endeavoured to turn it, but without effect, and they soon beheld their own left threatened by the movements that ensued. Their next effort was against the centre, but here again they were manfully resisted; on which, varying their designs according to circumstances, they obtained possession of a neighbouring village, and advanced against the left of the British line. But again they were foiled, and obliged to give way. Meanwhile Sir John Moore, who had exerted himself with his usual animation, fell, like Wolfe, in the moment of victory. His death was occasioned by a cannon-ball, which shattered his left shoulder, and he was carried towards Corunna in a blanket supported by sashes. While his wound was probed he said to an officer whom he desired to attend him during the short period he had to live-"You know I have always wished to die this way." Although suffering great pain he appeared eager to speak again, and the first question put by him was, "Are the French beaten?" On being assured of this fact by several officers who arrived in succession, he exclaimed “I hope the people of England will be satisfied! I hope my country will do me justice!" Then, addressing himself to one of his aides-de-camp, he continued—“ You will see my friends as soon as you possibly can; tell them every thing; say to my mother." There his voice failed; but he resumed soon after in a still weaker tone-" Hope-Hope-I-I have much to say, but cannot get it out-I-Colonel Graham, and are all my aides-decamp well? I have made my will, and remembered my servants!" On the appearance of Major Colborne, his principal aid-de-camp, he spoke most kindly to him, and then turning about to another, he continued: " Remember you go to and tell him that it is my request, and that I expect he will befriend Major Colborne; he has long been with me, and I know him most worthy of it." He then asked the major if the French were beaten; and on hearing they were repulsed on every point, he said, it was a great satisfaction in his last moments, to know he had beaten the French. After this, he inquired if General Paget was present; and on being answered in the negative, begged to be remembered to him. "I feel myself so strong," added he, I fear I shall be long dying;-I am in great pain!" He then thanked the medical men for their attention, and after speaking kindly to Captains Stanhope and Percy, he pressed to his heart the hand of the first aid-de-camp who came to his assistance, and died in a few minutes without so much as a struggle.

Thus fell, in the prime of life, at the age of 47 years, surrounded by his suite, and at the conclusion of a critical victory, which preserved the remainder of his army from destruction, Lieutenant-general Sir John Moore, a name that will be for ever dear to his country.

On the 25th of January, the earl of Liverpool as secretary of state for the home-department, while moving the thanks of the house to those officers who had gained the battle of Corunna, paid a high eulogium to the memory of the departed general, whose whole life," he said, "had been devoted to the service of his country, for there was scarcely any action of importance during the two last wars, in which he had not participated." In the course of the same night, Lord Castlereagh, in his official capacity, as minister-at-war, expressed his sorrow at the "loss of one of the ablest generals; possessing in an eminent degree every valuable quality that can dignify the man, and en

hance the superiority of the soldier; at once in the prime of life, and the prime of professional desert; giving in the evidence of his past life the best assurance of what might be expected from his zeal, intrepidity, and talents." He concluded with the following motion: "That an humble address be presented to his majesty, requesting that a monument be erected in the cathedral of St Paul, to the memory of the late Lieutenant-general Sir John Moore, knight of the Bath, who, after an honourable and meritorious life, fell by a cannon-ball, in the action near Corunna, on the 16th of January, 1809, after having, by his judicious dispositions, skill, and gallantry, repulsed an enemy of superior force, and secured to the troops under his command a safe and unmolested embarkation."

