{GEORGE III. 1812—1814}
Meeting of Parliament..... Augmentation of the Civil List.....
Bill for Prohibiting the Grant of Offices in Reversion,
&c. Changes in the Ministry, &e...... Attacks upon
Ministers..... Assassination of Mr. Perceval.....
Administration of Lord Liverpool..... Financial
Statements..... Population Returns, &c. Bill for
Preservation of the Peace..... Bill to extend the Privileges
of Dissenters..... Prorogation of Parliament, &e......
Capture of Ciudad Rodrigo by the British..... Storm and
Capture of Badajoz..... Operations in Spain..... War between
France and Russia..... War with America..... Meeting of
the New Parliament..... Debates on the War with America.....
Financial Statements..... Renewal of the East India
Company’s Charter..... The Catholic Question..... Curates’
Bill, &c. Appointment of Vice-Chancellor..... Delates
on the Treaty with Sweden..... Prorogation of
Parliament..... Affairs of Spain..... American Campaign.....
Meeting of Parliament..... Bill for allowing the Militia to
volunteer into the Line.
MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.
{A.D. 1812}
Parliament reassembled on the 7th of January, when the speech of the
prince-regent was delivered by commission. It dwelt chiefly on the
events which had happened in the Peninsula, and on the differences which
existed between England and America. The addresses were carried in both
houses without a division, though not without debate and censure. In
the lords, Grenville and Grey denounced the measures of government in no
very soft language as regarded their war and foreign policy, and uttered
some predictions of calamities which must follow any new rupture with
America. In the commons Sir Francis Burdett proposed instead of an
address a strong remonstrance to the regent, containing an elaborate
statement of grievances, among which the constitution of the house
was one of the most conspicuous. In making this proposal, the right
honourable baronet declared that Englishmen for the last eighteen
years had been daily losing their liberty; that a detestation of French
liberty had produced the present war; that nothing had been done for
Spain, and that if its cause was now taken up by the British government
it had become hopeless; that the victories won by our armies were
useless; and that parliament should be reformed.
AUGMENTATION OF THE CIVIL LIST.
At this time no change had taken place in the indisposition of the king.
The general impression on the minds of the people, indeed, was that his
recovery was hopeless, that the remainder of his days would be spent in
mental debility. This impression was heightened when, in the house
of commons, in a committee to consider the question of the king’s
household, Mr. Perceval stated that, according to the physicians,
the expectation of his majesty’s recovery was diminished. Under these
circumstances he laid before the house the measures proposed to be
adopted. Several objections were taken to his plan; but the following
resolutions were finally agreed to:—“1. That, for making provision for
the due arrangement of his majesty’s household, and for the exercise
of the royal authority during the continuance of his majesty’s
indisposition, and for the purpose of enabling the queen to meet the
increased expenses to which, in consequence of such indisposition, her
majesty may be exposed, there be granted out of the consolidated fund
of Great Britain the yearly sum of £70,000. 2. That it is expedient that
provision be made for defraying the expenses incident to the assumption
of the personal exercise of the royal authority by his royal highness
the prince regent, in the name and on the behalf of his majesty.” The
bill framed upon these resolutions encountered some opposition, but they
passed triumphantly. A large addition was also subsequently made to
the income of the princesses; and it was in vain that some honourable
members pleaded internal distress, and urged that such demands were not
needed: the courtly zeal of parliament prevailed.
BILL FOR PROHIBITING THE GRANT OF OFFICES IN REVERSION, ETC.
As the bill for prohibiting the grant of offices in reversion was now
about to expire, Mr. Bankes introduced a new bill in order to render
the measure permanent. This was opposed on the second reading by Mr.
Perceval, and thrown out; and then Mr. Bankes proposed a bill for the
same purpose, but limited to two years. This met with no opposition in
the commons, and it was carried through the lords after the rejection of
an amendment proposed by Earl Grosvenor for continuing its operation
to 1840. At a later date Mr. Bankes brought in a bill for utterly
abolishing many sinecure places, and this was carried against ministers
by a majority of one hundred and thirty-four against one hundred and
twenty-three. On the 7th of May Mr. Creevey also called the serious
attention to the tellerships of the exchequer, now held by the Marquess
of Buckingham and Lord Camden, which offices were as old as the
exchequer itself, and conferred a vested right, with which it was held
parliament could not interfere. He moved a series of resolutions, the
last of which declared:—“That it is the duty of parliament in the
present unparalleled state of national expenditure and public calamity,
to exercise its rights still further over the fees now paid out of the
public money at the exchequer, so as to confine the profits of the
two tellers to some fixed and settled sum of money more conformable in
amount to the usual grants of public money for public services, etc.”
Ministers opposed this motion, and it was lost without a division. An
amendment, likewise, proposed by Mr. Brand, for appointing a committee
to inquire into precedents, was rejected by a large majority. In these
debates the greater part of the opposition took the part of ministers,
but in the minority were Whitbread, General Fergusson, Lord Tavistock,
Lord Archibald Hamilton, and Mr. Brougham. But though parliament would
not interfere in these vested rights, in November of this year the two
noble tellers intimated their intention of appropriating to the public
service a third of their salary and fees from the 5th of January next
to the end of the war: this was an act of true patriotism. Before the
session closed an attack was made upon another patent place, that of
the office of registrar of the admiralty and prize courts. A bill for
regulating this office was brought in by Mr. Henry Martin, but it was
rejected by a majority of sixty-five against twenty-seven. In the
course of this last debate it was made to appear that Lord Arden, the
registrar, whose fees amounted to about £12,000 a year, had made £7000
a year more by interest and profits of suitors’ money, and that he had
sometimes above £200,000 of such money employed at interest. A bill,
however, proposed by Mr. Perceval himself, which declared that the
registrar should be entitled to one-third part only of the fees of his
office, and that the remaining two-thirds should go to the consolidated
fund, was carried, though not without some opposition. This was noble
conduct on the part of Mr. Perceval; for this office had been granted in
reversion to his elder brother, Lord Arden, and after Lord Arden’s death
it was to revert to Mr. Perceval himself. Its merits were, however,
lowered by the consideration that the reductions of emoluments were
not to take place till after the expiration of the existing present and
reversionary interests; that is, till after the deaths of Lord Arden and
Mr. Perceval.
CHANGES IN THE MINISTRY, ETC.
At this period the present cabinet was not only weak but distracted.
