The Tagus; an epic poem, commemorative of the gallant deeds of the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsula, with ... notes elucidating the chief events of the war with France. Also, several other original poetical pieces

Front matter

THE TAGUS; 3n <Œpic ipoem, COMMEMORATIVE, of the GALLANT DEEDS or The DUKE of WELLINGTON In the PENINSULA, With Copious EXPLANA TOR Y NOTES, ELUCIDATING THE CHIEF EVENTS OF THE WAR WITH FRANCE. ALSO, SEVEBAL OTHER ORIGINAL POETICAJL PIECES, By JOSEPH WAUGH. CARLISLE : JPHINIED FOR THE AUTHOR BY FRANCIS JQJiL.If. 1814;. Timet side. THE CONTENTS. The Tagus. The Great Storm. The Bridges of Eden. The Crests, or Hoy ed Stem. The Needle. Edom's Easter Day. The Swifts. Eather Scarr. The Illumination, When Trade was dead in Winter Chear up ye People of fair Eden "While Blooming Rose. War's weary Life of Man, An Ode to Spring. An Ode to Summer. An Ode to Winter. 1 he Night the News eame in.' The Lampoon, 6se. THE TAGUS; AN EPIC POEM. THE AUTHOR'S

Preface

. Per&aps at no period since the commence^ merit of the war, were the polities of Europe hi so critical a state as in the year 1809. when Bonaparte by his Milan and Berlin decrees threatened to effect the destruction of Great Britain. Previously to this period I had become acquainted with a number of foreigners, mercantile gentlemen, who had been banished from their native countries for trading with this island. The dismal and shocking accounts they gave, might have spoken to the most hardened

PREFACE.

. VIII soul in the British empire ; but, alas ! the pub lic attention was, at that time, or soon after wards, directed to the disposition which prevail ed towards riot and disorder in certain districts. Before this period I never wrote a line ; but now the extended consequences of the French. Revolution engaged my attention ; and, in ad dition to the distress at home consequent upon the war that followed that horrid epocha, the devastations of the French armies, blazing like meteors over foreign countries, and carrying death and misery in their train, struck my " mind's eve" with the most lively colours. Re ferring to our disturbances at home — surely, in England, we can never be so distressed as those poor souls, who have been driven from their houses (perhaps never to return), and banished from all who are near and dear to them.

As a lover of the British constitution, where cor ruption itself is checked in its bud, — in bitter ness of soul, thought I, does there not exist the noble band of heroes, those patriot® for British PREFACE* IX liberty, those saviours of our land, those im mortal illuminaries who have laid the foundation of our future happiness ; and shall the Corsicau Tyrant harrass and vex mankind ? It cannot long be so, if England has celebrated her worthies in a superlative degree through seven centuries, — she will not be divided at this important hour. Astonished still, I viewed the pregnant evils of war, which can be compared to nothing but a mechanical engine, that, while it empties makes a vacuity in the one, re plenishes with abundance the other, Thus are thousands swept from the face of the earth, while thousands sink in chearless poverty to shew the depraved state of man.

The history of our country is matter sufficient for one of the first poems in the world ; but this subject has been annihilated in every sense of the word. There remains only for me to remark that I had in view the Battles of his Grace the Duke of Wellington ; the events of which, as it were like a miracle, were looked upon by

PREFACE.

. X many of this country with coolness. All feared the issue, yet in the space of a few years how changed is the scene? By his Grace's con summate skill he has foiled some of the first Generals in France, — by his perseverance over come difficulties considered insuperable — ena bled the scattered bands of Patriots to acquire both discipline and strength ; and thus to the valour of tht British troops, and the extraordi nary talents and exertions of our Hero, has depended the cause of liberty in Spain, in Por tugal, in Europe, nay in Britain itself, and throughout the whole universe! This triumph has been most eloquently alluded to by one of our exalted statesmen — " While the people of the Continent stood aghast at the Tyrant, he boldly rushed to the field : his proposal to pro tect Portugal shewed him a man susceptible of the greatest worth ; he soon checked their rapid progress and their boast of dri ing us into the sea. Though in some points we have sa enticed much, yet the advantages arising there-

PREFACE.

