Part 19
We were now in great distress from want of water, and as it could only be obtained from the enemy’s coast, we sent a boat on shore to the westward of Blanes, but she returned without success, having been fired upon from a fortification on an eminence in the vicinity. As a supply of this essential fluid had become essentially necessary, even if it had to be fought for, we made every preparation for a second attempt on a sandy beach, between Blanes and Calella, where a large river was found, on which the frigate was brought to an anchor about a quarter of a mile from the place, and, thanks to our bold front, we obtained an abundant supply without molestation; though, as we came off, a considerable body of troops showed themselves, and a fire of musketry was opened upon us, but the frigate promptly replying with round shot, our assailants retreated into the woods as hastily as they had emerged from them, and we again made sail.
On the 5th of May observing a vessel under Moorish colours to leeward, we made all sail in chase, and by ten o’clock she was in our possession, proving to be a xebec from Marseilles to Tripoli, laden with lead. Her crew were Genoese, and having given us information that on the preceding evening they were in company with a large French ship also laden with lead, and other munitions of war, destined for the use of the French fleet, we despatched the prize to Gibraltar, and made sail for the mainland, in order to intercept the Frenchman.
On nearing the coast, we observed several vessels running along shore, and singling out the one which most nearly answered the description given us by the Genoese, she struck after a few shots; the information thus proving correct. She was bound from Almeria to Marseilles, laden with lead and barilla. Despatched her after the other to Gibraltar.
At daylight on the 6th, gave chase to three ships, running under the land. On observing us they parted company, one going round a shoal near Oliva, and another running into a small harbour. The third, a line vessel, we chased into Valencia, but she escaped, as we did not venture after her. Retracing our course, we saw on the following morning one of the others anchored close in shore, and sent the boats to bring her off. On nearing her she opened a smart fire, which being steadily returned by our men, her crew abandoned her, and we took possession without loss. As soon as she was boarded it was found that she had just touched the ground, but the boats promptly taking her in tow, succeeded in getting her afloat, and brought her safely off despite the fire of two towers close to the town of Cullera, in the neighbourhood of Valencia. A considerable number of people assembled to witness the attack from the neighbouring hills.
On the 8th, perceived a vessel rounding Cape St. Antonio. On seeing us, she made sail, as we also did in chase. At sunset lost sight of her, and despatching our prize to Gibraltar, altered our course so as to cut her off from Marseilles, whither we suspected she was bound. At daylight we again caught sight of her, and by ten o’clock had gained upon her considerably, when to our disappointment she sent a boat on board, proving to be a Gibraltar privateer instead of a Spaniard.
At daylight the following morning we ran close to Tarragona, and captured a large xebec under Moorish colours. At twelve o’clock observed a fine vessel coming round the shoals of Fangalo, and knowing that she could not have witnessed the capture of the xebec we immediately furled all sail in order to escape observation. An alarm was, however, promptly raised along the coast, and this causing her to alter her course, we immediately started in pursuit. At sunset it fell calm, the ship being then distant about twelve miles. At 3 A.M. she was discovered close in shore, when we hoisted out boats and pulled smartly for her, but on arriving almost within gun-shot, she caught a breeze, and went away from us, endeavouring to get into a creek; but the boats being in a position to cut her off, and making every effort to head her, she bore up, and at 7 A.M. anchored under a two-gun battery, which kept up a constant fire on the boats.
The _Impérieuse_ now rapidly approaching, gave the tower a gun and recalled the boats, in order to send other crews, those engaged in the chase being necessarily much fatigued. About 3 P.M. we were joined by the Gibraltar privateer, which bore up to engage the tower, keeping up a smart fire, as did also the ship. The _Impérieuse_ now came to an anchor, and opened her broadside on the tower, which was soon silenced. The boats were once more manned, as were also those of the privateer, and the prize towed out, proving to be a large Spanish ship—the same as we had chased into Valencia—bound from Alicant to Marseilles. We learned from her the unpleasant news of one of our lieutenants, Mr. Harrison, having been captured by some gunboats, and taken into Denia; this intelligence being subsequently confirmed by a fishing-boat boarded off Denia on the 17th.
On the 20th passed close to Cape Palos, the forts on which fired several shots at us, but without damage. At 9 o’clock on the 21st, observed twelve vessels coming round the Cape, four of which were evidently gunboats. We at once made all sail in chase, and as we tacked, the gunboats opened a smart fire upon us, continuing this till we again tacked and stood towards them, when they made off, with the exception of one which stood towards the Cape; the other three running aground on the beach. As we were now very close to the gunboats, the _Impérieuse_, whilst in stays, also took the ground, but luckily got off again, and opened a fire of musketry upon them, which, in about twenty minutes, obliged two crews to quit the vessels, the third keeping her colours flying till her captain was mortally wounded.