The Marquess Wellesley, indeed, who was dissatisfied with some of his
colleagues, had signified his intention of resigning almost as soon as
parliament met, although he agreed to hold office till the expiration
of the year to which the restrictions on the regent were limited. He
resigned on the 19th of February, and he was succeeded as secretary for
foreign affairs by Lord Castlereagh. Six days before the resignation of
Marquess Wellesley the regent wrote a letter to his brother, the Duke of
York, in which he began with alluding to the fast approaching expiration
of the restrictions; stated that motives of filial affection had induced
him to continue the present cabinet; adverted to the success of his
first year’s administration, and expressed a hope that a new era
was arriving. He concluded with these words:—“Having made this
communication of my sentiments, I cannot conclude without expressing the
gratification I should feel if some of those persons with whom the early
habits of my public life were formed would strengthen my hands, and
constitute a part of my government. With such support, and aided by a
vigorous and united administration, founded on the most liberal basis, I
shall look with additional confidence to a prosperous issue of the
most arduous contest in which Great Britain was ever engaged. You are
authorized to communicate these sentiments to Lord Grey, who I. have no
doubt will make them known to Lord Grenville.” The prince’s letter was
shown to both Grey and Grenville, but they flatly refused to join the
Perceval administration. The letter, and their reply to the Duke of
York, were published in all the newspapers of the kingdom, and from this
moment the Whigs began to revile the Prince of Wales, whom they had so
long flattered and applauded. They had anticipated a return to power
under his rule; and when they discovered that he adhered to his father’s
line of policy, they no longer looked up to him as their rising sun. The
old cry was indeed raised, that there was something behind the throne
stronger than the throne itself, something that was subversive of the
constitution. Earl Grey declared in the house of lords that the ministry
depended for its existence upon an unseen influence; a power alien
to the constitution; a disgusting and disastrous influence which
consolidated abuses into a system, and which prevented both complaint
and advice from reaching the royal ear; an influence which it was the
duty of parliament to set its branding mark upon. Both in and out of
parliament it was asserted that Lord Castlereagh’s return to office was
the effect of the influence of a certain lady, and the auspices of the
Hertford family.
ATTACKS UPON MINISTERS.
These murmurs broke out into open attacks upon the cabinet. On the 19th
of March Lord Boringdon moved in the house of lords for an address to
the prince regent, beseeching him to form an administration so composed
as to unite the confidence and good will of all classes of his majesty’s
subjects. His real meaning was that the regent should form a Grey and
Grenville administration; but his irregular, if not unconstitutional
motion, was got rid of by an amendment proposed by Lord Grimstone, which
was carried by one hundred and sixty-five against seventy-two. A
more violent attack on the ministry was subsequently made by Lord
Donoughmore, when he moved for a committee on the Roman Catholic claims;
but though his lordship’s motion was seconded by the Duke of Sussex his
motion was lost: his speech was too much tainted with private pique to
be heeded by parliament. A similar motion, urged by the eloquence of
Mr. Grattan in the commons, met with a similar fate. At a later period,
however, Mr. Canning carried a motion in opposition to ministers,
pledging the house to consider early next session the state of the laws
affecting the Roman Catholics of Great Britain and Ireland. In the lords
a similar proposal made by the Marquis Wellesley was rejected.
ASSASSINATION OF MR. PERCEVAL.
During this session, as the continuance of outrages in several of the
manufacturing counties continued, a severe law was enacted, which made
the breaking of frames and administration of oaths a capital felony.
These commotions were generally attributed to the operation of our
orders in council, diminishing the demands for articles of British
manufacture; and petitions were presented to both houses for a
revocation of these edicts. In compliance with the general wish, a
formal inquiry was instituted; but while it was depending, its leader
was suddenly cut off by a tragical death. As Mr. Perceval, on the 11th
of May, was entering the lobby of the house of commons he was shot
through the heart, and after uttering a slight exclamation and
staggering a few paces, he expired. The assassin, whose name was
Bellingham, made no attempt to escape, and he was immediately
arrested. Apprehensions were at first entertained that there might be
a conspiracy; but it was soon discovered that no other person had been
concerned with him, and that there was no mixture of political feeling
in his motives. Bellingham had been a merchant; and in a commercial
visit to Russia some time before he had met with serious losses, which
he attributed to violence and injustice. He had repeatedly addressed
Lord G. Leveson Gower, who had been our ambassador at Petersburgh, and
he had presented memorials to the treasury, soliciting a compensation
for losses; but these losses not having been incurred in the course
of any public service, were considered as affording him no title
to compensation. Mr. Perceval had rightly refused to listen to his
applications; but Bellingham was enraged at his refusal, and resolved to
sacrifice his life. He was found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey,
and he underwent the extreme sentence of the law within one week of
his perpetration of the fearful deed. Two days after the assassination
parliament voted £50,000 for the children of the sacrificed minister,
and £2000 to his widow for life. Subsequently another pension was
voted to his eldest son, as was also a monument for the deceased in
Westminster Abbey. The talents of Mr. Perceval were not splendid, but
as chancellor of the exchequer he displayed considerable skill in
augmenting the public burdens at a time when the war was conducted on a
scale of unprecedented expenditure. His advancement seems to have been
owing to his inflexibility on the Catholic question, at a time when a
majority of the talented members of parliament was in favour of some
concession. But if Mr. Perceval’s talents were not of the highest order,
in private life few persons were more deservedly respected, and whose
death was in consequence more lamented. Sir Samuel Romilly, in his
“Diary of Parliamentary Life,” remarks that he could hardly have
accompanied his refusal to listen to Bellingham with any harshness, for
few men had ever less harshness in their nature than he had. A recent
writer also says:—“We remember well walking through the populous
streets and suburbs of the capital on that afternoon and evening, and
seeing the mixed feelings of horror and pity expressed on almost every
countenance.”
ADMINISTRATION OF LORD LIVERPOOL.
Considerable difficulty was experienced in supplying the vacancy
occasioned by the death of Mr. Perceval. Overtures were made to the
Marquis of Wellesley and Mr. Canning; but they refused to associate
themselves with government, assigning as their reason the avowed
sentiments of ministers on the Catholic question. An address was moved
to the prince regent on the 21st of May, by Mr. Stuart Wortley, praying
that he would take such measures as might be best calculated to form
an efficient government. This address was carried; and in his reply the
prince regent said he would take it into his most serious consideration.
The Marquis of Wellesley was the first applied to; and he proposed,
as the chief conditions on which the new cabinet should be formed, the
early consideration of the Catholic question, and the more vigorous
prosecution of the war in Spain. He attempted to form a ministry on
these conditions, but failed; and at length, on the 8th of June, Lord
Liverpool informed the house of lords that the prince regent had that
day appointed him first commissioner of the treasury, and had authorized
him to complete the arrangements for the ministry. The principal
accessions made to the cabinet by Lord Liverpool were Lord Sidmouth as
secretary of state for the home department; the Earl of Harrowby as
lord president of the council; and Mr. Vansittart as chancellor of the
exchequer.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
On the 17th of June Mr. Vansittart, the new chancellor of the exchequer,
brought forward his budget, which had been nearly arranged by his
predecessor. The charges were stated at £7,025,700 for Ireland; and
£55,350,648 for Great Britain. This was a terrible extent of charge, he
said; but great as it was, the resources of the country were still equal
to it. By an enumeration of ways and means, he produced a result
of £55,390,460, including a loan of £15,650,000; but there had been
previously a loan of £6,789,625; which, added to the new loan, and
to exchequer-bills funded this year, created an annual interest of
£1,905,924. To provide for this Mr. Vansittart proposed to discontinue
the bounty on printed goods exported, and to increase the duties on
tanned hides, glass, tobacco, sales by auction, postage of letters, and
assessed taxes. The aggregate product of these increased duties were
estimated at £1,903,000. The augmentation of the duty on leather was
strongly opposed; but the whole budget received the sanction of the
house.
