Note 50 — Chapter XV

The crushing blow at Vittoria loosened the grasp of Napoleon on Spain. It swept them, like chaff before the wind, out of their fertile plains, valleys, and mountains, and at once exposed their extraordinary system of forced contributions, i.e., “That war should maintain war.” In one province alone, it was found that, for the year 1811, the French Marshal had imposed a contribution of two hundred million reals—or about two millions sterling—upon its unhappy people. This sum was equal to five millions sterling in England. The half of this sum exhausted the whole money in the province in gold, silver, plate, and jewels; the remainder was taken by force in grain, cattle, clothing, and all articles necessary for the troops. The inhabitants were exasperated beyond all bounds, and were butchered in cold blood; and their daughters and wives were insulted and disgraced before their husbands’ and fathers’ eyes, who, if they opened their lips, were at once shot, or cut limb from limb. It roused the people to frantic madness; they swore to conquer or die.