It now came on to blow hard, and as there was no probability of saving the prizes, we set fire to the two gunboats and a large vessel laden with barilla, the crews having all escaped on shore. The other gunboat, which had gallantly kept her colours flying to the last, we got off, bringing her wounded captain and two other officers on board the frigate. About 6 P.M. both gunboats blew up with great explosion.
Our own situation was at this time critical, as we were in only four fathom water, and it was blowing a gale of wind. By nine o’clock the wind fortunately came off the land, which enabled us to run out a couple of miles and anchor for the night. We learned from the officers, that the convoy was bound from Carthagena to Barcelona, and that each gunboat had a long gun in the bow, and two aft, with a complement of 50 men.
Two other vessels having run on shore on the morning of the 22nd, we again despatched the boats to bring them off if possible, as well as to recover our anchor and cable, which had been slipped when getting the _Impérieuse_ afloat. They succeeded in bringing off one of the vessels which was laden with barilla, but the other vessel, being immovable, was set fire to. This done we put to sea with our prizes in tow.
In the course of the night the Spanish captain died, his wounds having been from the first hopeless. Every attention possible was paid to the poor fellow, from admiration of his gallantry, but anything beyond this was out of our power. On the following morning we committed his remains to the deep, with the honours of war.
We now made sail for Gibraltar with our prizes, one of which was with difficulty kept afloat. On the 25th passed Malaga, and on the 31st arrived at Gibraltar with all the prizes except one, which had been placed in charge of the Hon. Mr. Napier (the late Lord Napier), then a midshipman.[38]
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Footnote 38:
Afterwards ambassador to China, where his lordship died.
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On the 1st of June, the _Trident_ arrived from England with convoy, and the intelligence of a revolution in Spain, which, being shortly afterwards confirmed by proclamation, a friendly communication was opened between the garrison and the Spaniards, and on the 8th Lord Collingwood arrived at Gibraltar in the _Ocean_, to be in readiness to act as circumstances might require.
A few words on our altered relations with Spain, though coming rather within the province of the historian than the biographer, may here be necessary, in order to account for so sudden a change in my own personal operations.
On the 6th of June 1808, Napoleon issued a decree, notifying that, as it had been represented to him by the Spanish authorities that the well-being of Spain required a speedy stop to be put to the provisional government, he had proclaimed his brother Joseph, King of Spain and the Indies!
To this extraordinary proclamation the Supreme Junta, _on the same day_, replied by another, accusing Napoleon of violating the most sacred compacts, forcing the Spanish monarch to abdication, occupying the country with troops, everywhere committing the most horrible excesses, exhibiting the most enormous ingratitude for services rendered by the Spanish nation to France, and generally treating the Spanish people with perfidy and treachery, such as was never before committed by any nation or monarch against the most barbarous people.
On these and other accounts the Junta declared war against France by land and sea, at the same time proclaiming durable and lasting peace with England, and commanding that no further molestation be offered to English ships or property, whilst, by the same proclamation, an embargo was laid on all French ships and property.
Another proclamation, more immediately concerning the ensuing chapters, is an order of the Junta, forming the Spaniards generally into an organised national militia for the defence of the country. The French, pretending to consider this militia in the light of noncombatants, having no right to engage in war, committed amongst them the most barbarous atrocities, in retaliation for which many of the succeeding operations of the _Impérieuse_ were undertaken, in pursuance of orders from Lord Collingwood to assist the Spaniards by every means in my power.
CHAP. XV.
CRUISE OF THE _IMPÉRIEUSE_ CONTINUED.
ASSIST THE SPANIARDS.—OFF BARCELONA.—SPANISH KINDNESS.—THE FRENCH IN MATARO.—CRUISE ON THE SPANISH COAST.—EMBARK THE ENEMY’S GUNS.—GIVE THE SPANIARDS A LESSON.—SIEGE OF GERONA.—CONTEST AT MONGAT.—IRRITATION OF THE SPANIARDS.—EXCESSES OF THE FRENCH.—SPIRIT OF THE CATALANS.—ANCHOR OFF SAN FELIN.—GUERILLA TROOPS.—FORTRESS OF FIGUERAS.—CHASE TWO VESSELS.—ANCHOR IN GULF DUMET.—DESTROY A SIGNAL STATION.—STORMING A BATTERY.—THE TABLES TURNED.
Shortly after Lord Collingwood’s arrival at Gibraltar, his lordship ran down to Cadiz, to watch events, and wait instructions from the government. On the 18th of June the _Impérieuse_ sailed from Gibraltar to join Lord Collingwood’s fleet before Cadiz, and on the 21st was ordered by his lordship to cruise in the Mediterranean, and render every possible assistance to the Spaniards against the French. On the 22nd we returned to Gibraltar for our prize tender, which had been fitted as a gunboat, and manned with twenty men, under the command of a lieutenant.
