Wellington, soldier and statesman, and the revival of the military power of England . ggled through the obstacles in their way,and sought to close with the skilfully posted French ;they were ravaged by a destructive fire of guns andof musketry. Soult, it is said, as he beheld whatseemed a certain defeat, smote his thigh and ex-claimed, I have him at last ; he marshalled his re-serves to make victory complete. But Wellingtonhad watched the battle from a hill on his side ; histactical inspiration turned the scales of that St. Boes and the height could not becarried, he contriv
Wellington, soldier and statesman, and the revival of the military power of England . ggled through the obstacles in their way,and sought to close with the skilfully posted French ;they were ravaged by a destructive fire of guns andof musketry. Soult, it is said, as he beheld whatseemed a certain defeat, smote his thigh and ex-claimed, I have him at last ; he marshalled his re-serves to make victory complete. But Wellingtonhad watched the battle from a hill on his side ; histactical inspiration turned the scales of that St. Boes and the height could not becarried, he contrived by a movement of characteristicskill, to turn this part of the position to the left;the result was before long developed : safety, nay,success, was admirably plucked from danger. TheFrench army gave way by degrees: its commanderhad no choice but to retreat. Meanwhile Hill hadeffected the passage of the Gave; Clausel fell backto join his discomfited chief. The retreat was con-ducted in good order; but thousands of conscriptsdisbanded and threw away their arms. £lu§ f « 5 cqo:. From the Pyrenees to the Garonne 245 Soult had ably fought a defensive battle; he hadonly just missed a real victory; but probably heshould have fallen on his antagonist when crossingthe Gave: here, again, we see his shortcomings in thefield. On the other hand, Wellingtons strategy canhardly be admired ; but his genius in tactics shoneout finely ; his movement to turn the hill at St. Boeswas a master The Marshal had lost fourthousand men at Orthes ; besides, perhaps, half of hisboyish conscripts ; but he rose superior to fortune,however adverse ; he made ready to march to theGaronne, where he still hoped to be joined by retrograde movement was across the headsof the streams which descend from the Pyrenees,through a difficult and intricate country ; it waseffected with admirable skill and resource ; it was inno sense a mere passive retreat. Soult made a standatTarbes on the upper A
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