Movements of the British Legion; with strictures on the course of conduct pursued by Lieut.-General Evans

Front matter

V ' II-: /V <H ■" 3 TT^T ' "VTiA^a -3L* 7l a t^ _ Maxttley lUh., fVeUinyton, ${,. Jirctnac MOVEMENTS OF THE BRITISH LEGION, WITH STRICTURES ON THE COURSE OF CONDUCT PURSUED BY LIEUTENANT-GENERAL EVANS. BY MAJOR RICHARDSON. K.S.F. AUTHOR OF "ECARTK," " WACOUSTA," &c, Sac. SECOND EDITION. TO WHICH IS ADDED, WITH NEW ATEAVS, A Continuation of the Operations from the 5th of May, 1836, to the close of March, 1837. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND Co. STATIONER'S HALL COURT; J. MACRONE, ST. JAMES'S SQUARE; AND E. WILSON, ROYAL EXCHANGE, CORNHILL. 1837. LEWIS ami Co., Printer*, 15, Fritli Street, Soli*.

Preface

TO THE SECOND EDITION. So materially does the Second part of the Movements of the Legion differ from the first, that some explanation of the causes of that difference may, perhaps, be expected from me. In publishing the first edition of the first part, last year, the principal object I had in view was the upholding of a service, which had been grossly vilified by a certain portion of the press, and by the partizans of Don Carlos. With that service I considered myself identified, and, in giving it the character I did, consistently Avith truth, I felt that I was conferring a benefit upon those of the British Army, Avho, like myself, had, under the VI

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. sanction of the King and Government, sought an opening to active and honorable Avarfare, and the promotion consequent on its successful issue. A variety of motives have contributed to the retirement of almost every British and Indian officer Avho had originally embarked, under the impression, universally entertained at the time, that the Legion Avould haA'e effected infinitely more than it unfortunately has been permitted to do. Among the principal of these reasons, has been the arbitrary conduct of General Evans toAvards many of his officers, and his unexpected infringement of the Articles of Sendee ; both which subjects -will be found detailed in the second part of the volume. As an instance of the disappointment expe rienced by those Avho Avere among the most efficient of Lieutenant-General EATans's officers, it may be stated that of nearly fifty, Avho had originally embarked in the cause, not more than ten remain; the others are officers of the Por tuguese Army, or men whose first service has been in the Legion. This is a lamentable fact.

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. VII and bears in itself most striking evidence of the little encouragement afforded to officers of capa bility, as those of the British and Indian services doubtlessly Avere. Whether their secession has been owing to the general inactivity of the Legion, or to any perception of Avant of military capacity in its leader, are questions which they only can resolve. The service, as I have elseAvhere shoAvn, has been deprived of several highly useful men, through the intemperance of feeling, or jealousy, of the Lieutenant-General. In the first part of my work, I have described the Lieutenant-General as one Avhose conduct gave earnest of a successful issue to the service, in Avhich the Legion had embarked. My account of the march to Vitoria, represented him as pos sessed of great prudence and foresight, but unfor tunately, up to the period at Avhich my volume closes, no opportunity had been afforded of judg ing of his military talent in any practical Avay. The victory of the 5th of May, Avas certainly a very splendid one, but, unhappily, after events have not borne out the assumption that the

PREFACE.

. VIII Lieutenant-General was the person most fitted to the important command of an army, nor, in deed, should this have been expected, by reason of the little experience he had hitherto had even in the command of a regiment. An orderly leader of the auxiliary force confided to his care, punctiliously strict in his enforcement of the rules of discipline, he most unquestionably has proved himself to be ; but it cannot, at the same time, be denied that indecision and delay, properties Avhich nullify all excellence in a military leader, are errors for which he is particularly remarkable. Instead of following up success with the ardor Avhich ensures con fidence on the one hand ; dispiritedness on the the other; he is too readily satisfied with the slightest advantage he may have obtained. Had this vacillation not unfortunately been a leading trait in his character, the really gallant Legion Avould never have had to endure the scoffings and sneers of the partizans of Don Carlos, for having continued so long cooped up within the Avails of San Sebastian ; but, boldly advancing on the

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. IX enemy immediately after the 1st of October, and as soon as they had repaired their losses on the 5th of May, would have carried Irun and Hernani and thus struck a terror into the Carlist ranks, from the effects of Avhich they would not speedily have recovered. Nay, more recently, he Avould not have given the Carlists the opportunity of making vigorous preparations against his long meditated attack on Fuentarabia and Irun, after the absurdly magniloquent threat of extermination held out in his proclamation to the refractory Guipuzcoans ; Avhich proclamation, by the way, has any thing but grammar to recommend it. Let me not be misunderstood. Lieutenant- General Evans has treated me, as he has treated numerous others, Avith every possible indignity ; but this is no reason Avhy, if his military character be good, I should seek to convey a different im pression.

