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HISTORY
OF THE
PENINSULAR WAR.

LONDON:
PRINTED BY THOMAS DAVISON, WHITEFRIARS.

“Unto thee
“Let thine own times as an old story be.”

Donne.

BY ROBERT SOUTHEY, ESQ. LL.D.
POET LAUREATE,

HONORARY MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SPANISH ACADEMY, OF THE
ROYAL SPANISH ACADEMY OF HISTORY, OF THE ROYAL
INSTITUTE OF THE NETHERLANDS, OF THE
CYMMRODORION, OF THE MASSACHUSETTS
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, ETC.

A NEW EDITION.

IN SIX VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE-STREET.
MDCCCXXVIII.

Ἱστορίας γὰρ ἐὰν ἀφέλῃ τις τὸ διὰ τί, καὶ πῶς, καὶ τίνος χάριν ἐπράχθη, καὶ τὸ πραχθὲν πότερα εὔλογον ἔσχε τὸ τέλος, τὸ καταλειπόμενον αὐτῆς ἀγώνισμα μὲν, μάθημα δὲ οὐ γίγνεται· καὶ παραυτίκα μὲν τέρπει, πρὸς δὲ τὸ μέλλον οὐδὲν ὠφελεῖ τὸ παράπαν.

Polybius, lib. iii. sect. 31.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER IX.
	PAGE
Preparations at Zaragoza	1
Description of that city	3
Legend of our Lady of the Pillar	5
Contempt of the French for the Zaragozans	7
The French attempt to storm the city	8
Palafox goes out to collect reinforcements	9
General Verdier joins Lefebvre with reinforcements	11
The Torrero taken	11
The French bombard the city	11
Exertions of the women	13
Countess Burita	13
Augustina Zaragoza	14
The French again repulsed in an attempt to take the city by storm	15
They invest the city	16
They form a bridge over the Ebro	17
Distress of the inhabitants	17
Foundling Hospital burnt	18
Convent of St. Engracia	19
The Hospital set on fire	24
War in the streets	25
Santiago Sass	26
Number of the dead	28
Retreat of the enemy	29
CHAPTER X.
Moretti sent from Badajoz to the Spaniards at Lisbon	35
Difficulties of Junot’s situation	35
Kellermann takes the command in Alem-Tejo	37
He attempts to conciliate the Spaniards at Badajoz	38
Distribution of the French troops in Portugal	41
The Spaniards at Porto declare against the Intruder, and march into Spain	41
The lawful government restored at Porto	42
The Governor adheres to the French, and suppresses the insurrection	43
Junot disarms and seizes the Spaniards at Lisbon	45
Junot’s proclamation to the Portugueze	47
Festival of the Corpo de Deos at Lisbon	49
The procession interrupted by a panic fear	52
Junot fortifies the Castle	54
Edict for disarming the people	54
Movements at Braga	56
Insurrection at Melgaço	56
The Prince Regent proclaimed at Braganza	59
The Braganzans intimidated by the news from Porto	60
Second insurrection at Porto	62
Formation of a Junta in that city	63
Measures of the Junta	66
Arrest of Cardoso	67
Disturbed state of the people	70
The Junta conclude an alliance with the Junta of Galicia	72
Its authority acknowledged throughout the north of Portugal	73
The insurrection extends toward Coimbra	74
Scheme for surprising the enemy in Coimbra	75
The French in that city are made prisoners	76
The Juiz do Povo takes the command	78
Order restored there	79
Preparations for defence	80
Successful expedition against Figueira	81
Loison ordered to march from Almeida to Porto	83
He turns back from Mezam Frio	84
The peasantry harass his retreat	85
He goes to Viseu	86
Alarm at Coimbra in consequence of his movements	86
He returns to Almeida	87
Insurrection at Olham in Algarve	88
Success of the insurgents	90
The Chamber of Faro issue an edict against them	91
Insurrection at Faro	91
The French excluded from that city	93
A Junta formed at Faro	94
The insurrection spreads through Algarve	94
The French retreat to Mertola	95
The people of Algarve form a treaty with Seville	96
Insurrection at Villa-Viçosa	96
The French enter the town	98
Lobo gets possession of Jurumenha	99
