[210] Peninsular War, iv. p. 134.
[211] Correspondence in King Joseph’s Letters, viii. pp. 306-7.
[212] See Marmont’s letter acknowledging its receipt in his Correspondance, iv. pp. 342-3.
[213] Mémoires, iv. p. 554.
[214] Mémoires, iv. p. 184.
[215] Napier says Jan. 29. But Jones, then employed in repairing Rodrigo, gives Feb. 2 in his diary of the work.
[216] Dorsenne to Marmont, from Valladolid, Feb. 24.
[217] Same to same, from Valladolid, Feb. 27.
[218] Marmont to Berthier, Valladolid, Feb. 6. Not in Marmont’s Mémoires, but printed in King Joseph’s Correspondance, viii. p. 301.
[219] I must confess that all Napier’s comment on Marmont’s doings (vol. iv. pp. 94-5) seems to me to be vitiated by a wish to vindicate Napoleon at all costs, and to throw all possible blame on his lieutenant. His statements contain what I cannot but call a suggestio falsi, when he says that ‘Bonnet quitted the Asturias, Montbrun hastened back from Valencia, Dorsenne sent a detachment in aid, and on Jan. 25 six divisions of infantry and one of cavalry, 45,000 men in all, were assembled at Salamanca, from whence to Ciudad is only four marches.’ This misses the facts that (1) Marmont had only four divisions (Souham, Clausel, Maucune, and the weak division of Thiébault); (2) that Bonnet had not arrived, nor could for some days; (3) that Dorsenne sent nothing, and on Jan. 27 announced that nothing would be forthcoming; (4) that Montbrun (who was at Alicante on Jan. 16) was still far away on the borders of Murcia. With 22,000 men only in hand Marmont was naturally cautious.