s at Ciudad, to fight against time.
Soult was close at hand, and the British had not sufficient force
to give him battle, and at the same time to continue the siege of
the town; and it was therefore necessary either to carry the place
at once, at whatever cost of life, or to abandon the fruits of all
the efforts that had been made.

Had Wellington's instructions been carried out, there would have
been no occasion, whatever, for the assault to have been delivered
until the breaches were greatly extended, the intrenchments
destroyed, and the guns silenced. The Portuguese ministry, however,
had thwarted him at every turn; and the siege could not be
commenced until a fortnight after the date fixed by Wellington.
This fortnight's delay cost the lives of 4000 British soldiers.

Four of the assaults on the breaches failed. On the crest of these
Phillipon had erected a massive stockade, thickly bristling with
sabre blades. On the upper part of the breach, planks, similarly
studded, had been laid; while on either side a vast number of
shells, barrels of powder, faggots soaked in oil, and other
missiles and combustibles were piled, in readiness for hurling down
on the assailants; while the soldiers behind the defences had been
supplied with four muskets each.

Never did British soldiers fight with such dogged bravery as was
here evinced. Again and again they dashed up the breach, the centre
of a volcano of fire; shells burst among them, cannon poured
volleys of grape through their ranks, the French plied them with
musketry, fireballs lit up the scene as if by day, mines exploded
under their feet; yet again and again, they reached the terrible
breastwork. But all efforts to climb it were fruitless. Numbers of
those in front were pressed to death against the sabres, by the
eager efforts of those behind to get up and, for hours, the assault
continued. At last, seeing the impossibility of success, and
scorning to retreat, the men gathered at the foot of the breach,
and there endured, sternly and silently, the murderous fire that
was maintained by the enemy.

Picton, however, had gained possession of the castle. Walker, with
his command, had captured the bastion of San Vincenti; and part of
his command fought their way along the battlement towards the
breaches, while another marched through the town. Finding that the
town had been entered at several points, the defenders of the
breach gave way, and the soldiers poured into the t