CHAPTER VI. CAMPAIGN IN THE PENINSULA OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL:-Formation of the Juntas, and general SCARCELY was the renunciation of the royal family in favour of Bonaparte known in Spain, before the northern provinces burst into open and organized insurrection. Asturias and Galicia, the refuge of Spanish independence, when it fled before the Moorish power, set the glorious example; and it was soon followed by almost every part of Spain, not immediately occupied or overawed by the armies of France. One of the first steps taken by the leaders of the revolution was to form and assemble the Juntas,. or general assemblies of the provinces, who immediately issued proclamations, calling upon the Spaniards to rise in defence of their sovereign and their liberties. In these proclamations every topic was insisted on which could awaken the patriotism and rouse the indignation of the people the long and prejudicial subserviency of Spain to the views and interests of the French government; the degradation and misery which this servility had produced; the treacherous behaviour of Bonaparte to Ferdinand; and the consequences which must necessarily result from the execution of his designs; were strongly 1808 insisted upon. The nation was called upon, by BOOK IV. BOOK IV. The Junta to whose proceedings most attention is due, is that which was assembled at CHAP. VI. Seville. Madrid being in possession of the French, it became necessary that some other prin1808 cipal city should take the lead in issuing directions respecting the great and arduous contest in which the Spanish nation was about to be engaged, and no place seemed more proper than Seville. The constituted authorities of this place assembled on the 27th of May, 1808, and immediately formed themselves into a Supreme Junta of Government. After having proclaimed Ferdinand King of Spain, and taken possession of the military stores for the purpose of arming the people, they issued an order for all persons, from sixteen to forty-five years of age, who had not children, to enroll themselves. They also established inferior Juntas in every town within their jurisdiction, the population of which amounted to two thousand householders; and sent couriers to the principal places in Spain, inviting them to follow the example of Seville. But they principally distinguished themselves by their "precautions" which they issued, as proper to be observed during the struggle in which the nation was about to engage. The character of these precautions is that of clear and comprehensive thought, directed steadily and with suceess to the contemplation of the crisis in which Spain was placed; the principal difficulties and dangers to which it was likely to be exposed; and the most effectual means by which she might avoid or surmount them, and ultimately succeed in the object she had in view. They recommended in the strongest manner the careful avoidance of all general actions; and a strict adherence to the system of harassing and continual attacks on the detached and insulated bodies of the enemy's forces. The Junta of Seville also issued a declaration of war against France, and proclaimed peace with England. Indeed the insurrection of the Spanish nation necessarily directed their thoughts and hopes to Britain, as the only country which possessed the power and the inclination to yield them assistance. One of the first measures adopted by the Junta of Asturias was, to dispatch two noblemen to this country, to represent to the British government the state of Spain, and the determined, unanimous spirit of her people, with a view to obtain countenance and support in behalf of their countrymen. In England, the cause of Spain fortunately united all parties. Whatever difference of opinion might exist respecting the probability of ultimate success, all were cordially agreed in the persuasion that every kind of assistance should be afforded to the Spaniards. They had taken up arms to oppose the common enemy, and to maintain their own independence, and therefore were friends to Britain. The cause of the Spaniards was viewed with zeal, satisfaction, and sympathy, by those members of parliament whose general system of politics was in direct opposition to the measures of the existing government; and his majesty's ministers, speaking in the name of their sovereign, gave assurances in parliament that they would afford every assistance in their power to the Spanish patriots. The requests made by the Asturian deputies were not for men; of these they affirmed they had a sufficient supply, but they were in a great measure destitute of arms, ammunition, and clothing. Fortunately, the principal ports in the Bay of Biscay were in possession of the patriots; and into these were sent, by fast-sailing vessels, immense supplies of every thing the Juntas of Galicia and Asturia required. Intelligent and experienced officers were also dispatched, in order to learn accurately the disposition and strength of the Spaniards, to communicate directly with the Juntas, and to transmit to our government such information as might enable them to concert and direct the assistance they were disposed to afford, in a manner most agreeable to the Spanish nation, and most conducive to the success of their cause. As it was highly probable that British troops might be