Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1866 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III. Convention of Cintra--Sir John Moore's advance into Spain--Losses by Fever--Brigadier-General Nightingall's farewell Order--Retreat and Battle of Corunna--Snow-storm in the Pyrenees--Explosion of Gunpowder--Destruction of Treasure--Arrival of Transports--Death of Sir J. Moore--Lands at Portsmouth--The Walcheren Expedition--Siege of Flushing--Losses in Action--Terrible Fever. 1808. Lieut.-general Sir Hew Dalrymple had arrived from England, with authority to assume the supreme command. With surprise he received on the 22nd the French proposals for negotiations, and at once appointed Sir Arthur Wellesley and the Quartermaster-General, Lieut.-Colonel Murray, to conduct the conference. There was no hesitation in admitting an armistice for forty-eight hours. The succession of three different Generals to the chief command was not likely to be productive of much vigour. The British ultimatum, however, was that the French should quit Portugal, and that all the strong places should be restored to the Portuguese authorities: to which Jun6t gladly put his seal. But difficulties soon arose as to the meaning of preliminary terms, and the British General denounced the armistice on the 28th. In the meantime, Sir John Moore, with eleven thousand men, had disembarked at the mouth of the Tagus, and.Iun6t, seeing himself outnumbered, conceded the points in dispute. The Convention of Cintra was then signed, and ratified on the 31st, under which the French set sail from Lisbon early in September, landed on the coast of Brittany, and at once marched to enter the Peninsula by way of the Pyrenees. The Russian Fleet of nine sail of the line 1808. and a frigate was held by his Britannic Majesty as a deposit until, six months after, a treaty of peace...
