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1808. J SPAIN APPEALS TO BRITAIN FOR AID.

91

Prince at the hands of the Conqueror; he had since returned to his native city with full accounts of all that had there occurred, and with unmitigated hatred towards the tyrant who had abducted his sovereign. He at once accepted the responsibility of the high office to which his fellow-townsmen had now nominated him, and prepared boldly for resistance.

10. ADMIRAL ROSILY'S FLEET AT CADIZ SURRENDERS TO THE PATRIOTS.

Lieutenant-General Sir Hew Dalrymple in the government of Gibraltar, and Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Cotton on that station, as well as Admiral Lord Collingwood, Commanding-in-Chief the British fleet off the coast, did not fail to improve every opportunity of assisting the national cause of Spain. They communicated with De Morla and Castaños, in all matters connected with the civil and military administration, and now offered their services for the capture of the French fleet in the port of Cadiz, but the new Captain-General very judiciously preferred that this important act should be, as much as possible, the achievement of the Spaniards themselves. As soon, however, as a knowledge of the events which had occurred in Andalusia reached Admiral Rosily, he removed his fleet, consisting of "Le Neptune," 80, "L'Algeziras," 74, "L'Argonaute," 74, "Le Héros," 74, "Le Pluton," 74, the frigate "La Cornélie," and a brig-corvette, beyond the range of the batteries of the town, and took up a defensive position in the channel leading to the Arsenal de la Caracca, for a British fleet of ten sail of the line cruised outside the harbour, and effectively prevented all escape. On the 9th, batteries, which had been erected on the Isla de Leon, opened on the French fleet at this anchorage, and, at the same time, Spanish gun and mortar-boats were sent up against it, when a mutual firing, without much result, lasted throughout the day. On the 10th, the cannonade recommenced, when, about midday," Le Héros" hoisted a flag of truce, and Admiral Rosily sent in a letter to the Governor-General, offering terms. These were not deemed admissible, and the Spaniards prepared to renew the attack with an increase of force. A battery of 30 long 24-pounders, and numerous armed vessels, were provided, and, on the 14th, were just ready to open, when the French Admiral submitted unconditionally, and surrendered the fleet, with 4000 seamen and marines, to the Spanish authorities. The red and yellow flag was immediately hoisted on all the captured ships.

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11. DEPUTATION FROM THE PATRIOTS RECEIVED IN LONDON. Information was received by the British General at Gibraltar that an advance of French troops threatened Spain from the side of Portugal; and Major-General Spencer, with a small detachment, was forthwith expedited in three ships, under Admiral Purvis, and landed at Ayamonte, on which the French immediately called in all

92

ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION OF THE SPANISH DEPUTIES. [A.D.

their forces to Lisbon. The sight of the British off their coast, however, roused the Portuguese, who had been quite as ready as the Spaniards to rise against the French authority, and who now solicited the protection of the fleet to cover their proceedings, which, on his own responsibility, the Admiral conceded. Lord Collingwood also communicated with the Balearic Islands and with all the Colonies of both Spain and Portugal, and he offered them the friendship and flag of Great Britain. Rear-Admiral Thornbrough was, at the same time, sent to preserve the Spanish fleet in Port Mahon from the machinations of the enemy.

On the 12th of July, the Government of Cadiz applied to Lord Collingwood for the use of a frigate, to conduct Commissioners appointed by the Supreme Junta to England, to appeal for British sympathy and aid, and, within two or three days after the French fleet had surrendered, General Morla, the Spanish Admiral, and others, set sail from Cadiz in the "Revenge" frigate, and arrived at Portsmouth on the 9th of July. But on the 9th of June, six gentlemen of the province of the Asturias, having at their head the Viscomte de Materosa and Don Diego de la Vega, had already arrived in London, with a petition addressed "To the magnanimous Monarch of Great Britain." To this letter, George Canning, the Secretary of State, replied on the 12th, assuring all parts of the Spanish Monarchy which shall be actuated by the same spirit as the province of Asturias, "of His Majesty's willingness to extend his support in granting assistance, in military supplies and otherwise, sufficient to protect them against any attempt which might be made by France to introduce troops into that country."

