66

Having risen to command, he signalized his name in the West Indies, in Holland, and in Erypt. The unremitting attention with which he devoted himself to the duties of every branch of his profession, obtained him the confidence of Sir Ralph Abercrombie; 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 honorable 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: 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 spent 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 honor; 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.

66

By order of his royal highness the commanderin-chief.

"HARRY CALVERT, Adj.-general. "Horse-Guards, Feb. 1, 1809."

Neither the fall of Sir John Moore, nor the removal of Sir David Baird, arrested, for a moment, the energies of the British troops. They pressed on with astonishing ardour.

Colonel Beckwith with the rifle-corps returned the attempt of the enemy, by advancing on their

flank and nearly capturing a piece of cannon, till the force in the valley became superior. General Paget, with part of the reserve, the fifty-second in particular, then attacked this force of the enemy, and so pressed its left wing, that it was conipelled to throw itself entirely back, and the whole strength of the enemy now drew itself against the British centre.

Here they were at once repulsed by its genenerals, Leith and Manningham, who occupied good ground, and were therefore enabled to use artillery with effect. The enemy, also, tried the left without success; it was still more favorably posted. In turn they were attacked, in a small body, in the village of Betanzos, by Lieutenantcolonel Nicholls, with some companies of the fourteenth foot, and compelled to evacuate it with loss. The firing, which, on the part of the British, had been quick and steady throughout, continued, though though desultorily, till dark: that of the enemy ceased at six o'clock. They had given way at every point, though not in a degree, perhaps, to permit the ordinary claim of a brilliant victory on the part of the British army, yet certainly so decisively, as to leave to it the ground it occupied at the commencement of the battle, and which ground also its picquets and reserve maintained, till every object of utility was effected.

Of the loss on either side, no perfect estimate was formed. That of the British troops was considered by the officer, who held the final command, at between seven and eight hundred ; that of the enemy, double. Other accounts stated the enemy's loss greater. In less than four hours, having shewn the enemy the nature of the composition of a British army, under the worst circumstances, the troops moved towards Corunna, by brigades, leaving strong picquets, and a rearguard of 2,000 men, under Major-general Beresford. Every arrangement, it appears, was made highly creditably in every instance. Boats were so in readiness, that nearly the whole army was embarked during the night, and even including picquets, before day-light. The rear-guard still remained on shore.

On the morning of the 17th, the French made a demonstration with their light troops on the heights of St. Lucia, and planted cannon on the rising ground, near the harbour. General Hill's brigade embarked at two o'clock, under the ci tadel. General Beresford sent off all the sick and wounded that could be removed; and, lastly, the rear-guard got into their boats without interruption. The whole 'was conducted, as far as regarded the navy, and also the officers concerned in the transport service, with the greatest energy and skill. From the fire of a French battery, four transports having cut their cables, ran aground; and, the troops being taken out, were burnt.

THE third Imperial Parliament having assembled on the 19th of January, pursuant to his majesty's proclamation, the following speech was read to both houses by the Lord Chancellor, in his majesty's name.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,-"We have it in command from his majesty to state to you, that his majesty has called you together, in perfect confidence that you are prepared cordially to support his majesty in the prosecution of a war, which there is no hope of terminating safely and honorably, except through vigorous and persevering

exertion.

"We are to acquaint you, that his majesty has directed to be laid before you, copies of the proposals for opening a negociation, which were transmitted to his majesty from Erfurth, and of the correspondence which thereupon took place with the government of Russia and of France; together with the declaration issued by his majesty's command on the termination of that correspondence.

"His majesty is persuaded, that you will participate in the feelings which were expressed by his majesty, when it was required that his majesty should consent to commence the negociation by abandoning the cause of Spain, which he had so recently and solemnly espoused.

"We are commanded to inform you, that his majesty continues to receive from the Spanish government the strongest assurances of their determined perseverance in the cause of the legislative monarchy, and of the national independence of Spain; and to assure you, that so long as the people of Spain shall remain true to themselves his majesty will continue to them his most strenuous assistance and support.

"His majesty has renewed to the Spanish nation, in the moment of its difficulties and reverses, the engagements which he voluntarily contracted at the outset of its struggle against the usurpation and tyranny of France; and we are commanded to acquaint you, that these engagements have been reduced into the form of a treaty of alliance; which treaty, as soon as the ratifications shall have been exchanged, his majesty will cause to be laid before you.

