of his army set forth from Madrid, and on the twenty-second he led
them through the snows of the Guadarrama.

Meanwhile Moore had made his decision. It was to attract the attention
of the French, draw them toward him, and then slowly retreat
northward, thus leaving Andalusia free from interference, and giving
the southern Spaniards time to organize once more and equip themselves
for a second Baylen. To this end he prepared on the twenty-third to
attack Soult, but, learning of Napoleon's rapid advance, he promptly
changed his plan and began his retreat; three days later he led his
troops safely across the Esla. Then began a famous chase. The Emperor
hurried forward, marching on foot through cold and snow to encourage
his tired men. He was eager to strike a blow at his enemy's rear
before they should get too far away, and Soult was urged onward to
Mansilla, to flank the retreating column. On the twenty-ninth the
French cavalry reached the Esla and were driven back by the English
rear-guard, while Moore stopped only long enough to destroy the
magazines at Benevento, and then hurried on to Astorga.

For two days longer the retreat continued. Moore, after many
successful skirmishes, reached Corunna, where he hoped to embark.
Soult crossed the Esla at last, and on New Year's day, 1809, the
Emperor found himself at Astorga. He believed there was an English
fleet at Ferrol; the weather was bitter, and his health was
jeopardized by the severity of the cold; moreover, disquieting letters
arrived, and he determined that this game was not worth the candle.
Soult was intrusted with the pursuit, Ney was stationed at Astorga as
a reserve, and Napoleon, putting himself at the head of his guards,
set out for Valladolid, which he reached on the sixth. After a rest
of ten days, new and more disquieting despatches made clear the urgent
need for his presence in Paris, though his task in Spain was far from
ended. On January twenty-third he reached the Tuileries.

The tale of Moore's splendid retreat, of his courage and calmness in
loss and disaster, of his superb control of his men in their
disappointment when Corunna was reached and no fleet was found there,
of his brave fight with Soult on January sixteenth, of the mortal
wound which struck him down in the hour of victory, and of the
self-forgetfulness which enabled him in the agonies of death to make
all necessary arrangements for his men to embark on the belated
ships--all this is a