172 ANDALUSIAN SKETCHES. 



brought over ; and at length, on the 1st of January, 1820, the army 

 proclaimed ' the Constitution/ The afterwards celebrated Riego 

 was at that time the captain of my company ; but he held the brevet 

 rank of lieutenant-colonel, and was in temporary command of the 

 battalion. On the morning of the 2nd of January we marched to Arcos, 

 surprising and making prisoner the general commanding the district 

 (the Conde De Calderon) and his staff. The garrison there then 

 joined us, and we continued our march to Bornos, where we found 

 the regiment of Aragon, which at once ranged itself on our side. 

 Reinforced also by the troops from Xerez and Puerto Santa Maria, 

 the army, which was now called the c National Army/ advanced to 

 the Isla de Leon, and joined another body of troops under Lieutenant- 

 Colonel Quiroga, who assumed the general command, although a 

 junior officer to Riego. The taking of Cadiz was said to be our first 

 object. On the night of the 12th we obtained possession of the Ca- 

 raccas. The following day an attempt was made on the Cortadura, 

 but it was so obstinately defended by the militia regiment within it 

 (and which could not be prevailed upon to espouse ' the cause') 

 that we were defeated with considerable loss. Our spirits began to 

 flag, but confidence was somewhat restored by an order from Quiroga 

 directing 1,500 men under Riego to march to Granada, there to pro- 

 claim ' the Constitution/ It was added that we should be joined by 

 the whole country in our road. On the 1st of February we entered 

 Algeciras, singing a song which had just then been composed, but 

 soon became well known as Riego's Hymn. The people of the town 

 received us with shouts and cheers. They were, however, very 

 chary of the necessary supplies. Food was furnished but scantily, 

 and that was almost obtained by force. Not a man joined us. It 

 was then given out that we were to return to the Isla, but I believe 

 this was found to be impracticable; for General Jose O'Donel (Abis- 

 bal's brother), a staunch royalist, was moving upon us in that direc- 

 tion with a strong body of cavalry known to be well affected to the 

 king's government. We, therefore, evacuated Algeciras, and were 

 scarcely outside the town before the advanced guard of the horse 

 appeared. After crossing the ford at the Guadaranque, we inclined 

 to the right, and in the evening halted at the foot of the Sierra Car- 

 bonera (known to the English by the name of the Queen of Spain's 

 Chair), close to the lines in front of Gibraltar. O'Donel's force also 

 halted, and posted themselves still nearer to the English fortress. 

 The following morning I was our general's orderly. No movement 

 was made on either side, but great confusion and apprehension ap- 

 peared to prevail amongst our officers. Riego himself was evidently 

 disturbed. He was moving to and fro in a quick pace, conversing 

 with two of the colonels, when a loud shout from our men and a cry 

 of Viva los Ingleses ! (Live the English), drew attention to an officer in 

 the English scarlet uniform, who was galloping towards us. He 

 advanced to the general, who was pointed out to him, and dismounted. 

 I stepped forward and held his horse, so that I was close by, and 

 heard all that passed. He spoke Spanish fluently, and said that he 

 had been sent by the governor of Gibraltar to express a hope that no 

 hostilities would take place between the two armies in their present 



