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streets were intersected by deep ditches, in the inside of which were planted cannon, pouring showers of grape on the advancing columns. defiance, however, of this opposition, the 36th Regiment, headed by the gallant General, reached its final destination; but the 88th, being nearer to the forts and principal defences of the enemy, were so weakened by his fire as to be totally overpowered and taken. The flank of the 36th being thus exposed, this Regiment, together with the 5th, retired upon Sir Samuel Auchmuty's post at the Plaza de Toros; not, however, before Lieutenant-Colonel Bourne and the Grenadier company of the 36th Reg. had had an opportunity of distinguishing themselves by charging about 800 of the enemy, and taking and spiking two guns. The two six-pounders meeting with a very superior fire, the four troops of the Carabineers, led on by Lieutenant-Colonel Kingston, advanced to take the battery opposed to them; but this gallant Officer being unfortunately wounded, as well as Captain Burrell, next in command, and the fire both from the battery and the houses proving very destructive, they retreated to a short distance, but continued to occupy a position in front of the enemy's principal defences, and considerably in advance of that which they had taken in the morning.

"The left Division of General Craufurd's Brigade, under Colonel Pack, approached the great square, with the intention of possessing itself of the Jesuit's college, but from the very destructive nature of the enemy's fire this was found impracticable; and, after sustaining a heavy loss, one part of the Division throwing itself into a house, which was afterwards not found tenable, was shortly obliged to surrender, whilst the remaining part, after enduring a terrible fire with the greatest intrepidity, Colonel Pack being wounded, retired upon the right Division, commanded by BrigadierGeneral Craufurd himself. General Craufurd, learning the fate of his left Division, thought it advisable to take possession of the convent of St Domingo. But the enemy surrounded the convent on all sides, and, attempting to take a threepounder which lay in the street, the LieutenantColonel, with his company and a few Light Infantry under Major Trotter, charged them with great spirit. In an instant the greater part of his company and Major Trotter were killed, but the gun was saved. The Brigadier-General was now obliged to confine himself to the defence of the convent; but the quantity of round shot, grape, and musketry to which he was exposed at last obliged him to quit the top of the building, and the enemy, to the number of 6,000, bringing up cannon to force the wooden gates, the General, judging from the cessation of firing that those next him had not been successful, surrendered at four o'clock in the afternoon." "The result of this

day's action," General Whitelocke adds, "left me in possession of the Plaza de Toros, a strong post on the enemy's right, and the Residencia, another strong post on his left, while I occupied an advanced position towards his centre; but these advantages had cost about 2,500 men, in killed, wounded, and prisoners. The nature of the fire to which the troops were exposed was violent in the extreme. Grape-shot at the corners of the streets, musketry, hand-grenades, bricks, and stones from the tops of all the houses; every householder, with his negroes, defended his dwelling, each of which was in itself a fortress; and it is not perhaps too much to say that the whole male population of Buenos Ayres was employed in its defence."

"This was the situation of the Army on the morning of the 6th instant, when General Liniers addressed a letter to me, offering to give up all his prisoners taken in the late affair, together with the 71st Regiment and others taken with Brigadier-General Beresford, if I desisted from any further attack on the town, and withdrew His Majesty's Forces from the river Plata, intimating at the same time, from the exasperated state of the populace, he could not answer for the safety of the prisoners if I persisted in offensive measures. Influenced by this consideration (which I knew to be founded on fact), and reflecting of how little advantage would be the possession of a country the inhabitants of which were so absolutely hostile, I resolved to forego the advantages which the bravery of the troops had obtained, and acceded to a treaty, which I trust will meet the approbation of His Majesty."

There is something inexpressibly ghastly in the ludicrous treatment of his great misfortune, to which the Lieutenant-General descends, when he talks of the " advantages" obtained by the bravery of his troops. Every voice was lifted up in condemnation of Whitelocke's deplorable incapacity, and of the absence of judgment displayed in selecting him for the command. A distinguished Military critic (General Sir Edward Cust) remarks, "if the Lieutenant-General had not been utterly inefficient and inexperienced, he would not have hampered his attack by dividing his Force, and locking them up in the streets of an unknown city, in ignorance of its powers of defence, or of the impossibility of contending in streets without fire-arms. He ought to have known that the city was prepared and barricaded for a desperate struggle, which, from the character of Colonel Liniers and the failure of Beresford, might have been foreseen. He should have availed himself of the powerful train of Artillery which Auchmuty had taken in Monte Video, and which was left idle in the rear, under Colonel

Mahon, at Reduction. A previous bombardment would soon have overcome any attempts on the part of such a population as defended Buenos Ayres of the remotest chance of success."

