[464] The total of French troops in Old Castile, garrisoning Valladolid, Soria, Palencia, and Burgos, &c., was only 5,342 men. Nothing was disposable for field operations save Kellermann’s division of dragoons. In Biscay, behind Bonnet, there were only 1,762 men, and in Alava 876. Practically nothing could have been sent to reinforce Leon or Santander, till Mortier’s corps came up.
[465] For this fiasco see Toreno, i. pp. 400-1.
[466] These dispositions of the Asturian army, which have never before been published, are taken from a dispatch from the Junta at Oviedo, which Mr. Frere sent to Lord Castlereagh on March 24 [Record Office]. The regiments were:—
- At Colombres, under Maj.-General F. Ballasteros:
- Luanco, Castropol, Navia, Luarca, Villaviciosa, Llanes, Cangas de Oñis, Cangas de Tineo, Don Carlos.
- At Pajares and Farna, under Brigadier Don Christoval Lili:
- Siero, Provincial of Oviedo, Covadonga.
- At La Mesa, under Brigadier Don F. Manglano:
- Riva de Sella, Pravia.
- At Castropol, under Colonel T. Valdez:
- Lena, Grado, Salas, Ferdinando VII.
- At Oviedo, under Lieut.-General Worster:
- Gijon, Infiesto.
The Junta report that they have over 20,000 men, the regiments being very strong, some of them reaching 1,200 bayonets, or even more.
[467] Carrol to La Romana, March 28, ‘The Junta, in fact, command the armies in every respect. They have absolute power, and have rendered themselves highly obnoxious to the people of the province, and are at present entirely guided by the will and caprice of three or four individuals...’
[468] Such also was the opinion of Captain Carrol, the British representative at Oviedo. He writes to Castlereagh on Feb. 10 in the following terms: ‘I am sorry to have to represent that the supplies hitherto granted to this province have not been applied (to use the mildest expressions) with that judgment and economy that might have been expected, and that the benefits resulting to this province and the common cause are by no means proportionate to the liberality with which those supplies were granted by the British Government’ [Record Office]. Toreno, as a patriotic Asturian, hushes up all these scandals.
[469] The number of unwounded prisoners was 574, that of killed and wounded nearly 700.
[470] The captives were sent off immediately into the Asturias. Carrol saw them arrive at Oviedo.
[471] There is a long dispatch of Mendizabal to La Romana in the Record Office, giving details of the storm of Villafranca, which was all over in four hours.