. XI from have been equal — even the possession of Portugal, the defence of the ports of Spain, or at least their cccupancyand preservation, that led to the great assistance of the organization." After all, if we would trace calamity to its source, it may be freely confessed that the flimsy writings of that arch-caviller, Voltaire, have undone France. 1 earnestly hope the example will operate as a caution to other Governments, and teach them to beware of permitting with impunity impious and licen tious publications. They may rely upon it, there are no libels so dangerous to a state as those against God. I venerate, and ever shall venerate, the cause of religious toleration. Every sect, which acknowledges a future state of rewards and punishments, is innoxious, if not respectable ; but if this great foundation of morality be removed, there can be no de pendence on the principle or morality of a people.

Let the Horslej's and the Priestleys fully indulge themselves concerning the dispu- Preface. ted points of theology ; but let every impious scoffer, who presumes to aim his destructive shafts at any of the great doctrines of religion, be severely punished, and his writings strictly prohibited. Till this be the case, no govern ment can be safe, nor will it be possible to maintain order, or even common honesty, amongst them. Should this work be thought worthy a more elegant polish, the judicious critic's assist ... nee is humbly requested ; the Author being chiefly solicitous to produce a work inculcating public spirit and patriotic feeling on general princi ples, as it is more the effusion of his own heart than the laboured product of learning and pre meditation. PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS INTRODUCED lit THE CautlSB OF THt& PTOkk.

HORATIO, Genius of Britain. TAGONIA, Genius of Spain. f EUTONIEL, Attendant on Wellington. JELPHO N A, the mischievous Spirit presiding over France . BLUCHANO, the Protector of Europe. THE ARGUMENT. The Subject proposed — Invasions — Invocations — Exordi um — France, the embroiler of Europe — her intention to sub due it — Berlin Decrees — Devastation of the French — n* Peace with the Tyrant — General Sir John Moore's Retreat —Ferdinand betrayed — the Speech of the Genius of Britain — proposes to support Spain, Austria, &c. — the Importance— Elphona's Downfall — Tagonia's Speech for Spain — his man ner — his remorse for what is past — horrid Account of the French Proclamations — their Insults — a Thought on War— Tagonia describes his former greatness — his Truth to the present Cause — Horatio's most gracious Answer — Debate* — Wellington's Proposal to protect Portugal — a Thought orf England's Aid to other Nations — Preparations for Foreign Service — the Embarkation of the Troops — their Embarkation described — Parting with their Friends — the last Farewelt •when out at Sea — Landing, &c. &c. INVOCATION.

Now Inspiration, heavenly muse, afford That I in grateful numbers may record The warlike deeds of Wellington the bold, His glorious actions as they rise unfold, Who left the pleasures of Britannia's isle-~ The soft endearments of his native soil, And nobly great, amidst a country's woes, Perform'd his task with earth and Heaven's applause. To mighty heroes like to him I sing, ■> Who've felt the burning heat and Win- ' . I ter's sting, t From pole to pole would serve their country's king — Those who to bloody camps have been inur'd, And all the toil of dreadful war endur'd ; INVOCATION. XVI *"or shall the song that suits the summer's camp, O'er Winter's pleasure throw a single damp — Tho' all t?ie dangers that a war displays, In all their scenes shall here engage my lays ; Not to indulge the conceits of the age, But without patron boldly I'll engage ; And if protection men should give the bard, One single flight profuse would them reward ; I'll tune my harp, and by their kind permission, Most humbly will bring forth a new edition !

