CHAP.

LIII.

1808.

foundery of cannon at Seville, the only one in the south of Spain, put into full activity, and arms and clothing manufactured. War was soon after declared in a formal manner against France, and a manifesto issued, which June 6. not only eloquently defended the national cause, but contained the most admirable instructions as to the mode of successfully combating the formidable enemy with whom they had to contend. This declaration from so 1 Foy, iii.

South. i. 342,

204, 207, 215.

great a city, containing seventy thousand inhabitants, 201, 203. and embracing all the nobility of the south of Spain 346. Tor. x. within its walls, was of the utmost consequence, and gave, Espanol. i. both in reality and in the eyes of Europe, a degree of 13. consistence to the insurrection which it could never otherwise have obtained.1*

fleet at Cadiz.

The first important blow struck at the French was delivered at Cadiz. The fleet there, consisting of five 45. ships of the line and one frigate, the only existing Capture of remnant of that which had fought at Trafalgar, early the French excited the jealousy of the inhabitants, to whom the June 14. French flag had become an object of perfect abhorrence; while Lord Collingwood, at the head of the English squadron which lay off the harbour, effectually prevented

*In this proclamation, which may be considered as the national declaration of Spain against France, it was not less justly than eloquently observed-" The King, to whom we all swore allegiance with emotions of joy unprecedented in Proclamation history, has been decoyed from us; the fundamental laws of our monarchy have of the Junta of Seville against been trampled under foot: our property, customs, religion, laws, wives and Napoleon. children are threatened with destruction. And a foreign power has done this: done it, too, not by force of arms, but by deceit and treachery; by converting the very persons who call themselves the heads of our government into instruments of these atrocious acts. It therefore became indispensable to break our shackles; and to put forth that noble courage with which in all former ages the Spanish people have defended their monarch, their laws, their honour, their religion. The people of Seville have assembled, and, through the medium of all their magistrates and constituted authorities, and the most respectable individuals of every rank, formed this Supreme Council of Government. We accept the heroic trust; we swear to discharge it; and we reckon on the strength and energy of the whole nation. We have again proclaimed Ferdinand VII. ; again sworn allegiance to him; sworn to die in his defence: this was the signal of our union, and it will prove the forerunner of happiness and glory to Spain.

"The abdication, extorted by such detestable artifices from Ferdinand, was void, from want of authority in him who made it. The monarchy was not his to bestow, nor is Spain composed of animals subject to the absolute control of their owners. His title to the throne was founded on his royal descent and the fundamental laws of the realm. His resignation is void, from the state of compulsion in which it was made, from the want of consent in the nation to which it related, from the want of concurrence in the foreign princes, the next heirs in succession to the throne. The French Emperor summoned a few deputies, devoted to himself, to deliberate in a foreign country, and surrounded by foreign bayonets, on the most sacred concerns of the nation; while he publicly declared a respectful letter, written to him by Ferdinand VII. when Prince of Asturias, was a criminal act, injurious to the rights of the sovereign! He has resorted to every other means to deceive us; he has distributed, with boundless profusion,

CHAP.
LIII.

1808.

June 14. 1 Tor. i. 217, 218. Foy, iii. 213, 214. Collingwood, ii. 43.

Prudent

their troops.

their departure. To withdraw as far as possible from the
danger, Rosilly, the French admiral, warped his ships in
the canal of Caracca to such a distance as to be beyond
the reach both of the fire of the castles and the fleet;
and at the same time endeavoured, by negotiating, to
gain time for the arrival of the succours under Dupont,
which he was aware were rapidly approaching through
La Mancha and the Sierra Morena. Equally sensible,
however, with his skilful opponent, of the importance of
time in the operation, the Spanish general Morla insisted
upon an immediate surrender, and constructed batteries
in such places as to command the French ships even in
their new stations. Lord Collingwood, who, with the
English fleet in the bay, was an impatient spectator of
these hostile preparations, offered the assistance of the
British squadron to insure the reduction of the enemy;
but the offer was courteously declined, from a wish, no
doubt, that England might have no ground for claim
any
to the prizes which were expected. At length, on the 9th
June, a sufficient number of guns being mounted, a heavy
fire was opened upon the French ships, which, as they lay
in a situation where they could not make any reply,1 soon
produced a sensible effect, and led to a negotiation that
libels to corrupt public opinion, in which, under the mask of respect for the laws
and our holy religion, he covertly insults both. He assures us that the Supreme
Pontiff sanctions his proceedings, while it is notorious that he has despoiled him
of his dominions, and forced him to dismiss his cardinals, to prevent him
from conducting the government of the Church according to its fundamental
constitution. Every consideration calls on us to unite and frustrate views so
atrocious. No revolution exists in Spain; our sole object is to defend all we
hold most sacred against the invader who would treacherously despoil us of our
religion, our monarch, our laws. Let us, therefore, sacrifice every thing in a
cause so just; and if we are to lose all, let us lose it combating like brave men.
Let all, therefore, unite: the wisest and ablest, in refuting the falsehoods pro-
pagated by the enemy; the church, in imploring the assistance of the God of
hosts; the young and active in marching against the enemy. The Almighty
will vouchsafe his protection to so just a cause; Europe will applaud our efforts,
and hasten to our assistance; Italy, Germany, the North, suffering under the
despotism of France, will eagerly avail themselves of the example set them by
Spain to shake off the yoke, and recover their liberty, their laws, their inde-
pendence, of which they have been robbed by that nation."