"His majesty commands us to state to you, that while his majesty contemplated with the liveliest satisfaction the achievements of his forces

CHAP. VI.

in the commencement of the campaign in Por- BOOK VIII.
tugal, and the deliverance of the kingdom of his
ally from the presence and oppressions of the
French army, his majesty most deeply regretted
the termination of that campaign by an armistice
and convention, of some of the articles of which
his majesty has felt himself obliged formally to
declare his disapprobation.

liance on your disposition, to enable his majesty
"We are to express to you his majesty's re-
to continue the aid afforded by his majesty to the
King of Sweden. That monarch derives a par-
ticular claim to his majesty's support in the present
exigency of his affairs, from having concurred
with his majesty in the propriety of rejecting any
proposal for negociation, to which the govern-
ment of Spain was not to be admitted as a party.
"Gentlemen of the house of commons,-
"We are commanded by his majesty to inform
you, that he has directed the estimates of the
current year to be laid before you. His majesty
relies upon your zeal and affection, to make such
further provisions of supply as the vigorous pro-
secution of the war may render necessary; and
he trusts that you may be enabled to find the
means of providing such supply, without any
great or immediate increase of the existing burdens
upon his people.

"His majesty feels assured it will be highly necessary to you to learn that, notwithstanding the measures resorted to by the enemy for the purpose of destroying the commerce and resources of his kingdom, the public revenue has continued in a course of progressive improvement.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,-"We are di rected to inform you, that the measures adopted by parliament in the last session, for establishing a local militia, has been already attended with the happiest success, and promises to be extensively and permanently beneficial to the country.

"We have received his majesty's commands most especially to recommend to you, that, duly weighing the immense interests which are at stake in the war now carrying on, you should proceed, with as little delay as possible, to consider of the most effectual measures for the augmentation of the regular army, in order that his majesty may be better enabled, without impairing the means of defence at home, to avail himself of the military power of his dominions, in the great contest in

1809,

BOOK VIII, which he is engaged; and to conduct that contest under the blessing of divine Providence, to a CHAP. VI. conclusion compatible with the honor of his majesty's crown, and with the interest of his allies, 1809. of Europe, and of the World."

On the motion, in the House of Lords, by the Earl of Bridgewater, seconded by Lord Sheffield, for an address of thanks to his majesty, various animadversions on the conduct of ministers took place, imputing the whole failure of the expedition to their incapacity; but, as in all such debates, assertion was endeavoured to be overruled by opposition; faults were implied, but no specific remedy seemed to be suggested; all appeared to be wrong, but none were willing to put right; thus censure having been very liberally dispensed, the proposed reproach was exploded by the majority for a vote of address.

In the house of commons, in reply to remarks of several members of the opposition, Lord Castlereagh concluded a very animated speech as follows:

"There were some persons who appeared to think, that an army once landed could act as speedily as a ship when it has left the port. The difference, however, was very great: the ship had nothing to do but to go with the wind, and meet the enemy; whereas an army, when landed, had much difficulty in collecting provisions, and the means of transporting their necessary baggage. If the present administration were, however, to have waited till every thing was ready for the reception of our armies, they must have stood as still as the last vigorous administration, who actually did nothing while in office. He would venture to say, from the melancholy experience of the fate of General Blake's army, that if a British army had landed at St. Andero, and scrambled as far as General Blake advanced, none of them would ever have come back. He was convinced, that there was not a single military man who would support the idea of a campaign in the Pyrenees for a British army.

"The right honorable gentleman (Mr. Ponsonby) had stated, that the expedition which had achieved the deliverance of Portugal had been sent to sea, to seek its fortunes, without any particular direction from government. The fact, however, was directly the reverse; because, most unquestionably, the expedition under Sir Arthur Wellesley did sail with a most precise and determinate object. It had been ordered to go im mediately to the Tagus, without stopping at Corunna. This direction was given in consequence of precise information from Sir Charles Cotton, (which, however, afterwards turned out to be unfounded,) that there were no more than 5,000 French troops in Lisbon, and the other forts upon the Tagus, and that Sir Arthur Wellesley's expedition would be sufficient to dislodge them.

The expedition then had been sent out with precise instructions; but it would hardly be contended, that government should have tied up the hands and the discretion of such a meritorious officer as Sir Arthur Wellesley, so completely as to say, that he must on no occasion take advantage of any favorable circumstances which might occur in the varying and fleeting fortune of the war, without waiting until he had made a direct com munication to government on the subject, and had received their answer. It appeared to him, that floating armies, under the command of trustworthy officers, might be of great service, even when acting according to the circumstances of the times, without any particular directions from government; and he was confident, that in this manner the corps of General Spencer had been of considerable service in marching from Seville to Ayamonte, and stopping a portion of Junot's army that was coming to the relief of Dupont.