Indeed, this very circumstance Avould render me more tenacious of upholding, than depreciating it ; and this, not from any love I can be supposed to have for the Lieutenant-General, but from respect to my OAvn character for con- X

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. sistency. A first opinion is not infallible, and it my original opinion of General Evans Avas highly favorable, I must admit that his military opera tions before San Sebastian, and these are already familiar to the public, have had, to urge the least of it, no other tendency than to induce an extreme qualification of that opinion. In no case, hoAvever, will it be found that I have Avritten unjustly of the Lieutenant-General, although injustice of the most Avanton kind has been done to me. Injustice, Avhich it Avould be irre levant to enter upon here, as it is my full intention to submit it to the Avorld in a separate publication. Even in my allusion to the affair of Fuentarabia, it Avill be found, that, differing from his accusers, Avho have ascribed to him all the odium of that disaster, I have shoAvn General Evans was, from unexpected illness, rendered Avholly incapable of attending to the arrangements of the dav.

Thus much have I considered necessary to state, in order to show, that if any discrepancy be found to exist betAveen the first and second parts of the movements of the Legion, parts separately treat-

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. XI ing of the conduct of the Lieutenant-General in the field, and out of the field, that discrepancy has been the result of his OAvn measures only. At the conclusion of my very concise account of the action of the 5th of May, I had promised further particulars in a subsequent volume. These I had at that time contemplated giving in the second part of " The Movements," but many of the details are so mixed up Avith the causes of disagreement betAveen the Lieutenant-General and myself, that I have deemed it necessary to transfer them to my forthcoming volume, on the undeserved oppression which I have been made to experience at the Lieutenant-General's hands. In that volume some rather curious exposes will be found. The second part of " The Movements " having been Avritten under circumstances different from the first, I have thought it unnecessary to continue the form of the Journal. I have delayed the publication of this volume for nearly a month, in the hope I should be enabled to record some gallant feat of arms to

PREFACE.

. Avhich all England has been looking forward. Alas ! I have only to notice the brutal massacre, by the ruffian Giubelalde, of six unarmed Englishmen, Avho have fallen victims to that flagrant violation of the terms of service, Avith which I have already distinctly charged the Lieutenant-General . "THE AUTHOR." London, March 12th, 1837. Page CONTENTS.

Chapter I

Arrival at San Sebastian — Description of its grandeur — Punishment of a soldier for mutiny — Hard duty of officers — Dinner given by the 1st regiment — Ball to the inhabitants — Traitors in San Sebastian — Affair of Hernani — Removal to Portagalette — Attack on Lord John Hay's boats — Infamous quarters — Affair of Portagalette — March to Bilbao — Affair of the Puenta Nueva — Carlist prisoner — Position of the enemy 1

Chapter II

Withdrawal of the Carlist forces — Bilbaon manners and amusements — Removal of my regiment to St. Mames — Remarks of the Author on the decline of monasteries— Detached to Soroza — Wretchedness of quarters — Return to St. Mames — Melancholy accident at Soroza — Station of the English and French men-of-war — Touching anecdote of a Carlist CONTENTS. Page

Chapter III

March from Bilbao— Leave Portagalette for Castro— Romantic character of the march described — Legion fired upon by banditti—Route from Castro to Limpias— Plunder committed by part of the Legion— Punishment by the Lieutenant-General, and his remarks thereon— March to Villa Sante over Los Tornos — Grandeur of the country — March to Medina del Pomar — Country becomes less mountainous — Reach Ona — Its pass described — Supper of the Staff at the rich monastery of Oiia — Arrive at Brivieska — Remarks of the Author upon the nature and conduct of the march 56

