An impartial history of the naval, military and political events in Europe from the commencement of the French revolution to the ... conclusion of a general peace

Insurrection in Madrid, and Military Murders afterwards-Assembly of Notables convoked at Bayonne, and Joseph Buonaparte nominated by his Brother King of Spain and of the Indies-General Insurrection of the Spaniards-Formation of the Provincial Juntas-Their Measures and Proclamations-Deputies from the Asturias reach England-Mr. Sheridan's Speech-Proceedings at Cadiz-The Spaniards put the Governor to Death, and compel the French Squadron to Surrender— Dupont enters Andalusia with a French Army, is Defeated by General Reding at Baglen, and Surrenders-The French Eagles deposited as Trophies, at SevilleMemorable Siege of Saragossa-Le Febvre attempts to force the City, and is Repulsed-Heroism of the Women-Countess Burita, and Augustina Saragossa-Conflagration of St. Engracia-The French enter the City, and obtain possession of half of it-Unexampled Heroism of the People-Expulsion of the Enemy.

HUS had Buonaparte succeeded in dispossessing the house of Bourbou of the throne of Spain. The whole of that family, (with the exception of the infante Don Pedro, nephew to Charles VI. who had fortunately been adopted by the Portuguese court, and accompanied them to Brasil,) were in his power as prisoners; and, in the character of an ally, he had secured for himself the passes of the Pyrenees, seized the important city of Barcelona, and the strongest places upon the frontier, marched his armies into the very heart of the kingdom, and obtained possession of the capital. The train of perfidy by which he had thus far accomplished his purpose, is unexampled, even in the worst ages of history. The whole transaction was on his part a busisiness of pure, unmingled wickedness; unprovoked, unextenuated, equally detestable in its motive, its means, and its end.

The Corsican had now displayed himself in his true character. For the mere selfish, vulgar ambition, of aggrandizing VOL. II.

his own family, by transferring his brother Joseph from the throne of Naples to that of Madrid, he had committed an act of usurpation, as impolitic as it was iniquitous. Spain had been the faithful ally of France,-let Trafalgar witness how fatally for herself! Her fleets were at the disposal of Buonaparte; her armies were occupied in his service in Portugal, and upon the Baltie; her treasures were at his demand, as completely as if Charles had been a tributary king. France then could gain nothing by this change of dynasty; and the loss of all the advantages which she derived from Spanish America, was hazarded by it, if Spain herself should ever submit to the insolent intrusion of Joseph, a base and low-born stranger, who had renewed at Naples an exhibition of those tortures which make the judge as much to be abhorred as the criminal, however great the crime; a wretch elęvated for the mere accident of consanguinity, in an age when all the adventurers by whom he was surrounded, had raised themselves by some species of

talent, either in the cabinet or the field; his only merit was, that he was the brother of Napoleon Buonaparte, and sufficiently unprincipled, mean, and cruel, to be his tool and executioner.

As for the pretext that there existed an English party in Spain, it was notoriously false. Those Spaniards who felt and lamented the degradation of Spain, founded their hopes of effecting its regeneration upon Buonaparte. There was not any possible way by which he could have so effectually attached the Spaniards to their alliance with France, secured their affections, and strengthened his own immediate and individual interests, (if the most vulgar ambition had not blinded him,) as by connecting his own family with the royal house of Spain, by the projected marriage with Ferdinand, and suffering him and his ministers to make those reforms which would soon have restored to health and strength a country that was still sound at heart. Buonaparte has never had it in his power to produce such great and extensive good as this opportunity invited, without risk, effort, or any centingent inconvenience. He had only to say, Let these things be, and the work of progressive reformation would have begun in Spain and in Spanish America, while he, like a presiding god, might have looked on and received the blessings of both countries for his benignant influence. But every good and rational principle was absorbed in the current of his ambition.

The artifices, by which he had thus far accomplished his purpose, were of the basest kind. Never, perhaps, was any plot of perfidious ambition so coarsely planned. The term of policy cannot be cannot be applied to it; and cunning imports an exertion of talent, which no part of this infamous transaction displayed. Nothing more was required than to employ falsehood and violence equally without remorse; to repeat professions and protestations so profusely as to deceive the prince, and to shed blood enough to intimidate the people. The former object had been effected; and Murat, perceiving in the Spaniards a spirit of patriotism,

