peace, in concert with his majesty's allies, and to treat either on the basis of the uti possidetis (heretofore the subject of so much controversy,) or on any other basis, consistent with justice, honor, and equality, his majesty determined to meet this seeming fairness and moderation, with fairness and moderation, on his majesty's part, real and sincere.-The king professed his readiness to enter into such negotiation in concurrence with his allies; and undertook forthwith to communicate to them the proposals which his majesty had received. But as his majesty was not connected with Spain by a formal treaty of alliance, his majesty thought it necessary to declare, that the engagements which he had contracted, in the face of the world, with that nation, were considered by his majesty as no less sacred, and no less binding upon his majesty, than the most solemn treaties; and to express his majesty's just confidence that the government of Spain, acting in the name of his catholic majesty Ferdinand VII. was understood to be a party of the negotiation. The reply returned by France to this proposition of his majesty casts off at once the thin disguise, which had been assumed for a momentary purpose; and displays, with less than ordinary reserve, the arrogance and injustice of that government. The universal Spanish nation is described by the degrading appellation of "the Spanish insurgents:" and the demand for the admission of the government of Spain as a party to any negotiation, is rejected as inadmissible and insulting.-With astonishment as well as with grief his majesty has received from the emperor of Russia a reply, similar in effect, although less indecorous in tone and manner. The emperor of Russia also stigmatises as "insurrection," the glorious efforts of the Spanish people in behalf of their legitimate sovereign, and in defence of the independence of their country; thus giving the sanction of his imperial majesty's authority to an usurpation which has no parallel in the history of the world.-The king would readily have embraced an opportunity of negotiation, which might have afforded any hope or prospect of a peace, com patible with justice and with honor. His majesty deeply laments an issue, by which the sufferings of Europe are aggravated and prolonged. But neither the honor of his majesty, nor the generosity of the British nation, would admit his majesty's consenting to commence a negotiation, by the abandonment of a brave and loyal people, who are contending for the preservation of all that is dear to man; and whose exertions in a cause so unquestionably just, his majesty has solemnly pledged himself to sustain. As the defeat of Junot and the deliverance of Portugal were only secondary objects of the British army, it marched from Lisbon on the 27th of October, under the command of sir John Moore, who had arrived at his destination while the convention of Cintra was pending. He was instructed to march through Spain in the rout of Burgos, which was to be the general rendezvous of the British troops, and was directed to combine his operations with those of the commander-in-chief of the Spanish armies. It appears from the most authentic documents, that this plan of sending a British army into the heart of Spain to act in the plains of Leon and Castile, was formed by lord Castlereagh and the marquis de Romana, not only without any communication with sir Hew Dalrymple or sir John Moore, but without any concert with the Spanish juntas. The enthusiastic ardor of the Spaniards was supposed to be universal, and the tardiness and inefficiency of our exertions were proportioned to the extravagance of our hopes. The despondency of sir John Moore, however, was not less reprehensible than the impolicy of ministers. Finding that the promises of friendship and assistance which had been offered with so much solemnity were only partially fulfilled, observing that the juntas were proud and indolent, the people jealous, and the resources of the country scattered and irregular, instead of attempting to obviate these discouragements by the decision of his movements and the enthusiasm of his proclamations, he appears to have spoken and acted from the very commencement of his progress, as if the attempt were absolutely hopeless. Much delusion prevailed in the English cabinet respecting the strength, spirit, and resources, of the Spanish armies; but the prepossessions of sir John Moore were in the opposite extreme. The confidence of a more determined general might have been excited by the increased activity of the English cabinet, who despatched a considerable detachment under sir David Baird, with whom he was to form a junction on the borders of Leon and Gallicia. Sir John was charged at the same time, to act in concert with the British commander-in-chief, at Lisbon, and to receive requisitions or representations from the Spanish government, or the British minister, with the utmost deference and attention. The British plenipotentiary to the central government of Spain, was Mr. Mr. John Hookham Frêre, who had been lately appointed to that office in the