<P> At the Battle of Vitoria on 21 June, Joseph's 65,000 - man army were decisively defeated by Wellington's army of 57,000 British, 16,000 Portuguese and 8,000 Spanish . Wellington split his army into four attacking "columns" and attacked the French defensive position from south, west and north while the last column cut down across the French rear . The French were forced back from their prepared positions, and despite attempts to reform and hold were driven into a rout . This led to the abandonment of all of the French artillery as well as King Joseph's extensive baggage train and personal belongings . The latter led to many Anglo - Allied soldiers halting the pursuit to loot the wagons; as a result they could not complete the pursuit and this, along with the French managing to hold the east road out of Vitoria towards Salvatierra, allowed the French to partially recover . The Allies chased the retreating French, reaching the Pyrenees in early July, and began operations against San Sebastian and Pamplona . On 11 July Soult was given command of all French troops in Spain and in consequence Wellington decided to halt his army to regroup at the Pyrenees . </P> <P> The war was not over . Although Bonapartist Spain had effectively collapsed, most of France's troops had escaped and fresh troops were soon gathering beyond the Pyrenees . By themselves, such forces were unlikely to score more than a few local victories, but French troop losses elsewhere in Europe could not be taken for granted . Napoleon might yet inflict defeats on Austria, Russia and Prussia, and with the divisions between the allies there was no guarantee that one power would not make a separate peace . It was a major victory and gave Britain more credibility on the continent, but the thought of Napoleon descending on the Pyrenees with the grande armée was not regarded with equanimity . </P> <P> In August 1813, British headquarters still had misgivings about the eastern powers . Austria had now joined the Allies, but the Allied armies had suffered a significant defeat at the Battle of Dresden . They had recovered somewhat, but the situation was still precarious . Wellington's brother - in - law Edward Pakenham wrote, "I should think that much must depend upon proceedings in the north: I begin to apprehend...that Boney may avail himself of the jealousy of the Allies to the material injury of the cause ." But the defeat or defection of Austria, Russia and Prussia was not the only danger . It was also uncertain that Wellington could continue to count on Spanish support . </P> <P> The summer of 1813 in the Basque provinces and Navarre was a wet one, and with the army drenched by incessant rain and the decision to strip the men of their greatcoats was looking unwise . Sickness was widespread--at one point a third of Wellington's British troops were hors de combat--and fears about the army's discipline and general reliability grew . By 9 July, Wellington reported that 12,500 men were absent without leave, while plundering was rife . Major General Sir Frederick Robinson wrote, "We paint the conduct of the French in this country in very...harsh colours, but be assured we injure the people much more than they do...Wherever we move devastation marks our steps". With the army established on the borders of France, desertion had become a problem . The Chasseurs Britanniques--recruited mainly from French deserters--lost 150 men in a single night . Wellington wrote, "The desertion is terrible, and is unaccountable among the British troops . I am not astonished that the foreigners should go...but, unless they entice away the British soldiers, there is no accounting for their going away in such numbers as they do ." Spain's "ragged and ill - fed soldiers" were also suffering with the onset of winter, the fear that they would likely "fall on the populace with the utmost savagery" in revenge attacks and looting was a growing concern to Wellington as the Allied forces pushed to the French border . </P>

Who said that spanish ulcer was the cause of my ruin