which neither he nor his master had expected, was eager to give the word for slaughter. He seemed, as soon as he entered Madrid, resolved to make them feel that they were no longer a free and independent nation, but that they must learn obedience to a military yoke. A Frenchman had been appointed governor of the city, a French patrole had been established, and (April 14th,) notice was given, that, as the great-coats for the French troops had not arrived, the heads of the police were to call at every house to receive a contribution of these articles, every person being expected to contribute as many as he could. After the departure of Ferdinand from Madrid, the anxiety and agitation of the people hourly increased they knew that he had expected to meet Buonaparte at Burgos; and the tidings that he had crossed the frontier and proceeded to Bayonne, excited as much alarm as wonder. An extraordinary courier arrived every evening from that city ;the intelligence which he brought was never published in the gazette, but circulated as extracts from private correspondence: the first of these accounts consisted solely of details of the honors with which Ferdinand had been received by the emperor. Subsequent despatches became each less satisfactory than the last; hints were given that all was not going on well; and Buonaparte's intentions became more and more developed, till it could no longer be doubted that Ferdinand was to be deprived of his

crown.

The courier who was expected on Saturday, the 30th of April, did not arrive: he was still expected on the following evening, and great multitudes assembled at the Puerto del Sol, and in the streets near the post-office, anxiously waiting for the news. The French garrison were under arms all that night; their commanders, cool spectators of these things, according to their own relation, saw a crisis approaching, and saw it with pleasure. The following morning, (May 2nd,) had been fixed upon for the departure of the queen of Etruria and her brother, the

infante Don Francisco de Paula, for Bayonne. Many people collected before the palace. It was reported that the infante Don Antonio, the president of the provisional government, had been desired, or rather ordered, by Murat, to join his brother and nephew at Bayonne; the French general intimating at the same time, that he expected to be appointed regent during his absence; but the infante refused to obey. He had received his power, he said, from the king, his nephew, and to him only, in person, would he resign it; and he would not abandon his post. In consequence of this act of firmness, Murat recalled some troops to Madrid, which had been ordered to a different station a few days before, and entered the city with them that morning, intending, as was suspected, to seize the person of the infante, and secure to himself the office of regent. Impressed by this apprehension, the people were disposed to resist force by force. A rumor arose that one of the carriages, when it drove up to the gate, was intended for Don Antonio, and the populace determined that they would not suffer the last of the royal family to be taken from them, cut the traces of the carriage, and forced it back into the palace-yard. Being assured, however, that Don Antonio was not to leave Madrid, they permitted it again to be yoked and brought out. Murat sent one of his aides-de-camp to inquire into this disturbance. The people were disposed to treat him roughly, but some Spanish officers interfered, and rescued him from their hands. The carriages with the queen of Etruria and her brother were now suffered to proceed, and the latter, a boy of fourteen, was crying bitterly, and evidently unwilling to go; a circumstance which both affected and enraged the people. At this moment the aid-decamp returned with a party of French soldiers, and the scene of bloodshed began. The Spanish troops were locked up in their barracks, and thus prevented from joining the people. The latter behaved with great spirit, and there is scarcely on record an instance of an attempt so brave,

and at the same time so hopeless. fast as the alarm spread, every man of the lower ranks who could find any kind of weapon, armed himself, and hastened to the nearest scene of action. Numbers of the French fell, and their arms were seized by the Spaniards. But the people of a small metropolis could effect but little against 60,000 troops in the city and its immediate vicinity, prepared for this insurrection, and having only to contend with an unarmed and irregular multitude. The French poured into the city on all sides with their flying artillery; their cavalry repeatedly charged the populace, and thirty discharges of grape-shot cleared the streets. The infantry fired volleys into every cross street as they passed; and every window and balcony was aimed at in which any person could be seen. The people, when once dispersed, fled into their houses, whither they were followed by the French, and bayonetted wherever they were found. Parties of cavalry also were stationed at the different outlets of the city, where they cut down all who attempted to escape. Such, however, was the resistance of the people, that the greater part of the French troops were killed before their overpowering powers could arrive from their camps. Two brave ar tillery officers, Doaiz and Velarde, at the head of a handful of artillerymen, hastened to the arsenal, but, before they could deliver out the arms, a detachment was sent to secure it. They repelled the first column, having brought a 24-pounder to bear upon the long narrow street by which the enemy advanced. Two other columns were despatched against them, who, from the windows and roofs of houses in the neighbourhood, fired on them from both sides. Velarde was killed by a musketball; Doaiz, having his thigh broken, continued to give his orders sitting, till he received three other wounds, the last of which put an end to his life. About two the firing ceased in all parts, in conse quence of the personal interference of the council of Castile, who paraded the streets with many of the Spanish nobility, and a mingled escort of Spanish soldiers. and.

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An impartial history of the naval, military and political events in ..., Volum 2