he felt extreme
unwillingness to retreat without attempting something. He continued to
receive from Madrid the most solemn assurances that the resistance of
the capital would be desperate: and, with more generosity than prudence,
resolved to attack Soult, then posted behind the Carrion. In doing so he
fancied it possible that he should defeat an important branch of the
enemy's force, intercept the communications of the Emperor's left flank,
give Romana time to re-organise an army in Galicia, create a formidable
diversion in favour of the south of Spain, if not of Madrid--and, at
worst, secure for himself a safe retreat upon Coruna; from which port
his troops might be sent round without difficulty to Seville, to take
part in the defence of that part of the Peninsula which was yet unbroken
and the seat of the actual government.

But Buonaparte, hearing on the 20th of December of the advance of Moore,
instantly put himself at the head of 50,000 men, and marched with
incredible rapidity, with the view of intercepting his communications
with Portugal, and in short hemming him in between himself and Soult.
Moore no sooner heard that Napoleon was approaching, than he perceived
the necessity of an immediate retreat; and he commenced accordingly a
most calamitous one through the naked mountains of Galicia, in which his
troops maintained their character for bravery, rallying with zeal
whenever the French threatened their rear, but displayed a lamentable
want of discipline in all other part of their conduct. The weather was
tempestuous; the roads miserable; the commissariat utterly defective;
and the very notion of retreat broke the high spirits of the soldiery.
They ill-treated the inhabitants, drank whatever strong liquors they
could obtain, straggled from their ranks, and in short lost the
appearance of an army except when the trumpet warned them that they
might expect the French charge. Soult hung close on their rear until
they reached Coruna; and Moore perceived that it would be impossible to
embark without either a convention or a battle. He chose the braver
alternative. The French were repelled gallantly; and the British were
permitted to embark without further molestation. In the moment of
victory (January 16, 1809) Sir John Moore fell, mortally wounded by a
cannon-shot: his men buried him in his cloak; and the French, in
testimony of their admiration of his gallantry, erected a monument over
his remains.

Napoleon came