which the enemy found impracticable, and soon retreated. But general Leith, suffering a severe attack from the Walcheren fever, was under the necessity of leaving Lisbon and returning to England. The French now made a rapid
retreat, and being pursued by Wellington, were speedily driven from Portugal, with the exception of one garrison at Almeida. Having rejoined the army which had taken possession of Ciudad Rodrigo, general Leith sat down before the fortress of Badajos. The siege of this fortified place had been commenced on the 16th March, and a fire being opened on the 25th, with twenty-eight pieces of ordnance, the outwork called La Picurnia was stormed by five hundred men of the third division; the second parallel was opened, and twenty-six pieces of cannon were directed against the bastion of the south-east angle of the fort called La Trinidad, the flank of Santa Maria, and the curtain of La
Trinidad, where three breaches were effected. The fourth and light divisions, which during the siege had occupied the ground that was now assigned to the fifth, under major-general Leith, were appointed to attack the trenches on the
bastions of La Trinidad and Santa Maria. The honourable major-general Colville, with the fourth and light divisions under colonel Barnard, proceeded by the river Rivellas, descended without difficulty into the ditch, and advanced to the assault of the trenches with great bravery; but from the numerous explosions which took place at the top of the breaches, the whole place appearing to be one mine, and throwing out bullets, they were unable to enter. The
governor, Philippon, allowed to be one of the best engineers in the French service, had provided for the defence of the breaches, by placing a cheveaux de frise, its beam a foot square, with points projecting a yard in every direction, across the gorge, and by fastening to the ground, around the mouth of the breach, pieces of wood with sword blades and bayonets, besides placing a column of soldiers behind, eight deep. An incessant fire was kept up by the front ranks, which were supplied with loaded pieces by those who stood behind.
Major Wilson, of the 48th regiment, which had been sent against the Ravelin of San Roque, had carried it by the gorge, and with the assistance of major Squire, established himself in the place.
In the mean time, lieutenant-general Leith, who had been directed to make a false attack on the Pardaleras, and, if possible, escalade the bastion of San Vicente, had executed the former part of his order with the eighth cacadores under major Hill. He now pushed forward major-general Walker's brigade on the left, supported by the 38th regiment, under lieutenant-colonel Nugent, with which he proceeded about eleven o'clock to the attack of this almost impregnable fortress. He forced the barrier on the road to Olivenza, and entering the covered way at the bastion of San Vicente, descended into the ditch, and was already at the foot of the scarp of the bottom, which was thirty-one feet six inches high, defended by a flank with four guns, with a counter scarp wall, eleven feet nine inches deep, and a ditch. Of all the other divisions engaged in the reduction of this fortress, the third or fighting division alone had been able to execute their orders; this, under the gallant lieutenant-general Picton, had forced the palisadoes, passed the ditches, surmounted the wall, twenty-six feet high, with ladders, and, exposed to a heavy fire and severe loss, fought its way to the castle, which eventually was taken. The fourth division, in endeavouring to mount the breach of La Trinidad and Santa Maria, was obliged to retire on its reserves in the quarries by means of a strong concentrated and cross fire. But general Leith, who set all calculation at defiance, and was exposed to a most destructive fire while yet on the glacis, neglecting entirely the flanks, escaladed the bastion of San Vicente with less than twelve ladders, and in the face of the enemy, who lined the works,
