French at Talavera, defeated them after a long-drawn conflict lasting over the 27th and 28th July. The French were commanded by the intrusive King Joseph Bonaparte, assisted by Marshal Victor. The French losses in the first day's fighting were about 1,000 officers and men, the British losing about 800. For the two days the French had a total of 7,394 placed _hors de combat_, including Generals Lapisse and Morlot killed, and Generals Sebastiani and Boulet wounded; the killed numbered 944, and the wounded 6,274, while 150 were taken prisoners. The British losses amounted to 6,268; Generals Mackenzie and Langewith, 857 officers and men being killed; 3 generals, 192 officers, and 3,718 men wounded, 9 officers and 643 men missing. The Spaniards gave their losses as 1,200 killed and wounded. This battle, the victory in which was claimed for both sides, gained for the victorious General the titles of Baron Douro of Wellesley and Viscount Wellington of Talavera, with a pension of £2,000 per annum. The following regiments were engaged in the battle of Talavera, those marked with an asterisk being specially mentioned in dispatches. 1st Batt. Coldstream Guards; 1st and 3rd Batts. Scots Guards; 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 2nd Batt. 7th Regiment,* 2nd Batt. 24th, 1st Batt. 29th,* 2nd Batt. 31st,* 1st Batt. 40th, 1st Batt. 45th,* 1st and 2nd Batts. 48th, 2nd Batt. 53rd,* 5th Batt. 60th,* 1st Batt. 61st, 2nd Batt. 66th, 71st, 79th, 82nd, 2nd Batt. 83rd, 2nd Batt. 87th, 1st Batt. 88th, 91st, 92nd, 1st Batt. 97th,* and the Rifle Brigade. 3rd Dragoon Guards, 4th Dragoons, 14th (now Hussars), 16th (now Lancers), and 23rd Light Dragoons; Royal Artillery, Engineers, and Staff Corps; 1st and 2nd Light Battalions, 1st Light Dragoons, and 1st, 2nd, 5th, 7th Line Battalions of the King's German Legion. =Peninsular Gold Medals.=--Following this brilliant victory it was notified in the _London Gazette_, September 9th, 1810, that a gold medal would be granted to commemorate the battles of Roleria, Vimiera, Coruña, and Talavera. It was, however, only given to officers who had taken part in these engagements, or who had participated in any brilliant cavalry affair. It was also decided that the medal to which an officer would have been entitled, had he survived, should be given to his next of kin. The medals vary in size, but are all of the same design. The larger size was conferred upon General Officers, and the smaller ones upon colonels and senior officers. The medal was only given to those who were actually in command during an engagement, or succeeded thereto owing to the commander being killed or placed _hors de combat_.