Special and prudent instructions were at the same time given for the conduct of the war. "All general actions are to be avoided as perfectly hopeless and highly dangerous: a war of partisans is what suits both our national character instructions to and physical circumstances. Each province should have its junta, its generals, its local government, but there should be three generals-in-chief; one for Andalusia, Murcia, and Lower Estremadura; one for Galicia, Leon, the Castiles, and Asturias; one for Valencia, Arragon, and Catalonia. France has never domineered over us, nor set foot with impunity in our territory. We have often mastered her, not by deceit, but by force of arms; we have made her kings prisoners, and the nation tremble. We are the same Spaniards, and France and Europe and the world shall see we have not degenerated from our ancestors." -Proclamation of the Junta of Seville, June 6, 1808; SOUTHEY, i. 389, 393.

LIIL

1808.

terminated in the unconditional surrender of the whole CHAP. fleet five days afterwards. Thus was the last remnant of that proud armament, which was intended to convey the invincible legions of Napoleon to the British shores, finally reft from the arms of France, and that, too, by the forces of the very allies who were then ranged by their side for the subjugation of England.

46.

in Asturias,

Galicia,

Catalonia, and Arragon

In the northern provinces the insurrection spread with much fewer circumstances of atrocity, but an almost equal degree of enthusiasm. Excepting Barcelona, Insurrection Figueras, San Sebastian, and a few other places, where the presence of the French garrisons overawed the people, they every where rose in arms against their oppressors. A junta for the Asturias was formed before the end of May at Oviedo, the capital of that province; the first which was organised in Spain, and which thus gave to its inhabitants a second time the honour of having taken May 24. the lead in the deliverance of the Peninsula. The first step of this body was to despatch deputies to England, soliciting arms, ammunition, and money, whose arrival produced an extraordinary impression, as will immediately be shown, in the British isles. The junta of May 29. Galicia, secure behind their almost inaccessible mountains, took the most vigorous measures to organise the insurrection; and not only arrayed all the regular soldiers at Ferrol and Corunna under its standard, but summoned the Spanish troops, ten thousand strong, to join them without delay; a summons which was immediately obeyed by the whole body, who set out for Galicia by the route of Traz-oz-Montes, and thus laid the foundation of a powerful force on the flank and rear of the invaders' communications. A junta was formed at Lerida, which assumed the general direction of the affairs of Catalonia, and soon arrayed thirty thousand hardy mountaineers under the national colours; while, nothing daunted by the proximity to France, and the alarming June 2. vicinity of powerful French corps, the Arragonese pro- 337, 341, claimed Ferdinand VII. at Saragossa; and after choosing 372, 378. for their commander the young and gallant Palafox, who F, 192. had attended Ferdinand to Bayonne, and escaped from that Tor. i. 181, fortress, issued a proclamation, in which they declared Napier, L. 57. their resolution,1 should the royal family be detained in

1 South. i.

190,

195, 245, 250,

LIII.

CHAP. captivity or destroyed by Napoleon, of exercising their right of election in favour of the Archduke Charles, as grandson of Charles III. and one of the imperial branch of the Spanish family.

1808.

47.

