Military Correspondence. certainly an unfit figure for a ball room, and not received by a young gentleman of the guards in such a way as I should not have received his servant. But verbum sapienti sat est. I can easily forgive these mat ters. 26th.-Set out early for Ciudad Rodrigo, a short two leagues and a half.-Here my curiosity was greatly raised, and the two leagues and a half would not have taken me more than as many hours if I had been alone. The city is very elevated, and may be plainly, seen from Valla de Mula, and the high mountain beyond is covered with snow. Crossed a small branch of the Coa, and arrived at my destination in good time. Rodrigo, though not at any vast extent, has an air of magnificence, nor does it look as if it had so lately sustained a siege. Passed the Coa, on which it is situated, on a neat bridge of seven arches, and halted my men at the draw bridge, and after arranging them as well as I could, had the pleasure of marching into the Plaza Mayor, and meeting with the regiment and all my friends, and delivering up my charge. I afterwards walked round every part of the city, and had the honour of dining with our Colonel. The internal appearance of Rodrigo fully justified my expectations. The houses are generally well built, and the churches very magnificent. The principal church, though extremely close to the greater breach, has suffered very little; some few balls have grazed it, but it has experienced no serious injury. It is a superior specimen of the Gothic, and the ornaments superb, compared to the profuse gilding and ginger-bread work of the Portuguese. About the greater breach seems to have been the great "tug of war;" and especially near the magazine which was blown up, and occasioned the death of General M'Kinnon, and so many of our countrymen. Here had indeed been hot work, as the blood and mangled remains of bodies sufficiently evinced. I counted above seventy French caps of the infantry in less than fifty yards. This breach, though reported practicable by the French engineers, two or three days previous to the assault, had many obstacles that were unforeseen, and many of our men fell on the bayonets of their comrades. The Gazette, however, will give a far better detail of the siege than I can possibly assume, and therefore I shall cut this matter short. General M'Kinnon was above the magazine, and seeing the enemy retire with the greatest precipitation, was encouraging his men to the pursuit, unaware that the enemy were flying to avoid the blowing up of the magazine which they had fired, when his lamented death took place. The lesser breach is a very short distance from the greater, and their loss, with the exception of General Craufurd, was not so considerable. The inhabitants took a very active part, and deserve to have suffered more severely. The 3d division, with the 92d and 21st Portuguese, stormed the greater breach, and the light division the lesser. There were a regiment of Germans, and one of Italians, in Rodrigo, besides the French. The two divisions that Military Correspondence. stormed made some little plunder, but nothing compared to the riches of the place. Rodrigo is commanded by a height within a few hundred yards, and where the French had erected a fort, they called Fort Francisco, at the taking of which there was very smart work. We are now erecting a redoubt on the spot where the fort stood, and another small one nearer the city, and which will command the valley between this city and the upper redoubt. Rodrigo took the French fourteen weeks. siege, whilst in this instance it did not hold out more than eleven days. There were by no means so many lives lost in the trenches as might have been expected from the activity used by the garrison; and indeed it is astonishing to see the manner in which the ground is ploughed up by shot and shells in every direction. About the walls of our positions, you might bury a dozen of men in some of the holes made by the shells. It may, however, be conceived that there was no fool's play, when it is known that in the eleven days the garrison fired considerably above 10,000 shells, and above 13,000 round shot, besides canister, grape, &c. This I heard from a French officer who was wounded. As I have before said, it is extraordinary indeed how little the city has suffered, and which must have arisen from my Lord Wellington's wish to save the Spaniards, and ordering us therefore merely to batter in the breach. Even the suburbs has hardly the appearance of having been stormed. There was vast quantities of military stores, and wood for gun carriages, &c. found in the place, and some of the finest brass mortars and canon I ever beheld, both Spanish and French, of every calibre. The upper redoubt, when completed, may be sufficient for the protection to the height commanding the city, but in my humble opinion, a myrtella tower could no where be more advantageously erected or used, than on this height, and another on the angle near the large breach: this might be effected at little expence, as there is abundance of granite, and all the materials on the spot. Ciudad Rodrigo boasts great antiquity; against the principal church there are three pillars, in good preservation, which were erected in the time of Augustus Cæsar; they support a cornice, on which there is an inscription, of which I could have given a copy, if I could have procured a ladder. They appear to have formed part of the vestibule of a temple of some of the Roman Divinities. There were a few houses burnt by accident after our troops entered, and among the rest the house of assembly of the Cortes of the kingdom of Leon. All the other damage will be very speedily repaired. This place has been dearly bought; but, in a political point of view, the advantage