History of the Peninsular War, Volume 6 (of 6)Southey, Robert
History
History of the Peninsular War, Volume 6 (of 6)
Southey, Robert
Peninsular War, 1807-1814
It was arranged that 50,000 Spanish troops should be placed at his
disposal. The army under Castaños formed part of these; it consisted
of what had formerly been called the 5th, 6th, and 7th armies, now
comprehended under the name of the fourth: Castaños was to hold also
the captaincies-general of the province of Extremadura, Old Castille
and Leon, Galicia and Asturias. There was to be an army of reserve
in Andalusia under the Conde de Abisbal, and an army of reserve in
Galicia. The other armies were that of Catalonia, which was the first;
of this Copons held the command: he was also captain-general of that
province, and of that part of Aragon which was on the right of the
Ebro; the second, which Elio, captain-general of Valencia, Murcia, and
New Castille, commanded; and the third (formerly the fourth) under the
Duque del Parque, who was also charged with the captaincies-general of
Jaen and Granada.
♦LORD WELLINGTON GOES TO LISBON.♦
From Cadiz, Lord Wellington repaired to Lisbon. Triumphal arches
were erected in all the towns through which he passed, from Elvas to
the Tagus. The ships, the troops, and the people of Lisbon, received
him with such honours as he deserved; greater could be paid to no
man; and there was a general and voluntary illumination during three
successive nights. A drama was composed to celebrate his victories, and
represented in his presence at the royal theatre of San Carlos, where
all the boxes were decorated with angels bearing crowns and shields,
on which the initials of Lord Wellington were inscribed; _O Nome_,
“The Name,” was the title of the piece, and it was preluded by a hymn
in honour of the Prince of Brazil, and the exhibition of his portrait
under a canopy. The scene then represented the Elysian fields, where,
in the pitiable style of operatic invention, Glory, and Posterity, and
Camoens, and the Great Constable, Nuno Alvares Pereira, with sundry
other Lusitanian worthies, recitatived in praise of Lord Wellington,
Lord Beresford, and the Portugueze and British armies; and down came
angels and genii presenting illuminated scrolls, inscribed with the
names of his victories.
♦RELAXED DISCIPLINE OF THE PORTUGUEZE ARMY.♦
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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