terwards edited the Wellington
Despatches), and Major George Napier, all of the 52nd, were wounded.
But Marmont’s siege train was captured.

At Badajoz, whither Wellington had proceeded after Fuentes, curiously
enough the garrison was never summoned to surrender--an omission for
which many French writers unreservedly blame him, as being an act
contrary to the usages of war, and savouring of a feeling of revenge.
Be that as it may, the place was invested on the 17th March, while Hill
covered the siege against Soult, and on the 7th April was stormed, with
the terrible loss of nearly 5000 men. The defence was most gallant
and desperate. For two hours the storming column tried in vain to
mount the principal breach, defended by mines, _chevaux de frise_ of
sword-blades, and a close fire of musketry, grape, and hand-grenades,
and then fell back sullenly to re-form. But, as in other cases, though
this the “real attack” had failed, the “false attack” had succeeded,
and the 4th, followed by other regiments, penetrated into the town
by escalade. So the place surrendered, and its fall was succeeded by
a butchery more dreadful than that of Ciudad. Men were “literally
drowned in brandy.” Soldiers and camp--followers behaved equally
disgracefully. For two days and nights there seems to have been no
check to the horrors. There was nothing but “shameless rapacity, brutal
intemperance, savage lust, cruelty and murder. Shrieks and piteous
lamentations, groans, shouts, imprecations, the hissing of fires
bursting from the houses, the crashing of doors and windows, and the
reports of muskets used in violence, resounded through the town.”

The plan of the siege itself was by no means a brilliant effort of
genius, and the cost in human life serious. But for the fortunate
action of the 4th, the storming column must have retired with a loss of
3500 men, having effected nothing. The only excuse for the storm of so
strong a place after so brief and imperfect a siege was the necessity
for breaking open this doorway into Sp