History of the Peninsular War, Volume 3 (of 6)

by Robert Southey

[CHAPTER XVI].
	PAGE
Treaty between Great Britain and Spain	[1]
Surrender of Coruña	[3]
Situation and strength of Ferrol	[5]
Surrender of Ferrol	[6]
Exultation of the French	[8]
Pursuit of Romana’s army	[10]
Dismay in Galicia	[11]
Romana retreats toward Monterrey	[12]
Blake leaves the army	[13]
The French cease the pursuit	[14]
Buonaparte is advised that Austria is arming	[15]
Change in his views concerning Spain	[16]
He returns to France	[18]
His professions to the Spaniards at Madrid	[19]
Registers opened	[24]
The people of Madrid take the oath of allegiance to Joseph	[25]
Addresses to the Intruder	[26]
Edicts of the Intruder before his return to Madrid	[27]
His entrance into Madrid	[29]
Edicts against the patriots	[31]
Circular epistle to the clergy	[32]
Condition of Madrid	[34]
False intelligence published by the intrusive government	[36]
Unwillingness of the Spaniards to believe that Morla was a traitor	[37]
Proofs of his prior treachery	[38]
Morla’s letter to the Central Junta	[39]
His letter to the governor of Cadiz	[41]
Arrest and cruel imprisonment of the French at Cadiz	[42]
Death of Florida Blanca	[43]
Marques de Astorga chosen president of the Central Junta	[44]
Catalonia	[45]
Siege of Barcelona	[46]
St. Cyr appointed to command the French	[48]
He determines upon besieging Rosas	[50]
Dilapidated state of that fortress	[52]
Preparations for the siege	[52]
British squadron in the Bay of Rosas	[54]
Disposition of the Italian troops to desert	[56]
Attack upon Fort Trinidad repulsed	[57]
The French establish themselves in the town	[59]
Lord Cochrane arrives, and throws himself into Fort Trinidad	[59]
Gallant defence of the fort	[60]
The citadel captured, and the fort evacuated	[62]
St. Cyr marches to relieve Barcelona	[63]
He discovers a mountain path near Hostalrich	[64]
Indecision of General Vives	[67]
He marches against the French	[68]
Rout of the Spaniards at Llinas	[68]
Retreat of the Spaniards from Barcelona to the Llobregat	[71]
St. Cyr marches against them	[72]
Indecision of the Spaniards	[73]
The Spaniards routed and pursued to Tarragona	[76]
[CHAPTER XVII].
The Spaniards not discouraged by their reverses	[80]
Condition of Infantado’s army at Cuenca	[81]
Dreams of offensive operations	[83]
Movement against the French at Tarancon	[84]
Venegas falls back from Tarancon to Ucles	[84]
Rout of the Spaniards at Ucles	[86]
Cruelties committed there by the French	[88]
Infantado collects the fugitives	[89]
Retreat from Cuenca	[91]
Loss of the artillery	[92]
Infantado frustrates a movement of the enemy against the Carolina army	[94]
He is superseded by Cartaojal	[95]
Calumnies against Castaños	[96]
His memorial to the Central Junta	[99]
Conde de Montijo’s intrigues	[100]
Progress of the French in Castille and Leon	[101]
New levies raised by the Spaniards	[102]
Temporizing conduct of certain magistrates	[103]
Sir Robert Wilson	[103]
He raises a Portugueze legion at Porto	[104]
Sir Robert goes to Ciudad Rodrigo	[106]
He refuses to return to Porto	[107]
Effect of his movements	[108]
Part of the legion detained at Porto	[109]
Displeasure of the authorities there	[110]
Rank given him by the Spanish government	[110]
Proposal that British troops should be admitted into Cadiz	[111]
Objections of the Spanish government	[112]
Troops arrive in the bay	[114]
Mr. Frere’s representations to the Central Junta	[114]
Reply of the Spanish government	[116]
Their proposal for employing the troops	[117]
Conference with Mr. Frere	[117]
Mr. Frere requests Cuesta’s opinion	[120]
Cuesta’s reply	[122]
Close of the discussion	[123]
Insurrection at Cadiz	[127]
Confidence of the people in the English	[129]
Proclamation of the governor	[130]
Murder of D. Juan de Heredia	[131]
The tumult subsides	[131]
Proclamation of the Central Junta	[132]
[CHAPTER XVIII].
