MS: Department of Rare Books, Special Collections and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester, Robert Southey Papers A.S727. ALS; 3p.
Unpublished.
My first volume
(1)
The first volume of Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832).
is now finished, & I am glad to think that you found nothing to require correction in the latter chapters. I have inlaid some very important particulars from Sir Hew Dalrymples papers.
(2)
This material related especially to the war in the south of Spain in 1808 and the Battle of Bailén, 16–19 July 1808, the first great success of Spanish forces in the Peninsular War. Southey dealt with this in his History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (London, 1823–1832), I, pp. 382–386. At pp. 389–390, Southey inserted some material concerning Dalrymple’s role in the attempts of Spanish commanders to change the terms of surrender of the French army.
It was difficult to do this, but far better thus to do it, than to have appended them at the end of the volume. A few points of minor importance I leave to be added, or corrected, in an after addition.
Murray will either publish this volume immediately, or delay it till the winter, as he thinks best.
(3)
The first volume of Southey’s History of the Peninsular War (1823–1832) was not published until December 1822.
this is his business, not mine. I shall desire him to send you a copy, & also one which you will know how to transmit to your brother, if, as Mr Canning tells me, he is taking root at Malta.
You will have seen how largely I profited by your account of Romana,
(4)
Pedro Caro y Sureda, 3rd Marquis of La Romana (1761–1811), a Spanish general. He commanded the ‘Army of the North’ and ensured its evacuation to Spain in 1808, where he was one of the more successful Spanish commanders.
& by O Donnells journal.
(5)
Enrique Jose O’Donnell y Anatar (1769–1834), a Spanish General, created Conde de La Bisbal in 1810.
Mackenzies
(6)
Colin Alexander Mackenzie (?1778–1851), a wealthy Scot who was employed on a number of delicate diplomatic missions and may well have been a government spy. In 1815 he was appointed one of the Commissioners of Liquidation, Arbitration and Deposit who adjudicated on claims by British citizens for loss of property against the French government. Southey had met him in Paris in May 1817, and Mackenzie had provided the information about his role in the evacuation of the Spanish Army of the North from Denmark that appeared in Southey’s History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (London, 1823–1832), I, pp…
adventures I obtained from himself. The story of the horses is very remarkable.
(7)
History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (London, 1823–1832), I, pp. 663–664, related that the horses belonging to the Spanish troops were set free on the Danish shore and most of them killed each other in a ‘dreadful work of mutual destruction’.
I have since heard from a Dane that three which escaped the battle were named by his countrymen, Romana, D. Quixote & Sancho. – I have also learnt that the regiments which did not effect their escape, were sent as prisoners into France, & there employed in working upon the roads, & other public labour.
The sooner you can favour me with such of your brothers papers as you think proper, the sooner I shall be able to put the second volume to press, which it is my wish to do with the least possible delay.
Gouvion St Cyr
(8)
Laurent de Gouvion Saint-Cyr (1764–1830), Journal des Operations de l’Armee de Catalogne, en 1808 et 1809 (1821), p. 50.
charges the English with gross misconduct in neglecting to bring off the garrison of Rosas.
(9)
History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (London, 1823–1832), II, pp. 37–59. French forces captured the town of Rosas on 5 December 1808 after a month-long siege and this allowed them to proceed to relieve the French army surrounded in Barcelona.
Is this charge well founded? What Cabanes
(10)
Francisco Xavier de Cabanes (1781–1834), Historia de las Operaciones des Exercito de Cataluna en la Guerra de la Usurpacion (1809), no. 3816 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library.
says seems to confirm it. Perhaps I may find among there may be something among your communications which will satisfy me upon this subject. My opinion, formed upon such information as the newspapers English & Spanish gave, had been that Lord Cochrane
(11)
Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald (1775–1860; DNB) commanded British naval forces assisting the Spanish garrison at Rosas. Southey specifically refuted Saint-Cyr’s arguments in History of the Peninsular War, 3 vols (London, 1823–1832), II, pp. 46–47.
had done every thing there which great intrepidity & great talents could do.
Believe me my Dear Sir
yours with sincere respect
Robert Southey.