"As to the attacks which had been made upon him, for not having sent sufficient cavalry with the expedition, he was ready to strengthen the right honorable gentleman's argument, and to admit, that it was only by accident that any cavalry at all had been attached to it. It was not supposed that cavalry was a proper description of force to send with those floating expeditions, which might be a long time at sea before they found a favorable opportunity for landing. Some of the cavalry, however, which were in Portugal, had happened to come from the Medi terranean. He should always protest against the notion, that we were never to engage an enemy, unless we were equal or superior to him in cavalry. He would ask the house, Would they wish to blot out from the page of our history those brilliant victories, which we had gained when much inferior in cavalry? At the glorious battle of Alexandria, Sir Ralph Abercrombie had but 150 dragoons, and the French had 2,400 cavalry; and at the battle of Maida, Sir John Stuart had no cavalry at all. In the expedition to Portugal, the government had made sufficient provision of cavalry. Our army would have been superior to the enemy in this respect, if the cavalry, which was in Munda's Bay on the 20th (the day before the battle), had landed. The 18th dragoons were also very near. He would allow, however, that if Sir Arthur Wellesley had had the cavalry on that day upon which he routed the French, the result of that victory would have been still more glorious.'

Various other strictures were made in the course of the debate; but the question being put, the motion was carried, and a committee ap pointed to prepare the address; and votes of thanks to Sir Arthur Wellesley were passed on the 25th of January, in both houses; which also passed votes of thanks to Generals Spencer,

Hill, Ferguson, Ackland, Nightingale, Fane, and Bowes, and the officers under their command; and a resolution, expressive of the approbation of parliament of the non-commissioned officers and privates at the battle of Vimeira, which Lord Castlereagh distinguished by the name of “immortal."

On the same day, in the house of lords, the Earl of Liverpool moved the thanks of the house for the defeat before Corunna. The earl paid a high eulogium to the memory of the departed general," whose 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." After some observations on the difficulties encountered in the retreat, and the battle in which it terminated, and stating, that in wording the motion, the precedent of Egypt, in which the gallant Abercombie fell, had been followed, his lordship moved "the thanks of the house to Lieutenant-general Sir David Baird, second in command of the army in Spain; Lieutenantgeneral the Honourable John Hope, who took the command on Sir John Moore's receiving the wound, which terminated in his much-lamented death, and to the other officers employed."

All the lords who spoke on this occasion concurred heartily in this motion, bestowed the highest praise on the character and conduct of Sir John Moore, and deeply deplored his loss to the country.

The Earl of Moira, however, in giving his concurrence, could not avoid asking ministers, "how it had happened that so heavy and lamentable a loss as that of Sir John Moore, and so great a proportion of his army, had been sustained, without any one object having been obtained except the embarkation of the army? British blood and treasure, and the invaluable lives of British officers and soldiers, had been sacrificed to no purpose. To what but the ignorance and incapacity of ministers were all these calamities to be attributed?" Lord Erskine, too," who felt as much for the fame of the immortal officer deceased as any of their lordships could possibly feel (from peculiar or personal circumstances which he detailed), could not refrain from expressing his indignation at such men, and that such resources as ours should have been utterly thrown away and lost by the total incapacity of those who had misdirected their efforts."

Lord Grenville observed, that "they were called upon to vote thanks for a success followed by a retreat. The success belonged to the army and its commander; the retreat to those who sent them, and placed them in such a situation; that a safe retreat was the only thing that could be looked for. Ministers, for the folly of such conduct, must answer to their country."

1809.

Such were the modes of reproach used, be- BOOK VIII. cause, by mere unpropitious circumstances, a well-intended project had failed! At length the CRAP. VI. motion was agreed to, nem. diss. as was also a motion acknowledging and approving the services of the non-commissioned officers and soldiers; a motion of thanks to Rear-admiral De Courcy, and Sir Samuel Hood, and the other officers, for their assistance; and another, acknow ledging and approving the services of the seamen and marines on that occasion.

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 of our generals, possessing, in an eminent degree, every valuable quality that can dignify the man, and enhance 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."

This motion was agreed to unanimously, as were also other motions for the thanks of the house to the lieutenant-generals, officers, noncommissioned officers, &c. for their effectual exertions on this memorable occasion.

The next business which attracted the atten--tion of parliament, was Lord Henry Petty's motion, in the house of commons, "for a resolution, declaring, 1st, That the convention of Cintra, and a maritime convention, concluded nearly at the same time, off the Tagus, had disappointed the hopes and expectations of the country; and 2dly, That in the opinion of the house of commons, those conventions had, in a great measure, arisen from the misconduct and neglect of his majesty's ministers." This motion was lost by a majority of 50 in favour of the ministry..