A French detachment sent from Mertola to Beja	101
The people rise against them	102
Beja sacked by the French and set on fire	104
Kellermann’s proclamation to the people of Alem-Tejo	105
Junot’s proclamation to the Portugueze	106
National feeling of the Portugueze	108
The Juiz de Fora at Marvam	110
His flight	112
He returns, and seizes the town	114
Insurrection at Campo-Mayor and throughout the north of the province	115
Measures of the French	116
They endeavour to avail themselves of the Clergy’s influence	118
Insurrection at Thomar	120
Insurrection at Leiria	121
Success of the insurgents at Nazareth	121
Margaron approaches Leiria	122
Preparations for defence	123
The French enter the city	124
Massacre of the prisoners	126
Loison’s march from Almeida to Abrantes	127
Language of the French Bulletins	129
Loison ordered towards Coimbra	132
Nazareth sacked and burnt by the French	133
A Junta established at Beja	135
Junta of Estremoz	136
A supreme Junta formed at Evora	138
Loison sent into Alem-Tejo	139
He advances against Evora	140
Action before that city	143
The city taken	145
Inhumanity of the conquerors	146
Alarm at Estremoz	147
Loison proceeds to Elvas	149
He enters Portalegre	150
He is recalled towards Lisbon	151
Insubordination of the people at Porto	151
Design of a military usurpation in that city	153
The conspirators are seized	154
Disturbances at Braganza	156
The New-Christians plundered at Villa Nova da Foz-Coa	157
Troubles at Viseu	159
Riotous proceedings at Arcos de Val de Vez	160
The rabble enact laws	161
Communication between Alem-Tejo and the northern provinces	163
CHAPTER XI.
State of public feeling in England	166
An expedition ordered to the court of Portugal	168
Former services of Sir Arthur Wellesley	169
Sir Arthur lands at Coruña	171
He proceeds to Porto	172
He goes to the Tagus to confer with Sir C. Cotton	173
Troops landed in the Mondego	174
They advance to Leiria	176
Joy of the Portugueze in Lisbon	177
Measures of the French	179
Movements of Laborde and Loison	180
General Freire separates from the English	181
Motives for this separation	183
Skirmish near Caldas	185
Laborde takes a position at Roliça	185
Battle of Roliça	188
Abrantes occupied by the Portugueze	190
Movements in Alem-Tejo and Algarve	193
Alcacere and Setubal abandoned by the French	194
Measures at Lisbon	195
Proclamation to the people of Lisbon	196
Preparations on board the Russian squadron	199
Junction of Loison, Laborde, and Junot	200
The British advance to Vimeiro	200
General Anstruther’s brigade lands	201
Arrival of Sir Harry Burrard in the roads	202
He alters the plan of the campaign	203
Battle of Vimeiro	205
The French resolve to propose terms	216
Arrival of Sir Hew Dalrymple	218
He orders the army to advance	219
Kellermann comes to negotiate for the evacuation of Portugal	221
Terms of the armistice	222
Junot returns to Lisbon	224
General Freire dissatisfied with the armistice	226
Difficulty concerning the Russian squadron	227
Convention of Cintra	228
Remonstrances of the Portugueze Commander	233
Reply of Sir Hew Dalrymple	236
The British flag hoisted in the forts	238
Anarchy in Lisbon	239
The French continue to plunder	240
Question concerning baggage	241
The French endeavour to carry off articles from the Museum	243
They embark horses, carriages, and pictures, which are recovered	243
They carry off large sums in money	244
Question concerning the silver in bars	245
Farther instances of dishonour in the French	246
Protests of the Monteiro Mor, and of the Juiz do Povo	247
Danger of tumults in Lisbon	249
Temper of the French	251
Their embarkation	252
Final report of the commissioners	253
Addresses of thanks to the British Commander	254
