obstacles encountered by the allies. General Philippon,
the governor of Badajoz, had adopted such an ingenious defence that
effectually stopped the way of the British, that had not General Picton
succeeded in carrying and establishing himself in the castle, and
General Walker in entering the town by escalade in an opposite
direction, the attempt might have failed. These successes distracted
the French; and Lord Wellington, who had ordered his divisions to retire
from the attack, now directed them again to advance, and then every
obstacle was overcome. General Philippon with a few hundred men escaped
across the Guadiana, and threw himself into Fort St. Cristoval, where
he surrendered on the following morning. On the side of the allies about
1000 were slain, and from 4000 to 5000 wounded. The French lost about
1500 men slain, and nearly 4000 were taken prisoners. In Baclajoz from
3000 to 4000 Spaniards, English, and Portuguese, who had been taken
prisoners by the French, were found, and were consequently released. It
was on the 7th of April that Lord Wellington captured Badajoz, and on
the 8th Soult had collected his army at Villa-franca, between Llerena
and Merida; but hearing of the fall of the place he commenced a retreat
to Seville. He was warmly pursued by the British cavalry, who cut up his
rear-guard at Villa Garcia.

OPERATIONS IN SPAIN.

As soon as Lord Wellington had captured Badajoz he endeavoured to put
the place into a state of defence. His lordship, however, had but little
time to attend to this important measure. Marmont was at this time
making himself strong in the north, and was blockading both the Spanish
fortress of Ciudad Rodrigo and the fortress of Almeida. Leaving General
Hill in the south, therefore, his lordship, on the 13th of April moved
the main body of his army back to the north. Marmont now retreated to
Salamanca, hoping to effect a junction with Soult; but he was prevented
from this step by the capture of the strong forts which the French had
erected at Almaraz on the Tagus, and which were captured by General
Hill. At length, on the 13th of June, Lord Wellington broke up from
his cantonments between the Coa and the Agueda with about 40,000 men,
leaving General Hill near Almaraz with 12,000 more. As his lordship
advanced into Spain, he received reports that Marmont was about to
be re-enforced by a division consisting of nearly seven thousand men.
Marmont already counted 40,000 infantry,