210 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1810. 



issued a spirited and energetic ad- 

 dress to the Spanisli nation, rous- 

 ing tliem to a defiance of the in- 

 vaders, even in the midst of their 

 triumphs ; and gave orders for 

 raising the greatest possible num- 

 ber of detaclied corps. It parti- 

 cularly named three, of 150 men 

 each ; the third part cavalry. It 

 likewise ordered smaller ones to 

 be raised in proportion to the po- 

 pulation of the parishes, or other 

 districts, into which the province 

 of Eslramadura was divided, sub- 

 ordinate to the three principal 

 ones. The order of the Junta 

 specified also the weapons to be 

 used. These were only two ; the 

 musket, and the cucliillo, or side 

 knife : the musket for attacking 

 the enemy's convoys and detach- 

 ments by ambush and surprize ; 

 and the cuchillo for attacks by 

 night and in the streets. Similar 

 orders wen; immediately issued by 

 the Junto of Gallicia, and of Astu- 

 rias. But even without the inter- 

 vention of any public authorities 

 throughout all Spain, even in most 

 of the provinces overrun, and 

 partly occupied by the French, 

 Old Castillo, Leon. Navarre, A rra- 

 gon, Catalonia, Valencia, Murcia, 

 and Grenada, parties were formed 

 to fall suddenly on the French and 

 their partizans, to arrest their 

 convoys, carry oft' their advanced 

 guards, watch and harass their pa- 

 troles, surprize stragglers, make 

 an attack when they had the ad- 

 vantage of numbers, and lie in 

 ambush when their safety de- 



' The Empecinado. The appellation by wliich a gentleman of the name of 

 Martin was distinguisheil, the whole of whose fauiily had been cut off by the French, 

 and who ilevoted tlie whole of his life lo revenge. Having witnessed at ./\raiida 

 Douro the mnrdcr ol his whole family, in rohl blood, by a party of French soldiers, 

 he made his escape, and swore never to sheath his sword wiiile a Frenchman re- 

 mained ir> Spain. He quickly collected ;i troop of l,20t> men which was gradually 

 increased to many thousands. 



pended on flight. They were 

 again to rc-organizc themselves, 

 re-appear, to stand, and to multiply 

 themselves by the rapidity of thcii 

 marches, and their acquaintance 

 with all the roads and defiles. 

 Among the most renowned chiefs 

 or leaders of the Guerillas, so the 

 parties of armed Spaniards were 

 called, were Longa, in Gallicia 

 and Asturias ; Mina, in the north 

 of Castille , Santochiides, in Leon; 

 Don Juan Sanchez, near Salaman- 

 cha ; Baron Derolcs, in Arragon ; 

 and I'Empecinado, * in the vici- 

 nity of Madrid. 



The French troops, after the j 

 retreat of lord Wellington, and I 

 the total defeat of the main Spa- 

 nish army under general Ariesaga, 

 were dispersed in different and 

 distant stations, for procuring sub- 

 sistence, and keeping the territo- 

 ries they had overrun in subjec- 

 tion. The allied army presented 

 a formidable force on the frontier 

 of Spain. The French, in the 

 prosecution of their grand design, 

 the reduction of Cadiz and Lis- 

 bon, were obliged to concentrate 

 their forces. 'J'his operated as a 

 diversion in favour of the (lue- 

 rillas. Many places occupied be- 

 fore by the French, fell into the 

 hands of tlie GueriilaF. Amonj; 

 these were Ovicdo and Gijon, in 

 Asturias. When the French di- 

 visions were drawn together for 

 opposing the united armies of lord 

 Wellington and general Cuesta, j 

 the Guerillas, taking advantage of ' 

 their absence, scoured the country 