POPULATION RETURNS, ETC.
During this session returns under the population act were laid before
parliament. From these returns it appeared that Great Britain in
1801 had a population of 10,472,048 souls, and in 1811 no less than
11,911,644. These results revived the question of population compared
with its means of subsistence. It appeared by accounts produced about
this time, that during eleven years, from 1775 to 1786, the average
quantity of grain imported was 564,143 quarters, from 1786 to 1798,
1,136,101 quarters, and from 1799 to 1810, 1,471,000 quarters. The
average prices were in the first period named thirty shillings
per quarter, in the second forty shillings, and in the third sixty
shillings. During the last year no less a sum than £4,271,000 went out
of the country to purchase subsistence for its inhabitants. It must be
remembered, however, that at this period vast tracts of land remained
uncultivated, and that the science of agriculture was but imperfectly
understood.
BILL FOR PRESERVATION OF THE PEACE.
On the 27th of June the regent sent a message to each house of
parliament, acquainting them that he had ordered copies to be laid
before them of the information recently received relative to riots
which had recently occurred in the cotton manufacturing districts of
Lancashire and part of Cheshire, the clothing districts of Yorkshire,
&c., confiding in their wisdom to adopt measures for restoring
tranquillity. These papers were referred to a secret committee in each
house, and the result was the introduction of a severe bill for the
preservation of the public peace in the disturbed districts. Some
members questioned the extent of the danger and the policy of the
coercive bill; but it was carried through both houses.
BILL TO EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF DISSENTERS.
On the 10th of July Lord Castlereagh brought in a bill to extend the
privileges of the dissenters. This bill, which proposed to repeal
certain intolerant statutes and to amend others, relating to religious
worship and assemblies, &c. was carried. A bill for improving the
ecclesiastical courts in England also received the sanction of the
legislature.
PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT, ETC.
Parliament was prorogued on the 30th of July by commission; and on
the 20th of September a proclamation was issued by the prince regent,
announcing its dissolution.
CAPTURE OF CIUDAD RODRIGO BY THE BRITISH.
During the latter months of the preceding year Lord Wellington had
been secretly preparing the means of recapturing Ciudad Rodrigo,
the possession of that place still serving the French as a basis of
operations on one of the frontiers of Portugal. His situation, says
a Peninsular historian, was simply that of a man who felt that all
depended on himself; that he must by some rapid and unexpected stroke
effect in the field what his brother could not effect in the cabinet.
Marmont favoured his designs on this place; for, deceived by his
apparent careless attitude, the French armies were spread over an
immense tract of country, and Ciudad Rodrigo was left unprotected. Lord
Wellington marched against it early in January; and in twelve days from
its first investment Ciudad Rodrigo was recaptured. In the assault the
British suffered severe loss, there being in the whole about 1000 killed
and wounded, among whom were many officers. General Mackinnon, and many
of his brigade, were blown up by the explosion of a powder-magazine on
the ramparts, and General Craufurd was mortally wounded. The loss
of the garrison was also about 1000, besides 1700 prisoners. For the
capture of this piece the Spanish Cortes passed a vote of thanks to Lord
Wellington, and conferred on him the title of Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo. In
England also his lordship obtained a step in the peerage, being created
Earl of Wellington, with an annuity of £2000 annexed to the title.
Thanks were voted by parliament both to him and his brave army.
The recapture of Ciudad Rodrigo was attended with fearful scenes.
Colonel Napier says:—“Throwing off the restraint of discipline the
troops committed frightful excesses: the town was fired in three or
four places; the soldiers menaced their officers, and shot each other;
intoxication soon increased the tumult; and at last the fury rising to
absolute madness, a fire was wilfully lighted in the middle of the great
magazine, when the town, and all within it, would have been blown
to atoms, but for the energetic courage of some officers and a few
soldiers, who still preserved their senses.” After order had been
restored, orders were given to repair the breaches and level the
intrenchments, while means were taken to provision the place.
{GEORGE III. 1812—1814}
STORM AND CAPTURE OF BADAJOZ.
Having recovered Ciudad Rodrigo, Wellington resolved to attempt the
recovery of Badajoz. In preparing for this enterprise great secrecy was
maintained; and when all was ready, his lordship, leaving one division
of his army on the Agueda, marched with the rest from the northern to
the southern frontier of Portugal. His artillery had previously been
conveyed from Lisbon by sea to the Setubal river, whence it was carried
by land across the Alemtejo to the banks of the Guadiana; and on the
16th of March Lord Wellington crossed that river, and immediately
invested Badajoz. The Picurina, an advanced work separated from the body
of the place by the small river Ribillas, was taken on the 25th, and on
the 26th two batteries opened on the town. Expedition was essential; for
at this time Marshal Soult was preparing for its relief, and Marmont, in
the hope of effecting a diversion had entered Portugal, and was ravaging
the country east of the Estrella. Thus called upon to action on the 6th
of April, after three breaches were reported to be practicable, Lord
Wellington gave orders for storming the place at ten o’clock that
night. Badajoz was captured, but it was with great loss, owing to the
formidable obstacles encountered by the allies. General Philippon,
the governor of Badajoz, had adopted such an ingenious defence that
effectually stopped the way of the British, that had not General Picton
succeeded in carrying and establishing himself in the castle, and
General Walker in entering the town by escalade in an opposite
direction, the attempt might have failed. These successes distracted
the French; and Lord Wellington, who had ordered his divisions to retire
from the attack, now directed them again to advance, and then every
obstacle was overcome. General Philippon with a few hundred men escaped
across the Guadiana, and threw himself into Fort St. Cristoval, where
he surrendered on the following morning. On the side of the allies about
1000 were slain, and from 4000 to 5000 wounded. The French lost about
1500 men slain, and nearly 4000 were taken prisoners. In Baclajoz from
3000 to 4000 Spaniards, English, and Portuguese, who had been taken
prisoners by the French, were found, and were consequently released. It
was on the 7th of April that Lord Wellington captured Badajoz, and on
the 8th Soult had collected his army at Villa-franca, between Llerena
and Merida; but hearing of the fall of the place he commenced a retreat
to Seville. He was warmly pursued by the British cavalry, who cut up his
rear-guard at Villa Garcia.