resulting may be incalculable; it has now, for a great length of time been the immediate bone of contention. The French afterwards relieved it in spite of us; it was therefore high time to shew the Spaniards and the Portuguese what we could do if we were in earnest; and it must be confessed the frost and the weather were most peculiarly propitious. It was moreover necessary to convince the Spaniards that we engage in their battles disinterestedly Military Correspondence. as to ourselves, and only for their good, and that we have no eventual intention of extending the frontiers or territories of our allies, the Portuguese, at their expence, or in any shape of benefiting ourselves. This has been successfully and effectually done. No Portuguese troops have been admitted into Rodrigo since the assault, when they behaved incomparably well; and a Spaniard, Don Carlos d'Espagnia, was appointed Governor. This capture has given new life to the Portuguese, and, if I mistake not, will spread like ignited powder, from one end of the peninsula to the other. I had the pleasure of seeing Don Carlos, but could not get a sight of Don Julian, though I had the greatest anxiety. 28th.-Set out on my return for Celorico, having got another servant, my rascal having been levying a contribution of nearly one half on all he expended for me. Marched through Pinbiel, a very fine town, and in tolerable preservation, especially the Bishop's palace. Crossed the river Pinhiel, a branch of the Coa, on a good stone bridge of five arches. A LETTER то THE OFFICERS OF THE ARMY, Explaining the Cause of the Plan for an Officer's Benefit Fund being for the present abandoned. GENTLEMEN, AS I consider it an honourable and indispensible obligation, which I owe both to you and my own character, to explain my motives for having apparently abandoned a plan which I had the honour to make public, in two different Letters, one in 1810, and the other in 1811, addressed to the Officers of the Army, I again resume my pen, to introduce the above subject to your at tention. It is now nearly two years since the idea suggested itself to my mind, that great and beneficial effects might be secured to the Officers of the Army, their Wives and Children, by the arrangement of a system, supported by voluntary subscriptions; and I earnesly set myself to work at framing, organizing, and endeavouring to perfect a plan, which struck me as of very infinite importance to my brother Officers, their Wives and Children. I was fully aware, that certain ranks of Offcers being so parsimoniously remunerated, it would be requiring a greater sacrifice than with reason could be expected, by calling on them for a voluntary contribution to any considerable amount. However, on examining the annual casualties in the army, the progressive increase of widows, and other adventitious circumstances, I found my plan might safely be established on a system of contribution extremely small; so much so, that not even the lowest ranks could feel inconvenience from it. Moreover, my wish was to manage the scheme in such a manuer that the burthen should fall on those most able to bear it; and that it might open a door for the affluent to contribute to the comfort and happiness of those who might require aid, and that in a manner congenial to the feelings of both parties. Military Correspondence. In short, it appeared to me, that the most happy effects would result to the inte rests, comforts, and respectability of my brother Officers, at a time of life when they most are in need of them, or when otherwise disabled from service. I therefore ardently proceeded in my plan, and was stimulated and encouraged by the numerous letters I received from Officers and private individuals, and more particularly from the answers I had the honour to receive from the General Officers, to whom I had sent my pamphlet. Many immediately entered into my views, and desired me to consider them as subscribers. His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, in the most liberal, but delicate manner, did me the honour to express his entire approval of the plan; `and also Lieut-General Crawford, Colonel Taylor, &c., &c. &c. Thus encouraged, 1 humbly solicited His Excellency Sir David Dundas, the Commander-in-Chief, for the honour of his sanction; but was informed, that although His Excellency highly approved of any measure that tended to the advantage of the Officers of the Army, he could not give my plan his sanction, as he did not believe the theory could be reduced to practice. Obstructed, but not disheartened, I ceased further proceedings, and waited for an opportunity which might give a more favourable turn to the prosecution of my object. At length that time arrived: His Royal Highness the Duke of York resumed the command of the Army; and though 1 felt every sentiment of respect for the late Commander-inChief, I flattered myself that, from every circumstance, the exalted and noble personage now at the head of the Army, would readily encourage and promote any plan which would prove of advantage to the Officers of the Army, their Wives and Children; and I was supported in this opinion by those of a General Officer, who, besides being honoured with the friendship of His Royal Highness the Duke of York, is universally admired and esteemed. This worthy gentleman, than whom' no one is better acquainted with the generous, liberal, and humane sentiments that are so honourable to the character of the Royal Highness, urged me to submit my proposal to the consideration of His Duke of York. I did so, and was honoured and flattered by an avowal, "that His Royal Highness conceived that the greatest benefit might result from the adoption of such an arrangement for the provision of the widows of Officers of the Army ;" and further advised me to get the report of a few General Officers on the subject. And in a communication from Colonel M'Mahon, I was assured that His Royal Highness the Prince felt every wish to promote the undertaking, but declined any interference, until it had been matured by the opinions of some Genera! Officers. With redoubled eagerness I now proceeded with my plan; and I have to express the great pleasure and satisfaction I experienced from the voluntary and disinterested offers of John Phillippart, Esq. jun. a gentleman particularly calculated, from his general knowledge, and also very great information in figures, to render me substantial aid. Thus reinforced, we made out a general plan, and obtained the gratuitous assistance of many of the most able accomptants in London, amongst whom I have to mention William Morgan, Esq. His reputation as an Actuary.cannot be increased by any tribute of applause from me; but his most liberal, kind, able, and ready support, has indelibly established his character in my mind, as a gentleman of the most benevolent and generous disposition; and I beg thus publicly to return him my sincere acknowledgments of gratitude and thanks. Having, by the aid of my friend, Mr. Phillippart, completed my plan, I had the honour, in obedience to the advice of his Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief, to submit it to several general officers, and I had laid it before his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, who condescended to make himself perfectly informed of every particular respecting it, and most graciously offered, that should his royal brother Military Correspondence. be disposed to refer the consideration of it to a committee of officers, and should consider him a fit person to preside at it, he would be ready to give the closest attendance to the business until it should be brought to a termination. I had also the honour to submit the plan to his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, who graciously was pleased to express the same anxiety as his royal brother had done for its establishment and success. The approbation is universally received from general officers, and from some Colonels of militia regiments, who expressed a wish that the militia officers should be included, generously hinting, that much benefit might result from that measure. Many private gentlemen joined in the approval of my plan, aud innumerable have been the letters I have received from my brother officers to the like effect, and expressive of their anxiety to become subscribers. Finding myself thus highly encouraged and supported, I at length had the honour to submit my plan for the inspection of his Royal Highness the Commander-inChief, together with the opinions of many generals, and other officers and colonels of militia. In the course of a few days, I was honoured with an answer, which informed 66 me, That his Royal Highness, having now had all the papers on the subject under his deliberation, did not feel, upon a full view of the subject, that he could be justified in giving his sanction to a measure of so extensive a nature, without the consent and approval of his Majesty's Government." I immediately forwarded my plan, with the calculations, opinions, and other papers connected with the undertaking, to Mr. Perceval; and, after a long period, I received the honour of his sentiments, which, I lament to add, were hostile to my undertaking. My anxiety to have established a plan so important to officers, urged me to endea vour, by repeated explanations, to counteract the impression which this Minister had received of my plan. I informed him, that a benefit fund existed at Madras, and one at Bengal, both requiring subscriptions six times the amount of mine; that a plan existed in the navy on a minor scale; that the establishment would be an individual and voluntary concern; and that, it being confined to officers alone, would admit of higher pensions than could be obtained by any other disposal of their money, and which arose from the casualties in the army; that I did not desire the plan should appear to the army as a measure of Government, or recommended by them to the officers, but that his approbation was thought necessary by the Commander-in-Chief, previous to his Royal Highness sanctioning the same as an individual and voluntary undertaking. My efforts were, however, unsuccessful, and his Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief could not depart from the opinion beforc mentioned. I felt, with the most poignant reluctance, I was obliged to once more withdraw from the pursuit of what had so ardently expected would have terminated advantageously to the interest of the officers of the army; and, in this sanguine expectation, I was confirmed by the opinions already mentioned; and particularly by those of Mr. Morgan, who, from his profound knowledge in subjects of this nature, was most competent to judge of its effects, and who has most decidedly pronounced my plan equal to fulfil its object. In concluding this letter, gentlemen, I must observe, that I have made every exertion in my power, not only to complete the plan, but to carry it into practice, distinct from any personal motive of self-interest, as expressed in a letter I had the bonour to address to Lieut.-Col. Torrens, in July last. I should have felt ample gratification in being hourly witness to the happiness it would have diffused to my brother officers, their widows and children; and, I continue to believe, that had the plan been sanctioned, the pecuniary difficulties which are now, and ever must be felt by veterans, who have exhausted their health, strength, and spirits, in the cause of their country, and the still more afflicting distresses of the relatives of |