room of lord William Bentinck. The forces of the French in Spain had in the mean time accumulated to 200,000 men. The head-quarters were at Vittoria, under the immediate command of Buonaparte. The left wing under Moncey, duke of Cornegliano, was posted along the banks of the Arragon and the Ebro, having its head-quarters at Rafalla. Ney was with his division at Guardia, and Bessieres at Miranda, part of his troops garrisoning Pancorbo. General Merlin with one division, occupied the heights of Durango, and defended those of Mondragon from the threatened attack of the Spaniards. Castanos, in order to concentrate his forces and cover the province of Arragon, quitted the line of the Ebro, and took post on the left bank of the Arragon, forming a line from Sanguessa to Villa Franca, and leaving 2500 men at Logrono. His right wing touched the left of Palafox's army, but their united force did not exceed 20,000 men. The armies of Estremadura and Murcia, computed at 30,000 men, were in the centre, opposed to the French on the Ebro. They expected to be joined VOL. II. by the British under sir John Moore and sir David Baird, whose united force would amount to 28,000 men, The army of: Blake was estimated at 25,000, making a collective force, including the British, of 113,000 men. To prevent this junction, the French army began by attacking the main body. of Blake's army, consisting of 17,000 men, with a force of 25,000, on the last day of October. After an action which was obstinately and skilfully contested for eight hours, the Spaniards fell back in good order to Valmaseda. They were pursued by Le Febvre, who entered Bilboa on the 3rd of November. On the 4th, a division of the Gallicians came up with 7000 of the enemy, and totally defeated him. On the 7th, Blake attacked the left wing of the French, but his centre was too weak to advance, and the exhausted condition of his troops, combined with the inclemency of the night, induced him to desist from the prosecution of the enterprise. The enemy at length succeeded in obtaining possession of a height commanding the road of the retreating army; and the men, worn out with excessive fatigue, and seeing no hope of immediate succour, began to disperse. Previous to this unfortunate event, they had behaved with the most determined patriotism. Destitute of clothing, of cavalry, and almost of. food, they fought battle after battle, against troops always superior in number, and whose losses were always supplied by fresh reinforcements. In one of the last actions general Riquelme was mortally wounded. Routed as they were, his soldiers would not leave him to die in the hands of the enemy. They carried him to St. Andero, and he expired as they were lifting him into a ship. Another part of the French army, the, cavalry under Bessieres and the infantry under Soult, duke of Dalmatia, were twice repulsed by the patriots, but ultimately entered Aranda and St. Andero ; the excellent bishop and several patriots, obtained a welcome refuge on board the English ships. As the events and vicissitudes of the F peninsular war, were in a great measure dependent on the character of the able individual to whom the chief direction of the French armies was ultimately committed, a cursory survey of the previous services by which he had merited the con fidence of Napoleon, will be no improper accompaniment to the sketch I have already given of his noble and illustrious antagonist. The 27th of June, 1794, the day of the battle of Fleurus, the right wing of the French army, commanded by Marceau, was attacked by Beaulieu at three o'clock in the morning. By noon all the troops of Marceau were thrown into confusion; and he himself, surrounded by the Austrian dragoons, owed his safety only to the bravery of some officers of his staff, who protected his retreat to Le Febvre's Soult is only forty-six years old, though division. "Give me," said Marceau to he appears much older; his height is five this general, "four battalions of your feet ten inches; although slender he is troops, that I may drive the enemy away .very vigorous; his face is but ordinary, from my position;" and observing that his complexion pallid, his look scrutinizing, Le Febvre hesitated, Marceau, in order and his pensive air expressive of a genius to determine him, added, in a tone of above the common cast. You may read despair, You may read despair, "If you refuse me, I will blow in his physiognomy the harshness of his my brains out." Le Febvre consulted soul, and the pride with which he is in- Soult, who said aloud, that this disposition spired by his military talents; his figure would expose the safety of the division. is soldier-like, his manner simple, his ad- Marceau cast a threatening look at him, dress cold, speaking but seldom; he is and asked him who he was, that he should very rigid in maintaining discipline; his take upon himself to use so peremptory activity and his comprehensive view have a tone? "I am calm," replied Soult often deservedly obtained him the enco- coldly, "and you are not so.” This obsermiums of Kleber and Buonaparte. vation only tended to