Chapter IV

Arrival of Cordova to meet the Lieutenant-General — Miserable appearance of Brivieska — Wretchedness of the inhabitants contrasted with the fine appearance of the Biscayans and Guipiscoans — Severe fall of snow and extreme cold in the middle of November — Reported danger of the Lieutenant-General's baggage — A description of the Cure Merino — Pursuit of him by a Spanish detachment of cavalry — Visit to Burgos— Rude reception by the Governor — Visit the cathedral — Gorgeous beauty of its sculpture — Return to Brivieska — Victory gained by Cordova at Estella — Author's laments upon the mode of conduct of the war — Priest shot at Burgos for holding correspondence with the enemy — Mode of burial — Reported danger of the Lieut. - General's baggage from attack by Merino refuted 94

Chapter V

Dismissal of officers from the Legion — March to Vitoria— Ordered to San Domingo — Paul Carcanada, my French servant — His CONTENTS. XIII Page bravery in a severe affair against Villa Real— Route from San Domingo to Miranda, through the romantic pass of Pancorbo — Paul's downfall — Council of \ritoria— Indifferent reception by the inhabitants — Review of the Legion by Cordova — Ball given by the authorities — Description of Cordova — Governor of Bur gos dismissed for his rude conduct — Cordova and the Lieut.- General go to Burgos — Massacre of the Chapelgorris by Espartero , 119

Chapter VI

Flag of truce from the enemy — Christmas-day — A turkey anecdote — Report of the state of San Sebastian — Anecdotes of Zumalacarregui— Arrival of Count Almadovar, the Minister at War — Description of Vitoria — Promise of the Queen- Regent to visit the Legion in summer — Advance of the Legion from Vitoria— Spirited conduct of the Staff — Unhealthy state of Vitoria — Arrival of the French Legion — Critical position of the Carlists — Affair of Arlaban — Murder of Mr. Street, of the Commissariat—Increasing sickness at \7itoria — Burial of one of Cordova's aids-de-camp — Forward movement of the combined troops upon the castle of Guabarra— Fails to draw the enemy into action — A Carlist colonel killed by the Queen's cavalry, in revenge for the murder of Mr. Street — True position of the British Legion in the affair of the 17th — Legion left unprotected against the whole Carlist force on the heights of Zoazo — General Evans's withdrawal of his forces across the Zadora, where a final position is taken up — Anecdote 143

Chapter VII

A long hiatus in the Journal occasioned by Typhus — Ravages of this disease among the troops — Inhumanity of the inhabitants CONTENTS, XIV Page of Vitoria— Billeting— The Emperor Jahangueiar's laws there upon — Insufficiency of supplies to the sick by the Spanish authorities— Changes in the Legion — Breaking up of the 2nd and 5th regiments from excessive weakness of numbers Changes in the Staff— The Londonderry hoax— Remarks there upon — Sir John Elley's and Colonel Thompson's speech in the House of Commons — Bitterness of the '* Morning Herald " against the Queen's cause — Its correspondent supposed to be a hired agent of Don Carlos— The character of the " Isle O'Dogians " vindicated — Return of General M'Dougall from Madrid — Object of his mission . . . , 177

Chapter VIII

Pitiable condition of the convalescents — Removal of head-quarters to Aranjues — Distribution of the Xegion — Defeat of the Carlists by Espartero's division at Orduna — His real force — Particulars of Espartero's action — Gallant conduct of a Spanish corporal — Its reward — Important discovery of traitors in Vitoria — Their trial and execution by the garrot in the Plaza — Attempt of Villa Real to save them 198

Chapter IX

Departure from Vitoria — Curious mode of conveyance — Break down of our vehicle between Miranda and Ona — Perform the remainder of the journey on foot — Mr. Wilkinson's letter in the " Morning Herald"— Brief comments thereon — Reach Sancillo through the beautiful pass of Balma-de-ceda — Reception by the padrona of the posada — Descent of a very high and ragged mountain on three wheels— Reach the pretty village of Ontenada— Meet my ex-servant, Paul Carcanada, under verv CONTENTS. XV Page suspicious circumstances — His great familiarity with a Spanish colonel— Reach Santander — Expedition to San Sebastian fully detailed— Remarks of the Author — Disagreeable billeting at Santander — Reception by Commodore Henry on board the Isa bella Secunda — Conduct of Lord John Hay — Arrival of the Lieutenant-General in advance of the Legion ordered to the coast— Author's remarks — Dinner given by the Lieut. -General at Santander — Departure of the Author for San Sebastian — Battle of Ayetta 214