OPERATIONS IN SPAIN.
As soon as Lord Wellington had captured Badajoz he endeavoured to put
the place into a state of defence. His lordship, however, had but little
time to attend to this important measure. Marmont was at this time
making himself strong in the north, and was blockading both the Spanish
fortress of Ciudad Rodrigo and the fortress of Almeida. Leaving General
Hill in the south, therefore, his lordship, on the 13th of April moved
the main body of his army back to the north. Marmont now retreated to
Salamanca, hoping to effect a junction with Soult; but he was prevented
from this step by the capture of the strong forts which the French had
erected at Almaraz on the Tagus, and which were captured by General
Hill. At length, on the 13th of June, Lord Wellington broke up from
his cantonments between the Coa and the Agueda with about 40,000 men,
leaving General Hill near Almaraz with 12,000 more. As his lordship
advanced into Spain, he received reports that Marmont was about to
be re-enforced by a division consisting of nearly seven thousand men.
Marmont already counted 40,000 infantry, 3000 artillery, and 4000
cavalry, so that he already had a decided superiority in numbers. Still
Wellington pursued his march, and the whole of his army arrived upon
the Val Musa rivulet, about six miles from Salamanca, on the 16th of
June. Some of the cavalry and infantry of the enemy lay in front of the
town of Salamanca; but they were driven in by the British, and Marmont
evacuated the town in the night, leaving a garrison of some eight
hundred men, in forts constructed on the rains of colleges and convents,
which commanded the bridge that crosses the river Tormes. The allies,
however, forded the river in places above and below the bridge, and
on the 17th entered the town. Marmont made some efforts to relieve the
forts which were now invested; but they were all taken by the 27th, and
he then took up a strong position on the northern bank of the Duero. He
was followed by Wellington, who took up a line on the southern bank of
that river directly opposite to his opponent. Early in July Marmont was
re-enforced by the expected division, and on the 11th of that month he
threw two divisions across the Duero at Toro, when Wellington moved his
army to the left to concentrate it on the Guareha, an affluent of the
Duero. Marmont now ascended the northern bank of the river with his
whole army, and again crossed over to the southern bank of the Duero,
and assembled at Nava del Bey. He succeeded in re-establishing his
communications with King Joseph and the army of the centre, which
was advancing from Madrid to join him. The two armies remained on the
opposite banks of the Guarena till the 20th of July, on which day they
moved towards the Tormes in parallel lines. They crossed the Tormes on
the following day; the allied army passing by the bridge of Salamanca,
and the French by the fords higher up the river. The hostile troops were
still facing each other, and both armies were still near Salamanca. In
the course of the night Lord Wellington was informed that Marmont was
about to be joined by the cavalry and horse-artillery of the north.
No time was to be lost, and his lordship determined, if circumstances
should not permit him to attack Marmont on the morrow, he would then
move towards Ciudad Rodrigo. The morning of the morrow was spent in
anxious suspense by the allies, birt the enemy gave no indication of his
design to commence battle till noon, when some confusion was observed
in his ranks. After a great variety of skilful manouvres on both sides,
Marmont, inspired with the hope of destroying at one blow the whole
English army, extended his line in order to enclose his allies within
the position which they had taken up. This was an error of which
Wellington immediately took advantage. Nearly the whole of his army was
brought opposite to the enemy’s left, and an attack was commenced upon
that wing. Three divisions, under Generals Leith, Cole, and Cotton,
charged in front, while General Pakenham formed another across the
enemy’s flank. This movement decided the victory. The left wing first,
then the centre, and finally the right wing were defeated, and as the
evening closed the whole force of the enemy was in total rout. The first
great blow was given to the power of the French in Spain. In this battle
the French lost three generals slain, and Marmont, Bonnet, and Clausel
were wounded. Their total loss in killed and wounded was very great, and
they left 7000 prisoners, eleven guns, and two eagles in the hands of
the conquerors. The loss of the allies was also great, nearly 5000 being
slain and wounded: among the slain was General Le Marchant, and among
the wounded Generals Beresford, Leith, Cole, Spry, and Cotton; The
pursuit of the enemy was renewed next day beyond the Tormes, when the
British troops succeeded in capturing three brigades. In the course of
the day Marmont was joined by a corps of 1200 cavalry from the army of
the north, which covered the retreat of the centre as it hastened toward
Valladolid. The pursuit was continued on the 24th, and the enemy
was driven from Valladolid towards Burgos. Lord Wellington reached
Valladolid the eighth day after the battle, and here he gave over the
pursuit in order to make another important movement. On the day after
the battle of Salamanca King Joseph had marched from the Escurial with
20,000 men, for the purpose of joining Marmont. On arriving at Arevalo
he heard of Marmont’s defeat, and he then marched off by the right
to Segovia, to attempt a diversion in favour of Clausel, who was
now leading the retreating army. Lord Wellington therefore quitted
Valladolid, recrossed the Duero, and marched against King Joseph,
leaving a force on the Duero under General Paget to watch Clausel. King
Joseph now retreated towards Madrid, whither he was followed by Lord
Wellington, and from whence he was driven by his lordship. The British
forces entered Madrid on the 12th of August, and was received with
enthusiastic acclamations. Joseph fled to the left bank of the Tagus to
rally his army between Aranjuez and Toledo, leaving a garrison in
the Retiro palace. The troops found in the Retiro, however, were made
prisoners of war on the 14th of August, so that Lord Wellington had
complete possession of the Spanish capital. He appointed Don Carlos de
Espaha Governor of Madrid, and the new constitution which the Cortes had
made at Cadiz was proclaimed with great exultation. The air resounded
with the shouts of “Long live the Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo! long live
Wellington!” Subsequently a deputation waited upon his lordship with a
congratulatory address, to which he wisely replied: “The events of the
war are in the hands of Providence.”