Castaños accused at Zaragoza as a traitor	[135]
State of public feeling in that city	[136]
Measures of precaution	[137]
None of the inhabitants leave the city	[139]
Supposed miracles	[140]
Works of defence	[141]
The city crowded with soldiers	[144]
Preparations within the city	[145]
Marshal Moncey reconnoitres the Torrero	[145]
The French appear before the city	[146]
They take the Torrero	[146]
Unsuccessful attack upon the suburbs	[148]
Moncey summons Palafox to surrender	[149]
The investment of the city completed	[150]
Proclamation of Palafox to the people of Madrid	[152]
Junot takes the command of the French	[153]
St. Joseph’s and the Redoubt of the Pillar taken	[153]
Rumours of success, and rejoicings in the city	[154]
An infectious disease appears in the city	[155]
Attempts of Lazan and Francisco Palafox to succour the city	[157]
Condition of the army in Catalonia	[158]
Reding takes the command	[159]
The army re-formed at Tarragona	[160]
Conduct of the French under St. Cyr	[162]
Orders to attempt the relief of Zaragoza	[164]
Tardiness in obeying them	[166]
Defeat of the peasantry	[166]
Alcañiz occupied by the French	[166]
Movements in Navarre and Aragon	[167]
Marshal Lasnes takes the command	[167]
He summons Palafox to surrender	[168]
The French enter the city, but with great loss	[168]
They establish themselves in the Trinidad Convent	[171]
Convents of S. Augustin and S. Monica won	[171]
The enemy proceed by mining	[173]
Progress of the pestilence	[174]
First talk of surrender in the city	[176]
The contest carried on by fire	[177]
Convent of Jesus in the suburb taken	[179]
St. Francisco taken	[180]
The French begin to murmur	[182]
Not even an attempt is made to relieve the city	[183]
The suburbs taken	[185]
The university taken	[186]
Palafox transfers his authority to a Junta	[186]
Condition of the besieged	[187]
Flag of truce sent to the French	[189]
Last efforts of the besieged	[190]
D. Pedro Maria Ric goes out to treat with Marshal Lasnes	[192]
Capitulation	[194]
Farther conditions asked, and refused	[196]
Conduct of the French	[198]
Treatment of the prisoners	[198]
Palafox compelled by threats of death to sign orders for delivering up four fortresses	[201]
He is sent into France	[202]
Demands of the French	[203]
Lasnes makes his entrance	[204]
Baseness of the suffragan bishop	[204]
Language of the French upon their triumph	[206]
Decree of the Central Junta	[206]
Address to the nation	[208]
Honours decreed to the inhabitants of Zaragoza	[211]
Falsehoods of the French government	[212]
[CHAPTER XIX].
Portugal threatened by the French	[214]
Preparations of the English for evacuating Lisbon	[214]
Address of the Portugueze Regency to the nation	[215]
State of public feeling at Lisbon	[216]
Marshal Soult ordered to enter Portugal from Galicia	[218]
Difficulty of providing for the French army	[219]
His confidence of success	[220]
Combined plans of the French	[220]
Vigo and Tuy occupied by the French	[221]
Preparations for crossing the Minho below Tuy	[221]
Failure of the attempt	[223]
Soult marches by way of Orense	[223]
Romana rouses the Galicians	[224]
Opinion of his strength	[225]
Villages burnt by the French	[226]
Intended plan of co-operation between Romana and Silveira	[226]
Difference between Marshals Soult and Ney	[227]
Rout of Romana’s army	[228]
The French remove their sick and wounded to Monterrey	[229]
Situation of Chaves	[230]
Silveira retires from Chaves	[231]
Some mutinous officers resolve to defend it	[232]
Surrender of Chaves	[232]
The French establish their hospital there	[234]
Preparations for defence at Porto	[235]
Advance of the French from Chaves	[237]
Tumults at Braga	[238]
General Freire murdered	[240]
The Portugueze routed before Braga	[242]
The French enter Braga	[243]
They appear before Porto	[245]
Oliveira murdered	[246]
The Bishop leaves the city	[247]
Porto taken	[247]
Massacre there	[248]
Soult remains in Porto	[250]
