relief. He
instantly repaired the fortifications, entrusted the place to a Spanish
garrison, and repaired in person to the southern part of the Portuguese
frontier, which required his attention in consequence of that miserable
misconduct of the Spaniards which had enabled the French to make
themselves masters of Badajos in the preceding year. He appeared before
that city on the 16th March, and in twenty days took it also. The loss
of life on both sides, in these rapid sieges, was very great; but they
were gained by a general at the head of at most 50,000 men, in despite
of an enemy mustering full 80,000; and the results were of the first
importance to the English cause. Marmont, on hearing of the fall of the
second fortress, immediately retreated from the neighbourhood of Ciudad
Rodrigo, which he had made a vain attempt to regain; and Soult, who had
arrived from before Cadiz just in time to see the British flag mounted
on the towers of Badajos, retired in like manner. The English general
hastened to make the best use of his advantage, by breaking up the only
bridge by which Marmont and Soult could now communicate; and, having
effected this object early in May, marched in June to Salamanca, took
the forts there, and 800 prisoners, and--Marmont retiring as he
advanced--hung on his rear until he reached the Douro.

Marmont was now joined by Bonnet's army from Asturias, and thus once
more recovered a decided superiority in numbers. Wellington accordingly
retired in his turn; and for some days the two hostile armies moved in
parallel lines, often within half cannon shot, each waiting for some
mistake of which advantage might be taken. The weather was all the while
intensely hot; numbers fainted on the march; and when any rivulet was in
view, it was difficult to keep the men in their ranks. On the evening of
the 21st of July, Wellington and Marmont lay in full view of each other,
on two opposite rising grounds near Salamanca; a great storm of thunder
and rain came on, and during the whole night the sky was bright with
lightning. Wellington was at table when he received intelligence that
his adversary was extending his left,--with the purpose of coming
between him and Ciudad Rodrigo. He rose in haste, exclaiming, "Marmont's
good genius has forsaken him," and was instantly on horseback. The great
battle of Salamanca was fought on the 22nd of July. The French were
attacked on the point which Marmont's movement leftwards had weak