THE BATTLE OF VITORIA.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 207, 8 September 1916, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE BATTLE OF VITORIA.

On Monday, Juno 21, 1813. the grout Duke of Woftington won a celebrated victory at Vitora, a name .which, whatever its origin, signifies "victory." llv place was situated thirty miles south from tho shore, near the south-east corner of tlie Bay of Biscay, and capita! of th.o Spanish province of Afnrn. Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of Franc. 1 , had ; n ISOB forced Ford'nand the Seventh to resign the Kingdom of Spain, and had made his own lirothcr, .Joseph Bonaparte, it-; Sovereign, wlio commanded the French Army on th's occasion, with' Count .John Baptist Jourdan as French field-marshal. The hostilo armies .in this engagement were nearly equally matched, from 70,001) to 75.000 each. After a long and fearful fight, the French were, towards evening, driven by the British and their Spanish and Portuguese allies, through the town of Vitoria, and in their retreat were thrown into irr.«trievahle confusion. The British loss was 22 officers and 479 menVlled, 167 officers and 2,(340 men wounded, bcs : dcn 1,600 Portuguese and Spaniards, But the French lost nearly 7,000 men. 151 cannons, 451 wagons of ammunition, with all Jonrdan's baggage, provision*, cattle, and treasure, and his baton, :jr marshal's staff. Continuing the pursii't <>n tho 25th, Wellington captured Jourdan's only remaining gun. Joseph Bonaparte was therefore obliged tn reB : gn h : s throne, and Ferdinand th; Seventh was restored next year.