The commencement of the year 1812 found the British army in the Peninsula much scattered by reason of the difficulties of provisioning it.

Soult, operating in AndaluÇia, had towards the close of 1811 detached a force to besiege Tarifa, and at the end of January attempted to storm it, but was repulsed with heavy loss and retired on Cadiz.

Napoleon at this time was concentrating all his energies on his disastrous attempt to subjugate Russia, and in order to augment his forces in that country, had recalled some 60,000 of his best troops from Spain. It was at this juncture that Wellington, taking advantage of the disorganised state of the French forces in the Peninsula, which, in addition to being divided into three separate armies, were widely distributed in order to obtain supplies, decided on a winter campaign, and unexpectedly invested the strong fortress of Ciudad Rodrigo.

After a siege of only twelve days, pushed forward with extraordinary vigour, with the object of obtaining possession of the place before Marmont could assemble a sufficient force to render assistance to the besieged garrison, Ciudad Rodrigo was stormed. In this desperate undertaking Generals Craufurd and Mackinnon, fifty officers, and 650 men fell in the breaches. The French loss was only 300.

Marmont, having failed in his attempt to collect sufficient forces to raise the siege, on hearing of the fall of the place, retired on Salamanca.

Wellington now directed his attention on Badajoz, so as to impede the junction of Soult and Massena, and marching rapidly thither, laid siege to it. Soult, confident in the strength of the place, set to work to collect a force sufficient to attack the Allies, but before he could do this, Badajoz was stormed. The losses of the assailants in this terrible assault were very great; sixty officers and over 700 men were killed, and the total number of killed and wounded during the siege was 3500.

Having thus made himself master of Badajoz, Wellington contemplated driving Soult out of AndaluÇia, but was met by so many difficulties, political as well as military, that he abandoned this scheme, and decided to operate against Marmont in Estremadura and Leon. Having surprised and captured the fortress of Almaraz, he advanced to the Tormes and laid siege to the forts covering the bridge of Salamanca. Marmont shortly appeared at the head of a strong force and endeavoured to succour the forts, but without success, and upon their being stormed by the British, he fell back to the line of the Douro near Tordesillas, Wellington following him as far as Rueda.

Massena, having received some reinforcements, crossed the Douro and sought to turn Wellington's right flank. Now ensued the remarkable manoeuvring on both sides which, after the sharp combats of Castrejon and the GuareÑa, culminated in the battle of Salamanca. After this disaster to the French arms, Massena retired on Burgos, and King Joseph, who, too late, had come to aid Marmont, returned to Madrid. Clausel fell back through Valladolid, which town Wellington occupied, thus separating Marmont from King Joseph. The Allies now advanced on Madrid, which the King quitted in haste, and ordered Soult to abandon AndaluÇia and to join him at Valencia.

The Allies occupied Madrid, and remained there for some months, but Clausel having reorganised his forces and reoccupied Valladolid, Wellington advanced against him.

Clausel fell back on Burgos, followed by the Allies. No less than five assaults were made on this fortress, but without success. Meanwhile the French received reinforcements, and eventually the siege of Burgos had to be raised, and Wellington was forced to retreat on Madrid, several sharp combats taking place on the way thither.

King Joseph, with Soult and Jourdan, now moved on Madrid, and the French force being thus overwhelmingly strong, Wellington evacuated the capital and fell back 200 miles to the line of the Tormes, followed by Soult and Jourdan. His position there being turned by Soult, he resumed his retreat on Rodrigo, and after a sharp combat on the Huebra, reached that place in November, and went into winter quarters.