There is another aspect to the Spanish resistance which I don't think is often considered, how far the potentially peaceful population were intimidated by the partisans.

I've been reading some letters that marshal Macdonald wrote from Catalonia to his daughter and after commenting on the deserted towns and villages he wrote that the inhabitants were forced to this action 'under pain of death, by the revolutionary junta of Tarragona.'

Writing of the condition to which Barcelona had been reduced by 'arbitraires et spoliations' over the last three years he said that 'this is the reason for the flight of the inhabitants, joined also to the threats of the inusurgents and doubtless also to opinion.'

The inhabitants of villages and towns were put in an impossible position, if they stayed put as the French approached and trusted to their promises of protection they may have faced being punished by their own people once the French withdrew.

regards,

Susan