needed, they were held in readiness to embark. In short, nothing was wanting, on the part of the ministry or of the nation, to inspirit the patriots, and to convince them that every assistance within the power of Britain would cheerfully be granted. The great commercial city of Cadiz was one of the first to show its zeal for the patriotic cause. A French squadron of five ships of the line, and two frigates, lying in the harbour, was obliged, on the 14th of June, to surrender to the Spanish arms, under General Morla, after having sustained a cannonade and bombardment from the batteries for three days, while the British fleet, under Admiral Purvis, stationed off that port, prevented its escape. The importance of preserving the French fleet at Cadiz, and the probability that it would fall into the hands of the Spaniards, had induced Murat to dispatch General Dupont from Madrid, with a considerable force, to the south of Spain. Scarcely, however, had this general passed the Sierra Morena, before he heard of the surrender of the French fleet, and the disposition of the people soon convinced him that it would be unsafe to advance farther towards Cadiz. After pushing on to Cordova, of which he obtained a temporary possession, he measured back his steps to Andujar. The Spanish General Castanos, who, at the commencement of the insurrection, was stationed in the camp of St. Roche, marched at the head of the Andalusian army against General Dupont. After several partial actions, in which the Spaniards uniformly succeeded, either in repelling the attacks of the French, or in foreing them to fall back, and by which Castanos had brought his raw troops into habits of activity, firmness, and discipline, it was determined in a council of war, held on the 17th of July, that an attack should be made on the town of Baylen, where the van of the French army was posted. At three o'clock in the morning of the 19th, while the troops of the Spanish General Reding were forming for the march, General Dupont with his army attacked the Spanish camp in the vicinity of Baylen, opening a sudden and tremendous fire with his artillery; and so determined was the resolution of the French general to make a decisive impression on the Spanish line, that his attacks were renewed till twelve o'clock, with no other interruption or intermission but such as necessarily arose from the occasional recession and formation of new columns. At this period he seemed disposed to give up the attack; but before this resolution was taken, one other effort, led by General Dupont himself, and supported by his other generals, was made upon the Spanish lines, but with no better success. During these repeated, impetuous, and almost uninterrupted attacks, the Spanish line had been frequently penetrated in different parts; and the French had more than once succeeded in arriving at their batteries. But the Spanish army, with more coolness, intrepidity, and discipline, than might have been expected from raw and inexperienced levies, formed again with astonishing regularity, dismounted the enemy's artillery, and cut to pieces the attacking columns, at the same time that they varied their own positions and movements, in such a manner as to be constantly in a state of preparation, and able to repel the rapid advances of the enemy. This success of General Reding over the main body of the French army, led on by General Dupont in person, decided the fate of the day, and rendered unavailing the reinforcement of six thousand men dispatched from Madrid, under the command of the French General Wedel. Under these circumstances, Dupont proposed to capitulate, and on the 20th, the whole of the French army, comprising the division of Wedel, delivered up their arms, on condition that they should be embarked at Cadiz and sent to Rochefort. It appeared from the official returns, that the French forces, before the battle of Baylen, and exclusive of the division under General Wedel, consisted of fourteen thousand men, of which number BOOK IV, The cause of the patriots in other parts of Another object of great importance to both * "Guerre au conteau" - War, blade to blade-was the favourite motto of Palafox, and in these words he replied BOOK IV. Madrid. Cuesta was the Spanish general appointed by the Junta to command the army CHAP. VI. destined to secure that important object. This army consisted partly of peasants and partly of 1808 regular troops, which had been collected from different parts in the north of Spain. Lasoles was the French general dispatched by Marshal Bessieres for the same purpose. The hostile armies met on the 14th of July, at Rio Seco, near Valladolid. The French force consisted of ten thousand infantry, two thousand cavalry, and a large portion of cannon: that of the patriots amounted to fourteen thousand infantry, but they were nearly destitute of cavalry: a body of peasantry was also attached to the regular troops, the army was supplied with twenty-six pieces of cannon. The new levies, led on by their ardour and impetuosity, were not to be restrained by the command of their general; they rushed forward as soon as they came near the French, and at the first onset drove them back, and took and spiked four pieces of cannon. Unfortunately, however, the nature of the country, which was level and open, and the consequent advantage which