Galluzo besieges Elvas	255
Difficulties concerning the surrender of Elvas	257
Elvas and Almeida given up	259
Tumults at Porto	260
The Spanish troops at Lisbon embarked for Catalonia	262
Intrigues of the Junta of Porto	263
Council of Regency re-established	265
Outcry in England against the Convention	267
Board of Inquiry appointed	273
Its decision	274
CHAPTER XII.
Necessity of a provisional Government	277
Castaños prevents a contest between Granada and Seville	279
Plans for a Government	279
Arrival of a Sicilian Prince at Gibraltar	280
Ambition of the Junta of Seville	282
The Council of Castille advise a Central Junta	283
Project of the Junta of Seville	284
The Provincial Juntas assent to it	289
Unworthy choice of the Junta of Seville	290
The other members unexceptionable	292
Jovellanos refuses all offers from the Intrusive Government	295
Aranjuez chosen for the place of meeting	296
Installation of the Central Junta	298
Conduct of the Council of Castille	299
The Leonese Deputies arrested by Cuesta	300
Cuesta’s vindication of his conduct	301
The Council of Castille interfere	303
Cuesta is summoned before the Junta	303
Declaration of the New Government	306
Jovellanos proposes a Regency, and that a Cortes be summoned	311
Expectations from a Cortes	313
State of the war in Catalonia	315
Duhesme resolves to besiege Gerona	316
Difficulties on the march	317
Troops from Minorca land at Tarragona	318
Barcelona blockaded	319
The Junta of Catalonia remove to the head-quarters	320
Caldagues sent to interrupt the siege of Gerona	321
He attacks the enemy’s batteries with success	321
Duhesme raises the siege	323
Unpopularity of the Commander in Catalonia	324
Difficulties of the service	325
The Marques approaches Barcelona	327
British troops ordered from Sicily to Catalonia, but detained by the Commander	328
Bilbao occupied by the French	329
Difficulties in bringing the Spanish armies into the field	330
The Marques de la Romana	333
Distribution of his troops in the Baltic	334
Their conduct when the oath of allegiance to Joseph was proposed	336
An agent sent to communicate with him	337
He asks for a force to cover his retreat	338
Sir Richard Keats goes upon this service	339
Plan for collecting the Spanish troops	340
Romana takes possession of Nyborg	341
The entrance of the British squadron is resisted	342
Arrival of some of the regiments from Jutland	343
They leave the Isle of Funen	344
Fate of the horses	345
The Spaniards are landed in the Isle of Langeland	346
They sail for Gottenburg, and there embark for Spain	348
Romana lands in England	349
Error of the Spaniards in not appointing a commander-in-chief	350
Difficulty of feeding their armies	350
Bilbao taken by the French, and retaken	351
Position of the armies in October	352
Commissioners sent to the Spanish armies	353
CHAPTER XIII.
Buonaparte deeply affected by the reverses in Spain	355
He conceals them from the French people	356
Statement of the French Government	358
Report of M. Champagny	360
Second Report	363
Report of the War-minister	365
Suspicion of the views of Austria	367
Message from Buonaparte to the Senate	368
The Senate approves his measures	369
March of the troops toward Spain	371
Speech of Buonaparte to the troops	373
Conferences at Erfurth	374
Overtures of peace	374
Reply of the British Government	376
Reply of the Russian and French Ministers	378
Final answer of the British Government	380
British Declaration	381
Buonaparte departs for Spain	384
CHAPTER XIV.
Movements against Blake’s army	387
Blake falls back to Espinosa	388
Battle of Espinosa	390
Dispersion of Blake’s army at Reynosa	393
Buonaparte arrives in Spain	394