In consequence of the capture of Madrid Soult raised the blockade of
Cadiz, abandoned the whole of Western Andalusia, and concentrated his
forces in Grenada. His retreat to Grenada was very disastrous: his army
suffered greatly from the attacks of the allied force of the English
and Spanish, the occasional attacks of the armed peasantry, and from the
excessive heat and famine. In the meantime General Hill advanced from
the Guadiana to the Tagus, and connected his operations with those of
Wellington. On his approach, Joseph Buonaparte abandoned the line of the
Tagus, and fell back to Almanza in Murcia, that he might preserve the
line of communication with Soult in Granada, and Suchet on the borders
of Valencia and Catalonia. By the close of August General Hill occupied
all the places on the south of Madrid, and which occupation enabled him
to cover the right of the allied army. These successes, however, were
far from completing the recovery of Spain, and the situation of Lord
Wellington in the Spanish capital was yet very critical. So ineffective
was the aid which the natives afforded, and so great the military power
which yet remained to be subdued, that a triumphant result was still
uncertain. In a little time, indeed, Lord Wellington saw himself menaced
by the three armies of the south, the centre, and the north, and he was
compelled to retreat from Madrid. Before he commenced his retreat he
made an attempt to capture Burgos: an attempt which failed chiefly
from want of the requisite means of success. Lord Wellington now
moved towards the Duero, and marched upon Salamanca, where he hoped
to establish himself; but Soult having united his forces with those
of Souham, which had advanced from Burgos, obliged him to continue his
retreat. He effected his retreat in a masterly manner, before an army of
90,000 men, against which he could only oppose about 50,000, and on
the 24th of November, he fixed his head-quarters at Freynada, on the
Portuguese frontier. King Joseph now returned once more to Madrid,
while Soult, who took the chief command of the combined French armies,
established his head-quarters at Toledo, with his right wing resting on
Salamanca. A great outcry was raised against Lord Wellington in England,
on account of this retreat; but, fortunately, ministers were satisfied
with the explanation of his motives, and resolved to send him all the
assistance in their power. His lordship employed the winter months in
rendering his army more effective, that he might in the ensuing campaign
enter on a more decisive and extended course of operations. For this
purpose he proceeded to Cadiz, to make arrangements for the co-operation
of the Spanish armies, when it was settled that 50,000 troops should be
placed at his disposal. This was full proof that the Cortes still placed
confidence in him. They augured, indeed, that under the direction of so
great a leader, those troops would pitch their tents on the banks of the
Seine. The president remarked, “It would not be the first time that the
Spanish lions had there trampled on the old _fleur-de-lys_ of France.”
WAR BETWEEN FRANCE AND RUSSIA.
It has been seen that the Emperor of Russia had declared war against
Napoleon. Thwarted in his ambitious views upon the Ottoman empire, which
he had been led to expect would be realized from the treaty of Tilsit,
Alexander first became cool towards his brother spoliator, and then
openly broke with him. Great preparations were made on both sides for
the gigantic struggle, and Napoleon resolved to humble the czar in his
own dominions. With an army of about 800,000 men he crossed the Vistula
in June, and his onward march was a series of triumphs. The Russians
everywhere retreated before him, until he came to the plains of Moscow,
where he fought a hard battle with an army under Kutusoff, over whom he
gained a victory. Moscow now fell into the hands of the conqueror. He
entered it on the 14th of September, and took up his residence at the
Kremlin, the ancient palace of the czars. But here his triumphs ended.
The Russians had only retreated before him in order to allure him to
destruction. Their plan was to avoid a battle till the enemy should be
cut off from support, and till winter, famine, and fatigue had wasted
his resources. And in order to ensure this final result they were
willing to make large sacrifices. Smolensko was reduced to ashes, while
Napoleon was on his route to Moscow, lest it should afford a shelter to
his troops, and Napoleon had not been long in the imperial city, when
the flames were seen casting their lurid glare to heaven on every side.
In a brief space Moscow was in ruins, and Napoleon was compelled, in the
month of October, to give orders to his troops to return to France. Few
of his proud army, however, were destined again to behold their native
country.
“Now did the Most High
Exalt his still small voice; to quell that host,
Gathered his mighty power, a manifest ally;
He, whose heaped waves confounded the proud boast
Of Pharaoh, said to Famine, Snow, and France,
‘Finish the strife by deadliest victory.’”
—Wordsworth
Scarcely had Napoleon commenced his retrograde march when the snow,
like a violent storm of the Alps, beat around the devoted heads of
his soldiers, and their progress was henceforth a combat against their
pitiless foes the Cossacks, who hovered around them, and the still more
pitiless elements. Danger awaited him at every step and on every hand,
and when he arrived on the margin of the Beresina, his vast army was
reduced to about 14,000 men. And not all these reached France. The
Russians under Wittgenstein now appeared in his rear, and one of his
divisions was either destroyed or captured. Napoleon had passed over the
Beresina with a part of his army by means of two frail bridges, leaving
the defence of the retreat to Victor. A scene ensued which defies
description. The retreating French tumbled each other into the stream,
or voluntarily rushed in to escape the fire of the Russians; and in the
midst of their terror one of the bridges gave way, and the crowd passing
over it perished. When that river was frozen, it presented to the eye
of the beholder one vast heap of human beings. Those who gained the
opposite bank were saved, and Napoleon, leaving them under the care
of Murat, repaired to Paris. He was stripped of everything; and yet he
hoped to repair his fortunes. It is said that in the beginning of the
next year, when the snow had melted away, 300,000 human bodies and
160,000 dead horses were burnt upon the Russian soil.
WAR WITH AMERICA.
During this year the disputes between England and America broke out
into a war. On her part England had done what she could to bring
these disputes to an amicable adjustment: even offering to suspend
the offensive regulations of which the Americans complained, if the
Americans would repeal the restrictive acts by which they had marked
their resentment. The person, however, who now directed the councils of
the United States was inimical to the interests of Great. Britain, and
devoted to the views and interests of Napoleon. War was declared, and
the world saw with surprise, a government calling itself free banding
with a military despotism which had not its parallel In the world’s
history. The Americans commenced the war by the invasion of Canada; but
they were defeated in two engagements, and compelled to relinquish the
enterprise. They consoled themselves, however, for these disasters by
their success at sea, they having captured two English frigates, chiefly
from the superiority of their own in size, weight of metal, and number
of men. Similar disasters also attended our naval armaments on the
lakes, arising chiefly from the above-mentioned cause. The English
cabinet was much censured for want of foresight, in not having been
prepared with ships of sufficient size to cope with their antagonists,
but neither ministers nor people expected a long continuance of this
war, as it was well known that in the northern states there existed a
large and powerful party averse to it, as it was prejudicial to their
interests. Proposals, apparently conciliatory, were, indeed, made by
both parties, but the year closed without witnessing a suspension of
hostilities.
MEETING OF THE NEW PARLIAMENT.
Parliament, with a newly-elected house of commons, assembled on the 24th
of November; and on the 30th, the regent delivered an address from the
throne, which embraced a variety of topics, the most prominent of
which was the war in the Peninsula, that in Russia, and the contest in
America. In the debates on the addresses, these events gave rise to much
discussion in both houses, but they were carried unanimously. The most
prominent; measures previous to the Christmas recess were a grant of
£100,000 to the Marquess of Wellington for his services in Spain, and of
£200,000 for the relief of the sufferers in Russia. The bullion question
was also again discussed; but the house repeated Mr. Vansittart’s
resolution of last year; namely, that guineas and bank-notes were of
equal value in public estimation. Without such a resolution the war
could not have been carried on, for there was not sufficient gold in the
country to maintain the public credit.
DEBATES ON THE WAR WITH AMERICA.