the French gained in their superiority in cavalry, prevented the Spanish army from securing and maintaining their advantage, and obliged them to retreat to Benevento under the cover and protection of a regiment of carabineers, leaving behind them thirteen pieces of cannon, On this occasion the French suffered so severely that they were not able to pursue the Spanish army, nor even to take possession of Rio Seco till several hours after the battle, At the very commencement of the Spanish insurrection, the patriots had gained possession of most of the sea-ports in the Bay of Biscay; and the Bishop of St. Andero, not content with the influence of his exhortations, had set them the example of active and vigorous patriotism. By his means, numerous and well appointed bodies of men were raised, who marched, with the bishop at their head, in search of such divisions of the French army, in that part of Spain, as they might have a reasonable chance of subduing, But, as the French at Bayonne were sensible of the importance of gaining possession of these ports, both for the purpose of keeping the English supplies from reaching the patriots, and of conveying along the coast reinforcements and supplies to their own army, they dispatched a considerable body of men who took possession of St. Andero. Their triumph, however, was of short duration; in consequence of the advance of General De Ponti with a division of ten thousand men from the Asturian army, the French detachment, afraid of having their retreat cut off, evacuated the town precipitately, having previously committed every kind of depredation and outrage, One of the most formidable and well appointed corps which Bonaparte had introduced into the interior of Spain, was that which, under the command of Marshal Moncey, directed its march towards the province of Valencia. This province presents strong natural barriers against invasion, which were defended by a body of troops of the line and a considerable number of the inhabitants; but the French marshal, by a rapid movement, and a sudden and impetuous attack, succeeded in forcing a passage over the mountains, and immediately advanced to the city of Valencia. On the arrival of Moncey in the precincts of the city, he dispatched a flag of truce, promising protection to persons and property, provided the French army were permitted quietly to enter and occupy the city. To this summons the inhabitants replied, that it was their unanimous resolution not to admit the enemy on any terms, but to defend the place to the last extremity. On receiving this answer, the French prepared immediately for the attack; and fortunately for the Spaniards, they directed their first and principal efforts against the gate of Quarte, which had been fortified in the strongest and most careful manner. Anticipating the attack at this place, the military and armed inhabitants of the city were drawn up in a broad street, which runs directly in front of this gate: so favourable an opportunity for throwing the enemy into confusion, and effecting their destruction with little risk or danger, was not to be neglected; the gate was accordingly thrown open, a twenty-four pounder having been previously placed opposite the entrance; the fire of this piece of artillery fully answered the expectations of the gallant Valencians; the French were soon discovered to be in complete confusion, and they were ultimately obliged to relinquish the attack. In the evening another attempt was made upon a different gate, but here also the enemy were received with so much coolness and bravery, that they were under the necessity of desisting from their purpose, and soon after commenced a precipitate retreat. Amidst the universal and instantaneous burst of resistance made to the French yoke, through the various provinces of the Spanish empire, it was not to be expected that the capital would remain in a state of tranquil submission. Murat, fully aware of all that had taken place in the different parts of the kingdom, and of the impression which these events had produced on the people of Madrid, thought it prudent to withdraw his forces from the capital, and to station them on the Retiro, an eminence at a little distance, sufficiently elevated to protect him from a sudden attack, and to give him, in some measure, the command of the city. While the Spanish troops were every-where successful, and preparing themselves for new 2 victories; while the insurrection was rapidly spreading and organizing itself in every province-Bonaparte remained at Bayonne, directing or receiving the deliberations of the Junta which he had convened, and drawing up a constitution for a people who felt so little gratitude for the intended boon, that it every day became more probable that the constitutional statute could not be forced upon their acceptance. In the early part of the month of June, Joseph, the brother of Napoleon, having taken leave of his good subjects of Naples, arrived at Bayonne, and was announced as the future monarch of Spain. Here he was received with the most abject adulation by deputations from the grandees of Spain, and from the Council of Castile. In the conference held with the deputies of the supreme court of inquisition, their future monarch assured them, that he considered the worship of God as the basis of all morality, and of the