Defeat of the Extremaduran army at Burgos	395
Proclamation excluding certain Spaniards from pardon	396
Movements against Castaños	398
Battle of Tudela	398
Retreat of the defeated army	400
Their deplorable condition at Calatayud	401
They are ordered to approach Madrid	402
Measures of the Central Junta	403
Pass of the Somosierra forced	407
The Junta retire from Aranjuez	408
State of Madrid	409
Marques de Perales murdered by the populace	411
Duque del Infantado sent to the central army	411
Madrid summoned	412
Morla treats for a capitulation	414
Speech of Buonaparte to the Deputies	415
Surrender of Madrid	417
Decrees issued by Buonaparte	419
Proclamation to the Spaniards	420
Change in Buonaparte’s views concerning Spain	422
Retreat of the central army	423
Lapeña succeeds to the command	424
They reach Guadalaxara	425
The Duque del Infantado joins them	427
Condition of the troops	427
They retire toward the Tagus	429
Passage of the Tagus	430
Some of the troops mutiny	431
Infantado chosen Commander	432
They retire to Cuenca	432
Arrival of the Conde de Alache’s corps	434
Retreat of the Central Junta from Aranjuez	439
Their address to the people of Madrid	440
The French enter Toledo	442
Defence of Villacañas	444
Preparations for defending the Sierra Morena	446
Murder of S. Juan at Talavera	447
Edict against deserters	450
English stragglers butchered by the French cavalry	451
The French take possession of the Escurial	452
Excesses of the French	454
Galluzo collects the fugitives in Extremadura	456
He prepares for the defence of the Tagus	457
The French cross the river	459
Galluzo retreats to Jaraicejo	460
Dispersion of his army	461
Galluzo is superseded by Cuesta	463
CHAPTER XV.
Buonaparte reproaches and insults the English	465
The British army from Portugal enters Spain	466
Former services of Sir John Moore	468
His care to maintain discipline	468
Ill prospect of affairs when he arrives at Salamanca	469
Sir David Baird arrives at Astorga	470
Sir John Moore resolves to retreat upon Portugal, and embark from Lisbon	471
He asks the opinion of the British Ambassador	473
Mr. Frere’s reply	475
He wishes the army to advance for the defence of Madrid	475
Two Spanish Generals sent to confer with Sir John Moore	477
Morla and the military Junta urge him to advance	477
Colonel Charmilly sent to Sir John Moore by the Duque del Infantado and Mr. Frere	479
Sir John Moore resolves to advance	481
News of the surrender of Madrid	483
Correspondence with Romana	485
First skirmish at Rueda	486
The command of the Spanish armies offered to Sir John Moore, and refused	488
Junction formed with Sir David Baird	490
They advance against Marshal Soult	491
The French endeavour to surround the British army	493
Sir John Moore begins his retreat	493
Ill conduct of the troops	496
Passage of the Ezla	496
General orders issued at Benevente	497
Affair of cavalry on the Ezla	499
Sir John Moore reaches Astorga	501
Honourable conduct of Romana and his army	502
Sir John Moore pursues his retreat	503
The Bierzo	505
Disorders committed by the troops	506
Buonaparte stops at Astorga	507
Skirmish at Cacabelos	509
Retreat continued from Villa Franca	510
Treasure abandoned	513
The army collects at Lugo	514
Sir John offers battle	516
Retreat to Coruña	517
Sir John is advised to propose terms	519
Preparations for battle	520
The artillery embarked	521
Battle of Coruña	522
Repulse of the French	527
Death of Sir John Moore	529
Embarkation of the army	530

History of the Peninsular War, Volume 2 (of 6)

About This Book

HISTORY
OF THE
PENINSULAR WAR.

CONTENTS.

History of the Peninsular War, Volume 2 (of 6)

About This Book

HISTORY OF THE PENINSULAR WAR.

CONTENTS.

HISTORY
OF THE
PENINSULAR WAR.