48 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



CHAP. III. 



Motion in the House of Lords for the Thanks of the House to Lieule- 

 tiant-geiicral Sir A. Wellesley. — Why was ?wt the Commander-in-chief 

 Sir H. Biirrard comprehended in this Motion ? — Different Opinions on 

 this Question. — The Motion for Thanks to Sir A. Wellcsley agreed to, 

 — The same Subject brought into the House of Commons — And the same 

 Question respecting Sir H. Burrard agitated. — The Motion for Tlianks 

 To Sir A. Wellesley opposed by Lord Folkstone. — Testimonies in favour 

 if Sir A. Wellesley — Of Major-general Ferguson — And Brigadier 

 general Anstr either. —The Motion for Thanks to Sir A. Wellesley 

 agreed to. — Thanks also voted to the other Officers. — A Resolidion of 

 the House in Approbation of the Conduct of the N on- Commissioned 

 Officers and Privates. — Motion in the House of Commons for the 

 Thanks ofilie House for the Defeat before Corunna. — Question jmt to 

 Ministers 'why so heavy a Loss as that of Sir J. Moore, Sfc, had been 

 sustained, xuithout the Attainment of any one Object ? 



IN the House of Lords, January 

 23, the Earl of Liverpool, in 

 pursuance of notice, rose to move 

 the thanks of the house to Lieu- 

 tenant-general Sir A. Wellesley, 

 K. B. for the skill, valour, and 

 ability, displayed by him on the 

 17th and 2Ist of August, and par- 

 ticularly on the latter day, in the 

 battle of Vimeira. The Earl of 

 Moira could not consent that (he 

 name of Sir H, Burrard should be 

 left out of the vote of thanks. 

 With regard to the point, whether 

 it was proper to advance the army 

 after the battle, so far as he had 

 been enabled, by the evidence ex- 

 amined before the Court of Inqui- 

 ry, to form an opinion, he con- 

 ceived the conduct of Sir Harry, 

 on that occasion to have been ju- 

 dicious. He would not, therefore, 

 considering that Sir Harry Burrard 

 had all the responsibility of the com- 

 mand upon him, consent that the 

 name of that officer should be omit- 

 ted in the vote ofthanks.and should 

 move an amendment, for the pur- 



pose of having his name inserted. 

 The Earl of Buckinghamshire dis- 

 dained any intention to cast a re- 

 flection on Sir Harry Burrard: but 

 from what he had heard and read, 

 it appeared that if the victory of the 

 21 st had been followed up the re- 

 sult would have been much more 

 brilliant than it was. He would 

 ask, what were the sentiments of 

 Generals Spencer and Ferguson, 

 and others who were on the spot, 

 on that subject ? — The only act of 

 Sir Harry Burrard, with respect 

 to the battle, was stopping the 

 pursuit. The Earl of Moira re- 

 plied that General Ferguson had 

 given it as his opinion, that if Sir 

 A. Wellesley had been permitted 

 to advance, he would have cut off 

 a part of the enemy. General 

 Spencei-'s opinion as to the propri- 

 ety of advancing, was given in a 

 very guarded manner; and he par- 

 ticularly stated, that he saw a body 

 of the enemy, probably the whole 

 of their left wing, forming three 

 miles in front of his division. With 



the 



