Page images
PDF
EPUB

to be hoped, that the attention of the fraternity may be directed to a work, from which we have reason to expect much benefit. The ability of Mr. Cross to prepare a work of this kind, || cannot be doubted by any one, acquainted with his masonic acquire

ments.

MISCELLANEOUS.

FOR THE MASONIC REGISTER. MR. PRATT,

the other hand, several lieutenantgenerals, of the unsuccessful army, commanders indeed of twenty thou sand men, from the peculiar situa tion of their own country, and the natural prejudice of their national enemies, have not even been named as participators in that sanguinary and eventful struggle. Some of the individuals, comprised in this last classification, have now become the more interesting, from subsequent circumstances: such is the case of Bertrand, the faithful follower of Na

leader of the liberal party, in the chamber of delegates; and count Flahaut, the progenitor of the future heirs of an English peerage.

All these biographical notices have been revised, and a number of them have received material addi|tions, in order to render them as in

obvious to the reader, that they owe nothing to the blandishments of composition, and are to be received (according to the intention of the English publisher) as a plain unassum ing record of the deeds of men, who hereafter may occupy the pages of a more durable work, than a periodical magazine.

I have lately met with a volumi-poleon; general Foy, the intrepid nous work, published in London, during the present year, 1823, and entitled "Public Characters of all Nations." As it is the only copy that has reached this country, I have concluded to transcribe, for your Regiser, a number of the sketches. The present war against the liberty of Spain, being particularly interest-teresting as possible; yet it will be ing to the people of this country, I have transmitted, for prior insertion, all the distinguished officers that are in command, both in the Spanish and French armies. Among the first, your readers will be pleased to see, Mina, Milans, The Empecinado, Abisbal, and others. In the latter description, they will find every name of note, from Moncey, to Castex, and Donnadieu. In addition to the persons there employed, I have sent you a full series of all the French heroes, now living, that were in the battle of Waterloo. I have been the rather induced to furnish you with the last mentioned sketches, in consequence of the singular and ungenerous neglect that has attended the gigantic, though unsuccessful efforts of those "champions of freedom." There is scarcely a centurion of the British army, that exerted himself on that day, that has not obtained a niche in some periodical repository. Sinclair, the sergeant, and Shaw, the desperate life-guardsman, have been the theme of every gazette, or panorama, in Great Britain; while on

A CONSTANT READER.

New-York, June, 1823.

-SKETCHES OF LIVING
CHARACTERS.

GENERAL MINA.

DON FRANCISCO ESPOZ Y MINAS one of the most distinguished of the Spanish patriots, is a native of Navarre, and was born in 1782, at the village of Ydocin, about two miles from Pampeluna. By some he has been represented as the son of a mere peasant, a circumstance which, if true, would only enhance his merit; but he is, in fact, of a family of consequence. During the war against the French, his nephew, Don Xavier Mina, then a student at the Uni

versity of Saragossa, raised a gue- potism. Disgusted with the conrilla corps, with which he performed duct of Ferdinand, and having fruitseveral spirited exploits. Xavier lessly remonstrated with him, he enbeing taken prisoner in 1810, the deavoured to persuade the other cominand of the corps was transfer- Spanish generals, in the capital, to red to Francisco, who soon render- || join with him, and make an effort in ed his name the terror of the French. the cause of freedom; but his inten Brave, active, indefatigable, full of tions were rendered abortive, by the resources, and possessed of an ad- baneful influence of the priesthood. mirable presence of mind, he inces-Mina then hastened to Navarre, with santly harassed, and wore down the strength of the enemy, not only in Navarre, but in the neighbouring provinces of Alava and Aragon. Such was the rapidity of his movements that nothing could escape him; not a convoy, not a detachment could move from one place to another, that he did not rush upon it, and in almost every instance he was successful. The

the determination of putting himself at the head of his division; but he found that the new captain general had dismissed the troops which composed it. He, however, gained over the garrison of Pampeluna, and was on the point of proclaiming the constitution, when his plan was ustrated by the pusillanimity of some of the officers. He had now no resource, but to seek an asylum in loss which the French sustained, in France, and he reached Paris in this kind of warfare was, incalcu- safety. While he was residing in lable; while his was trifling, as the the French capital, he was arrested accuracy of the intelligence which by the commissary of police, whom he received prevented him from ev- the Spanish ambassador had persua er being surprised, and when he was ded, or rather bribed, to commit this far outnumbered, his troops disband- act of insolence and injustice. On ed by signal, and reunited again this occasion Louis behaved in a in a few hours, and resumed offen- manner which was highly honourasive operations. It was in vain, that ble to him. He turned the commissa to exterminate his division, the ene-ry out of his place, insisted on the ammy poured 25,000 men into Navar-bassador being recalled, and not only re. He not only stood his ground, released Mina, but granted him a but eventually remained msater of pension of 6000 francs. The Spanthe province. He was, in fact, oft-ish general was not ungrateful: he en denominated, the king of Navar- refused to have any intercourse whatre. In 1811, the regency gave him ever with Napoleon, quitted France, the rank of colonel; in 1812, that joined the king at Ghent, and reof brigadier-general; and soon af- turned with him to Paris. Till the ter, that of general. His force, in army at Cadiz raised the standard of 1813, consisted of 11,000 infantry, freedom, he continued to live very and 2500 cavalry, and with this he privately in France; but as soon as co-operated in the siege of Pampe- that event took place, he hurried luna, and recovered Saragossa, Mon- back to Navarre, collected a few gon, Tafalla, Jaca, and various oth-hundreds of his followers, issued a er places. When peace was con- proclamation, calling on the rest to cluded, he was besieging St. Jean join him, and was advancing against Pied de Port. After having put his Pampeluna, when a deputation was division into quarters, he went to sent to him by the inhabitants, to inMadrid, and had the mortification form, him that the city had accepted to find, that he had been labouring the new constitution. After the only for the re-establishment of des- king had submitted to the new or

