ht
division. After a few minutes' fighting, they succeeded in bursting
through the ranks of the defenders; and then, turning to the right,
fought their way along the ramparts until they reached the top of
the great breach. The French there wavered, on finding that their
flank was turned; and the third division, seizing the opportunity,
hurled themselves upon them, and this breach was also won.

O'Toole's attack was successful and, on the other side of the town,
Pack's Portuguese, meeting with no resistance, had blown open the
gate of San Jago, and had also entered the town. Here a terrible
scene took place, and the British troops sullied their victory by
the wildest and most horrible excesses. They had neither forgotten
nor forgiven the treatment they had experienced at the hands of the
Spanish, both before and after the battle of Talavera; when they
were almost starved, while the Spaniards had abundant supplies, and
yet left the British wounded unattended, to die of starvation in
the hospitals, when they evacuated the city. From that time their
animosity against the Spaniards had been vastly greater than their
feeling against the French, who had always behaved as gallant
enemies, and had treated their wounded and prisoners with the
greatest kindness.

Now this long-pent-up feeling burst out, and murder, rapine, and
violence of all sorts raged for some hours, wholly without check.
Officers who endeavoured to protect the hapless inhabitants were
shot down, all commands were unheeded, and abominable atrocities
were perpetrated.

Some share of the blame rests with Wellington and his staff, who
had taken no measures whatever for maintaining order in the town,
when possession should be gained of it--a provision which should
never be omitted, in the case of an assault. The Portuguese, whose
animosity against the Spaniards was equally bitter, imitated the
example of their British comrades. Fires broke out in several
places, which added to the horror of the scene. The castle was
still held by the French, the troops having retreated there as soon
as the breach had been carried. There was not, therefore, even the
excuse of the excitement of street fighting to be made for the
conduct of the victors.

In vain, Terence and his officers endeavoured to keep their men
together. By threes and fours these scattered down the side
streets, to join the searchers for plunder; until at last, he
remained alone with his British and Portu