The commander-in-chief also, in general orders, dated Horse-guards, February 1st, 1809, paid the following tribute to his memory: "The benefits derived to an army from the example of a distinguished commander, do not terminate at his death; his virtues live in the recollection of his associates, and his fame remains the strongest incentive to great and glorious actions. In this view the commander-in-chief, amidst the deep and universal regret which the death of Lieutenantgeneral Sir John Moore has occasioned, recalls to the troops the military career of that illustrious officer for their instruction and imitation Sir John Moore from his youth embraced the profession with the feelings and sentiments of a soldier; he felt that a perfect knowledge, and an exact performance of the humble, but important duties of a subaltern officer, are the best foundations for subsequent military fame; and his ardent mind, while it looked forward to those brilliant achievements for which it was formed, applied itself, with energy and exemplary assiduity, to the duties of that station. In the school of regimental duty. he obtained that correct knowledge of his profession so essential to the proper direction of the gallant spirit of the soldier; and he was enabled to establish a characteristic order, and regularity of conduct, because the troops found in their leader a striking example of the discipline which he enforced on others. Having risen to command, he sigualized his name in the West Indies, in Holland, and in Egypt. The unremitting attention with which he devoted himself to the duties of every branch of his profession, obtained him the confidence of Sir Ralph Abercromby, and he became the companion in arms of that illustrious officer, who fell at the head of his victorious troops, in an action which maintained our national superiority over the arms of France. Thus Sir John Moore, at an early period obtained, with general approbation, that conspicuous station in which he gloriously terminated his useful and honourable life. In a military character, obtained amidst the dangers of climate, the privations incident to service, and the sufferings of repeated wounds, it is difficult to select any one point as a preferable subject for praise; it exhibits, however, one feature so particularly characteristic of the man, and so important to the best interests of the service, that the commander-in-chief is pleased to mark it with his peculiar approbation. The life of Sir John Moore was speut among the troops. During the season of repose, his time was devoted to the care and instruction of the officer and soldier; in war he courted service in every quarter of the globe. Regardless of personal considerations, he esteemed that to which his country called him, the post

of honour, and by his undaunted spirit, and unconquerable perseverance, he pointed the way to victory. His country, the object of his latest solicitude, will rear a monument to his lamented memory, and the commander-in-chief feels he is paying the best tribute to his fame by thus holding him forth as an example to the army." Napoleon said, that "his talents and firmness alone saved the British army from destruction; he was a brave soldier, an excellent officer, and a man of talent; he made a few mistakes, which were probably inseparable from the difficulties with which he was surrounded, and caused, perhaps, by his information having misled him :" Wellington declared, that he " saw but one error in Sir John Moore's campaign:" and Soult described him as "taking every advantage that the country afforded, to oppose an active and vigorous resistance."

The following letter from Sir John Moore to Viscount Castlereagh, dated Corunna, January 13th, 1809, three days before the death of the general, will tend to explain the causes of the unfortunate termination of that campaign:

"Situated as this army is at present, it is impossible for me to detail to your lordship the events which have taken place, since I had the honour to address you from Astorga, on the 31st of December: I have therefore determined to send to England, Brigadier-general Charles Stewart, as the officer best qualified to give you every information you can want, both with respect to our actual situation, and the events which have led to it. Your lordship knows, that had I followed my own opinion, as a military man, I should have retired with the army from Salamanca. The Spanish armies were then beaten, there was no Spanish force to which we could unite, and I was satisfied that no efforts would be made to aid us, or to favour the cause in which they were engaged.

"I was sensible, however, that the apathy and indifference of the Spaniards would never have been believed; that had the British been withdrawn, the loss of the cause would have been imputed to their retreat, and it was necessary to risk this army to convince the people of England, as well as the rest of Europe, that the Spaniards had neither the power nor the inclination to make any efforts for themselves. It was for this reason that I made the march to Sahagun. As a diversion it succeeded; I brought the whole disposable force of the French against this army, and it had been allowed to follow me, without a single movement being made to favour my retreat.-The people of the Gallicias, though armed, made no attempt to stop the passage of the French through their mountains. They abandoned their dwellings at our approach, drove away their carts, oxen, and every thing that could be of the smallest aid to the army. The consequence has been, that our sick has been left behind; and when our horses or mules failed, which, on such marches, and through such a country, was the case to a great extent, baggage, ammunition, stores, &c., and even money, were necessarily destroyed or abandoned.

"I am sorry to say, that the army, whose conduct I had such reason to extol on its march through Portugal, and on its arrival in Spain, has totally changed its character since it began to retreat. I can say nothing in its favour, but that when there was a prospect of fighting the enemy, the men were then orderly, and seemed pleased and deter

mined to do their duty. In front of Villa Franca, the French came up with the reserve, with which I was covering the retreat of the army; they attacked it at Calcabelos. I retired, covered by the 95th regiment, and marched that night to Herresias, and from thence to Nogales and Lugo, where I had ordered the different divisions which preceded to halt and collect. At Lugo the French again came up with us. They attacked our advanced posts on the 6th and 7th, and were repulsed in both attempts, with little loss on our side. I heard from the prisoners taken, that three divisions of the French army were come up, coinmanded by Marshal Soult; I therefore expected to be attacked on the morning of the 8th. It was my wish to come to that issue; I had perfect confidence in the valour of the troops, and it was only by crippling the enemy that we could hope either to retreat or embark unmolested. I made every preparation to receive the attack, and drew out the army in the morning to offer battle. This was not Marshal Soult's object. He either did not think himself sufficiently strong, or he wished to play a surer game, by attacking us on our march, or during our embarkation. The country was intersected, and his position too strong for me to attack with an inferior force. The want of provisions would not enable me to wait longer. I marched that night; and in two forced marches, bivouacking for six or eight hours in the rain, I reached Betanzos on the 10th instant.

