History of the Peninsular War, Volume 2 (of 6)Southey, Robert
History
History of the Peninsular War, Volume 2 (of 6)
Southey, Robert
Peninsular War, 1807-1814
intermission, from nine in the morning till five in the afternoon in
negotiating between the French General and the populace. It was in
vain for the Frenchman to tell Sir Robert that he was bound to see the
articles of capitulation executed to the very letter, ... that was
impossible: he had secured their lives, and this was the utmost he
could do. The mob insisted that the French should be disembarked, their
baggage examined on shore, and that they should leave their arms: there
was no alternative, and they were compelled to submit. No sooner had
they left the transports, than the rabble boarded them, and began to
plunder in their turn: every thing was ransacked; the very provisions
and wearing apparel of the ship-owners disappeared. Here, however,
the tumult ended: the more riotous of the populace retired with their
booty; the better classes were ashamed of the disgrace which had thus
been brought upon them; and every possible reparation was made, to the
entire satisfaction of the British officers.
♦THE SPANISH TROOPS AT LISBON EMBARKED FOR CATALONIA.♦
During the negotiation the French, who were not ashamed to propose
any thing, proposed that an equal number of French prisoners should
be set at liberty, in exchange for the Spaniards whom they had seized
at Lisbon. This Sir Hew declared to be inadmissible; the Spaniards,
he said, must be immediately set free, and not the interests alone,
but the feelings of the Spanish nation were to be considered. He
consented, however, to obtain for them, if possible, the release of
such Frenchmen as had been arrested in Spain during the troubles, not
having been taken in battle, or in consequence of military operations.
Humanity induced him to this; and in communicating it to the Spanish
authorities, he relied upon Spanish generosity for complying with
his request for their deliverance. The scene at Lisbon, when arms,
horses, and artillery were restored to the Spaniards who had been so
long detained prisoners, was one of those spectacles at which the
heart rejoices. They were about 3800 in number, some 2000 having
effected their escape. The ceremony was made as public and impressive
as possible, and the Spanish Commander distributed alms upon the
occasion among the poor of Lisbon, which caused a general festivity.
Applications for these troops were made from various parts of Spain.
The Junta of Galicia required them; and some of the Spanish Generals
at Madrid wished them to be embarked for Santander, there to join
Blake’s army. Castaños, to whose judgement at this time that deference
was paid which his great services had well deserved, was of opinion
that they would be more serviceable in Catalonia than in any other
part. For Catalonia therefore they were embarked in British transports,
and Sir Hew advanced a loan of 90,000 dollars to purchase horses for
them.
♦INTRIGUES OF THE JUNTA OF PORTO.♦
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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