Disposition of the inhabitants	[251]
Marshal Soult’s views respecting the Liberals and the Jews	[252]
His hopes of becoming King of Northern Lusitania	[254]
He visits the Church of N. Senhor de Bouças	[256]
Chaves retaken by Silveira	[260]
Proceedings at Coimbra	[262]
Colonel Trant takes a position upon the Vouga	[265]
Cruelties of the French	[268]
Positions of the French and Portugueze	[269]
Romana captures the garrison at Villa Franca	[270]
Efforts of the Galicians	[273]
Barrios sent into Galicia	[275]
The Portugueze and Galicians blockade Tuy	[276]
Vigo	[277]
The Spaniards appear before Vigo	[278]
Recapture of that place	[279]
Blockade of Tuy	[283]
The Portugueze recross the Minho	[284]
The French in Tuy relieved and withdrawn	[284]
[CHAPTER XX].
Plans of the intrusive government	[286]
Effect of the war upon the French soldiery	[287]
Temper of the Spanish generals in La Mancha and Extremadura	[290]
Reforms in the Spanish army	[291]
The Duque del Alburquerque	[291]
He proposes offensive operations	[292]
They are undertaken when too late	[293]
The Duke sent to join Cuesta	[294]
Cartaojal advances against the French	[294]
Rout of the Carolina army at Ciudad Real	[295]
Operations of Marshal Victor	[295]
The French cross the Puente del Arzobispo	[296]
Cuesta retreats from the Puerto de Miravete	[297]
Skirmishes at Truxillo and Miajadas	[298]
Junction with Alburquerque’s division	[301]
Cuesta offers battle at Medellin	[301]
Battle of Medellin	[303]
Misconduct of the Spanish cavalry	[304]
Cuesta thrown and wounded	[304]
Dispersion of the Spanish army	[305]
No quarter given	[306]
Escape of Alburquerque	[307]
The remnant of the Spanish army collect	[308]
Cuesta disgraces those who had behaved ill	[309]
The Junta act wisely and generously upon these defeats	[310]
Their appeal to the people	[311]
Tribunal of public safety	[312]
Correspondence on the Intruder’s part with the Junta	[313]
Measures for securing Badajoz	[317]
A crusade proclaimed there	[318]
Regulations concerning the ejected religioners	[319]
Plans of the intrusive government	[320]
Sir Robert Wilson’s conduct at Ciudad Rodrigo	[321]
Attempt to surprise that fortress	[323]
The French summon it	[324]
March of Lapisse to unite with Victor	[325]
The French enter Alcantara	[325]
Junction of Lapisse and Victor	[327]
[CHAPTER XXI].
Conduct of the opposition in England	[328]
Return of the troops from Coruña	[332]
The King’s speech	[333]
Proceedings in Parliament	[334]
Lord Sidmouth	[334]
Earl St. Vincent	[335]
Lord Grenville	[335]
Earl of Liverpool	[336]
Mr. Ponsonby	[338]
Mr. Whitbread	[339]
Debates on the overture from Erfurth	[341]
Lord Grenville	[341]
Lord Auckland	[341]
Mr. Canning	[341]
Lord Henry Petty	[343]
Mr. Whitbread	[343]
Mr. Croker	[346]
Mr. Whitbread’s speech circulated by the French government	[347]
Debates on the campaign in Portugal	[348]
Both parties agree in extolling Sir John Moore	[348]
Inquiry into the campaign in Spain called for	[349]
Lord Grenville	[349]
Lord Erskine	[349]
Mr. Ponsonby	[350]
Lord Castlereagh	[354]
Mr. Tierney	[354]
Mr. Canning	[357]
Mr. Windham	[361]
Sir John Moore’s dispatches	[367]
Mr. Frere’s correspondence with Sir John Moore	[372]
Earl Grey	[373]
Earl of Liverpool	[374]
Mr. Canning	[377]
Earl Grey	[381]
Expedition to the Scheldt	[382]
Troops sent to Portugal	[384]
Earl of Buckinghamshire	[384]
[CHAPTER XXII].
Feelings of the Portugueze toward the English	[387]
Sir Arthur Wellesley’s instructions	[388]
General Beresford appointed commander-in-chief of the Portugueze army	[389]
He begins to reform the army	[390]
Intercepted letter from General Kellermann to Soult	[392]
Laborde sent to attack Silveira at Amarante	[393]
State of Penafiel when the French entered	[394]
The Bridge of Amarante	[395]
Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick killed in defending it	[397]
The French endeavour to throw a bridge over the river	[398]
