From the Cape of Good Hope it seemed feasible enough to make a dash on _La Plata_. Even should it not be successful, it would at any rate create alarm in Spain, and compel that country to weaken its strength at home by sending out reinforcements to its transatlantic dominions. Accordingly Sir David Baird and Admiral Popham, who commanded the fleet, resolved to send a limited force to _Buenos Ayres_, which place they were assured by an American officer recently arrived from there was not in a condition to offer resistance, since Sobremonte had removed the garrison to _Monte Video_. Sir Home Popham took the command of the flotilla, on which were embarked one thousand six hundred and thirty-five men under the orders of General Beresford. [Sidenote: 1806.] On the 6th of June 1806, the squadron arrived at the mouth of the _Plata_, which stream the vessels had some difficulty in ascending; and it was only on the 25th that they were able to come to anchor near the village of _Quilmes_, at a distance of fifteen miles to the south of _Buenos Ayres_. The Viceroy had, on the 17th of the month, learned of the presence of the fleet in the river, and he had forthwith commenced his preparations for defence; but, owing to the impossibility of communicating with _Monte Video_,--since the English were masters of the river,--he could do no more than muster the militia and transport the contents of the treasury to _Lujan_, a small town at some miles’ distance in the interior. On the 25th, the English disembarked without resistance, and throughout that night the alarm-bell at _Buenos Ayres_ sounded unceasingly. The Viceroy, realizing the uselessness of resistance, now thought only of preparing to depart; but at daybreak a body of seven hundred horsemen with six pieces of artillery, hastily gathered together and badly armed, advanced towards the hostile force. This demonstration, however, did not survive the first fire of the English skirmishers; the seven hundred horsemen dispersed, leaving half of their artillery behind them, and Beresford met with no further resistance on his march to the suburb of _Barracas_, where he encamped on the evening of the 26th. On the same night the Viceroy abandoned the city and set out with his family for the interior; when the remaining Spanish authorities thought only of capitulating. General Quintana, who commanded the militia, drew up some conditions which he sent to Beresford, whose troops were already in movement, and who, without halting, replied verbally that he would grant what was required of him after he had taken possession of the town. At three o’clock in the afternoon his force occupied the principal square and the fort, on which the English flag now replaced that of Spain.