The National Register.
London, England, 1811-10-20 00:00:00


• -.- ISo.

AL

dingly,..when he found MAamoNr.reposing his corps
in the rich and abundant country about Placentia,
he resolved to carve out employment for him,
which should draw him from opportune and con-
venient quarters, and with that view directed his
course towardi the North. He had already at-
tempted Badajoz, which •he was prevented from
reducing by the junction of SOULT and M ARMONT ;
and •if he were to renew his attack upon that city,
after it had been amply supplied with every requi-
site to stand a protracted siege, he might again be
foiled in his attempt to take it, .hy a similar junction
to that which had frustrated his previous efforts.
Souer and MARMONT had not separated so widely
that they might not have speedily re-united for the
purpose of saving such a fortress as Badajoz.
In this state of the compaign, then, Lord WEL-
if,NcroN determined to proceed towards the North-
ern frontier, where Ciudad Rodrigo, from its sup-
posed security against attack, was comparatively
ill-supplied for a siege, and where the impediments
to any very powerful concentration of the enemy's
force to interrupt his operations held out a pro-
speCt of its reduction before any relief could
be- effectually afforded. Had he pressed the
siege with vigour, and without regarding the
amount of sacrifice he should make for that ob-
ject, •he must have reduced it long before the
Freiich came up to its relief. But the posses-
iron or d single fortress within the Spanish
frontier, which might cost him some thousands of
his army to acquire, and would employ some thou-
sands more to retain, could not have been of suffi-
cient importance to compensate so large a sacrifice.
He blockaded.the city therefore, but did not regu-
larly invest it ; the means he resorted to for the
purpose of preventing the introduction of supplies
would have forced it to capitulate, if no effort had
been made by MA RMONT for its relief. Thus the
Allied Army, without being subjected to more
inconvenience than in its former position, and with-
out 'being exposed to any loss, might have com-
pelled the .surrender of an important fortress, or
would have forced the French General at any
price, and at ail hazards; to resume active opera-
tions, and abandon the state of security and repose
which he enjoyed at Placentia.
Such were the relative and respective situations
(if the two armies. Before Ciudad could be starved
into a capitulation the French armies were assem-
bled from every point to make a concentrated effort
for-its deliverance. Lord WELLINGTON apprised
of ,their approach, and variously informed as to
their actual strength ; though he had resolved not
to risk a battle for Ciudad 10.1rigo against any
commanding superiority of force, d 4 collected the
British Army in positions from which he could
either advance or retire without difficulty, and which
would enable him.to see all that was going on, and
the strength of the enemy's army." This short pa-
ragraph is enough to prove the justice of the ob-
servation which we have premised above as to the
precise objects of Lord WELLINGTON in the block-
ade of that fortress. In drawing the enemy, from
aliparts towards his position, he had harassed them
with forced marches, and exposed them to all the
Consequences of incessant fatigues during the sickly
season. His great object being thus accomplishedk