Saumlay, April ioih, 1915. THE IRISH VOLUNTEER. 5

sonie itf Li ger-Be lair's pickets, and Dupont VICTORIES OF IRREGULAR TROOPS. thereupon sent Gobert to join Vedel at Baylen. \>xt day Castanos marie a great demonstra­ ------!____ tion with horse, foot, and artillery before 1II.-BA YLEN . The force was organised in four divisions under Andujar, Coupigny skirmished with a detach I11 the earl)' years of the French RevolutionGenerals Reding, Coupigny, Felix Jones (an mem sent om from Andujar at Villa Nueva. acted against France, but in 1796 and Irishman1), and La Penn. An additional And Reding, having crossed the river in fact1 again in 1803 she sided with France against column of raw levies, under Cruz-Murgeon, ot Liger-Belair at Mengibar, retreated again England and Portugal. In 1807 Bonaparte was pushed far forward to harass (lie French when that-general was remforcedibv Verleb : forced King Charles IV. to abdicate, and made flanks and communications. t>n the 16th, Du [Mint, taking Castanos' his brother Joseph King of Spain. The Dupont with his 17,000 men should have attacks seriously, committed the gross blunder Spaniards revolted, and for six years the had mi difficulty in holding Castanos’ untrained of demanding reinforcements from Vedel if he Peninsula was the scene of a fierce war lie twee 11 levies, but lack of initiative made him resolve could spare them. Vedei, despising his enemy, English, Spanish and Portuguese on one side on a timid defensive. He determined to hold tlwreupott marched his whole force, except fur and the French on the other. the line of the Guadalquivir from Andujar to J.iger-Bellair's men at Mengibar, from Baylen -Mcngibar ferry, u distance of fifteen miles; to Andujar; which he reached tft tnYr in 'the Preliminary Manoeuvres, ■ , and even as it was, he left it possible for afternoon, having started at midnight. Thus I11 the Province of in the south theCasantos to cross the river higher up. the greater part of the French troops was con­ insurrection was perhaps most formidable. In the meantime Sfivarv at , I icing centrated against Castanos. who again was Here the Spanish general Castanos was anxious for Dupont's safety sent Gobert's content to make a feint. Cruz-Murgemi was organising an army composed partly of regular division to secure his communications. Dupont, repulsed by Dupont's flank, and Coupigny troops and partly of raw peasantry. A French however, ordered Gobert to cross tlie Sierra again failed to cross the river. army under Dtqxmt, numbering 13,000 men Morena and reinforce Vedel. This he did, Ihc major share of the day's fighting fell to entered Andalusia and occupied Andujar on the bringing with him 5,000 men. The position of Reding, He forded tile river and drove haek 5th June, 1808. Marching thence on Cordova, the French was now as follows: Dupont at Liger-Belair again. The latter sent for help to he forced the passage of the Guadalquivir on Andujar with r0,000 men : Vedel at Baylen Baylen, now occupied by Gobert, who im. the 7th, and took and sacked the city. Having with 4,000; his lieutenant, Liger-Delair, at mediately came to tlx- rescue. His force, lenv- remained here nine days, finding his communi­ Mengibar ferry with 2,000; Gobert at Lu ever, was very weak, as he had detached a cations cut bv the Spaniards, he retired to Carolina with nearly 4,000. number of men to guard against an imaginary flank attack through Linares. The French were outnumbered and completely defeated by Reding, Gobert being mortally wounded. Dufour, who took over the command, fell back on Baylen. Next morning, fearing for his flank, he continued his retreat to La Carolina. Hearing of this disaster, Dupont, on the 17th, sent Vedel with 6,000 men to Baylen, which he found deserted by Dufour. Reding was encamped by the river, and Vedel did not think of sending his cavalry to look for him, Vedei marched to La Carolina to join Dufour. and camped for the night at Guairoman, half­ way lx-tween Baylen and La Carolina. Dufour and Liger-Belair had reached the latter town unoptjosed, and were joined there by Vedel on the morning of the eighteenth. Vedel now sent news to Dupont that the Spaniards were in his rear trying to cut him Andujar. He managed to send news of his On July the n th , Castanos at drew off from Madrid by Despena Ferros, Acting plight to Marshal Savarv at Madrid, who up his plan of operations. He himself, with on this false information, Dupont ordered his despatched to his assistance General Vedel .with 12,000 men under Jones and I.a Pena, were lieutenant to crush the enemy opposed to him,, G,ooo foot and 600 horse. Verlel had to force to hold Dupont at Andujar by attacks which and then rejoin him at Andujar to assist him the Despena Petros defiles, and reached La were not to be driven Itome until the other against Castanos. Vedel soon found out his Carolina on the 27th, where he got in touch divisions were victorious. Coupigny was to try mistake; bui his troops were worn out and "'ith Dupont. The latter general’s force was and carry the ford at Villa Nueva with 8,000 de|tended tor provisions on La Carolina, and soil at Andujar, itt spite of the unhealthy men. While Reding, with 10,000 men, was so he was obliged to halt there. nature of the town, which had already to force a passage at Mengibar and march on Dn the same day Reding, joined al last by invalided hundreds of the french, Dupoui, Baylen. He was then to co-operate with Coupigny, advanced on Baylen, which of however, resolved to remain there as it was a Coupignv in falling on Dupout's rear at course they found to t>e unoccupied. Thinking centre of roads, and was threatened by Andujar. On the extreme left, Crua-Murgeon. that Vedel must be with Dupont, he resolved to Castanos. Meanwhile he stationed Vedei al with his flying column of 3.000, was to cross make for Andujar the following morning. But Baylen, 16 miles to the east, ordering him to the Guadnlquiver and descend on Andujar from that very night his pickets came into act km send a brigade against Jaen. This town was the north. Thus the whole French army was with Dupont's advance guard. and sacked on July the and. 10 l*' surrounded and destroyed. On July the Dupont, at last realising the nature of Castanos was now approaching. He had 13th, Reding and Coupigny set out, Castanos Castanos' attack, growing anxious about the Bad a month in which 16 train his army, which remaining quiet till they should have reached gap of thirty miles between himself and his '■'insisted 30.000 infantry and 2,600 cavalry their positions. On the 14th. Reding drove in lieutenant, had made up his mind to rejoin him.