the line of the Douro was turned, in consequence of which, the defensive works of the enemy became entirely useless, and the whole of our army was united on the right bank of that river on the 3d of June. On the day following, Wellington, continuing his advance, compelled the French to evacuate Valladolid, and retire to Burgos, whither he pursued them, and forced them to abandon the place. By this movement, the enemy were driven behind the Ebro, which river our army passed, a few days afterwards without opposition. On the 18th our division came in contact with two brigades of French infantry, which we attacked and defeated with the loss of three hundred men. On the 19th Lord Wellington drove a French corps of observation from a strong position behind the Baygas; and on the 20th, he collected all his divisions, and reconnoitered the enemy, who were now encamped at Vittoria, to the number of seventy thousand combatants, under the nominal command of Joseph Bonaparte in person, and determined on the following morning to attack him.

BATTLE OF VITTORIA.

Vittoria, the chief town of Alava, one of the Biscayan provinces, stands behind the little river Zadorra, in a plain about two leagues in extent, bounded on one side by a part of the Pyrenean chain, and on the other by a range of bold heights of

smaller altitude. The ground around Vittoria is marked by considerable inequalities of surface, of which the enemy did not fail to take advantage. At the period in question, it was for the most part covered with ripening corn, which gave concealment to the light troops, and sometimes even to the movements of whole battalions during the engagement. The French army was posted as follows. The right extended northward, from Vittoria across the Zadorra, and rested on some heights above the villages of Abechuco and Gamarra Major, covered by formidable field works. Between the centre and right was a thick wood, into which were thrown several battalions of infantry. The right of the centre occupied a strong height commanding the valley of the Zadorra, the bridges over which were fortified. It was covered with infantry, flanked and otherwise defended by one hundred pieces of cannon. The advanced posts of the centre lined the banks of the Zadorra. The left, and left centre crowned the high ridge above the village of Subijana de Alava, with a reserve posted at the village of Gomecha, and a corps thrown out to occupy the bold mountains above Puebla, to protect the centre which might otherwise have been turned by the main road where it crosses the Zadorra. Thus posted, the French army covered each of the three great roads which concentrate at Vittoria, in the great road to Bayonne. That of Logrono by its left, that of Madrid by its centre, and that of Bilboa

by its right. It was commanded by Joseph in person, having Marshal Jourdan as Major-General. In point of numbers, there existed little disparity on either side, it having been found necessary before passing the Ebro, to detach General Foy with twelve thousand men towards Bilboa, to procure subsistence for the army, and keep in check the powerful guerilla bands which haunted the neighborhood; and General Clausel with a corps of fif teen thousand men was at Logrono. Lord Wellington likewise had found it necessary to employ the sixth division under General Packenham, in guarding the line of supply. The amount of combatants on either side, therefore may be fairly calculated at from seventy to seventy-five thousand men. At day light on the morning of the twentyfirst of June, Lord Wellington put his army in motion in three great divisions. That on the right, under Sir Rowland Hill, consisting of the second British division, the Portuguse division of the Conde de Amarante, and Morillo's corps of Spaniards, was destined to commence the action, by attacking the enemy's left on the mountains behind the Subijana. The left column commanded by Sir Thomas Graham, composed of the first and fifth divisions, two brigades of cavalry, and the Spanish division of Longa, was directed by a wide movement to turn the enemy's right, and crossing the Zadorra, to cut off his retreat by the road to Bayonne. The centre corps, consisting of

our division, the third, fourth and seventh, in two columns, was ordered to wait till both or one of the flank columns should have crossed the Zadorra and then to make a powerful attack on the French centre.

The Spanish troops under General Morillo, commenced the action by an attack on the enemy's corps posted above Puebla, supported by the light companies of the second division, and the seventyfirst regiment, under the Honorable Colonel Cadogan. After a severe struggle, in which that most promising and gallant officer was mortally wounded, the enemy were driven from the heights at the point of the bayonet. Strong reinforcements were then brought up by the enemy, and the contest was renewed, and continued for some time, with great obstinacy on both sides. Sir Rowland Hill, however, having detached an additional force to support the troops already engaged, the French at length gave way, and yielded undisputed possession of the heights. Thus far successful, Sir Rowland Hill crossed the Zadorra, and directed two brigades of the second division to attack the heights of Subijana de Alava. Here the contest was severe. The troops advanced under a heavy fire of artillery, and succeeded in dislodging the enemy, and driving them back on their reserve. The heights thus gallantly carried, however, were too important, to be resigned, while a chance of regaining them remained. Fresh columns of attack

were formed, and repeated efforts were made by the enemy to recover their ground, but without success. At length Joseph, alarmed at these repeated failures, and the threatening attitude assumed by Sir Rowland Hill, withdrew his advanced posts from the Zadorra, and directed the left to fall back for the defence of Vittoria. In the meanwhile, our division and the fourth, under General Cole, had passed the Zadorra at the bridge of Nanclares and Tres Puentes; and the third and seventh divisions, crossing by the bridge on the Mendonza road,both columns advanced against the height in the centre. At the same time, Sir Rowland Hill moved forward from Subijana de Alava, and vigorously followed the left wing in its retreating movements. Though the enemy had been forced to withdraw his left, the centre still stood firm, and received our columns, advancing from the Zadorra, with a fire so destructive, as for a time to check our progress. Two brigades of horseartillery were then moved forward to the front; and, thus supported, our centre columns continued. their advance in fine order. Notwithstanding the difficulties of the ground, the division of Sir Thomas Picton first came in contact with a strong body of the enemy, whom, by a spirited attack, he drove into immediate retreat, with the loss of twentyeight pieces of artillery. On the approach of our division with the fourth, the whole heights were abandoned, and the French retired in admirable.