1813.

BOOK X. which it is the duty of an historian to notice with marked emphasis, as constituting the characteCHAP. X. ristic features of the gallant acquisition. The first of these was the gallantry of the first assault -"Not a man," said Sir Thomas Graham, 66 escaped with life, who attempted to ascend the ridge;" in other words, who first advanced to the breach in the walls, and who attempted to scale it. Now, as these troops (a forlorn hope!) advanced in a long thread of single files, they of course did not all reach the breach together; and by a necessary consequence, many of them must have seen their comrades fall successively by their sides. Under these circumstances (as they were all killed) they must have each advanced in his turn, and though they saw that their effort was attended with nearly certain death, they still persisted, and each fell in his turn. This is a singular proof of the determined character of this assault, and speaks volumes in itself.

The second characteristic was the conduct of those distinguished officers by whom (as volunteers, or unnecessarily) the storm was led. It very seldom occurs that such a service as that of the assault of breaches is led by general officers; but here the second in command, under General Sir T. Graham, took the command in person of the storming column, was wounded most severely, and then suffered himself, with much reluctance, to be carried from the field. Sir R. Fletcher, moreover, the directing engineer of the siege, was killed in the trenches, or immediately upon leaving them, and Major-general Oswald wounded amongst the first. If the conduct of the forlorn hope be an unanswerable proof of the courageous determination of British privates, this pertinacious spirit of enterprise amongst British officers is an equally unanswerable proof that the officers were in no degree short of their men, but that all concurred with equal heroism to the successful accomplishment.

The

The third feature is the promptitude of General Graham, in venturing to direct his artillery to fire over the heads of his own men, and thus (with a most tremendous risk of hitting his own soldiers) to fire at an upper part of the wall, whilst his own men were scaling it at its foot. mere mention of this circumstance is sufficiently explanatory of its peril and difficulty. The General seemed to have resorted to it with terror, and was surprised himself at its success. The artillery officers by whom this dexterous and successful fire was effected, deserved the highest commendation.

But the fourth, and the most honorable trait of all, was the merciful treatment of the conquered garrison and inhabitants: "not a man being put to the sword after the place was taken, and quarter being given to the soldiers."-This is more glorious than even the taking of the city.

If any thing can render war honorable to a civilized and christian community, it must be these two qualities, that it is justly commenced, and that it is humanely executed. The English army, as well and truly becomes them, have long set this merciful example.

The motives for invading France were at this time powerful: the situation of France was exceedingly critical-her armies were not only dispersed but considerably reduced-many of her generals killed or taken prisoners by the victorious Crown-prince of Sweden, the indefatigable Blucher, &c. Add to which, the French emperor was so closely pursued (as mentioned in our preceding chapter) that his return to Paris was very doubtful. Marquis Wellington therefore commenced his advance into France. The British army had its right at Zuganasnardi; from thence it extended by La Rhone, to the Montagne Verte, and from thence to the sea, holding what was corsidered by the French government the strongest line of the Pyrenees. His lordship having taken with him the first and fifth divisions crossed the Bidassoa at Irun, October 7, and leaving Fontarabia on his left, took the road, through Urogne and St. Jean de Luz, towards Bayonne. Urogne he forced the French lines, but as the enemy had only 200 killed, and 500 taken prisoners, his force in this position was far from being strong: other divisions entered France by other roads.

At

of which village Lieutenant-general Don Manuel Freyre took possession, and quitted all their works and positions in front of St. Jean de Luz during the night, and retired upon Budart, destroying all the bridges on the lower Nivelle. Lieutenant-general the Honorable Sir John Hope followed them with the left of the army, as soon as he could cross the river; and Marshal Sir William Beresford moved the centre of the army as far as the state of the roads, after a violent fall of rain, would allow ; and the enemy retired again, on the night of the 11th, into an entrenched camp in front of Bayonne.

Contrary to the general expectation, Bonaparte effected his escape from Germany. The French The French papers contained a bulletin, dated October 31, giving an account of his retreat from Erfurt to Frankfort, and claiming a victory over the united Bavarian and Austrian army, in the neighbourhood of the latter city. This army, commanded by General Wrede, had marched from Branau, in order to cut off Bonaparte in his retreat from Leipsic to Frankfort, which object had been very nearly accomplished. On the 29th of October, the French were met at Gelnhausen by the advanced-guard of this army, about 5 or 6,000 strong, which was driven back on Hanau, where the main body had assembled. On the following day a battle took place in the neighbourhood, and the French pretended to have obtained a great victory with but little loss. The battle certainly terminated in their favor, as the enemy effected his escape; but the loss on both sides was nearly equal. On the 2d of November, Bonaparte entered Mayence, and the remains of his army crossed the Rhine. On the 10th Bonaparte arrived at St. Cloud, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon.

On Bonaparte's return, the Parisians were deceived by false statements and amused by vain pretensions. The year however closed with glorious achievements on the part of the patriots and the allies: viz. the emancipation of Holland, the storming and capture of the French lines before Bayonne, with fifty-one pieces of cannon, and a series of victories obtained by Lord Wellington over Marshal Soult.

