Cuesta was betraying him. Calmly continuing his survey, Wellington desired Donkin to return to his brigade! In a few minutes a rolling of drums was heard along the French line ; the broad, black masses of the enemy appeared full in view; and, preceded by the fire of 80 pieces of artillery, 50,000 men advanced to the attack.

"The French columns came down their side of the ravine at a rapid pace, and though a little disordered by crossing the stream, mounted the opposite hill with the utmost intrepidity. On the extreme British right, Sebastiani's corps fell with the utmost fury on General Campbell's division, and by their loud cries, indicated the confidence of immediate victory; but their attack was in column, and the English were in line; and then the inherent vice of that arrangement became at once apparent. The British regiments which stood against the front of the mass, drawn up three deep, kept up an incessant rolling fire on the enemy; while those on either side, inclining forwards and directing their fire against both flanks of the column, soon occasioned so frightful a carnage, that even the intrepidity of the imperial veterans sunk under the trial, and they broke and fell into confusion. On rushed Campbell's division, supported by two regiments of Spanish infantry and one of cavalry, who were inspired with unwonted steadiness by the example of their allies; and pushing the disorganized mass before them, completed their discomfiture, and took ten pieces of cannon. At the same time, Ruffin and Villatte's divisions were descried marching across the valley on the enemy's extreme right, in order to turn by the foot of the Sierra de Montalban, that blood-stained hill, which they had in vain sought to carry by assault. Wellington immediately ordered

the 1st German hussars, and 23rd dragoons to charge the column in the bottom of the valley. On they went at a canter, but soon came to a hollow cleft which lay right across their path, and which it seemed impossible to cross.

"The veteran German, Arenstcheld, with characteristic coolness, reined up his men on the edge of the hollow; but Seymour, at the head of the 23rd, with true English hardihood, plunged headlong down, and though half of his men fell over each other in the wild confusion, at the bottom, where Seymour was wounded, the survivors, under Pon-. sonby, coming up by twos and threes, charged right on, and disregarding the fire of Villatte's columns, through which they passed, fell with inexpressible fury on Stroltz's brigade of chasseurs in the rear, which, unable to resist the shock, opened its ranks to let them through. The heroic British dragoons, however, after this marvellous charge, were assailed, when blown and disordered by success, by a regiment of Polish Lancers and a body of Westphalian light horse, and broken with great slaughter; the survivors, not half of those who went into action, found shelter on the broken ground behind Bassecourt's division of Spanish infantry, on the mountains beyond.

"While these terrible conflicts were going on in the two wings of the army, the centre, where Sherbrooke commanded, and the German Legion and Guards were placed, was exposed to a still severer trial. The great batteries, mounting 50 guns, which there stood right opposite to the British line, at the distance of only half a cannon-shot, made fearful chasms in their ranks; and the English guns, greatly inferior both in number and weight of metal, could make no adequate reply. Under

cover of this fearful storm, Lapisse's division crossed the ravine in their front, and ascending the opposite hill concealed by the smoke, got close to the British line, and already set up the shout of victory. They were received, however, by a close and welldirected volley, followed by a general rush with the bayonet, which instantly threw the assailants back in great confusion; and the guards following fast on their heels, not only drove them down the hill, but crossed the rivulet at the bottom, and were soon seen in disorderly array, streaming up the opposite bank. Here, however, they met the enemy's reserve, who advanced in close order through the throng; powerful batteries, discharging grape, tore down whole ranks at every discharge, on one flank, and some regiments of cavalry threatened the other. The guards, thus sorely pressed, gave way and fled in confusion; the disorder quickly spread to the Germans on their flank, and the whole British centre appeared broken. The danger was imminent but Wellington, who had foreseen the consequences of the gallant, but inconsiderate advance of the guards, had provided the means of restoring the combat. Instantly pushing forward the 48th regiment, which was in reserve, he directed it against the right flank of the French, who, in their turn, were somewhat disordered by success. When this gallant regiment got into the throng beyond the stream, it was so beset by the crowd of fugitives, that it became necessary to open the ranks to let them through; but immediately closing again, it advanced in beautiful array against the flank of the pursuing French, and, by a destructive volley compelled them to halt. The guards and Germans immediately rallied, faced about, and renewed their fire, and Cotton's brigade of light

cavalry having come up on the other flank at the same time, the advance of the French was effectually checked in the centre. This was their last effort. Their columns now drew off in good order, and retired across the Alberche, three miles in the rear, which was passed in the night. Shortly after the firing ceased, a frightful incident occurred: the grass, dried by the excessive heat, accidentally took fire, and spreading rapidly over part of the field, scorched cruelly numbers of the wounded of both armies.

"Such was the glorious battle of Talavera, the first for a century past in which the English had been brought to contend on a great scale with the French; and which in its lustre equalled, in its ultimate effects exceeded, the far famed days of Cressy and Azincour. 22,000 British had engaged for two successive days, and finally defeated above 40,000 French, for the aid which the Spaniards afforded in the battle was very trifling, and not more than 10,000 of the enemy, including the Kings' guard, remained to watch their lines in the olive woods of Talavera, who never fired a shot. Seventeen pieces of cannon, several tumbrils, and some hundred prisoners, taken in fair fight, were proud trophies of this hard fought action. The loss on both sides was enormous; but greater on that of the French than the British, owing to their much superior numbers and their system of attack in close column. The latter lost 6,268 in the two days: that of the French is now ascertained, from the returns in the War Office, to have been 8,794. "This battle,' says Jomine, at once restored the reputation of the British army, which during a centuryhad declined. It was now ascertained that the English infantry could dispute the palm with the best in Europe.'

In vain the mercantile spirit, which looks for gain in every transaction, and the virulence of faction, which has ever accompanied the noblest events in history, fastened on this far-famed field, complained of the subsequent retreat, and asked for durable results from the laurels of Talavera. These cold or selfish calculations were answered by the exulting throb of every British heart; the results asked for were found in the subsequent glorious career and long continued security of England Far from every generous bosom be that frigid spirit which would measure the importance of events only by their immediate gains, and estimate at nothing the lasting effect of elevation of national feeling. Character is the true strength of nations historic glory is their best inheritance, when the time shall come that the British heart no longer thrills at the name of Talavera, its fruit will indeed be lost, for the last hour of British empire will have struck."*

When the British army entered Talavera, they saw sufficient evidence of the havoc and destruction

caused by the French army. All the public buildings of the place had been destroyed; the tombs had been violated and rifled, the altars of the churches overturned; and half the houses were in ruins. They had carried off the chairs, tables, and other furniture to their camp, where, after the manner of their nation, they had established a theatre. They had built huts for the soldiers, and thatched them with straw unthrashed. An officer stated in his journal, that near the village of Casalagos they found the bodies of two Spaniards recently slain; one, having been found with arms in his hands, had been burnt to death by the French, and lay with * Alison's History of Europe, Vol. VII.