augment the indignation of Marceau, who provoked Soult to fight a duel with him the next day. "Whether to-day or to-morrow," replied Soult, "you will always find me ready to tell you the truth, and to pay the respect I owe you-don't kill yourself, but fight in our ranks, and when we shall have secured our position, you shall have the battalions you wish for." At that very moment the prince of Cobourg attacked Le Febvre with the choice of his troops; seven successive and unsuccessful onsets were made by the Hungarian grenadiers. Soult conveyed himself with rapidity wherever there was the greatest danger; Marceau fought also like a lion. Le Febvre remained with the reserve. The battle raged with unexampled fury: the brave royal Allemand regiment several times charged the columns of Soult and Marceau, who were pursuing the Austrians. About 300 of these intrepid horsemen perished within pistolshot of Le Febvre's intrenchments. six in the evening the whole army of the Moselle, with the exception of Le Febvre's division, was in retreat; the general, Born of poor parents, Soult may be considered as being himself the only founder of his military fortune; as early as sixteen he enlisted as a common soldier. His good conduct occasioned his being distinguished by the chief officers of his company, who successively appointed him as corporal and serjeant; endued with much intelligence, he soon became versed in the art of manoeuvring; and even at that period he evinced towards his subordinates that firmness of character which has since greatly contributed to his advancement. In 1792, his reputation as a good instructor, obtained him the situation of adjutantmajor in a battalion of national guards. In 1793, he was appointed an officer of the staff, and some little time after, adjutant-general; he was employed in the army of the Moselle under the command of Jourdan. At the time when 40,000 men of that army marched upon the Sambre, to relieve Charleroi, Soult was appointed chief of the staff for the division of general Le Febvre, which formed the advancedguard of that army. At alarmed to see his two flanks defenceless, was just going to give orders to retrograde, when Soult conjured him to wait, assuring him that, as far he could judge by the manœuvres of the second line, the enemy was commencing his retreat; this opinion of Soult was soon confirmed by an order sent to attack from Jourdan, who, stationed in the balloon, was enabled to perceive distinctly the movements of the Austrian army. Marceau and Soult marched together to take possession of Lambussart. This village was taken and retaken several times. After having been engaged for eighteen hours, Cobourg retreated in good order. Marceau, who had witnessed the skill and coolness of Soult, said to Le Febvre, "The chief of your staff is a man of merit, he will soon bring himself into notice." Yes," replied Le Febvre," he is passable-I am satisfied with him. He conducts the business of my staff pretty well." Marceau held out his hand to Soult, and in a friendly tone said to him, "General, I have to beg you will forget the past; and although, from my rank, I am destined to give you instructions, yet I have received such a lesson from you to-day, as I shall not forget while I live. It is you alone who have gained the battle of Fleurus." With these words they embraced, and from that time they entertained the strongest friendship for each other until the death of Marceau, which event sensibly affected Soult. During the campaigns of 1794, 1795, 1796, and 1797, Soult continued to direct Le Febvre's division. That general, whenever any one praised the chief of his staff in his presence, used to observe, that he ought to be considered as better adapted for the desk than the field; not but that Le Febvre knew very well that he was equally qualified for either, but it was his policy to lessen the merit of Soult, apprehending that otherwise the generalin-chief or the government might deprive him of Soult, to place him in a situation more suitable to his talents. This is the true reason which retained Soult so long in a secondary rank. Any one that had seen Le Febvre, and had heard him speak on military affairs, was astonished that a man so shallow should ever have acquired so great a reputation. His division was 15,000 strong; in case of attack it formed the van, and in a retreat, the rear-guard of the army; whether in the camp, on the march, or in the field of battle, this division always preserved the greatest order, was never broke in upon, and was almost always successful. The troops of Marceau, Championnet, Bernadotte, &c. were far from enjoying the same celebrity; although their commanders were much superior to Le Febvre. It was Soult who was the author of his general's glory. The cavalry deployed in front of the enemy with as much precision as on the parade, and the infantry manœuvred like Swiss soldiers. Soult superintended every where; he was seldom absent at the time of the distributions, taking care that the provisions were of good quality, which obtained him the affection of the soldiers he reprimanded