In explanation of the remark on the "impossibility of contending in streets without fire-arms," it should be stated that from motives of humanity some of the Regiments were deprived of the flints of their firelocks, and even of the locks altogether. It was feared that the men might be tempted to fire wantonly upon the inhabitants. This very circumstance led to the massacre of the soldiery.

The loss to the British resulting from this untoward business was very serious. No fewer than three hundred and sixteen good soldiers, including sixteen Officers, fell in the streets of Buenos Ayres. The list of the wounded was still more frightful. Three Lieutenant-Colonels, three Majors, fiftythree Captains and Subalterns, and 674 rank and file suffered in the inglorious contest. Two hundred and eight men were taken prisoners. These, however, and the soldiers of the 71st who had been sent up the country, were exchanged for the Spaniards taken at Monte Video.

Lieutenant-General Whitelocke was brought to a Court-Martial in the following year. The charges and the finding involve too salutary a warning to be omitted here. The first charge expressed "that Lieutenant-General Whitelocke, having received instructions from His Majesty's principal Secretary of State to proceed to the reduction of the province of Buenos Ayres, pursued measures ill-calculated to facilitate that conquest; that when the Spanish Commander had shown such symptoms of a disposition to treat, as to express a desire to communicate with MajorGeneral Gower, the second in command, upon the subject of terms, the said Lieutenant-General Whitelocke did return a message, in which he demanded, amongst other articles, the surrender of all persons holding civil offices in the Government of Buenos Ayres as prisoners of war; that the said Lieutenant-General Whitelocke, in making such an offensive and unusual demand, tending to exasperate the inhabitants of Buenos Ayres, to produce and encourage a spirit of resistance to His Majesty's arms, to exclude the hope of amicable accommodation, and to increase the difficulties of the service with which he was ⚫ entrusted, acted in a manner unbecoming his duty as an Officer, prejudicial to Military discipline, and contrary to the Articles of War." In the second charge it was stated "that LieutenantGeneral Whitelocke, after the landing of the troops at Ensenada, and during the march from thence to the town of Buenos Ayres, did not make the Military arrangements best calculated to ensure the success of his operations against the town; and that, having known, previously to his

attack upon the town of Buenos Ayres, upon the 5th July, 1807, as appears from his public despatch of the 10th of July, that the enemy meant to occupy the flat roofs of the houses, he did, nevertheless, in that attack, divide his Force into several Brigades and parts, and ordered the whole to be unloaded, and no firing to be permitted on any account, and under this order, to march into the principal streets of the town unprovided with proper and sufficient means for forcing the barricades, whereby the troops were unnecessarily exposed to destruction, without the possibility of making effectual opposition: such conduct betraying great professional incapacity on the part of the said Lieutenant-General Whitelocke, tending to lessen the confidence of the troops in the judgment of their Officers, being derogatory to the honour of His Majesty's arms, contrary to his duty as an Officer, prejudicial to good order and Military discipline, and contrary to the Articles of War." The third charge ran thus :-"That the said. Lieutenant-General did not make, although it was in his power, any effectual attempt, by his own personal exertion or otherwise, to co-operate with, or support the different Divisions of the Army under his command, when engaged with the enemy in the streets of Buenos Ayres, on the 5th of July, 1807; whereby those troops, after having encountered and surmounted a constant and well-directed fire, and having effected the purpose of their orders, were left without aid and support, or further orders; and considerable detachments, under Lieutenant-Colonel Duff and Brigadier-General Craufurd, were thereby compelled to surrender, such conduct on the part of the said Lieutenant-General Whitelocke tending to the defeat and dishonour of His Majesty's arms, to lessen the confidence of the troops in the skill and courage of their Officers, being unbecoming and disgraceful, &c." Fourth charge :"That the said Lieutenant-General Whitelocke, subsequent to the attack upon the town of Buenos Ayres, and at a time when the troops under his command were in possession of posts on each flank of the town, and of the principal arsenal, with a communication open to the Fleet, and having an effective Force of upwards of 5,000 men, did enter into, and finally conclude, a treaty with the enemy, whereby he acknowledges in the public despatch of the 10th of July, 1807, that he resolved to forego the advantages which the bravery of his troops had obtained, and which advantages had cost him about 2,500 men, in killed, wounded, and prisoners;' and by such treaty he unnecessarily and shamefully surrendered all such advantages, totally evacuated the town of Buenos Ayres, and consented to deliver, and did shamefully abandon and deliver up to the enemy, the strong fortress of Monte Video, which

had been committed to his charge; and which, at the period of the treaty and abandonment, was well and sufficiently garrisoned, and provided against attack, and which was not, at such period, in a state of blockade or siege: such conduct on the part of Lieutenant General Whitelocke tending to the dishonour of His Majesty's arms, and being contrary to his duty as an Officer, prejudicial to good order and Military discipline, and contrary to the Articles of War."

