History of the Peninsular War, Volume 5 (of 6)Southey, Robert
History
History of the Peninsular War, Volume 5 (of 6)
Southey, Robert
Peninsular War, 1807-1814
They gave the fort which they had won the name of Salme, from the
general who had fallen before it. And now their attacks were directed
against Fort Francoli, which they reduced at length to such a state
that the commandant found it necessary to abandon it as untenable,
destroying such stores as he could not remove. Hitherto there had
been no want of firmness in the besieged; but vigour, confidence,
and unanimity were wanting among their leaders. Three members of the
supreme Junta were in the city, in order that the civil power might
through them afford all the aid which the military might require: this
they did most unreservedly; but the proposals which they made met with
no correspondent consideration, and the soldiers complained of the
inaction in which they were kept. When Campoverde first entered the
place, it was supposed that he had invested Sarsfield with powers to
act for him both as governor-general of the province and ♦SARSFIELD.♦
commander in the field; but Sarsfield was soon called after him to
Tarragona, and remained there after he had departed. This general
was one of the best officers in the Spanish service for an inferior
command, ... an intelligent, enterprising, intrepid, and honourable
man; but he was punctilious and irritable, and thought less of his
country and his duty than of his own personal importance, ... differing
in this most widely from Eroles, of whose high reputation and higher
virtues he was so jealous, that he regarded him with a dislike little
short of personal enmity. This same unhappy temper made it impossible
for him to act cordially with Contreras. In the field he might have
been far more serviceable than in the fortress, for in the field it
was that the best service might have been effected, and the French
acknowledged and feared his activity as a partisan; but though he kept
up that character in the sallies which he directed, his impractical
disposition marred all his better qualities. What he did ♦CATALUÑA
ATRIBULADA, 13.♦ was without consulting the governor; he neither
thought it necessary to concert operations with him, nor even to inform
him of the results.
♦TROOPS SENT TO REINFORCE THE GARRISON, AND LANDED ELSEWHERE.♦
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account