Thus the edifices erected by Corsican ambition, and cemented with the blood of mankind, tottered on their bases and sunk prostrate to the ground! He who had carried invasion and desolation abroad, was now doomed to feel the effects of the former at home!

When the rising in Holland was determined upon, November 14, one of the leading patriots proceeded to the residence of Le Brun, the Duke of Placentia, the governor of Holland. He had the Orange cockade in his hat and on his breast, and he addressed Le Brun as follows:-" You may easily guess by these colours for what purpose I am come, and what events are about to

CHAP. X.

.1813.

take place. You, who are now the weakest, BOOK X. know that we are the strongest. We, who are now the strongest, know that you are the weakest. You will do wisely and prudently to take your departure with all possible speed, and the sooner you do it, the less you will expose yourself to insult, and possibly to danger." To this address Le Brun replied, "I have, sir, for some time, expected such a message, and I very willingly accede to your proposition, to take my departure immediately." "In that case," said the patriot, "I will see you into your coach without loss of time."

This was accordingly done. But by this time the people had assembled and surrounded the coach, with loud cries of " Orange Boven," up, Orange-down, Bonaparte. The patriot accompanied him in the coach out of the town, and no violence was offered him, except that he was obliged by the people to cry out," Long live the Prince of Orange," and to wear the Orange cockade-too happy, no doubt, to get off so well. Having thus sent him off, the people laid hold of all the French douaniers and threw them into the river. All the watch-houses of the douaniers, and three of their vessels were burnt.

On the following day, the people of Amsterdam rose in a body, proclaiming the house of Orange, and universally putting up the Orange colours. This example was immediately followed by the other towns of the provinces of Holland and Utrecht, as Haarlem, Leyden, Utrecht, the Hague, Rotterdam, &c. At Utrecht, the garrison made some resistance, but the patriots fired upon them, and ten or twelve being killed on both sides, the garrison laid down their arms and were permitted to depart. The French authorities were dismissed, and a temporary government established and proclaimed, in the name of the Prince of Orange; and, until his serene brighness's arrival, composed of the most respectable members of the old government, and chiefly of those not employed under the French.

The following account of the house of Orange is of such an interesting nature, that the reader will certainly pardon this digression.

William of Nassan, Prince of Orange, formed the famous union of Utrecht, in 1579, and was the first stadtholder. He married, ist, Anne of Egmont-2d, Anne of Saxony-3d, Charlotte of Bourbon-4th, Louisa Coligni. He was succeeded, as the stadtholder, by Maurice, son of Anne of Saxony (after whom the Mauritii were named). He was again succeeded by Frederic Henry, the son of William the first and Louisa Coligni, and married Amelia, daughter of the Count of Solms. He was succeeded by William II. who married Mary, daughter of Charles I. King of England. William III. the next in succession, married Mary, daughter of James II.

1813.

BOOK X. King of England, and Ann Hyde. The next, William IV. was a great-grandson of a daughter CHAP. X. of William II. and married Anne, daughter of George II. King of England. William V. (the stadtholder who sought refuge in England at the commencement of the French revolution,) married Frederica Sophia, Princess of Prussia. His son, the present Prince of Orange, and the sixth William, who was now hailed "sovereign of the Netherlands," under the title of William I. married the sister of the present King of Prussia and the Duchess of York; and his son, the hereditary prince, a gallant youth, distinguished himself under Lord Wellington.

When the intelligence of the emancipation of Holland arrived, the hereditary Prince of Orange returned to England from the army, in order to make arrangements for joining his father in Hol

land.

After the capture of the French lines before Bayonne, Nov. 12, when 2,000 were made prisoners, the British army went into winter-quarters. These were previously improved, however, by the capture of the town of St. Jean de Luz, notwithstanding some severe opposition on the part of the enemy.

The enemy having retreated from the Nivelle, occupied a position in front of Bayonne, which had been entrenched with great labour. The Marquis of Wellington had determined to pass the Nive immediately after the passage of the Nivelle, but was prevented by the bad state of the roads and the swelling of all the rivulets, occasioned by a great fall of rain. As soon as the weather permitted, and his lordship was enabled to collect his materials, and make the preparations for forming bridges, &c. he moved the troops out of their cantonments on the 8th of December, and ordered that the right of the army, under Lieutenant-general Sir Rowland Hill, should pass on the 9th at and in the neighbourhood of Cambo, while Marshal Sir William Beresford should favor and support his operation by passing the sixth division, under Lieutenant-general Sir Henry Clinton, at Usteritz. Both these operations succeeded completely. The enemy were immediately driven from the right bank of the river, and retired by the great road of St. Jean Pied-de-Pont towards Bayonne. Those posted opposite Cambo were nearly intercepted by the sixth division; and one regiment was driven from the road, and obliged to march across the country.

and the heights in the neighbourhood. The rain which had fallen the preceding night and on the morning of the 8th, had so destroyed the road that the day had nearly elapsed before the whole of Sir Rowland Hill's corps had come up, and Lord Wellington was therefore satisfied with the possession of the ground which he occupied.