{A.D. 1813}
On the reassembling of parliament in February, several stormy debates
took place on the American war. In these debates the opposition not only
blamed the ministry for the negligent manner in which the maritime part
of the conflict had been conducted, but also with being the aggressors,
and with having provoked an unnecessary and fatal contest. In order,
therefore, to clear themselves from all imputations, Lord Castlereagh,
on the 18th of February, moved an address to the prince regent,
expressing entire approbation of the resistance proposed by his royal
highness to the unjustifiable claims of the American government, a full
conviction of the justice of the war on our part, and the assurance of
a cordial support from that house. The opposition reiterated their
complaints; but they would not venture upon a division, and the address
was agreed to _nem. con_. Another address of a similar nature also
passed the lords in the same triumphant manner.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
The budget was introduced on the 31st of March. The supplies demanded
were £72,000,000 out of which England and Scotland were to furnish
£8,500,000. This was a larger amount than had been voted in any
preceding year, but as the American war promised to be expensive, and as
it was generally felt that we should put forth all our strength in order
to finish the contest in Spain, and prolong our aid to Russia, &c., all
the estimates were voted by large majorities. Among the ways and means
were taxes to the amount of £21,000,000; a fresh loan to the same amount
and a vote of credit for £6,000,000.
RENEWAL OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY’S CHARTER.
One of the most important questions which came before parliament during
this session was the renewal of the East India Company’s charter. On
the 22nd of May Lord Castlereagh observed that the term of the existing
charter would expire in May, 1814, and his majesty’s ministers had to
consider these three propositions.—“Whether the existing government in
India should be allowed to continue in its present state;—whether an
entire change should take place in the system;—or whether a middle
course should be adopted.” Evidence was heard at the bar of the house
in order to throw light upon this important subject; and the witnesses,
chiefly persons who had occupied high stations in India, were generally
against opening the trade, or allowing missionaries to repair to
the East for the purpose of converting the natives to the Christian
religion. Finally, a bill was enacted for the prolongation of the
company’s territorial power to April, 1834. At the same time it was
resolved that such measures ought to be adopted as might tend to the
introduction of useful knowledge, and of religious and moral improvement
among the natives. The church establishment of the British territories
in India was now, indeed, placed under the direction of a bishop
and three archdeacons, and missionaries were to be licensed for the
propagation of the gospel among the natives.
THE CATHOLIC QUESTION.
During this session Mr. Grattan carried a motion for referring the
Catholic claims to a committee of the whole house. On the 30th of
April, he presented to the house a bill for the removal of the civil
and military disqualifications under which his majesty’s Roman Catholic
subjects laboured; but this bill, though read a second time, was lost
on its passage through the committee, Mr. Abbott, the speaker, having
divided the house on the clause by which Catholic members were to be
admitted to a seat in Parliament. This was rejected by a majority of two
hundred and fifty-one against two hundred and forty-seven, and then the
bill was abandoned by its supporters.
CURATES’ BILL, ETC.
The toleration displayed in the debates on the Catholic question induced
Mr. Smith, one of the members for Norwich, to bring in a bill for the
relief of Unitarian dissenters from the pains and penalties to which
they were subject by a statute of William III. This bill passed into
a law; neither the ministers nor the bench of bishops opposing its
principle. Another bill, introduced by Lord Harrowby, was also passed,
for the augmentation of stipends payable to curates; a class of divines
who, though they bear “the burden and heat of the day,” have always,
even to the present hour, been inadequately paid for their labours.
APPOINTMENT OF VICE-CHANCELLOR.
In consequence of the great accumulation of business in the court of
chancery, a bill, proposed by Lord Redesdale, was passed this session,
for the appointment of a vice-chancellor of England. This new official
was to have full power to determine all cases of law and equity in
the court of chancery to the same extent as the chancellors had been
accustomed to determine; and his decrees were to be of equal validity,
only they were to be subject to the revision of the lord chancellor, and
not to be enrolled until signed by him.
DEBATES ON THE TREATY WITH SWEDEN.
On the 11th of June a treaty with Sweden was laid before parliament,
which excited strong animadversion. By the solicitations of the Emperor
of Russia the king and crown-prince had been induced to enter into the
confederacy against France; and it was resolved, that, as the Danes had
been subservient to French interests, they should be deprived of Norway
for the gratification of the Swedes. To this stipulation the British
court had acceded for two reasons:—first, that by the occupation of
Norway the Swedes would be better enabled to secure their independence;
and, secondly, because it was desirable that a country which abounded
with naval stores should be possessed by a power friendly to England.
The Swedes, also, were to receive a subsidy of one million from the
English treasury; and the island of Guadaloupe was to be ceded to
its monarch, on condition of his opening a depot for British goods at
Gottenburg and other ports, in defiance of the continental system. Lord
Holland deprecated the transfer of Norway; denounced the cession of
Guadaloupe; and opposed the subsidy as inconsistent with the financial
difficulties under which the country was labouring. The treaty was
disgraceful, he said, both to Russia and Great Britain; and he expressed
his disgust at the gross inconsistency of the two courts, which had so
loudly exclaimed against Napoleon’s encroachments. Earl Grey was equally
severe in his censures; but Lord Holland’s proposal to suspend the
execution of the treaty was rejected. In the commons a similar
debate took place; Mr. Ponsonby taking the lead as the opposer of
the agreement; but a proposal to the same effect as that made by Lord
Holland was rejected, and the prince regent was subsequently gratified
with a compliant address.
PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.
The session closed on the 22nd of July with a speech from the throne, in
which the prince regent expressed satisfaction at the favourable state
of affairs on the continent, regret at the continuance of the war
with the United States, and his approval of the arrangements for the
government of British India. He concluded by expressing his resolution
to employ the means placed in his hands by parliament in such a manner
as might be best calculated to reduce the extravagant pretensions of the
enemy, and facilitate the attainment of a safe and honourable peace.
{GEORGE III. 1812—1814}
AFFAIRS OF SPAIN.
The Russian campaign had operated favourably for the progress of the
British arms in Spain. The catastrophe by which it was concluded not
only prevented Napoleon from re-enforcing his marshals in Spain, But
it also obliged him to recall the best of them; and among them Marshal
Soult, whose generalship had cost Lord Wellington very serious thoughts.
Still the French in Spain were formidable. Soult left behind him 70,000
men to oppose Wellington; and there was still an army, under Suchet,
in the eastern provinces. At the opening of this year the French armies
were thus disposed:—the army of Portugal, under General Reille, was
in and around Valladolid; the army of the centre, under Drouet, was
distributed round Madrid; and the army of the south was at Toledo.