At Lugo I was sensible of the impossibility of reaching Vigo. which was at too great a distance, and offered no advantages to embark in the face of an enemy. My intention was then to have retreated to the peninsula of Betanzos, where I hoped to find a position to cover the embarkation of the army in Ares or Redes Bayes; but having sent an officer to reconnoitre it, by his report I was determined to prefer this place. I gave notice to the admiral of my intention, and begged that the transports might be brought to Corunna: had I found them here on my arrival on the 11th, the embarkation would easily have been effected, for I had gained several marches on the French. They have now come up with us, the transports have not arrived; my position in front of this place is a very bad one; and this place, if I am forced to retire into it, is commanded within musket shot, and the harbour will be so commanded by cannon on the coast, that no ship will be able to lay in it. In short, my Lord, General Stewart will inform you how critical our situation is. It has been recommended to me to make a proposal to the enemy, to induce him to allow us to embark quietly, in which case he gets us out of the country soon, and this place, with its stores, &c. complete: that otherwise we have the power to make a long defence, which must cause the destruction of the town. I am averse to make any such proposal, and am exceedingly doubtful if it would be attended with any good effect; but whatever I resolve on this head, I hope your lordship will rest assured, that I shall accept no terms that are in the least dishonourable to the army or to the country."

George, Earl Macartney.

BORN A. D. 1737-died A. D. 1806.

THIS excellent nobleman was born the 14th of May, 1737, at the family mansion of Lissanoure. At the age of thirteen he was admitted a fellow-commoner of Trinity college, Dublin, where he proceeded M. A. 1759. From Dublin he came to London, and was entered of the Middle Temple, where he formed an intimacy with several characters who were rising into eminence: but not intending to study the law with a view to practice in that profession, he only remained there till he had completed his arrangements for making the tour of Europe.

On his return to England he became a representative in parliament for the borough of Midhurst. About this time the affairs of Russia having assumed an interesting aspect for Europe, an alliance with that power seemed desirable to England on many considerations, and particularly in a commercial point of view. A treaty of commerce had for some years before engaged the attention of the British government; but none of its diplomatic agents had either skill or weight enough to make any progress with the Russian cabinet. Under these circumstances Mr Macartney's abilities were employed by Lord Sandwich, and on August 22d, 1764, he was appointed envoy-extraordinary to the empress. On this occasion he received from his majesty the honour of knighthood. Having laid the solid foundation of a good understanding with Count Panin, who was then at the head of the Russian affairs, he ventured to open the grand object of his mission, and after a close negotiation of four months, the treaty of commerce was brought to a conclusion. Owing to an ambiguity in one of its clauses, however, it was not ratified by the English court. But a second treaty being signed, the great object of his mission was obtained; and Sir George Macartney returned to England.

On February 1st, 1768, he married Lady Jane Stuart, second daughter of John, Earl of Bute, and in the following year was appointed chief-secretary of Ireland, under the administration of Lord Townshend. In 1772 he relinquished this situation; being nominated about the same time a knight companion of the order of the Bath; and received in 1774, as a further reward for his services, the appointment of governor and constable of the castle and fortress of Toome. In December 1775, we find him appointed captain-general and governor of the southern Caribbee Islands of Grenada, the Grenadines, and Tobago; and on June 10th, 1776, advanced to the peerage of Ireland, by the title of Lord Macartney, Baron of Lissanoure, in the county of Antrim.

His administration at the Caribbees gave general satisfaction; and it contributed in no small degree to that gallant resolution with which the island of Grenada was afterwards defended, when attacked and subdued by a superior force under Count d'Estaing in 1779. Lord Macartney was now sent a close prisoner to France; his private fortune was materially injured by the capture; and he had the still further misfortune to lose not only his papers and accounts, but also the mass