The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-06-04
RETRoSPECT...No. IT.


run by the French troops, but was, in
MARCH, actually without government
Charles ~, Ferdinand and all their i'm
beetle family were in Bayonne, and on
the 5th Of May, Charles signed his resig-
nation, which transferred his title to the
emperor Of France. Charles In order TO
prepare the minds of the SpaDiards for
this Sudden transfer of their Country into
tho hands of tho French, directed a man.
date to the supreme junta at Madrid, in
which he appointed Murat, the grand
duke OF Berg, lieutenant general of the
kingdom, and commanded the council Of
CASTLE, the captain generals, and the
governors OF the provinces, to obey his
orders-The resignation of Ferdinand
took place on the 10th ofthe same month;
thus through the imbecility of the Bour-
Don family, the French not only succeed
ed IN introducing all their stores, ammu.
milton, and cannon beyond Of the critical
passes, between the frontiers and the
capital but whilst Charles and Ferdi.
nand were disputiDg at Madrid and BAYS
| onne, the French commissaries bough tall
the grain, cattle. and provisions of every
description, which gave the French every
advantage that could be desired. The
foreign troops in the capital ON the first
OF May, amounted to sixty-two thousand,
so that the Spaniards found themselves
without any friendly allies, destitute of
every means of acting on the defensive :;
and the vigilance of the French troops,
Tor some time, and in great measure,
prevented any bands of society from unit
| ins--however, the brave Spaniards in The
capital, became very disaffected towards
the French, and the revolutionary volca-
no on the Cd May Ga day ever memorable
to the Spanish nation) exploded, and
general patriotic fame spread all over
the city of Madrid. The fate of their
| sovereign by this time was known in the
capital, and the credulous Spaniards
found themselves at last betrayed,
through the intrigues of their own court,
family contentious, and the treachery of
the French, under the pretence of occu-
plying Portugal, they were placed under
most critical and despending circumstan-
ces; but the unconquerable spirit of the
Spaniards did not allow themselves to be
enslaved, without making an effort, to
liberate themselves from the usurpers
| Indignation and fury filled the hearts of
both men, women, and children and on
! the same day the inhabitants made an at
tack upon the French,in the streets of the
capital with courageous resolution they
forced the enemy 10 retreat, and obtained
possession OF part Of their cannon after
wards succeeded in forcing their enemies
! out of the city with great slaughter
Besides this attack on the main body of
\ the enemy, wherever French soldier
/ was found he was shot or cut down--the
| SpaHiards this day fought with any kind of
| weapons they could procure, knives,
spikes, and any thing that came to hand;
the women threw stones and glass bot
ties from the windows on the FRENCH
Ibis mornings work cost the enemy
from three to four thousand lives, nor
was 1t until the French were strongly
reinforced in the evening that they dared
approach the city again however, after
a hard conflict they al last succeeded in
getting the ascendency over The city, but
not without great slaughter; he enemies
loss was immense. After the French
had gained the 'ascendeDcy over the city
the most horrid massacre ensued, groups
of the inhabitants to the amount Of seve-
raj hundred were taken to the Prado,
and shot the same afternoon by the or
ders of Murat. The next day these mill.
tary executioners resumed their func-
tons, which proved 20 the French after
wards that they had carried their sangui-
nary oppression buttoo far--for their own
acts soon recoiled upon themselves,
( To be continued J
The National lntelIigcncer speaking