THE quixotic gesture appeared downright irresponsible after Sir John Moore lost his life at Corunna on January 16th, 1809. The engagement should have seen the British army drive the French from Spain, but turned into a desperate scramble to evacuate by sea. Though adjudged a strategic victory today, at the time it felt more like a defeat.
The Prime Minister, Lord Liverpool, turned once more to Sir Arthur Wellesley to restore order and pride. Wellesley went back to Portugal and, helped by Portuguese units under his command and by Spanish guerillas, advanced victory by victory into Spain until Joseph was routed at Vitoria on 21st June, 1813. The allies now crossed the Pyrenees into France, and Napoleon, still smarting from his ignominious retreat from Moscow,* was forced to abdicate on April 6th, 1814. Wellesley was granted the title of Duke of Wellington for his efforts in the Peninsular War, and Ludwig van Beethoven composed a Battle Symphony (also known as Wellington’s Victory) in his honour.
Fearing an Anglo-Russian alliance, he had attempted a pre-emptive strike. It went badly awry, and the Emperor abandoned most of his army at Vilnius in Lithuania, and hurried back to safety in Paris. See Retreat from Moscow.