Wellington, soldier and statesman, and the revival of the military power of England . ng thrown into the scale against Franceand the Emperor. The resolve of great races, helddown but not subdued, to throw off the detested 214 Wellington yoke of a conqueror, the intense desire to avenge thewrongs of years, now stirring all the Teutonic peo-ples, sustained the cause of the League in the opposite side was a great military genius,indeed, and the pride and the energy of a famous na-tion, but of a nation tired of despotic rule and well-nigh exhausted. The ultimate result of such a con-flic
Wellington, soldier and statesman, and the revival of the military power of England . ng thrown into the scale against Franceand the Emperor. The resolve of great races, helddown but not subdued, to throw off the detested 214 Wellington yoke of a conqueror, the intense desire to avenge thewrongs of years, now stirring all the Teutonic peo-ples, sustained the cause of the League in the opposite side was a great military genius,indeed, and the pride and the energy of a famous na-tion, but of a nation tired of despotic rule and well-nigh exhausted. The ultimate result of such a con-flict could be hardly doubtful; but Napoleon caredlittle for these things ; he had greatly increased andstrengthened his immature army; he was at the headof half a million of men; he held the fortresses ofGermany from the Rhine to the Vistula. Astride onthe Elbe from the Bohemian hills to Hamburg, asin former years he had been astride on the Adige,he was confident that he could defy his enemies. Agleam of victory was to shine on his arms ; but thecontest of 1813 was to end at CHAPTER VIII FROM THE PYRENEES TO THE GARONNE Wellington made a Field Marshal and Duque di Vitoria—Soult reor-ganises the French army—Battles of the Pyrenees—Siege ofSan Sebastian—Fall of the place—The Campaign of 1813 inGermany—Complete defeat of Napoleon at Leipzig—The Frencharmies driven across the Rhine—Wellington crosses the Bidas-soa—Soult fortifies his lines on the Nivelle—The lines forced—Soult had previously called on Suchet to support him —Soult atBayonne—His formidable position—Wellington crosses the Nive—Danger of this operation—The allied army divided on theriver—Soult concentrates his forces and attacks it—Indecisivebattles of the 10th and 13th of December—Hostilities in thefield resumed in February, 1814—Difficulties of Soult and Wel-lington—Wellington attacks Soult—Passage of the Adour—Battle of Orthes—Retreat of Soult to Toulouse—Risi
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