those officers who were negligent, encouraged those who did their duty well, and in every engagement he was sure to be found in the foremost ranks. Le Febvre, by his intrigue, succeeded with the government in availing himself of so much zeal, but the soldiers were never duped by him. When any thing grievous happened, there was but one cry heard throughout the division." It is because Le Febvre has thrust his nose into it; why did he not leave it all to be done by the chief of his staff." Nothing was so amusing as to be present at the establish ment of general Le Febvre into any of his head-quarters: madame Le Febvrealways followed her husband; no sooner were they entered into their residence than you might see them running, sabre in hand, making a general slaughter of the poultry in order to prepare a good fricassee for their good friend Soult, who so well conducted the affairs of the troops: it has even been asserted, that madameLe Febvre forced her favors on Soult, as. an acknowledgment for his great utility to, her husband. Soult was at last nominated general of brigade; but Le Febvre, unwilling to part with him, caused him to be employed in 'his division, giving him the command of the advanced-guard. Le Febvre having been wounded, Jourdan intrusted this division to Soult, who commanded it in chief on the day of the battle of Liebtingen, the 26th of March, 1799. Made general of division, he was employed in Switzerland under Massena, of whom he was considered as the right hand; he followed that general into Italy, and co-operated with him at the siege of Genoa, where Soult was wounded, a ball having shattered his right leg. He was made prisoner with his brother, who was then aide-decamp and chief of a squadron, and who was afterwards a general, commanding the cavalry of the 4th corps, in the kingdom of Grenada. The result of the battle of Marengo, occasioned Soult's return into his own country. As soon as he was recovered of his wounds, he was intrusted with the command of the army of observation in the kingdom of Naples. Some officers, who then served under his orders have assured me that he had succeeded in being beloved and feared by the troops and the inhabitants, for his justice and strictness. It was also Le Febvre who represented Soult as being equally skilful in manœuvres as zealous for discipline: he was sent for to Paris, and appointed colonel-general of the foot chasseurs of the consular guard; The constantly shewed himself worthy of Buonaparte's confidence, and it was shortly perceived how greatly the influence of Soult operated in improving whatever related to the service. Buonaparte, charmed with the progress his guard made in order, conduct, and instruction, the result of Soult's exertions, conceived he could not make a better choice, than appointing that officer to the chief command of the camp of Boulogne. More open-minded than the other courtiers, Soult declaimed very loudly against the immense works which were constructing on the coast near Boulogne, and on the heights bordering upon the banks of the Lianne; he was suffered to talk on, and was forgiven this silliness, from his having on the other hand the good sense to show himself one of the most zealous advocates for the erection of Buonaparte's pillar, with this inscription, The land and sea army to Napoleon the great! Soult would have done much better, had he advised his master to construct good barracks for the soldiers, a wholesome hospital with a spacious garden, and stone powder-magazines, instead of those of wood, which, like so many volcanoes, threaten Boulogne with complete destruction; the more to be dreaded, as this might result from the imprudence of a single sentinel, or the evil designs of some flagitious villain; but, unfortunately, splendour is preferred to real utility, and that which might be advantageous to humanity is left unconsidered. t to Soult, during his stay at Boulogne, evinced uncommon activity: almost continually on horseback, he severally visited the coast, the camps, and the cantonments; and it was there that he employed himself in instructing his troops in those manœuvres which were of so much service to him at the battle of Austerlitz. When the army of the Boulogne camp proceeded to to Germany, Soult passed the Rhine at Spire the 26th September, 1805, and directed his march through Heilbron for Nordlingen. The 6th October he seized on the tête de pont of Donawert, crossed the Danube, and marched straight Augsburg, of which he took possession without striking a blow: he also seized on Memingen, experiencing scarcely any resistance. During the whole of this campaign he was intrusted with the most important posts. At the battle of Ansterlitz he commanded the right wing; Buonaparte sent him an order for an immediate attack, and to possess himself of the heights of Pratzen. Soult said to the aide-decamp who brought this order, "that he would commence the attack as soon as he could do it successfully; but that it was not yet the proper time." This reply, being reported to Buonaparte, filled him with rage; and he immediately sent another |