Repeated attempts to effect the passage	[399]
Plan for demolishing the Portugueze entrenchments	[400]
The French win the bridge	[401]
Situation of the enemy	[402]
Sir Arthur Wellesley lands at Lisbon	[404]
He communicates his plans to Cuesta	[404]
Views of the Philadelphes in Marshal Soult’s army	[406]
The Sieur D’Argenton goes to Sir Arthur Wellesley to explain their views	[409]
Advance of the British army towards Porto	[410]
D’Argenton is arrested	[411]
Soult prepares to retreat from Portugal	[412]
The French driven from Albergaria	[413]
They are driven from their position at Grijo	[414]
Measures of Soult to prevent the passage of the Douro	[415]
Passage of that river	[416]
Deliverance of Porto	[418]
Soult and Loison effect a junction on their retreat	[421]
Sir Arthur pursues the French	[422]
Sufferings of the enemy in their flight	[423]
Loss of the French at Puente de Misarella	[425]
The pursuit given over at Montalegre	[425]
Movement of troops from Aragon	[426]
Reasons for not continuing the pursuit	[427]
Victor enters Portugal by way of Alcantara, and speedily retreats	[428]
Soult reaches Orense	[429]
Romana enters Asturias, and displaces the Junta	[429]
Combined movements of the French against Romana	[430]
Romana escapes by sea	[431]
Ney returns into Galicia	[432]
The French in Lugo relieved by Soult	[433]
Mahy returns to Mondoñedo	[434]
The French driven from Compostella	[435]
Combined operations of Marshals Ney and Soult in Galicia	[436]
Romana rejoins his army	[437]
Proceedings of Soult	[437]
Cruelties exercised by the French	[439]
Defeat of the French at the Bridge of S. Payo	[440]
The Spaniards retaliate upon the invaders	[443]
Soult retreats out of Galicia	[443]
Ferrol and Coruña evacuated by the French	[444]
Soult complains of certain officers	[446]
He recommends a plan for securing Galicia	[447]
Romana summoned to take his place in the Central Junta	[448]
He orders a monument to be erected to Sir John Moore	[449]
His farewell to the army	[450]
Address of the Central Junta to the Galicians	[451]
[CHAPTER XXIII].
Proceedings of the French after the fall of Zaragoza	[456]
State of the Catalan army	[457]
Reding determines to act on the offensive	[460]
The Spaniards driven from Igualada	[461]
Failure of the French against the Abbey of the S. Creus	[462]
Reding takes the field, and collects his scattered troops	[465]
He is advised to retreat	[466]
Battle of Valls	[469]
The French received at Reus	[472]
Arrangement concerning the wounded	[473]
Alarm at Tortosa	[474]
Lazan separates his army from Reding’s command	[475]
Mortality in Tarragona	[476]
St. Cyr removes to the plain of Vicq	[477]
Vicq deserted by its inhabitants	[480]
Arrest of the persons in office at Barcelona for refusing the oath	[481]
Prisoners sent into France	[483]
Barcelona relieved by sea	[484]
Reding dies of his wounds	[484]
Peasants of the Vallés	[486]
Blake appointed to the command	[488]
Movements of the Aragonese	[488]
Monzon recovered by the Spaniards	[490]
Capture of a French detachment	[491]
Blake moves upon Alcañiz	[492]
The French withdraw	[495]
Suchet comes against him	[496]
Defeat of the French before Alcañiz	[497]
Anniversary of the insurrection at Valencia	[499]
Celebration of S. Ferdinand’s day	[500]
Executions in Barcelona	[502]
Blake advances toward Zaragoza	[504]
Suchet attacks the Spaniards	[505]
Blake retreats to Belchite	[506]
Flight of the Spaniards	[507]
Blake’s resignation not accepted	[509]
Commencement of the Guerillas	[511]
Porlier	[511]
The Empecinado	[511]
Renovales in the valleys of Roncal	[512]
He defeats a French detachment	[512]
A second party defeated	[513]
Proclamation of the Duque de Mahon	[514]
Executions and reprisals	[516]
Attempts to win over Renovales	[517]
Troops sent from Zaragoza against him	[520]
He capitulates for the valleys	[522]
Xavier Mina	[523]
Siege of Gerona commenced	[526]