Part II

Remarks on the extremes of party spirit in England, as connected with the Battle of the 5th of May — General Evans condemned for not advancing upon Hernani — His refusal justified — Recovery of the Carlists from their consternation — Their renewed preparations for defence — Passage of the Uramea and occupation of Passages, &c. by the Legion — Action of the 6th of June — Anecdotes — Advance upon Fuentarabia on the 11th July — Failure of the Expedition attributed to General Reid — Anecdotes — Reconnoissance of the Ametzagana — Narrow escape of Captains Atkyns and Brown of the Rifles — Refusal of the Scotch regiments to serve beyond their stipulated year — Query to General Evans — Mutinous and disorderly conduct of the 8th regiment — Firmness and consistency of the 6th Scotch — Their shrewdness and intelligence — Their conduct contrasted with that of the Irish regiments— Strange invitation by General Chichester to the 10th regiment, that they might desert to Don Carlos if they thought proper — Decline of the morale of the Legion, attributed to the Lieutenant-General himself — His rupture with General Mac Dougall— Lavish distribution of decorations and promotion— Unjustifiable violation of the terms i*i CONTENTS.

Page of engagement — General Evans benefited by it in a pecuniaiy view— His rupture with General Shaw, who quits the Legion in consequence— 111 treatment of Colonel Kinloch of the Lancers— Of Colonels Boyd, Finucane, Churchill, &c. — Exten sive Brevet made in order to tranquillize the Portuguese officers — Second reconnoissance upon the Ametzagana — Funeral of a Spanish officer — Foraging excursion from Puyo — Anecdotes — Lugaris lines attacked by the enemy on the 27th September — Their repulse — Singular omission on the part of the Lieutenant- General — Action of the 1st of October — Alza, Lugaris, and the lines in front of the Ametzagana simultaneously attacked, enemy repulsed on all sides — Gallant defence of the advanced piquet house of the Legion defended by three companies of the 3rd iegiment under Major Maclean — Activity of Colonel Colquhoun — Spirited conduct of Captain Cotter of the 3id — Gallantry of Lieutenant Backhouse of the rocket troop — His fall, and burial with all due military honors, near the light house of San Sebastian — Position occupied by General Evans and his stats during the action — Narrow escape of the former — Curious direction taken by a 32 pound shot from the Ametzagana — Remarks on the action — Advantage not taken of the enemy's weak points — Supineness of the Lieutenant General's immediate staff — Opportunity of carrying the hill lost from ignorance of its existence — Refusal of General Evans to succour Bilboa — Its deliverance attributable chiefly to the energy of Colonel Wylde Recent movements of the Legion upon Astigarraga 257 a\dditional Movements — Advance upon Astigarraga, Hernani, &c. 311 Appendix JOURNAL OF THE MOVEMENTS OF THE BRITISH LEGION.

Chapter I. Arrival At San Sebastian Description Op Its Grandeur Punishment Of

A SOLDIER FOR MUTINY HARD DUTY OP OFFICERS DINNER GIVEN BY THE FIRST REGIMENT BALL TO THE INHABITANTS TRAITORS IN SAN SEBASTIAN AFFAIR OF HER- NANI — REMOVAL TO PORTAGALETTE — ATTACK ON LORD JOHN HAY'S BOATS INFAMOUS QUARTERS AFFAIR OF PORTAGALETTE MARCH TO BILBAO — AFFAIR OF THE PUENTA NUEVO — CARLIST PRISONER — POSITION OF THE ENEMY. On the 23rd of July the right Aving of the second regiment of the British Auxiliary Legion sailed from Portsmouth for San Sebastian, on board the Royal Tar steamer. The passage, occupying four days, offered no other incident than B a severe squall, Avhich occurred on Sunday, the 26th, carrying away what canvass we had set, and otherwise greatly incommoding the men, 400 in number, Avho Avere crowded upon her decks ; some thunder and lightning accompanied a deluge of rain, and as we had taken our poAvder on board at Spithead, there Avas apprehension that injury might arise from the quantity of iron-work necessarily connected Avith the steam apparatus.

The storm hoAvever passed off, and on the following morning, at day break, the bold head-lands of St. Sebastian and its vicinity Avere dimly seen in the distance. We entered the harbour about mid-day, and as the steamer passed the strait, conducting into the basin, Ave embraced one of the most magnificent coup-d'œils it is possible to conceive. There Avas that in the scene altogether that filled the heart with a Avonderment, in Avhich delight and aAve were singularly blended. On the right, rises a bold and precipitous head-land, croAvned by a light-house, that looks like the habitation of some genius of the air ; on the left, the lofty battlements of San Sebastian, Avhich convey to the mind of the beholder their utter unassailableness by any thing short of British valour, headed by British resolution.