And if in failing it may be contended, Let every critic try himself to mend it ; Dead would a world be without a song, So I'm contented, think me right or wrong ; Inspir'd with zeal, I lastly do demand, Is there a better subject in the land ? As every being is his proper judge Of his own part he means thro' life to trudge $ Tho' I be sailer, tho' you me caress, I've done my best I humbly must confess ; Then as I can I'll sing the long campaign— I'll sing the deeds of Wellington in Spain. %\)t 'Cagus*

Canto I

J-iRE Albion's sons with sword and fending shield,, To Cæsar's warlike train were forc'd to yield, Or taught the world to know her commerce shore, They would protect from Tyrant's despot power. Thus tyrant war, with mighty unsheath'd sword, Has oft been pointed at our land absurd, Till tir'd with each invading robber's band, A lesson learned to fight and save their land ; " Then rush'd to sea a mistress of the deep,"( 1 ) With fleets well-mann'd, their home's attire to keep, note 1. Thompson, author of the Seasons. B the tagus ; 'Till thousand Heroes, worthy of the name, Have grac'd her annals, and have rais'd her fame. Then hail, ye Britons, infinitely dear — Ye mothers wipe away that glist'ning tear : Again what glorious news have reach'd your shore,. And Wellington is worthy high to soar, In magnanimous honours laurell'd, Like yon bright star that shines thro' all the world.

To sing his name to England ever dear, Assist me, Genius, do thou deign to hear, To form and modulize this noble strain : Thy spirit, Poesy, lend — thy opening vein, To paint his actions on the Tago's stream ; (2) Or Ebro's banks, or where may chance the theme ; (3) note 2. Tagus, a famous river in Spain, rises in Castile, and falls into the sea two leagues below Lisbon. The ships of the Spanish armada are said to have sailed down the Tagus. It derives its name from a King of Spain called Tagus ; and was fabled by the ancients to roll golden sand. note 3. Ebro, another river in Spain, also rises in Castile, on the frontiers of Asturias, and empties itself into the Mediterranean below Tortosa. In India's burning climes, or how hoar frost In Holland bit with unremitting blast : (4) note 4. Notwithstanding the advantages gained on the 31§t December, yet as the frost was still increasing, it was judged expedient that Gen. Dundas's corps should fall back upon Lingen, leaving outposts upon the Waal ; a movement that was executed on the night of the 3d January.

The severity of the weather still increasing, the ene my were induced, on the 4th, to recross the Waal near Bommel. The advanced posts of the Allies were im mediately driven in, and Tuyl fell into the hands of the assailants. Gen. Dundas, notwithstanding, still thought that he should be able to defend Mettern, and thus to check the future progress of the enemy ; but the ad vanced posts of the Hessians nearest to his post, having been also obliged to fall back, the Commander-in-Chief, in concert with the other principal officers, thought it prudent to send orders to him, and also to Gen. Dal wick, to unite their detachments immediately, and at day-break of the 5th to make a vigorous attack upon the enemy, for the purpose of driving them across the Waal. But about two in the afternoon of the 4th, the French attacked the post at Mettern, about a mile in front, where part of the 33d regiment, with a picquet of eight cavalry, and two curricle guns, were posted.

Their superior number, and their disposition to surround this Wave little detachment, soon made it necessary to falj THG tagus ; Resolv'd he was to stem where'er he trode— • The Revolution's tide as swift it flow'd, back on the other part of the regiment, which was supported with two howitzers. In this difficult movement they were hardly pressed by a large body of the enemy's hussars, that galloped along the road with great velocity, The troops having beforehand been in an alert situa tion, the village of Geldermalsen was soon covered by the 42d and 78th ; when the whole of the 33d took its place in the line of defence, and the other troops were in reserve on the opposite dyke of the Lingen, that river being completely frozen, and every where passable. In the early part of this affair, Colonel Wellesley, and his little band, must have displayed great activity ; but the charge of the superior body of cavalry was so im petuous, both on the cavalry and infantry, that at first they had the advantage, and, it is even said, had taken the two curricle guns ; but the reserve of the 33d coming up, the guns were re-taken, and the enemy re pulsed, so as to allow of the gallant few falling back with regularity on the main body.