---

HISTORY
OF THE
PENINSULAR WAR.

CHAPTER XVI.

TREATY BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND SPAIN. SURRENDER OF CORUNA AND FERROL. SITUATION OF ROMANA’S ARMY. BUONAPARTE RETURNS TO FRANCE. PROCEEDINGS AT MADRID. OPERATIONS IN CATALONIA.

♦1809. January.

---

Happily for the interests of Great Britain, and for its honour, which is paramount to all interests, the British government entertained more generous hopes than its General had done, and acted upon wiser views. At the very time when the Spaniards had sustained the heaviest losses, and our own army was known to be in full retreat, a treaty was signed at London between Great Britain and the Spanish nation acting in the name of Ferdinand. It proclaimed a christian, stable, and inviolable peace between the two countries, perpetual and sincere amity, and strict alliance during the war with France; and it pronounced an entire and lasting oblivion of all acts of hostility done on either side in the course of the late wars wherein they had been engaged against each other. His Britannic Majesty engaged to assist the Spaniards to the utmost of his power, and not to acknowledge any other King of Spain, and of the Indies thereunto appertaining, than Ferdinand VII., his heirs, or such lawful successor as the Spanish nation should acknowledge; and the Spanish government engaged, on behalf of Ferdinand, never to cede to France any portion of the territories or possessions of the Spanish monarchy in any part of the world. The contracting parties bound themselves to make common cause against France, and not to make peace except by common consent. It was agreed by an additional article, that as the existing circumstances did not admit of the regular negotiation of a treaty of commerce with all the care and consideration due to so important a subject, such a negotiation should be effected as soon as it was practicable; and meantime mutual facilities afforded to the commerce of both countries, by temporary regulations, founded on reciprocal utility. Another separate article provided that the Spanish government should take the most effectual measures for preventing the Spanish squadrons, in all their ports, from falling into the power of France. Before the treaty could reach Spain, the mischief against which this latter article was intended to provide had been done in the ports of Galicia.

♦Surrender of Coruña.♦

There were Englishmen at Coruña, who, when Sir John Moore was preparing to embark, doubted whether the inhabitants would protect his embarkation. In the bitterness of grief and shame they said, “should the Galicians tell us that we came into their country and by the imposing display of our well-equipped army prevented them from defending their native mountains; that they entrusted their passes to us and we abandoned them to the enemy; that disregarding any service which seemed immaterial to our own safety, we let the French occupy the approaches to their city; ... should the volunteers of Coruña tell us this (they said), and throw down their arms when they see us flying to our ships, ... we should have little right to complain of desertion or abandonment!” But the Spaniards are a more generous people than these doubts implied. Astonished indeed they were at the manner in which an army that had excited by its proud appearance the highest hopes as well as the highest admiration, had retreated through one of the strongest and most defensible countries in Europe; but severely as these hopes were disappointed, and cruelly as they suffered in consequence, they were not betrayed into one unworthy act or expression of resentment. The Governor of Coruña, D. Antonio de Alcedo, had made vigorous preparations as soon as it seemed likely that the enemy might enter Galicia. His name will be remembered as the author of a Geographical Dictionary of Spanish America, much more accurate and copious than any former work relating to those countries. It would be well for him could it be forgotten in the history of his own. While he expected that the British army would make a stand, and maintain Coruña and Ferrol at least, even if they abandoned the field, he held brave language, calling upon the inhabitants to supply stakes, beams, fascines and butts for additional works, and exhorting the women to busy themselves in providing sacks to be filled with earth. “If the French come,” said he in his proclamation, “I will take such measures that Coruña shall be not less gloriously distinguished than Gerona, Valencia, and Zaragoza. But should fortune prove adverse to us, as a chastisement from God for our sins, I will bury myself in the ruins of this fortress rather than surrender it to the enemy: thus finishing my days with honour, and trusting that all will follow my example.” Wherever in Spain a Governor was found willing to set such an example, the resolution to follow it was not wanting.