[ocr errors]

der of things, Mina was appointed in the command of the custom house captain general of Navarre. His tal-officers of Asturias. He filled the

ents, however, were soon required in
the field. A few fanatics and lovers
of despotism having succeeded in
exciting a formidable insurrection in
Catalonia, Mina was entrusted with
the command of the army destined
to act against them. The rugged na-
ture of the country in which he was
placed, the weakness of his own ar-
my, and the strength of the rebels,
rendered his operations seemingly
tardy at the outset, and the ultra-roy-
alists began to manifest the utmost
confidence and exultation. But they
soon discovered that they had wo-
fully miscalculated. Mina was too
prudent to commit any thing to
chance, when a repulse might have
been productive of disastrous conse-
quences; but as soon as he had ful-
ly prepared every thing for the con-
flict, he attacked the bands of the
traitors with his wonted impetuosity,
routed them in several encounters,
and drove them before him, in the
utmost confusion, over the Pyrrenean
frontier, into the French territory.
These victories have increased his
fame throughout Europe, and he is
regarded as the most experienced
general in Spain, and as the sheet an-
chor of the constitutional cause.
the present contest, Mina continues
to hold the same command, and is
opposed to the left invading corps of
the French army under marshal Mon-
cey, in the mountains of Catalonia.

BALLASTEROS.

In

[blocks in formation]

same situation in 1808, when the
French invaded Spain. The Junta
of Asturias confided to him the com-
mand of a regiment, and he became
a brigadier, and afterwards marshal
de camp. At that time the army of
Castile was commanded by Blake
and Castanos. Ballasteros gave re-
peated proofs of his bravery in differ-
ent battles, and eventually was one
of the Spanish generals, who, when
the duke of Wellington appeared in
the Peninsula, at the head of the Brit-
ish, contested with him the command
in chief of the Spanish armies. On
the cortes deciding in favour of the
duke, Ballasteros retired from the
service, and he published a memorial,
to justify himself from the charge of
having, through jealousy, caused the
failure of several important military
operations. When Ferdinand VII,
returned to Spain, he conferred his
protection on Bailasteros, and appoint-
ed him minister of war in 1815;
but subsequently he was dismissed,
and placed on half pay. On this he
retired to Valladolid. In the present
war, Ballasteros commands an army
of about 15,000 men, covering the
province of Navarre.

ABISBAL.

[ocr errors]

GENERAL O'DONNEL, COUNT ABISBAL, was born in Andalusia, about 1770, of Irish parents, entered into the royal guards at the age of fifteen, served against the French in the war from 1793 to 1795, and was remark

for his talents and bravery. When the French invaded Spain in 1808, O'Donnel was a major, and during the course of the war, he rose to be a marshal de camp. In the campaign of 1813, he displayed so much activity against the French, that he was recompensed with the title of count de Abisbal. In 1814, however, he was first imprisoned, and then banished, by the cortes, for a writing

which he had published against them. But when Ferdinand overthrew the constitution, he particularly distinguished O'Donnel by his favour. The count was made captain general of the kingdom of Seville, and in 1815 was appointed commander of the Spanish army, which was destined to act against Napoleon, after his return from Elba. In 1819 he was placed at the head of the troops which were collected at Cadiz, for the purpose of subjugating the Americans; but in July, a conspiracy broke out in the camp, the object of which was, to compel the king to grant a constitution to his subjects. The expedition was thus rendered abortive, though the conspiracy was crushed for a time. After the revolution, which restored freedom to Spain, he was, on account of his equivocal conduct, for a long time in disgrace; but has since been restored to his rank, and now commands the forces stationed in Madrid.*

* Since the receipt of the foregoing, from our respectable correspondent, intelligence has been received of the defection of this commander, to the cause of

his wife and daughter, and taking
with him two infant sons, succeeded
in reaching the small fishing town
of Badalona, whence he embarked
for Gibralter. From that place he
sailed to Buenos Ayres, and was
eminently useful to the cause of
freedom in the new world. As soon as
he heard of the revolution in Spain,
in 1820, he returned home, and on
landing at Barcelona, where he found
his wife and daughter waiting to
meet him, he was received by the
authorities with great rejoicings and
congratulation.
He was soon ap-

pointed to a command in Catalonia,
where he distinguished himself a
gainst the army of the faith; and is,
by the recent accounts, now contend-
ing with a corps of Moncey's divi-
sion.