The enemy still persevering in their attack, and being now reinforced, advanced on the village of Geldermal sen, both in front and flank ; but after a great deal of musquetry siring, for about an hour, were every were repulsed by the steadiness of the troops, and forced to retire. The violence of the frost having now converted the And fix for ever on the lists of shame Those sons of haughty Gaul that stain'd her name. whole country into a kind of plain, which thereby af forded the greatest facility to the French army in all their movements ; Gen. Dundas thought it necessary to fall back during the night upon Beuren, where Gen. Dalwick was already stationed; This circumstance, and the excessive fatigue which the troops had undergone in those operations, at a sea son of the year, and in situations, in which they were often obliged, from want of cantonments, to pass the night without cover, determined the Commander-in- Chief to take up a position behind the Leek, extending from Euylenberg to Wageningnen.

Another reason for this movement was a march made by a considerable column of the enemy, attended by a large train of artillery, towards Gorcum, whilst their attack upon the right, combined with an attempt upon Thiel, evidently indicated a regular plan of operations even during the severity of the weather. In the mean time a partial change took place in the movement of the British ; for a very considerable and sudden thaw having come on upon the 6th, which of fered a prospect of still preserving the position upon the Waal, it was judged proper that the troops which had not yet crossed the Leek should remain in the cantonments they then occupied, and that the rest should again move forward. THE TAGDS ; Thus o're the distant mounts the Rajahs fly, When Goffair fell that never fear'd to die. (5) On this occasion Lieut.-Gen. Abercrombie, and Ma jor-General Hammerstein, with the greatest part of their corps, and some Austrian battalions, were to have be gun their march upon Thiel and towards Bommel on the 7th ; and General Dundas's corps received orders, in consequence, to occupy Beuren, and the heights near, on the 8th, in order that they might co-operate with the former detachments.

Notwithstanding the severity of the weather, it was extremely changeable ; and it had happened very unfor tunately that the frost set in again most unexpectedly ; but as the troops were already put in motion, and coun ter-orders might have prevented a combination from the extent of the line, General Dundas, having assem bled his corps, with zeal and exertion both on his part and that of the different commanding officers, which drew forth the highest praise from the Commander-in- Chief, — proceeded towards Beuren on the morning of the 8th, having detached an advance of two battalions, who were afterwards to have marched upon Thiel, to co-operate in the attack upon that place. On their ar rival at Beuren, they found all the British posts upon the Lingen driven in, and the enemy in force near Beu ren ; but as soon as more troops came up, Lord Cath cart was sent forward in advance, and soon drove back the enemy with great loss beyond Geldermalsen.

Thus having knit the bonds of peace afar, He home returns to regicidal war ; (6) The retreat of the British army was still, however, absolutely necessary ; but under circumstances of the most horrible suffering, which cannot be related better than in the words of an eye-witness i " On the 16th of January, we marched at the appointed hour ; and, after a laborious journey, about three o'clock in the afternoon reached the verge of an im mense desert, called the Welaw, when, instead of having a resting place for the night, as we expected, we were informed that we had fifteen miles further to go. Upon this information many began to be very much dejected, and not without reason ; for several of us, besides suf fering the severity of the weather and fatigue of the march, had neither eat nor drank anything except water.

" For the first three or four miles such a dismal pros pect appeared as none of us was ever witness to before ; a bare, sandy desert, with a tuft of withered grass, or solitary shrub, here and there. The wind was exces sively high, and drifted the snow and sand together so strongly, that we could hardly wrestle against it ; to which was added a severity of cold almost unsufferable. The frost was so intense that the water that came from our eyes, freezing as it fell, hung in icicles to our eye lashes ; and our breath, freezing as soon as emitted, lodged in heaps of ice about our faces, and on the ; With manly soul t' uphold his country's cause, And pour destruction on her wily foes. blankets or coats that were wrapped round our heads. Night approaching fast, a great number, both men and women, began to linger behind, their spirits being quite exhausted, and without hope of reaching their des tination ; and if they once lost sight of the column of inarch, though for a few minutes, it being dark, and no track to follow, there was no chance of finding it again.

