1

18

1808.

MORLA: HIS CHARACTER.

CHAP. I. not uncolourably-as the overt consummation. It has been supposed, therefore, that his object December. at this period was, by false representations, to draw the British army nearer to the capital, and thus to throw them into the hands of the French. On a review of the whole circumstances, however, we think the imputation unwarranted by proof. The truth we take to be, that Morla was a cold, unprincipled, and selfish man, not unwilling to resist, while resistance did not compromise his own safety, but ready to join the victors, whenever adverse circumstances should threaten to involve his own in the wreck of his country's interests. But even though acquitted of previous treason, enough of infamy will be connected with his name. His acceptance of service under the intruder admits of no palliation; and he will stand recorded as a man whose conduct is irreconcilable with honour or patriotism, and whose base desertion of a noble cause marks him as unworthy to have ever been numbered among its assertors.

From this person, and from the Prince of Castelfranco, Sir John Moore received, on the Dec. 5. fifth of December, a joint letter, informing him that about twenty-five thousand men of the army

LETTER OF MORLA AND CASTELFRANCO.

19

1808.

of Castanos were falling back on Madrid; that CHAP. I. ten thousand from the Somosierra were likewise concentrating; and that nearly forty thou- December. sand other troops were prepared to join in the defence of the capital. With these forces Sir John Moore was strongly invited to unite his army, or else to take such a direction as would enable him to fall on the rear of the French. "The Junta," concluded the letter, "cannot doubt that the rapidity of your Excellency's movements will be such as the interests of both countries require."

Before Sir John Moore had made any decision on the contents of this letter, Colonel Charmilly, a French emigrant in the British service, arrived with despatches from Mr. Frere. On the first of December, Charmilly had been in Madrid. He had witnessed the strongest and most unequivocal demonstrations of ardour among all classes of the people. The whole mass of the population was rising in arms; the streets were broken up, houses barricaded, and peasants from all quarters were flocking into the city, to bear part in the defence. The Duke del Infantado had commissioned him to make known this state of things to the British general, and to entreat

20

LETTER OF MR. FRERE.

CHAP. I. him to make some movement that might oper

ate as a diversion for the capital, which its de1808. December. fenders had determined to hold out to the last

extremity.

In passing Talavera, to which place the Junta and Mr. Frere had retired, the latter strongly enforced the same considerations, and intrusted Charmilly with a letter to Sir John Moore, urging him to relinquish the resolution of retreat. In case, however, this letter should prove ineffectual, he gave Charmilly another, to be delivered only in the event of the General still persisting in his determination.

The first letter of Mr. Frere contained a reiteration of his entreaties, that Sir John Moore would suspend his resolution of retiring on Portugal. The enthusiasm pervading Madrid, he said, so far transcended all his hopes, that he could not forbear urging, in the strongest manner, not only the propriety, but the necessity, of supporting the determination of the Spanish people by every possible assistance. "I have no hesitation," continued Mr. Frere, "in taking upon myself any degree of responsibility which may attach to this advice, as I consider the state of Spain to depend absolutely, for the present, on the reso

SIR JOHN MOORE RELINQUISHES HIS RESOLUTION.

21

lution you may adopt. I say, for the present; CHAP. I. for such is the spirit and character of the coun

try, that, even if abandoned by the British, should by no means despair of ultimate success."

1808. I December.

It

The resolution of Sir John Moore was at length shaken by these official statements. was impossible to suspect that the Junta would deceive him in a mere matter of fact. He could not suppose that a person of Mr. Frere's known perspicacity had become the dupe of a mere flim

sy

delusion. Of the ardour and effervescence of the popular spirit, Colonel Charmilly declared himself to have been a personal witness. To discover the real state of affairs, under such representations, when cut off from all sources of more authentic intelligence, was beyond the power of human penetration.

Sir John Moore, therefore, decided on a change of plan. He sent immediate orders to Sir David Baird, directing him to stop his retrogressive march, and to make arrangements for returning to Astorga. In these orders, the caution and prudence of the general were admirably displayed. "The city of Madrid have taken up arms, have refused to capitulate to the

Dated

Dec. 5.

22

1808. December.

TRANSMITS ORDERS TO HOPE AND BAIRD

CHAP. I. French, are barricading their streets, and say they are determined to suffer every thing rather than submit. This arrests the French; and people who are sanguine entertain great hopes from it. I own, myself, I fear this spirit has arisen too late, and the French are now too strong to be resisted in this manner. However, there is no saying; and I feel myself the more obliged to give it a trial, that Mr. Frere has made a formal representation, which I received this evening. I must beg, therefore, that you will suspend your march until you hear from me again, and make arrangements for your return to Astorga, should it be necessary."

Dec. 6.

On the day following, he wrote as follows:"Let all your preparations, as far as provisions, &c. go, continue to be made for a retreat, in case that should again become necessary. Establish one magazine at Villa Franca, and one or two farther back; to which let saltmeat, biscuit, rum or wines, forage, &c. be brought up from Corunna. Send me, to Zamora, two regiments of cavalry, and one brigade of horse-artillery, keeping one regiment of cavalry, and one brigade of horse-artillery with yourself; and send your troops by brigades