tally wounded. The loss
of the garrison was also about 1000, besides 1700 prisoners. For the
capture of this piece the Spanish Cortes passed a vote of thanks to Lord
Wellington, and conferred on him the title of Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo. In
England also his lordship obtained a step in the peerage, being created
Earl of Wellington, with an annuity of L2000 annexed to the title.
Thanks were voted by parliament both to him and his brave army.

The recapture of Ciudad Rodrigo was attended with fearful scenes.
Colonel Napier says:--"Throwing off the restraint of discipline the
troops committed frightful excesses: the town was fired in three or
four places; the soldiers menaced their officers, and shot each other;
intoxication soon increased the tumult; and at last the fury rising to
absolute madness, a fire was wilfully lighted in the middle of the great
magazine, when the town, and all within it, would have been blown
to atoms, but for the energetic courage of some officers and a few
soldiers, who still preserved their senses." After order had been
restored, orders were given to repair the breaches and level the
intrenchments, while means were taken to provision the place.

{GEORGE III. 1812--1814}

STORM AND CAPTURE OF BADAJOZ.

Having recovered Ciudad Rodrigo, Wellington resolved to attempt the
recovery of Badajoz. In preparing for this enterprise great secrecy was
maintained; and when all was ready, his lordship, leaving one division
of his army on the Agueda, marched with the rest from the northern to
the southern frontier of Portugal. His artillery had previously been
conveyed from Lisbon by sea to the Setubal river, whence it was carried
by land across the Alemtejo to the banks of the Guadiana; and on the
16th of March Lord Wellington crossed that river, and immediately
invested Badajoz. The Picurina, an advanced work separated from the body
of the place by the small river Ribillas, was taken on the 25th, and on
the 26th two batteries opened on the town. Expedition was essential; for
at this time Marshal Soult was preparing for its relief, and Marmont, in
the hope of effecting a diversion had entered Portugal, and was ravaging
the country east of the Estrella. Thus called upon to action on the 6th
of April, after three breaches were reported to be practicable, Lord
Wellington gave orders for storming the place at ten o'clock that
night. Badajoz was captured, but it was with great loss, owing to the
formidable