In this state numbers were induced to sit down, or creep under the shelter of bushes ; where weary, spirit less, and without hope, a few moments consigned them to sleep ; but, alas ! whoever slept waked no more : their blood instantly congealed in their veins, the spring of life was dried up ; and if ever they opened their eyes, it was only to be sensible of the last moments of their mi serable existence. " Others, sensible of the danger of sitting down, but having lost the column, wandered up and down the path less waste, surrounded with darkness and despair, no sound to comfort their ears but the bleak whistling winds, no sight to bless their eyes but the wide track less waste and shapeless drift, far from human help, far from pity, down they sunk to rise no more." The sufferings of the British army at this period were indeed great in the extreme ; but the public indigna tion, though just in its censure, was unfortunately thrown upon those who least deserved it.

An extract from the 'Twas then that anarchy uprear'd her head, ■ Shook her dire torch, and fill'd the world with dread ; report of an eye witness will, however, do justice to the Commander-in-Chief, and give reason for great praise to those whose indefatigable care and attention have tended much to render the situation of the British soldiers comparatively comfortable even under circumstances of the greatest privation. This accurate writer says, that the British hospitals which had been so lately crowded were then much thinned. Removing the sick in waggsns without sufficient clothing to keep them warm in that rigorous season, had indeed sent some hundreds to their graves, whilst the shameful neglect, that then pervaded all the medical departments, had rendered the hospitals nothing better than slaughter houses.

Without covering, without attendance, and even without clean straw and sufficient shelter from the weather, they were thrown, he asserts, together in heaps, unpitied and unprotected, to perish by contagion, whilst legions of vultures, down to the steward, nurses, and their numberless dependents, pampered their bodies and filled their pockets with the nation's treasure ; the pic ture is too horrible to finish, but he adds, " His Royal Highness has at all times paid great atttention to the •sick of his army, and directions have been given, and regulations made, as circumstances squired, tending to promote their comfort and restore their health, besides J On her chief station, Paris, kept her stand, And view'd with anxious look each neighb'ring land, a number of standing orders, which, if strictly attended to, would in many cases have removed the evils com plained of."

It is added, that the magnanimity, humanity, and sincere regard to the interest and honour of his country, with which the Duke of York discharged the duties of his important office, were too well known not to be universally acknowledged. Dreadful as the sceng was on the evening of the 16th, during the retreat of the British in Holland, the con templation of it the next morning was more horrible. An officer of the Guards, who passed over the plain, relates, that one scene made an impression upon hift memory, which time could never efface. Near a cart, which lay on the common, he discovered a stout look ing man, and a beautiful young woman with an infant, about seven months old, at her breast, all three frozen and dead. The mother had most certainly expired in the act of suckling her child ; as, with one breast ex posed, she lay upon the drifted snow, the milk, to all appearance in a stream, drawn from the nipple by the babe, was instantly congealed.

The infant seemed as if its lips had but just then been disengaged, and it re posed its little head upon the mother's bosom, with an overflow of milk frozen as it trickled upon the mouth. Their countenances were perfectly composed and fresh, resembling those of persons in a tranquil slumber. AS EPIC POEM. At her command subverting legions fly To execute her wrath — and thousands die I note 5 — see page vi. The conduct of Tippoo, as also of Goffair, on this occasion (says Clark in his Life of Wellington) is highly creditable to his personal character. According to his usual custom he went out early in the morning to one of his cavaliers on the outward rampart, whence he could observe what was doing on both sides. He remained there until about noon, when he took his usual repast under a pandhaL At this time he seems to have had no idea of an immediate attack, even though told that the British lines were unusually crowded with Europeans, but merely sent orders to Meer Goffair, a favourite officer, to keep a strict guard.

He was informed a few minutes afterwards that Meer Goffair was killed by a cannon ball ; " Well," said he, " Meer Goffair was never afraid of death," yet was evidently agitated, ordered the troops near him immediately under arms, and de sired his servants to load his carbines, and hastening along the ramparts towards the breach, he then met a number of his troops flying before the van of the assailants, who, he now first perceived, had mounted the walls. Here he exerted himself to rally the fugitives, encour aging them both by voice and example. He repeatedly fired on our troops himself, and one of the servants as serted that he saw him bring down several Europeans from the breach. At this critical moment, the front of THE TAGtS J Kings, Dukes, and Lords, in one wide ruin laid ;— Industry pleading for her share of trade, the European flank companies approached the spot where he stood; he now found himself almost deserted, and was forced to retire to the traverses of the north ramparts ; these he defended one after another with the bravest of his men and officers, and indeed several times, assisted by the infilading fire from the inner walls, obliged our troops to halt in their advance, until the 1 -2th regiment crossing the inner ditch took him in flank.