Forming the centre of the arch, of Avhich these points are the extremities, are to be seen a succession of lofty hills, Avhich in England would be termed mountains, not rude and desolate, and barren, as the rocky super stratum Avould lead one to believe, but clothed with rich verdure and luxuriant crops, and studded Avith an infinitude of antique looking houses, har monizing admirably Avith the romantic character of the Avhole. On one of these, and distinctly visible with the telescope, is the outpost of Don Carlos' army. From this point the arrival of the steamer must have been Avitnessed by the enemy, Avhose inertness in not seeking to annoy us, (the right shore being in their possession), is truly unaccountable. Beyond this outpost, and in the far distance, spring mountains, along Avhose sides roll immense volumes of clouds, that add not a little to the grandeur and sublimity of the scene, contrasting, as they do, with the white smooth sands that stand out in light relief on the low foreground of the picture.

Why was it that I experienced an emotion which I can find no words to render, on approaching this truly glorious scene % I have been in various parts of the Avorld, have beheld nature clad alternately in smiles, and in froAvns, admired all that was soft and lovely — all that was terrific and grand — in her several aspects, but never, even in my early youth, did I experience that SAvelling of the gratified heart which leaves the voice tremulous in its expression of the ad miration created in the soul. Never did I then, as on this occasion, attempt to convey to others the impression produced on my mind, and find that language was insufficient for the purpose. Why, I ask, Avas this ? Was it the touching pic ture of the dense masses of Spaniards, in their various characteristic costumes, Avho rose in pyra midical array from its very base to the summit of San Sebastian, Avaving their caps and giving every other indication of joy, at receiving their new brothers in arms?

Or was it the excitement pro duced by nature alone in the heart of one who had ever been faithful in his worship of her beauty, and prized her most Avhen arrayed in the garb that told at once of loveliness and grandeur ?—What ever it Avas, I felt as if I could have shed tears, and yet been unable to say to those Avho questioned me, wherefore ! Early in the afternoon the boats Avere dispatched from the mole for vis, and our disembarkation Avas effected, amid "vivas!" from the Spaniards, and occasional discharges of guns from the highest point of the battlements of San Sebastian. When each boat left the steamer, three cheers were given for the " Royal Tar," and on approaching the mole, three more for the Spaniards. As each company formed on the beach, it Avas marched off to the barracks of St. Elmo, preceded by a Spanish band.

The balconies of the houses Avere thronged, and over them peered many a dark and sparkling eye, that marked any thing but disapprobation of the arrival of the strangers. On the whole, our reception wanted the brilliancy and fervor that had marked the landing of the 1st regiment; but this Avas to be expected. The nine days wonder had ceased, and the inhabitants satisfied themselves with evincing all the kindliness of gratu lation, Avithout incommoding themselves, or us, by an exhibition of its boisterousness. The news communicated of the enemy on our arrival, Avas of a nature to inspire disgust and a desire for vengeance in our minds. Lord John Hay had come over from Bilbao in a steamer on the preceding day, and reported that tAvo marines belonging to his ship had been taken by the Carlists and shot.

A man of the 1st regiment of the Legion, who had wandered a little distance from San Sebastian, had also fallen in with a picquet of the enemy, and was captured ; his fate can scarcely be said to be doubtful. July 30th. — A district court martial sat to day on a man, who, on open parade, swore he would knock down any officer or private Avho should dare to approach him, and otherwise used most mutinous language. His sentence will be read to morrow before the brigade, which is ordered to assemble to witness his punishment, Avhen it is to be hoped such example will be made as will prevent others from falling into the same course. July 31st. This morning the sentence Avas carried into effect, and corporal punishment inflicted upon the prisoner in presence of the brigade. He bore it unflinchingly, and at the close, Avhen taken doAvn, cried out in the most mutinous and insolent manner, " Hurra, boys, it's over noAv, and there's no great harm in that, they've done their worst."