All these forces were under King Joseph, who was assisted by Marshal
Jourdan; Generals Clausel and Foy commanded separate divisions in Aragon
and Biscay. Against these forces Lord Wellington could only bring 63,000
British and Portuguese infantry and 6,000 cavalry, on whom he could
rely; for, though measures had been taken to improve the Spanish troops,
their slothfulness and indiscipline were evils which could not be
suddenly remedied; and therefore his lordship did not expect great
things from them. He commenced operations about the middle of May,
making the allied army enter Spain in three separate bodies; the left
under Sir Thomas Graham, the right under General Hill, and the centre
under his own command. The French were alarmed; and on the 1st of
June they were in full retreat before Graham. Subsequently the three
divisions of the allied army united; and Wellington was also joined by
the Spanish army from Galicia, and by a Spanish force from the south.
Thus strengthened Lord Wellington advanced towards Madrid; and as he
advanced Joseph Buonaparte again took refuge in flight. The French
army retired to Burgos; but as Wellington approached they blew up
the fortifications of the castle, and retreated to the Ebro. A strong
garrison was thrown into the fortress of Pancoros, a little in advance
of the river, and they conceived that they could defend this line;
but Lord Wellington found out a new road through a rugged country,
completely turned their position on the Ebro, and drove them back upon
Vittoria, after a successful engagement at Osma. Lord Wellington still
pursued them; and on the 21st of June he gained a complete victory
over them on the plains of Vittoria. In this battle the enemy lost one
hundred and fifty-one pieces of cannon, four hundred and fifteen waggons
of ammunition, all their baggage, provisions, and treasures, with the
French commander’s, Jourdan’s, baton of a marshal of France. Their loss
in killed and wounded, according to their own statement, amounted to
eight thousand men; while the total loss of the allies was seven
hundred and forty killed, and four thousand one hundred and seventy-four
wounded. The French army was, indeed, reduced to a total wreck; and they
saved themselves from utter destruction only by abandoning the whole
_materiel_ of the army, and running away from the field of battle like
an undisciplined mob. About one thousand were taken prisoners in their
flight; but, lightened of their usual burdens, they ran with so much
alacrity that it was generally impossible to overtake them. The spoils
of the field also occupied and detained the troops of Wellington,
they thinking more of the money and the wine than the flying foe. Lord
Wellington, however, continued the pursuit; and on the 25th took the
enemy’s only remaining gun. This victory was complete; and the battle of
Vittoria was celebrated in England by illuminations and fêtes; while
the Cortes, by an unanimous vote, decreed a territorial property to Lord
Wellington, in testimony of the gratitude of the Spanish nation.
When the battle of Vittoria was fought General Clausel, with about
14,000 men, had commenced his march to support Joseph; but now changing
his direction, he turned towards Logrono, and then to Saragossa, with
the guerilla forces of Mina and Sau-chez hanging on his rear. As for
Joseph he scarcely looked back before he reached the walls of Pamplona
in Navarre. Joseph was admitted into its walls; but the fugitives from
Vittoria were refused an entrance; and when they attempted to scale the
walls they were fired upon by their own countrymen, as if they had been
mortal foes; and they were compelled to continue their flight across the
Pyrenees towards France. Subsequently General Clausel retreated by the
central Pyrenees into France; and General Foy likewise, who was with
another division of the French army at Bilboa, fell back rapidly upon
French territory and the fortress of Bayonne. Except on the eastern
coast, where Suchet was with about 40,000 men, there was not a spot in
all Spain where the French dared show themselves. Lord Wellington, under
these circumstances, turned his attention to the capture of some of the
strongholds in which French garrisons were maintained. He established
the blockade of Pamplona, and directed Graham to invest San Sebastian;
and he then advanced with the main body of his army to occupy the passes
of the Pyrenees from Roncesvalles to Irun, at the mouth of the Bidassoa.
Early in July, having driven the enemy to his own soil, his sentinels
looked down from the rugged frontier of Spain upon the lovely and
fertile plains of France. In forty-five days he had conducted the allied
army from the frontiers of Portugal to the Pyrenees; he had marched four
hundred miles; had gained a great and complete victory; had driven the
French through a country abounding in strong positions; had liberated
Spain; and now stood as a conqueror upon the skirts of France.
The campaign was not yet over. Sensibly affected by this defeat of
Jourdan, Napoleon immediately superseded that officer in the command,
and appointed Soult to succeed him, with the title of Lieutenant-general
of the empire. His directions were to re-equip the defeated troops, to
gather formidable re-enforcements, to lead his masses speedily against
Wellington, to clear the French frontier and the passes of the Pyrenees,
relieve Pamplona and San Sebastian, and to drive the allied army behind
the Ebro. Soult undertook to do all this; and having collected
all manner of disposable forces, on the 13th of July he joined the
disorganized fragments of Jourdan’s army. On his arrival he forthwith
issued one of those boastful addresses for which the French emperor
and his marshals had become celebrated. He remarked:—“I have borne
testimony to the emperor of your bravery and zeal: his instructions are
that you must drive the enemy from those heights, which enable them to
look proudly down on our fertile valleys, and then chase them beyond the
Ebro. It is on the Spanish soil that your tents must be pitched and
your resources drawn. Let the account of our successes be dated from
Vittoria, and let the fête-day of his majesty be celebrated in that
city.” At this time Wellington’s attention was divided between the care
of his army on the frontier of France and the siege of San Sebastian.
He was returning from San Sebastian to his head-quarters on the night of
the 17th of July, when he received intelligence that the great army
of Soult, from 70,000 to 80,000 strong, was in rapid motion; that the
French had overpowered his troops in two of the mountain passes on
the right of the allied army; had penetrated into the valleys of the
Pyrenees, and were pressing onwards for Pamplona. “We must do the best
to stop them,” was the prompt reply; and stop them he did after a week’s
almost incessant fighting. From the 25th of July to the 2nd of August a
series of engagements took place, the result of which was the retreat of
Soult from the Spanish frontiers into France, with a loss, in killed
and prisoners, of nearly 20,000 men. In a private letter, just after the
“battles of the Pyrenees,” Wellington wrote, “I never saw such fighting
as we had here. It began on the 25th of Jury, and, excepting the 29th,
when not a shot was fired, we had it every day till the 2nd of August.
