British squadron was not commanded by Nelson, and no defences were necessary against an army smitten by pestilence, and perishing where it stood. General Brownrigg reports the sick at 3000 on Saturday the 26th of August; the Monday found it 4000; and a few days raised it to 7000. Then a Council of War decided on returning to England, while there were still troops to re-embark. So disastrous a failure excited a general outcry. It seemed a repetition of the blunders in Holland on a larger scale, and parties united against a system which employed such Commanders. The bitterest harangues were directed against the Government; Parliament ordered an inquiry into the conduct of the expedition; and newspapers mingled satire with invective in criticising the operations. The friends of the two Commanders heightened the agitation by their bitter recriminations: one side maintained that the General had behaved with skill, but was foiled by the inaction of the Admiral; while the party of Sir Richard Strachan contended that he would have captured Antwerp, had he not been held back by Lord Chatham. Hence arose the well-known epigram: "The Earl of Chatham, with his sword drawn, Stood waiting for the Earl of Chatham." Sir Howard returned to his duties at the Military College, and took no part in the controversy, but Lord Chatham and General Brownrigg claimed his assistance in their defence. A memorandum in the 'Douglas Papers' shows that he gave his testimony to the authorities in favour of Lord Chatham, ascribing the detention at Walcheren to the imperfect co-operation of the naval force, though he expresses doubts whether any combination of the two Commanders would have achieved the design on Antwerp. The methodical way in which he had jotted down the points of the campaign now proved of service, by showing the occasions on which naval co-operation failed; and the following letters attest the importance attached to the journal prepared from these notes for the vindication of Lord Chatham. "MY DEAR SIR HOWARD, "Horse Guards, 20th September, 1809. "I had hoped for the pleasure of hearing of, or seeing something of you before this time, and trust I shall not be much longer disappointed. The clamour that has been raised against Lord Chatham, and the extraordinary state in which the government of the country is, make it more than ever necessary that the most comprehensive and satisfactory statement of the transactions of the army he commanded should be made, and that with the least possible loss of time. As you have commenced this work, I hope to have your able assistance in completing it. I think this might be done if you could spare a week or ten days in town; and if Lady Douglas will accompany you, it will afford my daughter and myself the greatest pleasure to endeavour to make your time pass pleasantly, and we would try to get you lodgings near us. Pray let me hear from you on this subject, and believe me "Truly and faithfully yours, "ROBERT BROWNRIGG." "MY DEAR SIR HOWARD, "Horse Guards, 28th September, 1809. "On coming to the office I found a note from Colonel Taylor, expressing the King's anxiety to receive Lord Chatham's report as early as possible. This I shall communicate to Lord C. in the morning, and I have no doubt that his Lordship will press for the Journal. I only mention this to request your attention to the completion of it; and to suggest that possibly you may postpone your journey to Lord Harcourt until this business is finished, that you may devote your undivided time to it. I shall certainly hope to meet you here on Monday. "Ever truly yours, "ROBERT BROWNRIGG." The Journal' was ordered to be printed and laid before Parliament. It details the operations day by day, and mentions the officers employed in a prominent manner, with the exception of Sir Howard himself, whom we can only trace under the modest designation of "an officer of the QuartermasterGeneral's Department." CHAPTER XIII. IN GALLICIA. SIR HOWARD's experience of war had not cooled his military ardour. In his quiet sphere at the College he gave his thoughts to the conflicts waged abroad, where glory waited on danger. From every camp he received letters from his pupils, relating what passed, as well as what was in prospect; and their plain unvarnished narratives made him impatient of inaction. But it was the struggle in Spain that he watched most earnestly: his Spanish campaign had interested him in its people, and excited a desire to serve under Lord Wellington, an object he would gladly have purchased by the sacrifice of his position at home. Unknown to himself events were working to bring about his wishes, though in a way he could never have conceived, and which left his position untouched. The Minister of the day had heard of the officer who came to the rescue of his superiors on the Walcheren inquiry, and now thought of him for another delicate service, calling for the same tact. The first hint came to Sir Howard in the following note from Colonel Torrens, the Military Secretary: "MY DEAR DOUGLAS, "Horse Guards, July 24th, 1811. Immediately on the receipt of this, the Duke [of York] requests that you will come to town. In order that you and Lady Douglas may be prepared for what is to happen, I beg to apprise you that it is intended to send you upon a confidential and important mission to Spain. Six days later he heard from the Minister for War, in an official communication from Downing Street, and learnt that, "it being judged expedient, under present circumstances, that an officer of the British army should be appointed to reside in the province of Gallicia, for the purpose of communicating with the Commanders of the Spanish armies in that and the adjoining provinces of Spain, and of distributing such arms and stores as may be sent from this country, His Royal Highness the Prince Regent has directed that you should be selected for this service." The letter enjoined him " to lose no time in repairing to the head-quarters of Lieutenant-General Lord Wellington, Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces in the Peninsula," and placing himself under his orders; while he received instructions to keep in communication with Lord Liverpool, and forward him copies of all his letters to Lord Wellington for the information of the Prince Regent. Sir Howard did not neglect the admonition to "lose no time;" for he set out for Plymouth the next day, after a long interview with Lord Wellesley. His coming was awaited by a man-of-war schooner, appropriately named the Active,' and she started on her voyage directly he stepped on board. For once he got a fair wind, and the 'Active' reached the Tagus |