At daylight on the 23rd we passed close to Almeria, with English and Spanish colours flying at the main, and on the evening of the 25th came to an anchor in the outer road of Carthagena. On the following morning a number of Spanish officers came off to bid us welcome, and at noon we paid a visit to the Governor, by whom, as well as by the populace, we were received with every mark of friendship, notwithstanding our recent hostile visits in the vicinity. Indeed, our whole passage along the coast was one continued expression of good feeling.
On the 2nd of July the _Impérieuse_ arrived off Majorca. The inhabitants were at first shy, apparently fearing some deception, but as we were bearers of the good news that the English and Spaniards were now friends, confidence was soon restored, and presents of all kinds were sent off to the ship, payment being resolutely refused. We had also the satisfaction of here recovering our lost midshipmen, Harrison, and the late Lord Napier, who, whilst in charge of prizes, had been taken and carried into Port Mahon.
On the 5th the _Impérieuse_ passed close to Barcelona, and hoisting English and Spanish colours at the main, fired a salute of 21 guns! The French, who were in possession of the place[39], to our great amusement resented the affront by firing at us from all their batteries, but their shot fell short. We could distinctly see the inhabitants crowding the house-tops and public places of the city by thousands, and the French cavalry and infantry meanwhile patrolling the streets. Knowing that the French held their own with difficulty, especially in the adjacent towns, we again hove-to and displayed English colours over French, and then Spanish over French, firing an additional salute, which increased the cannonade from the batteries, but to no purpose.
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Footnote 39:
Barcelona had been seized by General Duhesme just before Buonaparte announced his intention of placing his brother on the throne of Spain. Having arrived in the vicinity of the city on the 15th of February, he requested permission to halt and refresh his troops for a few days, before going on to Valencia. The gates were forthwith opened, and the French treated as friends and allies. On the 16th, the _générale_ was beat, as though they were about to proceed on their march, and the townspeople came out to bid them farewell. To the surprise of the latter, the French general ordered one part of his force to the citadel, and the other to Fort Monjui, possessing himself of both. Pampeluna was occupied on the same day by similar treachery.
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We then bore up along the coast, and when clear of the enemy’s lines, a number of boats came off complaining bitterly of the French troops who were burning their towns on the least resistance, or even pretended resistance, and were permitted by their officers to plunder and kill the inhabitants with impunity. Perhaps it would be more in accordance with military justice to say, that with the ideas of equality and fraternity then prevalent amongst the soldiers, their officers had no control over them.
On the 6th, the _Impérieuse_ came to an anchor between the towns of Blanes and Mataro, in nearly the same position as that taken up on the last cruise. Great numbers of people came off, and the frigate was speedily filled with visitors of both sexes, bringing with them all kinds of presents; being most politely oblivious of all the mischief we had been effecting in their vicinity for months past. On the 7th, after paying a visit to Blanes, we got under weigh, the Spaniards having sent us word that the French had entered the town of Mataro, at the same time requesting our co-operation against them.
On the 8th we were becalmed close to several villages, one of which had been nearly destroyed by the French on pretence of some trifling resistance. A deputation from the inhabitants of one village came off, and informed us that their church had been plundered of everything, and that forty-five houses had been burned to the ground. A wretched policy truly, and one which did the French great harm by the animosity thus created amongst the people, who were treated as rebels, rather than in the light of honourable adversaries.
The _Impérieuse_ could effect nothing against the French in Mataro, from its unassailable position, but having received intelligence that a considerable force under General Duhesme was advancing towards Barcelona, it occurred to me that their progress might be checked. Landing accordingly with a party of seamen, we blew down the overhanging rocks and destroyed the bridges so effectually as to prevent the passage either of cavalry or artillery, at the same time pointing out to the Spaniards how they might impede the enemy’s movements elsewhere along the coast by cutting up the roads,—an operation on which they entered with great alacrity, after being shown how to set about their work.
The nature of these operations will be readily comprehended by the statement that a considerable portion of the main road ran along the face of the precipitous rocks nearest the sea. By blowing up the roads themselves in some places, and the overhanging rocks in others, so as to bury the road beneath the _débris_, it was rendered impassable for cavalry or artillery, whilst removal of the obstructions within reasonable time was out of the question—indeed, so long as the frigate remained in the vicinity, impossible, as any operation of the kind would have been within reach of our guns.
Having effected all the damage possible, and there being no beneficial end to be answered by longer stay in the vicinity of Mataro, we again made sail, and on the 17th the _Impérieuse_ arrived at Port Mahon, where we found a squadron embarking Spanish troops for Catalonia, the crews of the six ships of the line in harbour taking their places in manning the batteries. On the 19th the troops sailed under convoy of some English frigates, as did others destined for Tortosa.
