He prepared to conquer Spain.

While Joseph was escorted to his new capital by a small army, Napoleon from Bayonne directed the operations of his generals.

Holding the northern road from Bayonne to Burgos and Madrid, they were to send out cautious feelers against the bands of insurgents; for, as Napoleon wrote to Savary (July 13th): "In civil wars it is the important posts that must be held: one ought not to go everywhere." Weighty words, which his lieutenants in Spain were often to disregard! Bessieres in the north gained a success at Medina de Rio Seco; but a signal disaster in the south ruined the whole campaign.

Dupont, after beating the levies of Andalusia, penetrated into the heart of that great province, and, when cumbered with plunder, his divided forces were surrounded, cut off from their supplies, and forced to surrender at Baylen--in all about 20,000 men (July 19th).

The news that a French army had laid down its arms caused an immense sensation in an age when Napoleon's troops were held to be invincible.