398 



ANNUAL REGISTER, J809. 



by divisions to an encampment 3 

 leagues in advance'; from Betanzos 

 towards Lugo. The last divisions 

 oftheFrencli left Feirol on the 2 1st 

 and Corunna on the 22nd, after hav- 

 ing in both places spiked the guns 

 and destroj'ed the defences on the 

 land side, together with the maga- 

 zines and stores of every kind, and 

 completely disarmed the places and 

 their inhabitants. The proximity 

 of the enemy's position continuing 

 to hold the authorities established 

 by the French at Corunna, in sub- 

 jection, through the fear of his re- 

 turn, no communication being suf- 

 fered with the British ships but by 

 flag of truce, and the state of de- 

 fence in which the batteries and 

 lines on the sea side were left, ren- 

 dering it dangerous for the British 

 to land or approach the coast in the 

 event of the re-appearance of any 

 of the enemy, captain Hotham on 

 the 24'th, ordered a detachment of 

 seamen and marines to land, disable 

 the guns on the different batteries 

 bearing on the anchorage, offering, 

 atthe same time, to the governor the 

 services of the detachment in ren- 

 dering any assistance that might be 

 in its power to the cause of the 

 Spanish patriots. The cannons and 

 mortars on the sea lines at Corunna, 

 and in the forts commanding thebay, 

 were accordingly dismounted on the 

 same day, leaving untouched those 

 on the lines towards the land which 

 had been spiked by the enemy. 



On the 26th, captain Hotham 

 sent captain Parker, of his majesty's 

 ship Amazon, to Ferrol, where he 

 was received by the people with the 

 loudest acclamations of joy, and 

 received from the higher orders of 

 the inhabitants the strongest pos- 

 sible marks of attachment to the 

 English, and happiness at seeing 



once more amongst them an officer 

 of that nation. The CListle of San 

 Felipe, however, was still under the 

 command of a person appointed by 

 marshal Ney, and attached to the 

 French interest, with a garrison 

 composed of a detachment of a 

 legion, raised by the enemy during 

 their possession of Ferrol and Co- 

 runna; and on the 27th, captain 

 Hotham received information that 

 the above commandant had given 

 orders to fire on any English ships 

 or boats that might attempt to pass 

 the castle. In consequence, captain 

 Hotham repaired to Ferrol in the 

 Defiance, and landed the marines 

 of that ship and the Amazon, with 

 a party of armed seamen, under the 

 direction of captain Parker, who 

 entered the castle without opposi- 

 tion, preceded by a flag bearing the 

 name of king Ferdinand VH., and 

 the Spanish colours. The detach- 

 ment then proceeded to the town of 

 Ferrol, where it was received in the 

 most affectionate manner by the in- 

 habitants, and having arrested the 

 commandant of the castle in the 

 name of king Ferdinand, sent him 

 on board the Defiance. The go- 

 vernor of Ferrol not having any 

 means of garrisoning the castle, the 

 guns in it were spiked, and the pow- 

 der removed to the arsenal, and the 

 place left under the command of 

 the former governor who had been 

 suspended by the enemy. 



On the 28th, captain Hotham 

 entered the port of Corunna, where 

 he was informed by the governor 

 that he had received instructions 

 from the marquis de la Romana, 

 dated at Orense on the 27th, to 

 proclaim his catholic majesty Fer- 

 dinand Vn. with advice that he had 

 dispatched a regiment from his 

 army to attend the ceremony and 



garrison 