It would be impossible to exaggerate the enthusiasm and transport that reigned in Great Britain upon the first tidings of the rising of the people of Spain against the French. The deputies were received and splendidly entertained by the Corporation of the City of London; and by the principal Corporations of the kingdom, public bodies, and individuals of distinction, all affording them their hospitality and open countenance. Subscriptions were opened in all great cities; and the manufacturing, commercial, and other wealthy classes of the community gave freely in support of the cause of the patriots. Peace with Spain was publicly proclaimed on the 5th of July. All Spanish prisoners were liberated, clothed, and sent off to join their countrymen. The British arsenals were emptied to supply the warlike necessaries required; and on the 14th of July a league, offensive and defensive, between the nations of the Peninsula, in the names of Ferdinand VII. and with the Prince Regent of Portugal, was signed. The Parliament responded to the appeal made by the Juntas with an unanimity almost unprecedented, and liberal supplies were voted for the prosecution of the war amounting to a sum beyond all former years besides all this, subsidies in money to the amount of 3,000,000/., and warlike stores upon a princely scale of liberality, demonstrated the sincerity and energy of the British nation in the cause. The British Cabinet, under these circumstances, determined to send a military expedition to the Peninsula, to afford a nucleus

1808.]

INAUGURATION OF THE PENINSULAR WAR.

93

for a consistent and effectual opposition to the enemy in the field. Colonels Brown and Trant were sent to communicate with the insurgent leaders, and obtain information on the existing state of affairs; and on the 30th of June about 8,000 troops of all arms were assembled, under Lieut.-General Sir Arthur Wellesley, which embarked on the 12th of July, and Major-General Spencer was ordered to re-embark his division, and join Sir Arthur as soon as he learned that the place of debarkation was fixed upon. An additional division of 5,000 men, under Brigadier Ackland, were ordered, on the 15th of July, to get themselves in readiness to follow, and the Peninsular War was inaugurated.

12. FIRST COLLISION BETWEEN THE SPANIARDS AND FRENCH SACK OF CORDOVA.

General Dupont marched from Toledo on the 24th of May with his division, to take the command of Andalusia, according to his instructions, and traversing the plains of La Mancha without any obstacle, he entered the defiles of the Sierra Morena in the full conviction that he should reach Cadiz on the 21st of June. An ominous silence reigned as well in the plains as in the mountains, and deserted villages here and there met the eye, from which the authorities and the inhabitants had fled. On arriving at Andujar, the General heard of the insurrection of Sevilie, and the installation there of a Supreme Junta to act in the name of the legitimate King. The high road to Cordova crosses the Guadalquivir by a bridge at this city, and, following the left bank 18 or 20 leagues, recrosses it at the Venta de Alcolea, where there is a fine bridge of 19 arches of black marble. The right bank is at this point loftier than its opposite, and here the French General found the Spanish patriotic force, under De Echevaria, prepared to oppose his march, having thrown up, in haste, a tête de pont, and established 12 guns in battery to enfilade the bridge. Dupont came upon this obstacle unexpectedly on the morning of the 7th of June, and, upon making a reconnoissance, saw before him a mixed array of several thousands, infantry and cavalry, troops, smugglers, and peasants. He immediately ordered the division Barbou to advance in columns of attack; and the brigade of General Pannetier leading the way at once, escaladed the unfinished épaulement of the téte de pont. The Spaniards were driven across the bridge and into the village, but General Fresia at the same moment appeared in the rear of the French at the head of a brigade of cavalry. Dupont, taken somewhat aback at this apparition, sent forward a brigade of Swiss, under General Rouger, and a brigade of dragoons, under General Pryme, when Echevaria ordered a retreat, which, with such a heterogeneous mass, soon became a rout; and guns, ammunition, and supplies were all abandoned, while the foot and horsemen fled to Cordova, to bar the gates, and barricade the streets. The French troops were not to be deterred by such obstacles from a rabble, and followed and daringly stormed the town, which was, however, well defended from street to street; so that it was not until after a horrid

94

DETERMINED RESISTANCE BY THE SPANIARDS.

[A.D.

carnage that the Spaniards again fled to Ecija, a town on one of the roads to Seville, twelve leagues distant from the bridge where the fight commenced. Cordova was immediately given over to pillage, and the public buildings, churches, and even the splendid cathedral itself, were recklessly plundered of their sacred treasures.

