The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-01-12 00:00:00

resent year I went
!elleeley ; and, in
the battle of Talavera, I received three different
woands. After the retreat or General Cuesta
from that place, I, and ninny other wounds- l
British, fell into the bevels of the French. I was
in the first escort of prisoners sent off to Madrid,
in number about 500. On our arrival at the
brido at the entrance of the city, the escort
halted fur some time; and so stem as theSeaniards
were apprised that the escort consisted of British
prisoners, they came to us, and spewed the most
unbotinded tokens of kindness. llad the guard per.
milted, they would have loaded us with presents.
Even in despite of the guard, many rats in, and
shoved money into our hands. At lladrid, we
were attended in a convent by Spanish surgeons
and nurses, whose treatment of us was of the very
kindest nature. The inhabitants flocked round our
hospital ; and whets they could et at any of the win.
dows, they gave us motley, blend, vegetables, and
indeed every thing that they Ciought could
contri-
bate to our comfort. Even after several genteel
people were taken Into custody by the sentries for
such marked kindness to us, the Ladies and
Gentlemen used frequently tb send old men end
women, with money,'shish they threw to•
In at the windows. Whets our men recovered,
they were removed to a prison, and allowed by j
the French only brown bread and water. Iler, ,
genteel people brought them the best of every
kind of eatables ; and so ahendant was the sup.
ply, this the men sold bread to the French snldiess
at a penny per loaf. The predilection in favour
of the British was of the must open and avowed
nature, particularly on the part of the- females.
Ladies hart even, in the preselice of the French,
and with a view to vex thAn, taken Britisii tool.
diers within their arms, and embraced them, wi!li
the appearance of the greatest affection. I was
solemnly assured, that Madrid was ready for re!.
volt, and only waited au opportunity of rising
with some probable prospect of success. After
being about ten days at Madrid, all who were
able to march were ordered forward to Segovia,
where we arrived on !lie second evening, in coin.
parry *ith 500 Spain met, having marched 57
isles. I have seen many things revulthig to hu-
man feelings, in the course of my service as a sol-
dier ; but the teild-hdooded murder of 13 Spani-
ards, in the course of this march, affected me
more than any thing I had ever witnessed before.
Their sole crime was, inability to keep up with
the march ; they were wantonly shut, as they
lagged h land.
'• At Segovia, we were received with, if pos.
Ale, even greater kindness than at Madrid.
In pulsing through the town, the people kept
giving us, and when arrived at the hospital, they
brought us bread, wine, brandy, and Oita to
dress our wounds ; and a sort of canvas shoes, to
those who were barefooted. Whilst we were here,'
Kind Joseph came to the town ; the bells indeed
Were ruing, hut no. other sign of joy ; all was still
and silent, and few people out of doors. After
remainitig three weeks at Segovia, and being
joined by aitather party from Nladrid, we wore
starched for France'e by the way of Valladolid.
At this Waive there was no want of inclivation to
show us kindness; but the Spaniards were not
• ' allowed to cone near us, owing to their having
aided time escape of thirteen men, belonging to Sir
John Moore's army, who had been left there sick.
The kindness which the British exper,enced wus
sot confined to towns ; the villages, even those
• sot immediately in our route, supplied us sponta-
neouslywith provisions. On the 18th of Septem-
ber we left Valladolid for Bayonne; we that
evening reached Seveco ; in the course of the
night, John Smith, 3d Guards; John Coop, 32.1
regiment ; Hugh Martin, -15th regiment, and I,
contrived to make our escape) from our escort.—
We travelled all night across the mountains, and
in the morning ventured into a house, to enqnire
after the French ire that quarter, and our way to
Portugal. The guidman of the house, when lie
was convinced that we mere very Englishmen,
raised his wife put of bed, who wade us some
soup ; and after consulting together, they dis-
suaded us from attempting Portugal, but referred
as to the next town ; for the more correct infor-
mation, the worthy Mall went about two miles
with-us, to pet us into the direct road. Arrived
at the town in question, we were treated with the
greatest kindness, and urged to accept' of peasants'
clothes for ear greater safety, we being in um.
form ; them we declined, and asked a route fer
the nearest Spaoish army. This they readily gave
se, with some eery salutary directions, to pre.
vent our falhieg into the hands of this French.
Having now got amongst friends, and on our way
to Astorga, we experienced the greatest kindness
from the peasants of the villages thVorgh which
we passed. One of them, whom we met with in
the field, took us to an Altalde, who gave us
r linen of bread end wine, and passports whicla,
enabled us to dew rations during the remainder of
our journey to Astorga, Which lasted ten days.
These rations were most cheerfully given us by the
inhabitants. At Almanza, a surgeon dressed the
wound in my left arm, and gate mess much dress-
ing as served me until I got tO Cortinna. Though
we were, daring the whole of this journey, sur-
rounded by Frenchmen, we never saw one of
them, owing to their keeping close in their quar-
ters in large towns, which we avoided by means
of guides furnished by the villages, which guides
led us over mountains, and through woods, with'
the greatest anxiety for our safety. The French
seldom go far froM their quarters, from apprehen-
stun of being murdered by the peasantry. I did
myself see in'Gallieia, old grey-beaded mee, who
exultingly gloried in the deed of having killed a
straggling Frenchman.

I:

S

Air ii;4
I •
•
-
S PANlsff
The following Normal's bag appeared in several Newspapers.
—ln giving it to oar headers we think it iseeessary to ob-
serve, that the existence of so nuiversal a spirit of Resid-
ence to the Freach, and Attachment to the British, in the
Peninmia. appears wholly iamosistent with the accounts
that have been published by different Officers who were
present in the C.unpaign, which terminated at the Battle
of Conant*.
" Is the begianing of this present year I went
to Portugal with Sir Arthur ‘Velle*ley ; antl, in