The Court-Martial found the LieutenantGeneral guilty of the whole of these charges, with the exception of that part of the second charge which related to the order that columns should be unloaded, and that no firing should be permitted on any account. The Court was "anxious that it might be distinctly understood that they attached no censure whatever to the precautions taken to prevent unnecessary firing during the advance of the troops to the proposed points of attack, and did therefore acquit Lieutenant-General Whitelocke of that part of the said charge." The Court adjudged "that Lieutenant-General Whitelocke be cashiered, and declared totally unfit and unworthy to serve His Majesty in any Military capacity whatever." This sentence was confirmed by the King, who gave orders that it should be read at the head of every Regiment in his Service, and inserted in all Regimental orderly-books, with the view of its becoming "a lasting memorial of the fatal consequences to which Officers expose themselves, who, in the discharge of the important duties confided to them, are deficient in that zeal, judgment, and personal exertion which their Sovereign and their country have a right to expect from Officers entrusted with high commands."

In the General Orders of the Duke of York the following agreeable salve was administered to the troops "To His Majesty, who has ever taken a most lively interest in the welfare, the honour, and reputation of his troops, the recent failure in South America has proved a subject of the most heartfelt regret; but it has been a great consolation to him, and His Majesty has commanded it to be intimated to the Army, that, after the most minute investigation, His Majesty finds ample cause for gratification in the intrepidity and good conduct displayed by his troops lately employed on that service, and particularly by those Divisions of the Army which were personally engaged with the enemy in the town of Buenos Ayres, on the 5th of July, 1807; and His Majesty entertains no doubt that, had the exertions of his troops in South America been directed by the same skill and energy which have so eminently distinguished his commanders in other quarters of the world, the result of the campaign would have proved

equally glorious to themselves and beneficial to their country.

The calamity at Buenos Ayres was not the only one which befel the British Army in 1806. A portion of one of the finest Regiments was sacrificed to the bigotry of the Indian sepoys. The facts are briefly these: Sir John Cradock, who for his conduct in Egypt and elsewhere had been appointed to the command of the Forces on the Madras establishment, was induced to issue orders for some changes in the head-dress of the sepoys, substituting a light cap for the cumbrous turban. He also introduced a new kind of turnscrew, as part of the appointments of the men. Unfortunately, as later events have proved upon a larger scale, the sepoy was very impressionable on the subject of his caste, which had got mixed up with his notions of religion. The new cap, which may have been partially manufactured of leather-the hide of an unclean animal-he was told by some designing persons in the interest of the Mysorean princes, Tippoo's pensioned sons, was furtively intended to destroy his caste, while the turn-screw with a top resembling a cross was to exhibit to his fellow-men his adoption of Christianity! It is needless to say that Sir John Cradock had not the remotest intention of interfering with the prejudices of the sepoys. In point of fact, he had acted entirely at the suggestion of Officers upon his Staff who were well acquainted with the habits of the natives, and had served among them for many years. But the idea of the subversion of their creed had taken possession of the minds of the sepoys, and nothing less would satisfy their vengeance than the massacre of every European within their reach.

At the station of Vellore, in the south of India, two companies of His Majesty's 69th Foot were stationed, and contiguous to them a Regi

*For a more minute detail of the disastrous proceedings at Buenos Ayres, the reader may be safely referred to the memoirs of the late Sir Samford Whittingham, written by his son Major-General F. Whittingham. Pages 14 to 24 are not only interesting from the soldier-like view of Whitelocke's conduct which was taken by Sir Samford, who was his Aide-de-Camp, and who entertained for him a grateful affection, which Whitelocke's incapacity could not qualify or diminish, but they serve to show how valuable a discreet Staff Officer must be who has studied his profession. The account of Sir Samford's journey from head-quarters to the Plaza de los Toros, where Sir Samuel Auchmuty's Brigade was posted, is an episode that may be studied with profit. The courage and sagacity of Sir Samford, which were only equalled by his modesty, are demonstrated in the diffident sketch of the perilous task, and its successful results. And the opinion which the gallant Sir Samford entertained of the whole of the operations, as they stand recorded in his journal (see page 21), exhibit the candour of his character, and the deep mortification his fine Military spirit endured. "Would to God," he emphatically exclaims, "the waters of Oblivion were as near at hand as are those of La Plata !"

