The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-04-07

@siSs'o" vi niC""t. Dan GERONIMO and Atocha.
our cannon and their defenders lad retired
20 strong wtTks erected in those streets the
eneny's balls and greGades rakcd the prin-
IcIpal streets the inhabitants fled in con-
sternation IN the Afternoon the cavalry
wheeled about and fled in all parts they
were Calling for troops and ammunition, of
~nlch there was not suffiCiencv-In this
conner, IN which the ruin of the inhabitants
appeared 10 be near at hand we were in
icrmed, that they summoned us at the street
OF Alcala CASTELAR,, Yriarte and / went
our we found general and aid de camp of
inc emperor, who summoned us for the last
time, and complained that at the sum mons
ny the prince OF Scufchatel. no general had
gore to reply 1t. We promised him that
two Should go that evening, and in the mean
time requested suspension of arms. to which
he acceded. The difficulty vas, to cause il
TO be observed by the Eoktutace who shouteS:
continually death or vfctory-gnd f3ed when
attacked ','-
On my return.I stopped to harangue those
! who Were ~ one Of s.ie woTk but couiti ON,
tain nothing. because when had softeued
them, the JJ'1ars came and excited fresh dis
turbances. 1t was difficult to hoist before
TWO white flag in the tower of Santa Cruz.
the sigma, agreed on for the suspension. Bv
motions OF the head they all said yes, and
The junta was confused and irreso!ute,
owing to the clamor of few ideo,s. and the
great number of its members. But the &C.
! cuPatlon OF all the posts, the want of ammu-
milton, the loss OF much artillery and the
greater part OF the artillerists, the fatigue.
want OF sleep and loss of the few troops
which we had, and who were almost wholly
new levies. could not persuade us that we
were able to make resistance But how ca
Mtuiate against the general sentiment? At
sngsh, at in the afternoon, went out with
ION bernardo l:iartc, to treat with the
prince OF Neufchatel, without any thing ma
wing been decided. and was obliged to tell
the fofuiace that was eone to reply that
we would defend ourselves until death.
We found, opposite the convent of the bare
footed Carmelites, an aid de camp whe.:o n
quoted us halfway towards Chamartin,
where there were four tents in the middle
OF an extensive encampnent in which the
troops were under arms In the first was
the prince, to whom we were presented. We
stated to him our situation with respect to
the popnlace, and tina. therefore we could
not propose capitulation, but only suspen
Sion OF arms for. the following day, in or
der to reason with the people, that those
VINO were rational and disposed to an accom-
mocaNon, might not be victims to the mad
uI,
saying that he would go and speak to the
emperor, and in a little time returned and
conducted US to his tent. We repeated to
Lim what we had already told the prince.
ne answered us like a c0nqHering hero, in
censed at the o6sfiuacy and Ignorance of the
Ipeople of Madrid. No suppIications could
obtain longer tinae than until 6 in the follow
ing morning he added, that ght convene
the parish priests and prelates, and inform
them that it they did not persuade the peo-
pie to submit and bring them to reason, they
should be responsible, and that without ex-
posing his troops, he would DESTROY every
vestise of Madrid. We returned TO Ma
drid. and convened as large an assembly as
possible OF persons in public Offices, the as
sissant bishop, parish priests and prelates.
Many were absent, and the meeting. was
large and contentious. AT length, seeing
that the people and the troops had abandon
ed the batteries and retired to their houses.
anf that we had no other dependence than
The good faith of the enemy, they all deter.
mined to capitnlate, and the articles were
drawn up. No: one was wiling to accom-
pany me, and coold only prevail on the
neid marshal Don Fernando de la Vera,
governor of Madrid. We ~ lived az breat
of day. and presented them TO the emperor
lie ordered us to come in, and received us
with much affability and graciousness
granted every thing that was asked, and dis
missed us. The capitulation is very homo
raoie, as your excellency will see by the
annexed copy.
On our return ] found that Castelar, aid
many persons of the first rank, both military
officers and others, had left the CITY early
that morning and on the preceding DAYS.
aid not do so the night before, because I
would not abandon Madrid without direct
on, ard exposed to all the horrors of sack,
believed that / ought to prefer the exis-
tence at so many thousands of souls and of
the capital, to my own, as had formerly
done at Cadiz. Thus / have remained 4 |
prisoner OF war, but consoled by the good
which have Effected.
Having finished the statement of the IN |
fortunate result of the commission conferred
on me by the supreme lanta, shall add, as
one deeply interested in the welfare of the |
nation. that l think it would be cxpedent
Tor the Junta to hint to the governor of Ca |
diz as cautiously as possible, not to suffer !
the English to strengthen themselves in that |
city or its vicinity, either by large reinforce
ments at once, or by insensibly increasing
their number to erect works for defence
on the sea side TO make entertainments |
from the Cortadura to the land gate, on pre- |
tehce OF making better resistance against |
the French to reinforce the garrison to !
send dispatches TO the Americas to prey ent the |
arrival OF money or property at present, and !
other similar Cautions, lest the English,