Yet even then, whilst any of his troops remained with him, he disputed every inch of ground, until he approached the passage across the ditch to the gate of the inner fort: here he complained of pain and weakness in one of his legs, in which he received a bad wound when very young, and ordering his horse to be brought, he mounted, but, seeing the Europeans still advancing on both the ramparts, he made for the gate, followed by his palanquin, and a number of officers, troops, and servants. Here, as he was crossing the gate, he received a musquet ball in his right side, nearly as high as the breast; he however still pressed on until he was stopped about half way through the arch of the gate-way, by the fire of the 12th light infantry from within, when he received a second ball close to the other ; the horse he rode on, being also wounded, sunk under him, and his turban fell to the ground.

Many of his people fell at the same time on every side by musquetry both within and without the When Berlin blaz'd with what his hand had wrought, And England shiver'd at the very thought ; (7) gate. The fallen Sultaun was immediately raised by some of his adherents, and placed upon his palanquin, under the arch, and on one side of the gate-way, where he lay or sat some minutes, faint and exhausted, till some Europeans entered the gate-way, A servant who sur vived related that one of the soldiers seized his sword belt, which was very rich, and attempted to pull it off, that the Sultaun, who still held his sword in his hand, made a cut at the soldier with all his remaining strength, and wounded him about the knee, on which he put his piece to his shoulder and shot the Sultaun through the temple, when he instantly expired.

No less than 300 men were killed under this gate-way, besides numbers wounded, so that it soon became impassable, except over the bodies of the dead and dying. During the contest, and before the palace of Tippoo was actually given up, Major Allan had gone in with a flag of truce, in order to convince the Princes, the sons of Tippoo, of the folly of resistance. All of them were alarmed at the proposal, and were particularly reluctant to allow the gates to be opened, except on the autho rity of their father, to whom they desired to send. At length, however, Major Allan having promised that he would post a guard of their own sepoys within, and a part}' of Europeans on the outside, and having also given them strong assurances that no person should be allowed Tho' on the Baltic rode our naval pow'r, In tow'ring strength, to make our isle secure. to enter the palace, except by his authority, and that he would return and remain with them until General Baird arrived, he convinced them of the necessity of compli ance, and had the satisfaction of observing that the Princes, as well as their attendants, seemed to rely with confidence on the assurances he had given them. note 6 — see page vu.

With respect to the late war, in which this country was so long engaged with France, — it has been univer sally agreed, that nations, like individuals, are punished in proportion to the enormity of their crimes. Both sacred and prophane history indeed teach us, that " righteousness exalteth a nation, but that sin is a reproach to any people:" for 170 years previous to the French Revolution, that country groaned under the most degrading despotism, which prevented the unfold ing of those qualities and virtues, which are produced by the genial influence of freedom. Hence the ignorance and ferocity of the mass of the people — hence a reason why they were so easily led astray by each aspiring de magogue, and hence the prevalence of massacres and the inundations of blood, the very recital of which is sufficient to disgust every feeling mind, but were regarded by the Parisians as ordinary and trivial occurrences !

Though the tyranny, and consequent ignorance, under which the French laboured, was the remote cause of the Meanwhile, the Gallic legions sally forth, And the ensanguined plains appal the earth ; Revolution, the proximate one undoubtedly was the in terference of France in the unhappy disputes between Great Britain and her American colonies. The French officers who served in that country carried home with them the seeds of liberty : they for the first time had beheld freedom and its consequence, and could not but be tinctured with that enthusiasm which inspired the Americans, and which induced them to prefer every hardship and even death itself, to a renunciation of what they deemed their natural rights. — Thus then originat ed the French Revolution, the shedding of torrents of blood, the regicide of the Sovereign, and the consequent war, with all its calamitous, though brilliant effects. note 7 — see page xm.