nt of Soult's army of Andalusia. Moreover, Lord
Wellington could only confidently rely on the British forces, as the
Portuguese soldiers, whether regulars or militia men, were as yet
untried. On the other hand, Massena's soldiers were skilled in the
dreadful art of war, and flushed with recent success; so that the odds
against Wellington were alarmingly great. The campaign commenced in
earnest early in June, when Massena invested Ciudad Rodrigo, which was
defended by a Spanish garrison, but which was almost within sight of the
British advanced posts on the Azava. The Spaniards made a brave defence;
but on the 10th of July Massena made himself master of the place
by capitulation. Lord Wellington was taunted by the French, by the
Spaniards, and by many of his own officers, for suffering the siege to
proceed without making an attempt to relieve the place. His lordship,
however, knew his business better than to take any false step by a rash
movement: his object and paramount duty was to defend Portugal, and
above all Lisbon. He had, in fact, pledged himself to do this; and
hence, while the French were taking Ciudad Rodrigo, he calmly retained,
his position on the Coa, having his light division advanced a little
beyond that river. Subsequent events justified Wellington's line of
policy. After the fall of Ciudad Rodrigo, Ney went thundering on till he
came in contact with the light division, which was commanded by General
Crawford; and though he succeeded in causing the English general to
retreat, it cost him 1000 men in killed and wounded. Massena now crossed
the frontiers of Portugal; but although he had boasted he would drive
Lord Wellington out of that country in three months; he passed nearly
one month on the line of the Coa in total inactivity. In the meantime
General Regnier quitted Estramadura, crossed the Tagus, and established
himself at Coria and Plasencia, while General Hill, making a
corresponding movement, took post at Atalaya, from whence he could
either join Wellington, or could be again thrown in front of Regnier. At
length, on the 15th of August, the French broke ground before Almeida,
which was captured on the 27th of the same month, Lord Wellington had
brought his army nearer, in order to strike a blow if the enemy should
afford an opportunity; but Massena let three weeks pass after the
reduction of Almeida before he moved forward; and then, as the rainy
season had come on, Wellington moved his army to the v