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Emperor's silence, and in the absence of all direction from him in the conduct of the war, to adopt a plan of campaign. There was no longer an enemy between the Douro and the Sierra Morena. The two Castilles, La Mancha, and Estramadura, with the exception of the stronghold of Badajoz, were occupied by the French. A formidable expedition was in preparation against the English in Portugal.

A considerable army-corps was advancing on Valencia from Catalonia and Arragon, while troops, whose spirits had been raised by recent victory, were assembled on the Tagus. Was it desirable to leave these forces in inaction until the result of the expedition against Portugal and that of General Sechet's march on Valencia should be known? or, would it not be well to make use of the enthusiasm of the troops in order to attempt the conquest of Andalusia? Such was the question that called for a solution in Madrid, since the Emperor would not decide it in Paris. The first alternative was the more prudent, the more in conformity with the true rules of warfare, which ordain that the centre body of an army shall not advance while the wings that should cover it remain behind. This was the counsel given by a few persons, who endeavoured to press it on the King. The other was more dashing: supposing it to be successful it offered an opportunity for glory, and if the Junta could be dispersed, and possession of Cadiz

obtained, it might complete the conquest of Spain, and end the war by a single blow. The latter alternative, which was flattering to ambitious hopes, had, therefore, more numerous supporters than the former, and the King's inclinations evidently leant to that side. It prevailed, and the expedition to Andalusia was resolved on, at the end of December 1809, and was begun in the early part of January 1810. Marshal Soult, who, as I have every reason to believe, was also inclined in the same direction, and on whom, in his capacity of Major-General, the carrying out of the expedition would devolve, declined to undertake it without a formal written order from the King, which would exonerate the Marshal in the case of failure. The King consented to give him this, and wrote to the Emperor, explaining his motives for the expedition. Marshal Soult also wrote, but to their letters, or at any rate to that of the King, no reply was made.

THE ANDALUSIAN EXPEDITION.

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CHAPTER XIII.

Departure of the King for the Andalusian Expedition-Having passed through Toledo, Madridejos, etc., he arrives at Almagro, where he joins Marshal Victor with the First Corps and where military operations are commenced-The army, the centre formed by the Fifth Corps and the Reserve, and the right and left wings by the First and the Fourth Corps, enters the passes of the Sierra-Morena, and takes possession of them without great opposition-It advances by way of la Carolina, Baylen, and Andujar, and occupies Cordova, where the King is well received by the inhabitants-Description of the principal buildings of Cordova-The colonies of Andalusia— On reaching Carmona, the King, instead of marching directly on Cadiz to surprise the Junta there, resolves to pass through Seville-He is warmly received by the inhabitants of that city, the capital of Andalusia-This gives him confidence, and he thanks the army in an emphatic order of the daySeville, its public buildings and its environs-The summons sent to Cadiz by the Duke of Belluna having produced no effect, the King leaves Seville, and proceeds by way of Utrera and Xerez to Puerto-Santa-Maria-Attempts to enter into negotiation with the Junta of Cadiz are repulsed, and the necessity of a siege in form is recognized-The King, after visiting the town of San Lucar, returns to Xerez, and thence takes the road for Ronda and Malaga-Enthusiasm excited among the people by Joseph's entry into the latter town-Antequera and its antiquities-Cueva de Minga-The

King's entry into Grenada-Description of that city, and its buildings-Jaen and its ancient Cathedral-Return of the King to Andujar, and end of the Andalusian expedition.

THE Central Junta at Seville, which by its presumption and improvidence had sacrificed the most valuable resources of unhappy Spain at Ocaña, and which was the spectator and in great part the author of the disasters to her army, was beginning to tremble. Before the battle of Ocaña, when still full of confidence, the Junta had endeavoured to counterbalance, by a manifesto addressed to the nation, the impression that would be produced in Spain by the conclusion of peace between Austria and France.

"Our enemies," so runs the proclamation,* “in announcing the conclusion of peace in Germany, already threaten us with the powerful reinforcements that are advancing to complete our ruin. Puffed up by the favourable issue to their policy in the North, they insolently exhort us to submit ourselves to the clemency of the Conqueror, and to bow our heads beneath his yoke.

"No, vile slaves of Bonaparte! placed as we are between ignominy and death, what choice would you have us make except that of defending ourselves to the last extremity? Continue to plunder, to rob, to

*This is dated November 21; but when publishing it, the Junta did not yet know of the defeat of Arizaga, which took place on the 19th.

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massacre, to destroy, as you have been doing for the last twenty months; increase the enmity towards you, the thirst for revenge which we shall always feel; never will we fall at the feet of the crowned slave whom Bonaparte has sent us for a King.

"That Spain should be free, is the desire of the whole nation. Let Spain be free, or let her become an immense desert, a vast grave-yard, where the heaped-up bones of Frenchmen and of Spaniards shall proclaim to future ages our glory and their shame. But so dreadful a fate cannot be reserved for Spain; sooner or later victory must be the reward of courage and constancy.

"Spaniards! the Junta does not disguise from you the dangers that threaten your country; it proclaims them to you, confident that you will prove yourselves worthy of that holy cause which is ours. That sword which has been drawn from its scabbard by the eternal hatred we have sworn to an execrable tyrant, shall no more be sheathed. Never again. shall the standard of independence and liberty be furled. Hasten to enrol yourselves beneath its colours, all ye who cannot endure an infamous yoke, who cannot make a league with iniquity, and we shall triumph in the end over all the artifices and all the power of an inhuman despot!"

Such language was too much in accordance with the feeling of the nation not to be well received.