Note 312 — SECTION XIII: CHAPTER V

All Napier’s criticism (ii. 85-6) on Lapisse’s movement to Alcantara is vitiated by his ignorance of the fact that Jourdan and the King, at Victor’s instance, had sent him orders to go there. But nothing can excuse his previous inaction in February and March. He ought to have attacked Rodrigo before the end of January, when it was still almost without a garrison, and in a state of great disrepair.