EMPECINADO.

DON JUAN MARTIN. This patriotic Spaniard, who during the war between France and Spain, was better known by the name of "THE EMPECINADO," is said to be of a humble family in the province of Leon. The appellation he has so generally received of Empecihis country, he having joined himself to nado, or the pitched, (from pez, the interests of the invading foe. From pitch), is by some, said to have the former ambiguous conduct of this been given him in consequence of modern Arnold, we think nothing better his native village being chiefly incould have been expected; and it is real-habited by shoemakers, or from ly surprising, that the friends of liberty the natural muddiness of the soil; in Spain, should ever have suffered a others, however, and with more proman of his character to remain, for a sin-bability, derive it from the circumgle moment, in command of any portion of their forces. Edit. Mas. Register.

MILANS.

stance of his having, in the first paroxysm of grief, after the murder of his whole family, by the French, smeared himself with pitch, while he vowed unceasing vengeance, as long as one of them remained alive in his This patriotic Spanish officer was, native country. At first he was the during several campaigns, the com-leader of a small guerilla band, but panion and friend of the brave and he soon gathered round him a for unfortunate Lacy. In the disastrous midable force, with which he harras enterprise of that patriotic chief, he sed the enemy, particularly in the was one of his most active coadju- vicinity of Madrid, and the province tors. The attempt having failed, of Guadalaxara. He repeatedly Milans, to avoid a similar fate, left routed the French troops, and Jo

he acted as commander in chief of the Spaniards, and was desired, by his men, to assume the title of colonel, the French governor having hesitated to capitulate to any officer of inferior rank. His colonelcy was confirmed to him by the central junta. He was promoted to be a general in the course of the war, and he distinguished himself greatly on several occasions, particularly at the battles of Vittoria, and the Nivelle. His activity was such, that he gained the appellation of Wellington's Cossac. In 1815, when the Spanish government resolved to make a strenuous effort to recover its authority over the South American colonies, Morillo was placed at the head of the expedition, consisting of 12,000 men. While Morillo was preparing to embark his troops, measures were adopted by the patriots, to bring them and their leader over to the popular cause. Morillo is said to have at first undertaken to play the

seph Bonaparte himself was more than once in danger of falling into his hands. Ferdinand, on his return, gave him the rank of major general. But though the Empecinado had fought to deliver his country, and restore his sovereign, he had not intended to establish despotism, and he therefore witnessed with disgust, the measures which were adopted by Ferdinand. Early in 1815, he put into the king's hands, a strong remonstrance against those tyrannical acts, and refused to leave Madrid until he was assured that the monarch, as well as his ministers, had seen the memorial. Having retired to Leon, no immediate punishment was directed against him; but in the following year, he was abruptly torn from his home, and sent to the castle of Mongon,in Arragon, where he was confined for some time. After the re-establishment of the cortes, he was employed in suppressing the insurrectionary movements of the royalists, in which service he display-part, which was afterwards so gloried his usual decision and enterprise.

Since the present invasion he is again in arms, and the French army has already experienced the effects of his determined hostility to the enemies of liberal principles, and of his country,

MORILLO.

ously assumed by Riego and Quiroga, but to have soon repented of his acquiescence, and betrayed the plan to the government. He then set sail for the new world. As was to be expected, this veteran force was at first successful against the inexperienced levies of the Americans. Morillo began by the siege of Carthagena, and he entered that city in DON PABLO MORILLO. This offi- December 1815, after having expecer, a man of courage and talent, but rienced a glorious resistance from who has stained his character, by the inadequate and exhausted garrihis conduct in the new world, is said son, which, at last, succeeded in to have been originally a sergeant opening a passage through the blockof artillery in the marines. During ading squadron. While the siege the war carried on by the Spaniards was carrying on, he rendered himself against Napoleon, he raised a gue-hateful to the Venezuelans by the rilla corps, at the head of which he confiscation of property, and the soon acquired reputation. His first cruelties which he committed. After exploit was his obstinate defence of the fall of Carthagena, he marched the bridge of Puente del Conde, in into New Granada, and reduced the Estremadura, and this was soon suc- province; and here again he had ceeded by the capture of Vigo in recourse to the system of bloodshed Galicia, where he co-operated with and pillage. For a while the spirit the British. On the latter occasion of the Americans seemed to be ex

« PreviousContinue »