Page:Life of the Duke of Wellington.pdf/12

12 of Regnier's eorpscorps [sic], met with no better suecesssuccess [sic]. The ground in that quarter was indeed of comparatively easy ascent, and although the British and Portuguese skirmishers opposed a vigorous resistance, and twenty pieces of cannon played ineessantlyincessantly [sic] on the advancing column, yet nothing could arrest the ardour and gallantry of the French, who mounted with an intrepid step up the hill, and after routing a Portuguese regiment stationed before them, established themselves on the summit, and were beginning to deploy to the right and left; at this instant, however, when the British position in this point appeared to be almost earriedcarried [sic], and the third divisondivision [sic], (part of which had been forced to give way) could with difficulty maintain itself against the dense and intrepid column which had foreedforced [sic] itself into the centre of its line, General Leith and General PietonPicton [sic] brought up their divisions, and charged them with such vigour, that the enemy, after a desperate struggle, were hurled down the hill, the British firing upon them as long as their muskets would carry, but not pursuing, lest their ranks should be broken, and the erestcrest [sic] of the hill be again won. The other French divisions of Regnier's corps, which advanced up a hollow way a little to the left of his main column, were repulsed by the left of Pieton'sPicton's [sic] division, before they reached the summit of the mountain."

The battle of BusaeoBusaco [sic] produeedproduced [sic] an astonishing effeeteffect [sic] at the time at which it was fought; and in its ultimate consequeneesconsequences [sic], was beyond all question one of the most important that took place in the whole Peninsular war. After several other engagements, in which the superior generalship of Lord Wellington was displayed, the French were driven out of Portugal. They had advanced, confident in their superior numbers, "to drive the English into the sea," and a disgraceful and dangerous retreat had alone preserved them from destruction. The British eavalrycavalry [sic] ehasedchased [sic]