1809.] 
which impend over Madrid, on which were 
already placed the divisions of dragoons of Ge- 
nerals Latour Maubourg, aad Lahoussaye, 
and the imperial horse-guards. ‘The anni- 
versary of the coronation, that epoch which 
has signalized so many days for ever fortu- 
nate for France, awakened in all hearts the 
most agreeable recollections, and inspired all 
the troops with an enthusiam which manifest- 
ed itself in a thousand exclamations. ‘I'he 
weather was beautiful, and like that enjoy- 
ed in France in the month of May. The 
Marshal Duke of Istria sent to summon the 
town, where a military junta was formed, 
under the presidency of Marquis of Castelar, 
who had under his orders General Moria, 
Captain-General of Andalusia, and Inspector- 
General of Artillery.—The town contained 
a number of armed peasants, assembled from 
all quarters, 6000 troops of the line, and 
100 pieces of cannon. Sixty thousand men 
were in arms.—Uheir cries were heard on 
every side; the bells of 200 churches rung 
altogether; and every thing presented the 
appearance of disorder and madness. The ge- 
neral of the troops of the line appeared at 
the advanced posts to answer the summons 
of the Duke of Istria. He was accompanied 
by SO men of the people, whose dress, looks, 
and ferocious language, recalled the -recol- 
lection of the assassins of September. When 
the Spanish general was asked whether he 
meant to expose women, children, and old 
men, to the horrors of an assault, he mani- 
fested secretly the grief with which he was 
penetrated ; he made known by signs, that 
he, as well as all the honest men of Madrid, 
groaned under oppression; and when he 
raised his voice, his words were dictated by 
the wretches who watched over him. No 
doubt could be entertained of the excess to 
which the tyranny of the multitude was car- 
ried, when they saw him write cown all his 
words, and caused the record to be verified 
by the assassins who surrounded him. ‘he 
Aid-de-camp of the Dake of Istria, who had 
been sent into the town, was seized by men 
of the lowest class of people, and was about 
to be massacred, when the troops of the line, 
indignant at the outrage, took him under 
their protection, and caused him.to be re- 
stored to bis general. A little time after, 
some deserters from the Walloon guards 
came to the camp. Their depositions. con- 
vinced us that the people of property, and 
honest men, were without influence ; and it 
was to be concluded that conciliation was 
altogether impossible. 
The Marquis of Perales, a reputable man, 
who had hitherto appeared to enjoy the con-. 
fidence of the people, had been on the day 
before this, accused of putting sand in the. 
cartridges, He was immediately strangled, 
It was determined that all che cartridges 
should be remade; 3 or 4,000 monks were 
employed upon this work at the Retiro. All 
the palaces and houses were ordered to be 
Progress of the French A rmy in SPA0Ne 
79 
open to furnish provisions at discretion. The 
French infantry was still three leagues from 
Madrid. ‘The Empzror emploved the even= 
ing in reconnoitring the town, and deciding a 
plan of attack, consistent with the consider- 
ation due to the great number of honest 
people always to-be found in a great capital. 
At seven o'clock the division Lapissi of 
the corps of the Duke or Belluna arrived.’ 
Tle mvon shone with a brightness that 
seemed to prolong the day. ‘The Emperor. 
ordered the General of Brigade Moison to 
take possession of the suburbs, and charged 
the General of Brigade Lau-iston to support 
him in the enterprize, with four pieces of 
artillery belonging to the guards. The 
sharp-shoorers of the 16th regiment took pos- 
session of some houses, and in particular of 
the grand cemetry. At the first fire, the 
enemy shewed as.much cowardice as he did 
of arrogance all the day. . The Duke of Bel- 
luna employed all the night in placing his 
artillery in the pusts designed for the attack. 
At midnight the Prince of Neufchatel sent 
to Madrid a Spanish Lieutenant-Colonel of 
Artillery, who had been taken at Samosierra, 
and who-saw with affright the obstinacy of 
his fellow citizens. He tovk charge of the 
annexed letter, No.1. Onthe third at nine 
in the morning, the same ‘flag of truce re- 
turned to the head-quarters with the letter 
No. 2. But the General: of Brigade Lena-. 
mont, an officer of great merit, had already. 
placed 50 picces of artiliery, and had come 
menced a very smart fire, 'which made a 
breach in the walls of the Retiro. The sharp- 
shooters of the division of Villatte having 
passed the breach, their. battalion followed 
them, and in less than a quarter of an hour 
1000 men, who defended the Retiro, were 
knocked on the head. ard: 
The Palace of the Retiro, the important 
posts of the Observatory, of the porcelaine: 
manufactory, of the grand barrack,. the ho~ 
tel of Medina Celi, andall the outlets which 
had been fortified, were taken by our troops.: 
On another side, 20 pieces. of cannon of the 
guards, accompanied by light troops, threw 
shells; and attracted ‘the attention of the 
enemy by a false attack. 
The enemy had more than 100 pieces of. 
cannon mounted; a more considerable num-~ 
ber had been dug up, taken out of-celiars, 
and fixed upon carts, a grotesqu train, and 
in itself sufficient to prove the madness of a ~ 
people abandoned to itself. But all means of 
defence were become useless. The possessors 
of Retiro are always masters of Madrid. The 
Emperor took all possible care tu prevent the 
troops from going trom house to house. . The 
city was ruined if many troops had been eme 
ployed. Only some companies of sharp-shoot- 
ers advanced, and the Emperor constantly 
refused to send any to sustain them. At 
eleven o’clock the Prince of Neufchatel wrote 
the annexed letter, No. 3. His Majesty at the. 
same time ordered the fire tocease enall points, 
A but. 
