132 LETTER OF PRINCE REGENT. "Matters are going on well here; there is not a Frenchman in Spain on this side, except within garrison. I wait to see what turn affairs take in Germany, before I determine on my line. In the mean time I have blockaded all the fortresses, and am about to attack St. Sebastian, and am giving some rest to the troops, who have been a good deal fagged by their late exertions." * At length the feeling at home changed to the victorious general, and he received from the Prince Regent the following acknowledgment of his services : "Carlton House, 3rd July, 1813. "My dear Lord,—Your glorious conduct is beyond all human praise, and far above my reward. I know no language the world affords, worthy to express it. I feel I have nothing left to say, but most devoutly to offer up my prayer of gratitude to Providence, that it has, in its omnipotent bounty, blessed my country and myself with such a general. You have sent me among the trophies of your unrivalled fame, the staff of a French marshal, and I send you in return that of England. "The British army will hail it with rapturous enthusiasm, while the whole universe will acknowledge those valorous exploits which have so imperiously called for it. That uninterrupted health and still increasing laurels may continue to crown * Despatches. BLOCKADE OF PAMPELUNA. 133 you, through a glorious and long career of life, are the never-ceasing and most ardent wishes of, my dear Lord, "Your very sincere and faithful friend, The blockade of Pampeluna was continued, as well as that of other forts, and the siege of St. Sebastian was commenced. Within six weeks Lord Wellington had reached the Pyrenees, and driven 120,000 troops before him, besides having gained the brilliant victory of Vitoria. Napoleon was stung to the quick by the success of his rival, and in order to make a final attempt to stop the conqueror he sent Soult into Spain, with strong reinforcements, and the number of the French army in a short time was raised to 90,000 men. The siege of St. Sebastian was pushed with redoubled vigour, and as 1000 fresh troops had been added to the garrison, the resistance offered was desperate. Lord Wellington made a personal examination of the place, and determined to turn the siege into a blockade, until larger reinforcements were sent from England. At this critical moment Soult arrived in Spain, and endeavoured to inspire the garrison with fresh vigour. His first object was to relieve Pampeluna, and that of the Allies to prevent his approach to the place, and to guard the passes of the mountains. Some of these were secured after * Despatches. four days of hard fighting, and the power of the enemy weakened. From some of the heights they had gained, the English could look down upon their future conquests, the fair fields of France. The battles of the Pyrenees were amongst the most remarkable ever fought. Soult nevertheless resolved to advance, and so near were the two opposing armies to each other, that on one occasion Wellington seeing with his eagle glance a French column, which no one else had perceived, winding round a hill, and knowing that every thing depended on a sufficient force being prepared to stop them, he jumped from his horse, took out his pencil and wrote an order on the parapet of a bridge, instantly despatched it, then mounting again, dashed up the hill, alone, in sight of the French, who were close at hand. His troops raised a shout of joy as he reached them. He waited a moment to show to both armies that he was there, then, looking at Soult, who was so near as to be distinctly seen, he said, "Yonder is a great commander, but he is a cautious one, and will delay his attack to ascertain the cause of these cheers; that will give time for the 6th division to arrive, and I shall beat him." Truly prophetic were the words he then uttered. That day no serious action took place, a violent storm came on and lasted during the night. The next day about twelve the French drew up in order of battle, and the engagement commenced. DEFEAT OF FRENCH. 135 Clausel made the first advance. To seize the hill which commanded the scene of action was the object of both armies. The English succeeded in holding it, and drove back the French again and again, though they attacked them in fourfold strength. The battle was fought with desperate valour on both sides for some time, but it terminated in Soult's complete defeat, though with a far superior force, and in his being compelled to own the greatness of his rival. His first design. was to retreat, but being joined by a powerful reinforcement of 18,000 men, he made another effort to regain his lost fame. The second battle however ended as the first had done, and the Duke of Dalmatia had no alternative but a speedy flight. He was vigorously pursued by the British army, and but for the disobedience of three soldiers who were straggling, and were carried off by the French, their presence would not have been discovered till it was too late to escape. The sufferings were terrible to which the flying enemy were exposed. They halted, at length, at Echellar, where Wellington determined again to give them battle. They were at first so placed as to be completely wedged into a valley, but were afterwards able to gain a hill, on which the fight took place. It terminated in 6000 French being dislodged from their position by 1500 of the British, who finally chased them over the frontier, and again freed Spain from its enemies. Thus 136 WELLINGTON'S LETTER. ended the anticipated victories of Soult! and the establishment of Wellington's fame on an immoveable foundation. Yet he felt no self-confidence-no elation in his wonderful exploits; but calmly considered the difficulties which still lay before him. Writing to Lord Bathurst, he said: "August 18th, 1813. "It is a very common error among those unacquainted with military affairs, to believe that there are no limits to military success. After having driven the French from the frontiers of Portugal and Madrid, to the frontiers of France, it is generally expected that we shall immediately invade France; and some even here expect that we shall be at Paris in a month. None appear to have taken a correct view of our situation on the frontiers, of which the enemy still possess all the strongholds within Spain itself; of which strongholds (or at least some of them) we must get possession before the season closes, or we shall have no communication whatever with the interior of Spain. Then, in France on the same great communications, there are other strongholds of which we must likewise get possession." "I entertain no doubt that I could tomorrow enter France, and establish the army on the Adour; but I could go no further, certainly. If peace should be made by the powers of the north, I must necessarily withdraw into Spain; and the |