mat ia ▁failed ▁to ▁prevent ▁British ▁forces ▁esc aping ▁by ▁sea . ▁ ▁The ▁Pen ins ular ▁War ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁next ▁four ▁years ▁Sou lt ▁remained ▁in ▁Spain ▁engaged ▁in ▁the ▁Pen ins ular ▁War . ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 9 , ▁he ▁inv aded ▁Portugal ▁and ▁took ▁O port o , ▁but ▁was ▁isolated ▁by ▁General ▁Sil ve ira ' s ▁strategy ▁of ▁cont ention . ▁Bus ying ▁himself ▁with ▁the ▁political ▁settlement ▁of ▁his ▁con quest s ▁in ▁the ▁French ▁interests ▁and , ▁as ▁he ▁hoped , ▁for ▁his ▁own ▁ult imate ▁benefit ▁as ▁a ▁possible ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁throne , ▁he ▁attract ed ▁the ▁hat red ▁of ▁Republican ▁officers ▁in ▁his ▁Army . ▁Unable ▁to ▁move , ▁he ▁was ▁eventually ▁driven ▁from ▁Portugal ▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁Battle ▁of ▁Porto ▁by ▁Lieutenant - General ▁Sir ▁Arthur ▁W elles ley ▁( l ater ▁created ▁Duke ▁of ▁Well ington ), ▁making ▁a ▁pain ful ▁and ▁almost ▁dis astr ous ▁retre at ▁over ▁the ▁mountains , ▁purs ued ▁by ▁Ber es ford ▁and ▁Sil ve ira . ▁After ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁T ala vera ▁( 1 8 0 9 ) ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁chief - of - st aff ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁troops ▁in ▁Spain ▁with ▁extended ▁powers , ▁and ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁November ▁ 1 8 0 9 , ▁won ▁a ▁great ▁victory ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁O c ana . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 0 ▁he ▁inv aded ▁And alus ia , ▁which ▁he ▁quickly ▁over