Tarragona by assault;
General Blake was repulsed by the enemy in an attack on Niebla; Soult
defeated the army of Marcia, in the vicinity of Baza; Figueras was
re-taken by the French general, Macdonald; the Spanish general, Abudia,
was defeated by Dorsenne in the vicinity of Astorga; Suchet captured the
town and castle of Murviedro; and General Blake was attacked by Suchet
in December, and compelled to retire within the walls of Valencia.
On the 4th of September Lord Wellington formed the blockade of Ciudad
Rodrigo; but on the 25th he retired, and his rear was attacked by
Marmont. The infantry, however, forming a square, and presenting a firm
front, retreated without being broken. General Hill, with a division of
the allied army, surprised and completely routed a French column on
the 28th of October, taking 1400 prisoners and all Girard's artillery,
baggage, &c, together with the money which he had levied at Merida.
About the same time also the Baron d'Eroles defeated the French near
Perigeorda. After Marmont had relieved Ciudad Rodrigo he retraced
his steps to the valley of the Tagus; and the allied army went into
cantonments, Lord Wellington resolving in the course of the winter to
collect such materials as would enable him to carry Ciudad Rodrigo by a
more effectual and rapid method than that of blockade.

{GEORGE III. 1809--1812}

NAVAL AFFAIRS

The navy of England had not at this period any adequate antagonist to
encounter, so that it was only by occasional surprises that it could
perform any achievements. During this year, however, there were several
severe frigate fights and in-shore operations. In the Adriatic Sea,
Captain William Hoste obtained, on the 13th of March, with four English
frigates, a complete victory over five French frigates and six smaller
vessels, with five hundred men on board. Another victory was gained near
Foul Point, Madagascar, by Captain Schomberg, who with three frigates
and a sloop recovered Tamatava, which had been recently re-captured
by the French, and captured all the vessels in the port, including the
commodore's frigate. A gallant exploit was also performed at Sagone-bay
in the island of Corsica by Captain Barrie, who with three frigates
burned three armed vessels laden with timber for the dockyards
at Toulon, although they were protected by strong batteries and a
martello-tower, and defended by two hundred soldiers. On the 24th of
August, likewise, Captain Ferris, hoisti