13. FRENCH REPULSED FROM VALENCIA THEY INVEST
ZARAGOZA.

As soon as the insurrection at Valencia had been made known at Madrid, Marshal Moncey was directed to march with 6,000 men to Cuenca, on the road to that city, and, quitting Madrid on the 4th, arrived there on the 11th; but, instead of the preparations that had been ordered for his troops, he found nothing collected, and affairs in a very unpleasant position. The Spanish division ordered to join him here had altogether disbanded, and were already in arms against the French between Cuenca and Valencia. The Marshal had been directed to put himself in communication with General Chabran, who, with 4,200 men, had been ordered to Tortosa, to be at his disposition, if required. This state of things being made known to Murat, he despatched Brigadier Excelmans with a detachment of cavalry from Madrid, who, on the road, came to a misunderstanding with the patriots in the village of Salinas, near Tarancon, who were at once disarmed and sent prisoners to Valencia. The information derived from that city was very sad. Some 200 French merchants, residents there, had gone for refuge into the citadel, where the insurgents, headed by one Balthazer Calvo, a monk of San Isidore, seized them on the 5th of June, and put them all to death. The Marshal now learned that the Spaniards were posted in the mountains, near Requena, and, considering it requisite to collect all his force before attempting to force that pass, he remained at Cuenca till the 18th, arranging with Chabran to meet him before Requena on the 25th; but that General had been led away after insurgents as far as Castellon de-la-Plana, and, having found himself beset by the armed peasants, he had fallen back with difficulty upon Barcelona. Ignorant of this, Moncey arrived at Requena on the 20th, and the next day found himself in presence of an armed multitude posted behind the Cabriel at the bridge of Paynzo, near Minglanilla, where they had thrown up a rough earthwork, in which they had placed 4 guns. This river runs through a rocky defile, and it was most difficult to force a passage. The Marshal ordered forward Brigadier Couin, who had 2 guns and a howitzer, up the rocks, from which he opened fire in rear of the Spaniards, while two other detachments forded the river, and appeared at the same time on the enemy's flanks. Moncey now putting himself at the head of two battalions, carried the bridge, and the Spaniards, seeing their guns lost, fled to Las Cabrillas, where there is a path through the hill, fit only for goats, which opens upon La Veza de Requena. Here the insurgents were assembled in force, under Don Josef Caro, with 12 guns. On the 24th, at midday the French arrived in face of the position which had been assumed

1808.]

CUENCA PILLAGED BY THE FRENCH.

95

at Venta-Quemada. The Marshal, as soon as he reconnoitred the ground, ordered Brigadier Harispe, his Chief of the Staff, to take with him the most active men from his force, and, relieving them of their packs, to despatch them on every side among the hills. The sight of these men leaping from rock to rock, and taking a deadly aim from the heights among the mass of soldiers and peasantry below, filled them with alarm, so that they scarcely waited for the advance of the main body, but fled in every direction. Moncey arrived before Valencia without further opposition on the 27th, and on the following day assaulted the gates, but without success, and with the loss of 300 of his men. The Junta, as soon as they heard of the rout at Las Cabrillas, called out the people to defend the city, and supplied them with arms. A strong battery of the artillery was established at Puerta de Quarte, by which the French were expected to arrive. The water was let into the ditches, and the guns from the citadel directed upon the road of approach. General Caro took post at the sluices which held up the waters of the Guadalquivir, to defend the water-head against the French, but was constrained to give way, and fell back into the city, when he assumed the command with complete success. In the night, the Marshal, seeing the hopelessness of his task, ordered a retreat, and marched away from Valencia to face the Captain-General Cerbellon, who was posted on the banks of the Xucar with 7,000 or 8,000 men; and he reached that river on the 1st of July. He was not impeded in crossing it, and, accordingly, moved on to San Clemente, where he arrived on the 10th, and effected a junction with General Freire.

A division, under General Caulaincourt, had been sent up from Madrid, to reinforce General Chabran, but, on arriving at Cuenca, they heard of his departure for the north. In disappointment, that town was given up to two hours' pillage. These atrocious acts, in the end, cost an inconceivable number of French lives at the hands of the insurgents; for the events of the 2nd of May at Madrid, the sack at Cordova, and the sack of Cuenca united the Spanish nation in deadly hatred against the invaders, whlie it roused the desire of plunder in all ranks of the French army, from the Marshals to the drummers, and materially injured its conduct and discipline.

As soon as the news of these events reached Napoleon at Bayonne, he sent orders to General Lefebvre-Desnouettes to collect together from the vicinity of Pampeluna some 4,000 men, and repair, without a moment's delay, to Zaragoza. He entered Tudela on the 7th of June, where he encountered 500 Spanish soldiers, under the Marquis de Lagan, elder brother of Palafox, who had destroyed the bridge, and now attempted to prevent the passage of the Ebro. The French had little difficulty in forcing their way as far as Mallen, which they reached on the 13th, and found Palafox in position at the head of 9,000 men and 8 guns, all mixed and undisciplined levies. Lefebvre, advancing on their flank, soon forced them to turn about and flee, when he sent after them a regiment of Polish lancers, who gave the fugitives no quarter. On the 16th, he arrived before Zara