162] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



and the Cortea, which had elevated 

 him to the rank of a grandee of 

 Spain, at len^jth gave the strongest 

 proof of their esteem and confi- 

 dence by a resolution declaring 

 him commander-in-ihief of the 

 Spanish armies. When, in conse- 

 quence of this appointment, his 

 lordship sent an order to General 

 Ballasteros, captain general of 

 Andalusia, and undoubtedly one 

 of the most aealous and active of 

 the Spanish commanders, to move 

 his army, that officer felt hishonour 

 so much piqued, and considered it 

 as such a national dej^radation, that 

 he declined obedience. In a letter 

 which he addressed to the war 

 minister on the occasion, he stated 

 in strong terms his sense of this 

 affront, as he understood it, to his 

 countrymen, and concluded with 

 saying, that if the national armies 

 and citizens, on being asked their 

 opinion, should agree to the nomi- 

 nation, he would resign his em- 

 ployments, and retire to his home, 

 in order to convince the world that 

 he was actuated by no private 

 views, but only by a regard to 

 honour, and the good of his coun- 

 try. The Regency, however, 

 would not permit such an infrac- 

 tion of the obedience due to the 

 sovereign authority by any person 

 of whatever rank serving under it; 

 and issued a notice acquainting the 

 public with the discharge of Don 

 Fr. Ballasteros from his command 

 in the army, and the appointment, 

 ad interim, of Don Joaquim Virues 

 in his stead. At the same time 

 Ballasteros was put under arrest in 

 the midst of his army, which 

 made no resistance; and received 

 an order to depart for Ceutn. To 

 obviate any unfavourable impres- 



sion on the nation from this mea- 

 sure, the secretary at veat, on 

 October 30, read before the Cortes 

 a memorial (which was printed) 

 setting forth the deplorable state 

 of the country when the Regency 

 assumed the reins of government, 

 and the additions which had been 

 made to its military force during 

 the present year, with the im- 

 provement of its prospects since 

 the capture of Ciudatl Rodrigo by 

 Lord Wellington. It also men- 

 tioned that orders had been sent to 

 the generals in chief of the armies 

 to act in concert with, and in 

 obedience to, the Duke of Ciudad 

 Rodrigo. 



Such was the general state of 

 affairs in Spain towards the close 

 of 1812 ; meliorated, no doubt, 

 by the liberation of the seat of 

 government from a hostile block- 

 ade, and by the recovery of seve- 

 ral of the southern provinces from 

 the yoke of the invader; but 

 manifestly displaying the necessity 

 of much more vigorous and com- 

 bined efforts on the part of the 

 nation to effect the expulsion of 

 the foe, and secure its independ- 

 ence, than have yet been made, 

 even upon the supposition that the 

 French arms shall continue to find 

 so much occupation in other parts 

 as to prevent any considerable re- 

 cruit to their force in the Penin- 

 sula. A plan has since been open- 

 ed by Lord Wellington, of a con- 

 nected system of military com- 

 mand and operation through the 

 whole countrj', which, if carried 

 into execution, may produce effects 

 much more considerable than can 

 be expected from the desultory 

 efforts of guerillas and detached 

 parties; but whether national jea- 

 lousies 