Having filled up with provisions and water, we quitted Port Mahon for another cruise on the Spanish coast, and on the 22nd were close to San Felin, when the whole of the convoy entered the harbour to the great delight of the inhabitants, who reported that, despite the obstacles created, the French had, in the absence of the _Impérieuse_, forced the pass from Mataro, and marched for Gerona, to which place the Spanish troops, just disembarked, were next day despatched, together with 1200 militia, raised from amongst the peasantry in the neighbourhood. Heavy firing was heard shortly afterwards in the interior, and at night it was ascertained that the French had made an attack on Hostalrich and were beaten back. This place was about nine miles from San Felin.
On the 24th we again anchored about four miles from Mataro, and there learned the mode in which the French had surmounted the obstacles interposed by the Spaniards in cutting up the roads, viz. by compelling the inhabitants to fill up the gaps with everything movable, even to their agricultural implements, furniture, and clothes. After this, the French, by way of deterring the Spaniards from again interfering with the highways, sacked and burned all the dwelling-houses in the neighbourhood.
Taking a party of marines on shore, we again blew up additional portions of the road to the eastward, and as the gaps made on our last visit had been chiefly filled up with wood, and other inflammable articles just mentioned, we set fire to them, and thus not only renewed the obstacles, but created fresh ones, in the assurance that as everything movable was now destroyed, the obstruction must become permanent. Whilst this was going on the seamen and marines of the _Impérieuse_ destroyed a battery completed by the French, and threw over the cliff the four brass 24-pounders. These were next day recovered.
On the 26th we dropped down to the town of Cañette, and embarked some more brass guns which the enemy had placed in position on the top of a high cliff. These guns were got on board by means of hawsers carried from the frigate to the cliff, one end being made fast to the masthead. By the application of the capstan and tackles, the guns were thus hopped on board. After these had been secured, I again took a party of seamen and marines on shore, and broke down or blew up the road in six different places. On paying a visit to the town, there was scarcely a house which the French had not sacked, carrying off everything that was valuable, and wantonly destroying the remainder. The inhabitants were in a miserable condition.
The two next days were employed in blowing down rocks, and otherwise destroying roads in every direction which the French were likely to take, the people aiding heart and soul, anxiously listening to every suggestion for retarding the enemy’s movements, and evincing the greatest alacrity to put them in practice. In short, I had taken on myself the duties of an engineer officer, though occupation of this kind was, perhaps, out of my sphere as commander of a frigate; and there is no doubt that I might have better consulted my personal interests by looking after prizes at sea, for, except from Lord Collingwood, not so much as an acknowledgment of my persevering exertions was vouchsafed. I was, however, indignant at seeing the wanton devastation committed by a military power, pretending to high notions of civilisation, and on that account spared no pains to instruct the persecuted inhabitants how to turn the tables on their spoilers; making—as throughout life I have ever done—common cause with the oppressed.
Having effected all the mischief possible, we weighed for Mongat, ten miles from Barcelona, and anchored off the place at sunset. I had previously received intelligence that General Duhesme was approaching Barcelona with a strong force to relieve the French garrison in possession, and my object was to destroy the fort at Mongat before Duhesme’s force came up. For this, however, we were too late, the advanced guard having occupied the fort before our arrival. The people, however, came off with an assurance that, if we would attack the French, 800 Spaniards were ready to assist us. As the destruction of the fort was my principal object, I at once assented, and we commenced blowing up the road between Barcelona and Mongat, so that the communication on that side was effectively cut off, whilst the guns of General Duhesme’s force were rendered immovable on the other; these he afterwards abandoned.
On the 30th it fell calm, and having weighed anchor we drifted down as far as Mataro, but too distant from the shore to attempt anything. Having received intelligence of the continued advance of General Duhesme, we again returned, and anchored within five miles of Mongat, the inhabitants coming off to beg for assistance, as the French in the fort were keeping up a constant fire on their party in the woods, though without venturing to dislodge them.
It is, perhaps, here necessary to explain that General Duhesme had on the 26th of July been compelled by a well-executed movement on the part of the Count de Caldagues, to raise the siege of Gerona, in which he had been employed for upwards of a fortnight, his force being driven to Sarria, where they were protected by their cavalry. During the night they separated into two divisions, one retreating towards Figueras, and the other in the direction of Barcelona.
It was to the latter division that my attention was directed. To reach Barcelona with heavy guns, the enemy must of necessity proceed by way of Mongat, the castle or fort of which place commanded a pass on their way. By breaking up the roads, the passage of the guns was impeded, as has been described; but, as the French had possession of the castle, it was essential that they should be dislodged as speedily as possible. The Spanish militia, being eager to second our efforts, I determined to make the attack forthwith.