The life of Napoleon Buonaparte, emperor of the French. By Sir Walter Scott.

I462 LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
Roncesvalles, was cleared of its defenders by a lected those which Galicia itself afforded; and the
charge of Polish lancers! These melancholy troops, retiring gradually from position to position,
tidings, as they were in correspondence with Ge- and maintained flom their own resources, would'ieral Moore's expectations, did not prevent his have escaped the loss and dishonour of a retreat
intended movement on the French lines of corn- which resemnbled a flight in every particular, exminnication. By this means he might co-operate cepting the terror which accompanies it.
with General La Romana and his army, and if Besides these great deficiencies, a disadvantage
pressed by superior numbers of the French, the of the most distressing kind occurred, from the
retreat lay through Galicia to Corunna, where the natural and constitutional aversion of the British
* transports were attending for the reception of the army to retrograde movements. Fall of hope and
troops. confidence when he advances, the English soldier
General Moore left Salamanca on the 12th De- wants the pliability, lightness, and elasticity of
cember, and proceeded towards Mayorga, where, character, which enables the Frenchman to dison the 20th, he formed a junction with Sir David tinguish himself during a retreat, by his intelligence,
Baird. Advancing upon Sahagun, the troops re- discipline, and dexterity. Chafed, sullen, and disceived encouragement from a gallant action main- contented, the soldiers next became mutinous and
tained by the 15th hussars, five hundred of whom insubordinate; and, incensed against the Spaniards,
took, cut down, and dispersed, nearly double their by whose want of zeal they thought they had been
own number of French cavalry. All now imagined betrayed, they committed the most unjustifiable exthey were to attack Soult, who had concentrated his cesses on the unlesisting inhabitants. Despite the
forces behind the river Carrion to receive the assault. repeated orders of the commander-in-chief, endeaTihe British army was in the highest possible spirits, vouring to restrain the passions, and soothe the
when news were suddenly received that Soult had irritation of the soldiers, these disgraceful outrages
been considerably reinforced; that Bonaparte was were continued. It is matter of some consolation,
marching from Madrid, at the head of ten thousand that, losing their character for discipline, they reof his guards; and that the French armies, who had tained that for courage. The French, who had
been marching to the south of Spain, had halted and pressed on the British rear, near to Benavente, and
assumed a direction to the north-west, as if to en- thrown across the river a large body of the Imperial
close and destroy the British army. This was cavallry, were driven back and defeated on the
exactly the danger which Moore had never ceased 29th December; and, leaving General Lefelvre
to apprehend, even when executing the movement Desnouettes a prisoner, in future were contented
that led to it. A retreat into, if not through Galicia, with observing, without pressing upon the English
was the only mode of avoiding the perils by which retreat.
the British were surrounded. The plan of defending At Astorga, 30th December, the commander-intlis strong and mountainous province, or at least of chief found about 5000 Spaniards under La Romana,
effecting a retreat through it with order and deliber- the relics of the Galician army. These troops
ation, had been in view for several weeks; Sir wanted clothing, accoutrements, arms, ammunition,
David Baird's division of the army passed through and pay-they wanted, in short, everything exceptit inl their advance to Astorga; yet so imperfect at ing that conraage-and devotion to the cause of their
that time was the British general staff, that no accu- country, which would have had a better fate, had
rate knowledge seemed to have been possessed of fortune favoured desert.
the roads through the country, of the many strong The Spanish general still proposed to make'a
military positions which it presents, or of the par- stand at this rallying point; btut whatever might be
ticular military advantages which it affords for La Romana's own skill, and the bravelry of his foldefensive war. Another deficiency, incidental to lowers, his forces twere not of a quality such as to
our service at that period, was the great deficiency induce Sir John Moore to halt his retreat, which he
of the comnmissariat department, which had been now directed avowedly upon Corunna.
pointed out so forcibly by Sir Arthur WVellesley, The scarcity of provisions required forced marchbut which had not yet been remedied. * es, and conibined, with want of general knowledge
Sutifcient exertions in this department might lhave of the country in a military sense, to hurry forwardl
brought forward supplies fromn Corunna, and col- the soldiers, who too readily took advantage of
these irregular movenments to straggle and plunder,
~ Sir Arthur Wellesley, while exculpaling from'atme inflicting on the friendly natives, and receiving from
the individuals composing the commissariat of the Ior- them in return, the mutual evils which are given
tuguese expedition, added these words:-"T'he fact is, that and received by invaders in an enemy's country.
I wished to draw the attention of the government to this The weather dark and rainy-the roads blockaded
important branch of the public service, which is but lif te by half-melted snow-the forls become almost imunderstood in this country. Tie evits of a'htch I corn- passable —augmented the difficulties of a retreat,
plained are probably owing to the nature of our political resembling that by which a defeated army is forced
situation, which prevents us from undertaking great military operations, in which the subsistence of armies be- into a country totally unknown to them, and through
comesa subject of serious consideration antl difficulty; and which the fugitives must find their way as they can.
these evils consisted in the inexperience of alrost every The baggage of the army, and its ammunition, were
individual, of the mode of procuring, conveying, and dis- abandoned and destroyed. The sick, the wounded,
trihuting supplies.' He requested that this explanation were left to the mercy of the pursuers; and the
might stand in the minutes.-Southey's History of the numbers who in that hour of despair gave way to
_ rau _ n, vl. I,~ p.~ 5 xthe national vice of intoxication, added large l-,o._..