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
M. Suchet was rewarded for his services with the title of Duc
d’Albufera, and with a grant of the revenues arising from the lake of
that name near Valencia, and from the domains adjoining. He was told
that he had now to obtain possession of Alicante and Carthagena, and
then the only remaining points from which the war could be kept up on
that side of Spain would be closed. It ♦JANUARY. ATTEMPT ON ALICANTE.♦
was, indeed, considered at Cadiz, that Alicante might soon be expected
to fall in consequence of the loss of Valencia; and Carthagena was
regarded as so insecure, that the Conde de la Bisbal suggested the
propriety of occupying the heights which command it by a British
force. Before this precaution was taken, a premature demonstration
against Alicante had the effect of putting the inhabitants upon
their guard. To secure the success of Suchet’s operations against
Valencia, Marshal Marmont, pursuant to Buonaparte’s instructions,
had sent General Montbrun, with two divisions of infantry and one of
horse, to co-operate with him, by manœuvring against the corps of
Mahy and Freyre, which he was either to cut off or compel to return
into Alicante; but his orders were, at all events, to rejoin the army
of Portugal from which he had been detached by the twentieth of the
month at latest. Montbrun reached Almanza on the day that Valencia
capitulated; nevertheless, in opposition to Suchet’s advice, he
persisted in advancing to Alicante, which he summoned to surrender,
and then throwing in a few shells, commenced his return toward Madrid,
having raised the spirits of the Spaniards by this unsupported and
unsuccessful attempt, and afforded to a more vigilant enemy an
opportunity which was not lost.
♦DÉNIA SURRENDERED.♦
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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