But, on the 24th of February, the subject of the campaign in Spain, which had been inciden tally the object of remark in the house of com mons, was formally brought under the consideration of the house, as a motion by the Right Hon. George Ponsonby, "That it is indispensibly necessary that this house should enquire into the causes, conduct, and events of the late campaign in Spain."

In reply to Mr. Ponsonby's accusative argu-

BOOK VI. ments, Lord Castlereagh observed, that "the only reason that had been alleged for the enquiry CHAP. VI. were reducible to the ignorance of the right honourable mover. And he did not think that that 1809. was, or had ever been, pretended to be a proper parliamentary ground for enquiry. As he could not bend to the cogency of this reason, he certainly should oppose the motion; though, at the same time, he declared, that had there been the slightest prima facie evidence to support it, he would have fully concurred in it. If the result of the campaign in Spain had not been as glorious as had been so earnestly and justly expected, whether owing to the imperfect state of discipline of the Spanish armies, or to the want of sufficient time to complete that discipline, still, he contended, that there was no prima facie ground for imputing the blame of that failure to his majesty's ministers. The British army was intended only to act as an auxiliary force in aid of the Spanish armies; and surely the British government was not to be blamed because the Spanish forces, unhappily, had not been able to hold out till the arrival of the military succours that were sent out to their assistance from this country. "It had been said by Mr. Ponsonby, that government ought to have united to collect full information how far the spirit of liberty in the Spaniards went to the amelioration of their condition; how far the national feeling and public spirit of Spain were such as to justify ministers in hazarding a British military force in aid of its cause. How the honourable mover could reconcile this with his former admonition to "speed and celerity," it was not within the compass of his intellectual powers to discover.

"As to the selection of characters proper for reporting to government the real state and spirit of Spain, would it have been rational for ministers to listen to any man's opinion on that point before the formation of the central junta, which alone could decide on the views of Spain? And were they to leave Spain and Portugal to their destinies till that event should have taken place? The only rational question was, Whether it could be hoped that Spain, with our assistance, would be enabled to stand against France? Spain had made an energetic effort: she had borne up against the military power of France with more vigour, more constancy, and better success, than those powers which had been supported by formidable regular armies. There had been many circumstances in the case of Spain to inspire a confident hope of its success. It was known that the popular rising was the simultaneous effort of the whole country. All the provinces had risen, he believed, within the space of five or six days. In the course of a very few months, they had collected an army in Andalusia, and obtained a most decided victory over the French under

Dupont, at the memorable battle of Baylen, in which the Spanish army was little superior in number to the enemy. The Spaniards were so confident of their own strength, that when General Spencer applied to them, to know whether he should come to their assistance, they recommended his marching to the relief of Portugal. Saragossa also, as well as Andalusia, presented a picture of encouragement. Nor had Leon been deficient; for, at the battle of Rio Seco, the enemy had, by no means, the advantage they boasted of. The Spaniards had, in fact, obtained decided advantages, and would have effectually defeated the enemy, if they had had the benefit of cavalry to follow up their successes. What the Spanish army might have been expected to have done, if they had had sufficient cavalry, could be easily inferred from what they had done, when, in the course of six months, it succeeded in driving 100,000 men from the provinces they had occupied, and confined them to the left bank of the Ebro. With respect to the nature of the co-operation that was adopted by his majesty's ministers, and the question, " Whether it was the best that could be resorted to under all the circumstances of the case?" he observed, that "there were two extreme opinions on the subject, and a middle one. It was this intermediate opinion that had been adopted by his majesty's ministers. One of the two other opinions was, that if Spain was really animated by the spirit of true patriotism, she had the elements of her own salvation within herself, and did not want British soldiers to fight her battles; that our co-operation needed not to go any further than supplies of money, arms, clothing, ammunition, and whatever other necessaries might be wanting. Than this opinion," he thought, "nothing could be more unwise. Nothing could have tended more effectually to confirm that reproach which had been dealt out by the enemy against us, than that we should not, in this instance, have taken an active part ourselves. The other extreme was, that there was no medium between a great effort, and the greatest of which we were capable; and that not a soldier should be kept at home. Without taking any notice of the effects that such a measure might produce at home, if our utmost efforts should be attended with disaster, the thing would be in itself impracticable. There was a limit beyond which ministers could not go. In short, they must necessarily keep within the limits of the national credit, and it was unnecessary to say any thing more in answer to this second extreme opinion, than that it was impossible to act upon it. The only question then was, Whether the effort made by his majesty's ministers was sufficient? And this would be best judged of by considering it, first, as to its extent; secondly, as to its course; and thirdly, as to its ability.