From the outset Napoleon was fully impressed with. the importance and danger of this contest, and in an Measures of especial manner alive to the vital consequence of preservNapoleon in regard to the ing entire the communications of the army, which had insurrection. been pushed forward into the very heart of the kingdom,

1 Sav. iii. 247, 249. Nap. i. 59.

with the French frontier. Murat, after the catastrophe of 2d May, had been taken ill and withdrawn from Madrid, and was on his route to take possession of the throne destined for him on the shores of Naples. He had been succeeded in the general direction of the affairs at Madrid by Savary. Napoleon, on his departure from Bayonne, spoke to him in such a way as sufficiently demonstrated his growing anxiety for the issue of the contest, as well as the sagacity with which he had already discerned in what way it was most likely to be brought to a successful issue.* Reinforcements were poured into Spain with all possible expedition; Burgos, Vittoria, and all the principal towns along the great road to Madrid from Bayonne, were strongly occupied; General Dupont, with his whole corps, was moved from La Mancha towards the Sierra Morena and Andalusia, in order to overawe Seville and Cordova, and if possible disengage the French squadron at Cadiz; and Marshal Moncey detached into Valencia, with instructions to put down, at all hazards, the violent and bloodthirsty revolution which had burst forth in that province.1

But while making every preparation for military operations, the French Emperor, at the same time, actively pursued those civil changes at Bayonne to which, even more than the terror of his arms, he trusted for subju

"The essential point," said he, "at this moment, is to occupy as many places as possible, in order to have the means of diffusing the principles which we wish to inculcate upon the people; but to avoid the dangers of such a dispersion of force, you must be wise, moderate, and observe the strictest discipline. For God's sake, permit. no pillage. I have heard nothing of the line which Castanos, who commands at the camp of St Roch, will take; Murat has promised much on that head, but you know what reliance is to be placed on his assurances. Neglect nothing which can secure the rapidity and exactness of your communications; that is the cardinal point; and spare nothing which can secure you good information. Above all, take care to avoid any misfortune; its consequences would be incalculable."-SAVARY, iii. 247, 251.

CHAP.

LIII.

1808.

Proceedings

assembled at

June 15.

gating the minds of men in the Spanish Peninsula. The Assembly of Notables met at that fortress on the 15th June, agreeably to the summons which they had received; and they comprised the principal nobility and a large pro- 48. portion of the leading characters in Spain. Having been of the selected by the junta of government at Madrid, without Notables the form even of any election by the people, they were Bayonne. entirely in the French interest, and the mere creatures of the Emperor's will. Their proceedings formed a singular and instructive contrast to the generous and fearless burst of indignant hostility with which the resignations at Bayonne had been received by the middle and lower orders through the whole of Spain. Even before the Assembly had formally met, such of them as had arrived June 8. at Bayonne published an address to their countrymen, in which they indulged in the usual vein of flattery to the Thib. vi. astonishing abilities and power of the august Emperor, South. i. 400. and strongly advised them to accept his brother for their sovereign.1*

1 Nell. ii. 214, 219.

395, 399.

of Joseph by

The levees of Joseph were attended by all the chief grandees of Spain; every day appeared to add to the 49. strength of the party who were inclined to support his General elevation to the throne. All the principal counsellors of recognition Ferdinand, Cevallos, Escoiquiz, and others, not only took the Spanish the oath of allegiance to the new monarch, but petitioned to be allowed to retain their honours and employments under the French dynasty.† The Spanish corps in Holstein

Notables.

men.

* "An irresistible sense of duty, an object as sacred as it is important, has made us quit our homes, and led us to the invincible Emperor of the French. We admit it; the sight of his glory, of his power, was fitted to dazzle us; but Procamition we arrived here already determined to address to him our reiterated supplica- of the Grandees tions for the prosperity of a monarchy of which the fate is inseparably united of Spain to with our own. But judge of our surprise, when we were received by his imperial their countryand royal Majesty with a degree of kindness and humanity not less admirable than his power. He has no other desire but that of our preservation and happiness. If he gives us a sovereign to govern us, it is his august brother Joseph, whose virtues are the admiration of his subjects. If he is engaged in modifying and correcting our institutions, it is in order that we may live in peace and happiness. If he is desirous that our finances should receive a new organisation, it is in order to render our navy and army powerful and formidable to our enemies. Spaniards! worthy of a better lot, avoid the terrible anarchy which threatens you. What benefit can you derive from the troubles fomented by malevolence or folly? Anarchy is the greatest curse which God can inflict upon mankind; during its reign unbridled license sacks, destroys, burns every thing : worthy citizens, men of property are invariably the first victims, and an abyss of horror follows its triumphs." Proclamation of the Grandees of Spain to their countrymen, dated Bayonne, 8th June 1808; NELLERTO, ii. 214, No. 70.

↑ "The subscribers have given the strongest proofs of their fidelity to the former government; they trust it will be considered as the surest pledge of the