The battle of the 28th was fierce bludgeon work. The fourth division was
principally engaged, and the loss of the enemy was immense. I hope Soult
will not feel any inclination to renew his expedition. The French army
must have suffered considerably. Between the 25th of last month and the
2nd of this they were engaged seriously not less than ten times, on many
occasions in attacking very strong positions, in others beat from them
or pursued. I understand their officers say they have lost 15,000 men:
I thought so; but as they say so, I now think more. I believe we have
about four thousand prisoners. It is strange enough that our diminution
of strength up to the 31st did not exceed 1,500 men, although I believe
our casualties are 6,000.” In his retreat Soult was closely followed
by his adversaries; but, after meeting with severe loss, especially in
crossing the Bidassoa, he conducted the main body of his army in safety
to France. Lord Wellington at first designed to follow the enemy into
his own country, but weighty considerations induced him to abandon this
design; and the two armies therefore rested quiet in their respective
positions. In the interval of repose efforts were made by the French to
relieve San Sebastian; and these were met by an increased activity on
the part of the allies to capture both, that place and Pamplona. In
his attempt to relieve San Sebastian Soult was defeated by the Spanish
troops alone, and the place was captured on the 8th of September, when
the garrison, consisting of about 1,800 men, were made prisoners. On the
31st of October, also, the French in Pamplona, having lost all hope of
relief, surrendered prisoners of war to Don Carlos de Espana, who had
latterly commanded the blockading forces. But before the reduction of
Pamplona Lord Wellington had called down part of his troops from the
heights of the Pyrenees, and had led them forward a march or two on
French ground. Early in October he took possession of the French hills
of La Rhune; and on the 10th of November he called down the rest of the
allied army, and began to descend into the valleys on the French side.
Before taking this decisive step he told the officers and soldiers of
the various nations that followed his standard, to remember that they
were at war with France because the ruler of the French would not allow
them to be at peace, and wanted to force them to submit to his yoke; and
he exhorted them not to retaliate on the peaceable inhabitants of France
the injuries that the soldiers of Napoleon had inflicted on their own
countrymen. It was difficult to convince the Spanish and Portuguese
troops that they ought not to retaliate upon the French; but the
Portuguese at least attended to the exhortation. The admirable
discipline maintained, indeed, the care bestowed to see that the
property and persons of the French were protected, converted all around
into friends, and they came flocking to the English camp with provisions
and wine as to a friendly market. Men, women, and children, struck with
admiration at their conduct, followed our troops and wished them success
in their enterprise. In the meantime, Soult had retired to a strong
position on the Nivelle, his right resting upon St. Jean de Luz, and
his left upon Ainhoe. From this position he was driven on the 10th of
November, and Lord Wellington established his head-quarters at St. Jean
de Luz, on the right bank of the Nivelle, while the allies went into
cantonments between the sea and the river Nive, where their extreme
right rested on Cambo. The enemy guarded the right bank of the Nive from
Bayonne to St. Jean Pied de Port; but Lord Wellington, being straitened
for room and supplies for his army, resolved to cross the Nive, and
occupy the country between that river and the Adour. This was effected,
and the French were driven to Bayonne. Subsequently, during the month of
December, Soult made several attempts to dislodge the British; but
all his attacks were repulsed with great loss, and the French marshal
finally drew off his troops in despair, and retired into his entrenched
camp The allied army had also need of rest and re-enforcements, and it
went into winter-quarters. The campaign of 1813, in which the troops of
France had been taught the frail tenure of human fame, was terminated.
In the meantime, ill-success had attended the British arms on the
eastern coast of the Peninsula. On the 3rd of June, General Sir John
Murray had invested Tarragona, but after advancing his batteries against
it he received reports that Suchet was marching from Valencia for its
relief, and he immediately re-embarked his army, leaving his cannon in
the batteries. General Murray was succeeded in his command in August by
Lord William Bentinck, who resumed the siege of Tarragona, but it was
abandoned on the approach of Suchet, and the French marshal entered the
city, destroyed the works, withdrew the garrison, and retired towards
Barcelona. At this time the state of affairs in Sicily, and the
ill-success of political changes there, rendered it necessary for Lord
Bentinck to repair thither, and the command devolved on Sir William
Clinton; who as soon as arrangements could be made for restoring the
works at Tarragona and supplying with provisions the Spanish troops
attached to his command, fixed his head-quarters at Villa-franca With an
inadequate force, Sir William had to prevent Suchet from following up
his recent advantages, and so to occupy his attention, as to stop the
succours which he might send to Soult.
AMERICAN CAMPAIGN.
In the midst of the important affairs on the continent, the events of
the war with the United States scarcely attracted public attention.
These events were various, though unimportant. In the month of January
the Americans collected a large force in the back settlements, and again
approached Detroit, when Colonel Proctor routed their advanced guard,
and captured five hundred men, with their commander, General Winchester.
In April, the American general, Dearborn, took possession of York,
at the head of the Lake Ontario, from whence General Sheaffe and the
garrison was compelled to retire. About the same time, also, General
Vincent was obliged by superiority of numbers to vacate Fort St. George,
on the Niagara frontier, and on the 5th of June he compelled the enemy
to fall back again on Niagara; but soon after Colonel Proctor was
attacked by the American General, Harrison, with 10,000 men, who
captured nearly the whole of his force, he himself escaping with a
few attendants. Towards the end of October three American armies,
each amounting to 10,000 men, marched from different points upon Lower
Canada: but this great effort was frustrated by the vigilance of Sir
George Prévost. During the autumn a squadron of six British vessels was
captured by a superior American squadron, on Lake Erie, but on the whole
the campaign was honourable to the British arms. When defeated, it was
only by dint of overwhelming numbers. Between the “Shannon” and the
“Chesapeak,” ships of superior force, there was a fierce battle in
Boston Bay, which resulted in the capture of the American vessel, the
“Chesapeak,” although she had in number and weight of guns, as well
as in the number of its crew, a considerable superiority over the
“Shannon.” After a fierce conflict of fifteen minutes’ duration,
the “Chesapeak” was on its way with the conqueror, Captain Broke, to
Halifax. In St. George’s Channel, also, an American sloop of war was
captured by the British sloop, “Pelican.”
MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.
Parliament met on the 4th of November. In his speech the prince declared
that no disposition to require sacrifices from France, inconsistent with
her honour and just pretensions, would ever be an obstacle to peace; and
that he was ready to enter into discussion with the United States, on
principles not opposed to the established maxims of public law and the
maritime right of the British empire. The speech naturally noticed the
successes which had crowned his majesty’s arms and those of his allies
in the present year, and it also spoke of the now prosperous state of
British commerce, despite the enemy’s efforts to crush it. The speech of
the prince regent was received with universal assent and joy. The voice
of opposition, indeed, was entirely hushed, and in both houses the
addresses were carried _nem. con_.
BILL FOR ALLOWING THE MILITIA TO VOLUNTEER INTO THE LINE, ETC.
Early in this session Lord Castlereagh introduced a bill for allowing
three-fourths of any militia regiment to volunteer for foreign service,
which bill passed without opposition. Parliament also gave its ready
sanction for a loan of £22,000,000 as well as for subsidies to Sweden,
Russia, and Austria. Previous to this, £2,000,000 had been advanced
to Spain, two to Portugal, and one to Sweden: the sum to be allowed
to Russia and Prussia was estimated at £5,000,000 and the advance to
Austria consisted of £1,000,000, together with 1,000,000 stand of arms
and military stores in proportion. At this time men of all parties,
from a desire to humble our one great foe, concurred in supporting
the foreign policy of our cabinet. The desired grants being obtained,
parliament adjourned to the month of March.