After the month of August 1707, when the Prince of the Asturias was born and welcomed by the Spaniards, an advance to Madrid was a chimerical plan; but at the date of Lord Galway’s suggestion, the plan was feasible, and it was received at home with great approval. The Duke of Marlborough wrote to Secretary Sir Charles Hedges, from the Hague, 5th January 1706:—
“I think nothing can tend more to defeat the designs of the French against King Charles, nor be of greater advantage to the public service in those parts, than the march my Lord Galway proposes and if it be put in execution, we may soon expect to hear the good effects of it.”
And to Lord Galway, from St. James 6th February 1706, the great Duke wrote:—
“My Lord, though I gave your lordship the trouble of a letter very lately, I could not let Mr. Stanhope go away without repeating by him the assurance of my constant friendship and respect. He is so fully instructed of all matters that I need not give you any relation of what passes here, and shall only tell you the whole success of the war depends upon what shall be done this campaign in Spain, and that we rely more particularly on the operations under your lordship’s directions, which must give life to those in Catalonia and the neighbourhood. We are sure all that is possible will be attempted, and are in good hopes that before he arrives your army will be in motion. — I am, with the greatest truth, &c,
“Marlborough.”
With the utmost cordiality, King Pedro consented to the march to Madrid. On the 26th of March the allied army set out for Alcantara, under the command of the Portuguese General, the Marquis das Minas. The enemy, under the Duke of Berwick, having thrown ten regiments of foot into Badajoz, marched with 4000 cavalry and seven regiments of infantry, and with the latter reinforced the garrison of Alcantara. The allies met Berwick on his way back, beat his rear-guard, pursued him a considerable way, and took possession of the castle of Brocas. Alcantara surrendered to them in a very few days, with ten good battalions, who were made prisoners, sixty pieces of cannon, and great store of small arms and ammunition. Alcantara was besieged on the 10th, and it capitulated on the 14th, of April. From this town Lord Galway issued a manifesto, of which the following is a translation:—
“Henry, Earl and Viscount of Gallway, Baron of Portarlington, General of the Forces of the most serene lady, the Queen of Great Britain.
“It being undeniably true that in the whole progress of this war the most serene Queen of Great Britain my mistress and her allies are so far from being enemies to Spain that they have sent their troops and fleets for no other purpose than to assist the good Spaniards to shake off the yoke and domination of France, and to place on the throne of Spain his most excellent majesty King Charles III. To the end, therefore, that the Spaniards themselves may have the glory to co-operate in so honourable an undertaking as is the establishing of the liberty and felicity of their native country, the said most serene Queen has been pleased to command me to declare anew her royal pleasure that I should in her name succour and support them. Accordingly, by these presents, I declare and publish that all the generals, commanders, officers, and soldiers of the Spaniards, of whatsoever degree they may be, that will leave the service of the Duke of Anjou, and give all due obedience to his Catholic Majesty King Charles the Third, on their repairing to me (the aforesaid Earl of Galway) shall be maintained in the service of his Catholic Majesty in the same posts, honours, and degrees which they had before, without exception of persons; and that from the same hour they shall be paid and maintained punctually, according to the pay they before enjoyed, out of the treasury which for these glorious ends the said most serene Queen has caused to be remitted to my order. It is to be hoped there will be no Spaniards of reputation that will not make use of so favourable an occasion of having the honour to free their country from a slavery truly ignominious, and of gaining the peculiar esteem of their lawful monarch, King Charles III.
“Dated at Alcantara, April 20, 1706.”
Lord Galway, supported by the King of Portugal, determined to march to Madrid immediately. In this determination he had expected the Portuguese generals loyally to persevere. Their disastrous hesitation he had now to record, in a letter to Lord Godolphin, dated Camp of Nuestra Senora de Oega, April 23, 1726:—