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ment of sepoys was cantoned. Long before day. break on the 10th of July these sepoys, headed by their native subadars and jemadars, marched into the barracks of the 69th, and while the men slept they fired in upon them, and killed no fewer than one hundred and thirteen! The rest, rising from their cots, made what resistance they could, and one of them, magaging to escape, carried the tidings of the massacre to Arcot, where the 19th Light Dragoons were quartered. LieutenantColonel Gillespie instantly mounted his horse, and heading the Regiment, to which some troops of native Cavalry were added, hastened to Vellore, a distance of sixteen miles. Only four hours had elapsed from the time of the cruel slaughter before the gallant Gillespie was before Vellore. The sepoys, shutting themselves up in the fort and barricading the gate, bade him defiance. lespie sent for some guns, and at a later hour blew open the gate. It was now the turn of the infuriated Dragoons. Pouring into the fort, sword in hand, they overcame the opposition of the savage assassins, and cut them down mercilessly. The sepoys, fighting with ropes round their necks, sold their lives dearly. Three hundred and fifty of the mutineers were killed and five hundred made prisoners.

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It was never ascertained whether the disaffection had spread beyond the Regiments at Vellore, but, if it had, this example of the retribution following upon mutiny checked any further demonstrations. Sir John Cradock was recalled from his command, and a like fate was the penalty paid by Lord William Bentinck, the Governor of Madras, an able and accomplished Officer, who was destined to act a more conspicuous part in Military and political operations.

If the events in Buenos Ayres were not calculated to cast lustre on the British arms, the year 1806 should nevertheless be marked with a white stone in celebration of the battle of Maida. It merits particular detail.

A combined Russian and English Force had landed at Naples with the intention of supporting the Austrians in Italy. But the Austrian cause was past help, and Russia, finding that the King of Naples had violated a pledge of neutrality given to Napoleon in allowing the Allies to land, withdrew her power, leaving the English to do battle for Naples single-handed. This was out of the question. Sir James Craig, who was in command, did not believe in the possibility of accomplishing any good purpose with so small a Force, and not choosing to sacrifice his troops to the wild and extravagant projects of the Neapolitan Court, he very judiciously withdrew them to Sicily, albeit they murmured at his prudence. While the French were so many miles away there could not

be, in the estimation of the soldiery, any good reason for withdrawal. Sir James established himself at Messina in the most convenient spot for the protection of the island, and as a good base for any operations that might arise. The result justified the wisdom of his procedure, for soon afterwards an immense French Force arrived at Naples, under the command of Joseph Bonaparte, the Emperor's brother, who forthwith assumed the appellation of "King of Naples," and occupied the town and territory. The King, de jure, and his busy wife fled to Sicily, and placed themselves under British protection.

Ill-health obliging Sir James Craig to resign, Sir John Stuart succeeded to the onerous command. Brief time elapsed ere the King and Queen entreated him to make a diversion in their favour on the coast of Calabria. Reports had reached them, which they were too ready to believe, that the Calabrians were prepared to rise and throw off the new yoke imposed upon them by the modern Cæsar. Sir John Stuart, after mature deliberation, acceded to the wishes of the fugitive monarch, and crossed over to Calabria with 4,795 men and Officers and eight 4-pounder guns. General Regnier, who was with Joseph Bonaparte, immediately made a rapid march to Reggio to meet Stuart, and took up an excellent position on the side of a woody hill, below the village of Maida, sloping to the plain. His Force was as numerous as that of the British, with the additional advantage of possessing three hundred Dragoons. A shallow, fordable river ran across the front of Regnier's position. Stuart would not have dreamt of attacking him posted as he was, and Regnier would have been wise to have remained on the hill. But the complete view which he obtained of Stuart's little Army disclosed the absence of Cavalry. The temptation to attack was not to be resisted. Early in the morning of July 6 (1806), the antagonistic Battalions deployed in front of each other, and by nine a.m. were exactly parallel. Almost immediately afterwards they were warmly engaged, when, to use Sir John Stuart's words, "the prowess of the rival nations seemed now fairly to be on trial before the world, and the superiority was greatly and gloriously decided to be our own." At a distance of one hundred yards the Light Infantry, under Lieutenant-Colonel James Kempt, and the St Legue French Regiment were face to face, and, after a volley, simultaneously_charged. bayonets just crossed when the French broke and turned. Kempt gave them no time to re-formthey were slaughtered to a man. On the left of the French line, Brigadier-General Acland attacked with the 78th and 81st Regiments, and threw the enemy into confusion. On the right, Regnier made a great effort to achieve victory, but found Brigadier