On the same day, Lieutenant-general Sir John Hope, with the left of the army under his command, moved forward on the great road from St. Jean de Luz towards Bayonne, and reconnoitred the right of the entrenched camp under Bayonne, and the course of the Adour below the town, after driving in the enemy's posts from the neighbourhood of Biaritz and Anglet. The light division, under Major-general Alten, likewise moved forward from Bassusarry, and reconnoitred that part of the enemy's entrenchments. Sir John Hope and Major-general Alten retired in the evening te the ground they had before occupied.

On the morning of the 10th, Lieutenant-general Sir Rowland Hill found that the enemy had retired from the position which they had occupied the day before on the heights, into the entrenched camp on the side of the Nive; and he therefore occupied the position intended for him, with his right towards the Adour, and his left at Ville Franche, and communicating with the centre of the army under Marshal Sir William Beresford, by a bridge laid over the Nive; and the troops under the marshal were again drawn to the left of the Nive.

On the same day, the enemy moved out of the entrenched camp their whole army, with the exception only of what occupied the works opposite to Sir Rowland Hill's position, drove in the picquets of the light division and Sir John Hope's corps, and made a most desperate attack upon the post of the former at the chatean and church of Arcangues, and upon the advanced posts of the latter, on the high road from Bayonne to St. Jean de Luz. Both attacks were repulsed in the most gallant style by the troops, and Sir John Hope's corps took about 500 prisoners. Thus the attempt made by the enemy upon their left, in order to oblige them to draw in their right, was completely defeated by a comparatively small part of their force. This favorable result was produced by the coolness, judgment, and ability of Sir John Hope, and of the general

and staff officers under his command. Sir John Hope, however, received a severe contusion, which for a while deprived the army of the benefit of his assistance.

general Ross's brigade, of the fourth division, which were formed for the support of the centre.

When the night closed, the enemy were stili

in large force in front of the allies' posts, on the ground from which they had driven the picquets. They retired, however, during the night, from Sir John Hope's front, leaving small posts, which were immediately driven in. They still occupied They still occupied in force the ridge on which the piquets of the right division had stood; and it was obvious that the whole army was still in front of the left of the allied army; and about three o'clock in the afternoon, they drove in Lieutenant-general Sir John Hope's picquets, and attacked his posts. They were again repulsed with considerable loss. The attack was re-commenced on the morning of the 12th, with the same want of success, the first division, under Major-general Howard, having relieved the fifth division.

The enemy having thus failed in all his attacks, with their whole force on the left of the allied army, withdrew into their entrenchments, on the night of the 12th, and passed a large force through Bayonne, with which, on the morning of the 13th, they made a most desperate attack upon Lieutenant-general Sir Rowland Hiil.

The Marquis of Wellington anticipating this attack, had requested Marshal Sir William Beresford to reinforce the lieutenant-general with the sixth division, which crossed the Nive at day-light on that morning, and his lordship fur

ther reinforced him by the fourth division, and BOOK X. two brigades of the third division. The expected arrival of the sixth division gave the lieutenant- CHAP. XI. general great facility in making his movements; but the troops under his own immediate command had defeated and repulsed the enemy with immense loss before their arrival.

Two guns and some prisoners were taken from the enemy, who being beaten at all points, and having suffered considérable loss, were obliged to retire upon their entrenchments.

The enemy marched a large body of cavalry across the Adour on the evening of the 13th, and on the morning of the 14th retired their force opposite to Sir Rowland Hill, towards Bayonne.

Marshal Soult made several movements on the right bank of the Adour, and towards the rear of Sir Rowland Hill's position; but all these movements were foreseen and frustrated. Thus foiled in every attempt to dislodge the allied forces from their positions, the main body of the French army retreated from Bayonne, and marched up the right bank of the Adour.

On the 18th, the right wing of the British forces occupied a position between the Adour and Nive, commanding the navigation of both those rivers, the centre to the left of the army were posted between the Nive and the sea..

1813.

In order to raise twenty-seven millions of franks (about 1,200,000l. sterling) for carrying on the war, Napoleon was obliged to have recourse to the old revolutionary system of mandats. These mandats were to be sent to the prefects to pay the requisitions made for provisions, hay, horses, &c. for the army; and the price was to be, not the market price, but whatever the prefect was pleased to fix as the value. The buyer was to determine the price of the article; he was to pay for it in paper, which paper was to be assigned for liquidation upon taxes which might be utterly unproductive. Had Napoleon possessed any other means of procuring money, he would no doubt have used it in preference to this tyrannical and unpopular mode, as

the same expedient must be repeated whenever his wants required it. All the ingenuity of the French government was employed in disguising the features of passing events. By degrees, however, the truth began to transpire, and as the public mind grew enlightened, the rulers of the press were compelled to admit some struggling facts into their papers, which, by the unconnected manner and apparent indifference in which they were introduced, tended to diminish in the opinion of the people the importance of the events themselves to which they related.

Unable to repel the allies from the banks of the Rhine by the force of arms, Napoleon had suddenly conjured up a general dysentery, which,. he told his people, destroyed them by thousands,.