Sindhia and Holkar, with the raja of Berar, maintained a doubt 'At 24 Upper Merrion Street, Dublin, or at Dungan castle, Meath, on April 29 or on May 1; but both place and date are uncertain.
ful but threatening aspect farther north. It was uncertain whether or not a confederacy of the northern Mahrattas had been formed against the British Government. Wellesley was charged with "the general direction and control of military and political affairs in the territories of the Nizam, the Peshwa and the Mahratta states and chiefs." Armed with these powers, he required Sindhia, as a proof of good faith, to withdraw to the north of the Nerbudda. Sindhia not doing so, war was declared on Aug. 6, 1803, and Wellesley moved against the enemy. A second division was to converge from the east, but on Sept. 23 Wellesley suddenly found that the combined forces of Sindhia and the raja of Berar were close in front of him at Assaye. Weighing the dangers of delay, of retreat and of an attack with his single division of 4,500 men, supported only by 5,000 native levies of doubtful quality, Welles ley convinced himself that an immediate attack, though against greatly superior forces (30,00o horse, Io,000 European-drilled infantry and ioo well-served guns) in a strong position, was the wisest course. He threw himself upon the Mahratta host, and, carrying out a bold manoeuvre under an intense fire, ultimately gained a complete victory, though with heavy loss. In comparison with the battle of Assaye, all fighting that had hitherto taken place in India was child's play. Wellesley brought the war to a close by a second victory at Argaum on Nov. 29 and the storming of Gawilghur on Dec. 15. The treaties with Sindhia and the raja of Berar, which marked the downfall of the Mahratta power, were negotiated and signed by Wellesley—not yet 35 years old.
His ambitions now led him back to Europe, and in the spring of i8o5 he quitted India. After being sent on the abortive expedi tion to Hanover, he was elected M.P. for Rye, in order to defend his brother in the House, and in the following year he was Irish secretary for a few months. He was then employed in the expedition against Copenhagen, in which he defeated the Danes in the action of Kjoge (Oct. 29). In 18°8, however, began the war (see PENINSULAR WAR) in which his military renown was fully established. In April he was promoted lieutenant-general and placed in command of a division of the troops destined to operate against the French in Spain or Portugal. He landed at Mondego bay in the first week of August, moved southwards, and on the 21st won the battle of Vimeiro. In the midst of this engagement, however, Sir Harry Burrard landed, and took over the command. Burrard was in turn superseded by Sir Hew Dalrymple, and the campaign ended with the convention of Cintra, which provided for the evacuation of Portugal by the French, but gave Junot's troops a free return to France. So great was the public displeasure in England at the escape of the enemy that a court of inquiry was held. After the battle of Corunna, Wellesley, who had in the meantime resumed his duties as Irish secretary, returned to the Peninsula as chief in command.
He drove the French out of Oporto, and then prepared to march against Madrid. He had the support of a Spanish army, but his movements were delayed by the neglect of the Spanish Govern ment, and Soult was able to collect a large force for the purpose of falling upon the English line of communication. Wellesley, unconscious of Soult's presence on his flank, advanced against Madrid, and defeated his immediate opponent, King Joseph, at Talavera de la Reina (q.v.) on July 27-28. But within the next few days Soult's approach on the line of communication was dis covered, and Wellesley, disgusted with his Spanish allies, had no choice but to withdraw into Portugal.
A peerage was conferred upon him for Talavera. He was also made marshal-general of the Portuguese army and a Spanish captain-general. But his conduct after the battle was sharply criticized in England, and its negative results were used as a weapon against the ministry. Even on the defensive, Wellington's task was exceedingly difficult. Austria having made peace, Na poleon was at liberty to throw heavy forces into the Peninsula. Wellington, foreseeing that Portugal would now be invaded by a very powerful army, began the fortification of the celebrated lines of Torres Vedras. (See FORTIFICATION AND SIEGECRAFT.) As summer approached Massena moved against Portugal with 70,000 men. Wellington, unable to save Ciudad Rodrigo, retreated down the valley of the Mondego, devastating the country, and pausing to inflict a check on the French at Bussaco (q.v.). Massena continued to press forward but was held up definitely in front of the lines. It was with the utmost difficulty that he could keep his army from starving. At length, when the country was ex hausted, he fell back to Santarem. In the spring of 1811 Welling ton received reinforcements and moved forward. Massena re treated, but such were the sufferings of his army, both in the invasion and in the retreat, that the French, when they re-entered Spain, had lost 30,00o men. Public opinion in England, lately so hostile, now became confident, and Wellington, whose rewards for Talavera had been opposed in both Houses, began to be a hero. In the meantime Soult, who was besieging Cadiz, had moved to support Massena. But after capturing Badajoz, Soult learnt that Massena was in retreat, and in consequence returned to the south. Wellington, freed from pressure on this side, and believing Mas sena to be thoroughly disabled, considered that the time had come for an advance into Spain. The fortresses of Almeida, Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz barred the roads. Almeida was besieged, and Wellington was preparing to attack Badajoz when Massena again took the field, and marched to the relief of Almeida. The battle of Fuentes d'Onoro followed, in which Wellington was only able to extricate the army from a dangerous predicament which "if Boney had been there" would have been a disaster. His attack on Badajoz and Ciudad Rodrigo failed.