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General Cole and the 27th too much for him. The Cavalry came down upon the Brigade; when suddenly the 20th Foot, which had only arrived that morning from Messina, attacked them from a neighbouring cover, and emptied so many saddles that they went about instantly.* Astounded and dismayed at the energy of the British assault, the French fled in every direction, leaving 700 dead upon the field and 1,000 prisoners. Well might General Stuart have said, as he did say, that "there seldom has happened an action in which the zeal and personal exertions of individuals were so imperiously called for as in that of Maida; seldom an occasion where a General had a fairer opportunity of observing them." The troops engaged in the battle were the 20th, 27th, 78th, and 81st Regiments, and the Artillery, besides some local and royalist Corps.† The Calabrians did not assist the English at first, but after the engagement at Maida they took heart, and commenced so active a guerilla warfare against the French that the latter were compelled to evacuate the Calabrias, having lost 6,000 men out of 9,000 during the short period of their Sir John Stuart, occupation of the country. not feeling strong enough to undertake other operations on the coast, withdrew with his laurels to Sicily, where he was soon after superseded by General Fox and Sir John Moore. The former, however, left him to continue the war, and Sir John Moore proceeded to make a reconnaissance of the state of popular feeling in the Neapolitan territory, which he did not find was of a character that warranted further interference in Italian affairs.

In moving a vote of thanks to Sir John Stuart for the victory achieved at Maida, Mr Windham, the Secretary at War, made a pertinent speech. After observing that there had been a general, a very lively, and very proper feeling manifested throughout the country on the subject of the fight, he said:

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"The character of the exploit itself, and the advantages which flowed from it, must present themselves to the sober reflections of every man, and indeed the House and the country at large had already by their admiration and gratitude pronounced the value of the glorious achievement. There was not a single one of the various views in which this exploit could be considered that did not rank it with the proudest achievements of our ancestors-that did not raise it to a level even with the memorable days of Crécy, Poictiers, and Agincourt."

There is an anecdote extant illustrative of the eagerness of this Regiment for the fray. The men were bathing. The bugle sounded. Without waiting to dress, the soldiers threw on their accoutrements and fell in-they even attacked the enemy 'in puris naturalibus'!

† On this-the first occasion since their introductionthe value of Sir John Moore's instructions was tested.

CHAPTER XXIV.

War with Denmark-Capture of the Danish Fleet-The King's German Legion - Expedition to Egypt-Napoleon interferes in Spanish Affairs-Abdication of the King, and of his Son-French Troops occupy SpainJoseph Bonaparte made King-The British Government sends an Army to Portugal-Sir A. Wellesley arrives first and defeats the French at Roriga and Vimiero-The Convention of Cintra-Sir John Moore advances into Spain-The Spaniards rise in revolt against the French-Napoleon arrives-Defeats the Spaniards and goes to meet the English-Sir John Moore retreats to Corunna-Ensures the safe embarkation of the Army-Is killed in action-His funeralThe Ode, &c.

Nelson, whose energy, rapidity, and courage had made him the glory of England and the terror of the French, had so completely swept the seas of the enemy's Fleets that Napoleon's hostile operations were, in 1807, entirely confined to the Continent of Europe. The crowning victory of Trafalgar had left but little to be accomplished, and that trifling reserve of glory was bequeathed to Hood and Collingwood, who, with Pellew, Saumarez, and Cochrane, soon left the French Emperor with scarcely a ship of war. In this dilemma Napoleon turned his attention to the Navies of his Allies, or the smaller States, and meditated supplying his own deficiencies by appropriating their ships, or, at least, by making use of them in his future designs.

The Danish Navy was, for the size of the kingdom, large and efficient. Time out of mind the Danes had been good seamen, and the spirit of the ancient Norsemen, who had been the terror of the English coasts, still survived. Denmark had had her share of West and East Indian conquests and geographical discovery. The Danes were on friendly terms with Great Britain in 1807, but there was every reason to believe that they would be coerced into hostility by the French Emperor, or compelled to give up to his service their best ships and sailors. The British Government received information that, in furtherance of his schemes, Napoleon was on the point of sending a Military Force into Holstein, for the purpose of cutting off the communications of England with the Continent of Europe, or compelling the Court of Denmark to close the passage of the Sound against British commerce and navigation. A very short time previously England had sent her Nelson to the succour of Denmark, and in the "Battle of the Baltic" the nation had been rescued. In the nervous lines of Campbell, she "Blessed our Chief

That gave her wounds repose."

The Government, therefore, believed that the Court of Denmark would not object to place the Fleet under the protection of England until peace had been established with Napoleon. At the close