This language might and Avould have been passed over, had not the prisoner finished by throwing a tin Avater-can, which had been given him by one of the drummers, Avith great violence from him, and in the most disorderly manner : certainly had there existed any disposition to mutiny on the part of the great body of the men, nothing could have more tended to call it forth ; but the act brought its merited punishment. By order of Colonel Kirby, who commanded the parade, a drum-head court-martial, consisting of one major and six captains, Avas instantly assembled in the centre of the square. Then, indeed, Avas the prisoner com pletely crest-fallen. He had not anticipated this poAver to try him so immediately after a first punishment. He threAv himself upon his knees, and in the most piteous tones implored for mercy ; declaring that he had acted under the influence of madness— that excited by the punishment, he kneAv not Avhat he said or did.

He promised that, if forgiven, he Avould ever after prove a good sol dier ; but his appeal met with no reply. The court proceeded with its deliberations, and Avhen it had closed, the sentence awarded was found to be one hundred and fifty lashes, for the crime of mutinous conduct on parade. A change came over the acting of the artful prisoner ; he no longer pleaded for mercy, but affected weakness and inability to stand. He was raised from the earth, borne to the tree where he had originally been tied up, and the drummer flourished his cat. Colonel Kirby addressed the parade, pointed out the flagrant crime of Avhich the man had been guilty, expressed his determination to show them that mutiny and insubordination should be put down, and concluded by pardoning the offender. This was as it should have been.

It proved to the prisoner, and to the men at large, that there was no personal feelino against the individual, but a resolution to uphold the discipline of British soldiers in a foreign land, in the manner most befitting our high military name. What General Evans will say to the punishment, is not so clear, but from his known hostility to flogging, it is doubtful Avhether he will approve it. Certainly, this offender merited death or the cat. August 4th. — As officers, we have decidedly no sineeures ; perpetual drillings of the men, and constant attendance at the barracks, in order to the Avell-conduct of our charge. To-day the Lon don Merchant steamer arrived, and in her about 250 men of our left wing. The great nuisance of these arrivals at different periods, is, that Avhen the first party have spent their bounty, and shown symptoms of returning sobriety, the introduction of fresh comers distracts the good order and arrangement it has cost the officers so much time and trouble to accomplish.

These things, how ever, are unavoidable. On the whole, the 2nd regiment has been better conducted than the 1st, and in my company, consisting of ninety-six men, I knoAV not one essentially bad subject. c August 7th.— This evening there Avas a heavy firing of musketry, distinctly audible from our drill-ground near the glacis of the twn, which continued for upAvards of an hour. We expected to hear of considerable loss, but Avere informed that only two Carlists had been killed, and one Avounded, Avhile the Chapelgorris, a sort of urban militia, so designated from their red caps, had one man Avounded. From this it may be inferred that Spaniards love to keep themselves at a respect able distance from their enemies ; a circumstance that speaks volumes for their character as a military people. But nous verrons.

August 9th. — This day we dined Avith the 1st regiment, at their barracks in the convent of San Francisco, outside the toAvn. It Avas a sight to call up Tory spleen, more especially that of those most honorable gentlemen who were pleased to designate us, in the House of Commons, as a set of " mercenary adventurers ; " quite forgetting that having barred the door of promotion to us in our own service, Ave were naturally eager to seek it in some other. Had they been present, they would have been compelled to admit that British officers, even serving under a foreign poAver, which appears to be their great crime, are still gentle men. No British mess ever sat down with greater retenu, or presented a better appearance. It is true there were wanting many of the elegancies, but there Avas abundance of the necessaries adapted to such an occasion ; and, Avhat Avas better, the cheer that Avas given, came from men anxious to rival us, not only in arms, but in all the more gentlemanly courtesies of life.

A Spanish band of the regiment of Ovieda attended during dinner, and played several overtures from the operas of the day. After dinner, the cloth being removed, (uo — not removed, for it Avas left to conceal the rudeness of the table) the health of the king Avas given, and the Avails of the refectory, Avhich in days of yore had doubtless oft responded to the joyous revellings of saintly monks and nuns, were now made to echo back the heartfelt cheers of fifty as gallant hearts as ever beat under a soldier's cors let. In truth, a finer body of officers were never assembled under the same roof, in the same number be that roof where it will— no, not under the roof of a British mess-room. " God save the King " was played by the band in good style, and with much correctness ; after which was given by the President (Colonel Kirby) the health of" the Queen of Spain, our Royal Mistress ;" this toast was drank with the same honor that had been paid to our own sovereign, and the band struck up " Riego's hymn."