general prosperity; that other countries allowed of different forms of religion, but that he considered it as the felicity of Spain, that she had but one, and that the true one! As soon as the new constitution had been submitted to the Junta assembled at Bayonne, and received the approbation of that body,* Joseph Bonaparte, accompanied by his principal ministers, among whom were some of the most distinguished names in Spain, set out for the capital of his unconquered kingdom; Murat, on the plea of bad health, having previously quitted that city and arrived at Bayonne. Under the protection of ten thousand men, Joseph On 1808 arrived in safety, on the evening of the 20th of BOOK IV. July, at Madrid, where he was crowned, amidst CHAP. VI. the gloom and hatred of the inhabitants. the very day the new king entered the capital, Dupont surrendered himself and his army prisoners to Castanos. As soon as this news reached Madrid, Joseph and his court found themselves compelled to seek their safety in flight, consoling themselves however by carrying off the regalia and plate belonging to the crown. No time, indeed, was to be lost; the army of Castanos, after having defeated Dupont, was marching with rapid and unopposed steps towards the capital; and Bessieres, alarmed for the safety of his troops, had given up his intention of proceeding towards Portugal, and was measuring back his steps to the French frontier. In this situation, Joseph Bonaparte, on the 27th of July, found himself under the necessity of quitting the capital, and of pushing forward as rapidly as possible towards Burgos. Thus, within the space of two months, did the people of Spain behold their country almost entirely freed from the presence of the French : and this glorious and happy issue had been accomplished by their own intrepidity, at a time when their situation was most dispiriting and forlorn; when their king had been compelled to forsake them, and to make over his right to the throne to a foreign potentate; when they beheld themselves surrounded on all sides by the troops of the usurper, they rose in arms and opposed themselves, unskilled as they were in war, and totally unprepared for the contest, to a power * The Spanish constitution formed at Bayonne is arranged under thirteen titles, and comprises one hundred and seventeen articles: The first title regards the religion of the state, and declares that "the Catholic-Apostolic and Romish religion is the predominant and sole religion of Spain and its dominions; none other shall be tolerated." The second, "That Prince Joseph Napoleon, King of Naples and Sicily, is King of Spain and the Indies." The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, relate to the minority of the king-the property of the crown-the officers of the royal household -and the ministerial appointments. The seventh regards the senate, which is composed, 1st, of the infantes of Spain, being eighteen years of age; 2d, of twenty-four individuals specially appointed by the king. By title eight, it is provided that the council of state shall consist of not less than thirty, nor more than sixty members. Title nine regards the Cortes or Juntas of the nation, which are composed of a hundred and fifty members, divided into three states or orders, namely, those of the clergy, nobility, and people, to meet once at least in three years. The order of the clergy to consist of twenty-five archbishops or bishops; the order of the nobility of twenty-five nobles, who have the title of grandees of the Cortes; the order of the people of forty deputies from the provinces, thirty from the principal cities, fifteen from the merchants, and fifteen from the universities. The deputies from the provinces to be nominated by the same, in the proportion of at least one to three hundred thousand inhabitants. The sittings of the Cortes not to be public; their votes to be taken by ballot; neither the opinions or votes to be printed or published; any act of publication, in print or in writing, by the assembly of the Cortes, or the individual members thereof, to be regarded as an act of insurrection. By title ten, a colonial representation is appointed. The Spanish colonies in America and Asia to have deputies to the seat of government, charged to watch over their particular interests, and to serve as their representatives in the Cortes; these deputies, which are twenty in number, are to exercise their functions during the period of eight years. The eleventh and twelfth titles relate to the administration of justice; and title thirteen to general regulations. Under this latter head, it is provided, that there shall be a permanent alliance by sea and land, offensive and defensive, between France and Spain; the residence of every inhabitant of the Spanish territory is an inviolable sanctuary; it can only be entered in the day-time, and for a purpose commanded by law, or in execution of an order issued by the public magistracy. A senatorial commission of personal freedom, consisting of five members, to be chosen by the senate from its own body, and to this commission all persons in custody, and not brought to trial within a month from the day of their commitment, may appeal. The freedom of the press to be regulated, by a law passed by the Cortes, two years after the constitutional statute shall have been in operation. |