him Charles received the further information that the French had voluntarily raised the siege of Turin. The king accordingly wrote a distinct and elaborate letter to Lord Peterborough from Saragossa, 20th June o.s. 1706[1] positively ordering him to set all the troops in motion for Madrid without losing a moment. I translate the letter:—
“My Lord Earl, — After I had written the enclosed, an officer sent from my Lord Calhvay has arrived, who set out from the army of the allies, only four days ago. He has brought me the agreeable news that the said army has advanced as far as Guadalaxara, and is waiting with impatience for the reinforcements which it hopes to obtain from the corps d’armée which happens to be under your orders. The enemy is encamped in the direction of Atienza, and boasts of expected succours from France, which would put them in a condition to decide the destiny of Spain at a stroke by a single battle. For this reason I send you this Express with all diligence to give you the intelligence, and to demand of you that without losing a moment of time you will set in motion all your cavalry and the greater part of your infantry, to march towards the said army at Guadalaxara by the direct route, without waiting for any other advice from me, and without making the detour which in my former letter I marked with a line. My object was to cover the roads which I myself would take, but I am now uncertain as to taking the route by Tervel, and will perhaps take a different (because more direct) road to save both distance and time. In any case I will let you know of any changes as to my own progress, determined on while the troops are advancing, that you may thereupon adopt the most suitable measures.
“Further, it will not be necessary that your whole force should assemble in order to march all together, for the enemy being now at a distance from the road which these troops should take, you can make the cavalry advance regiment by regiment; the infantry to follow as soon as possible. According to the news which the said officer retails, the siege of Turin has been raised; therefore one need not now embarrass oneself in regard to the succours which the Duke of Savoy asked for. Even if it were not the case that the gallant admirals are unwilling to engage in the enterprise against the islands with the three or four battalions of your troops which had been destined for that service, it is contrary to the public interest to amuse oneself now with any operation on the coast. The public interest requires that these battalions should serve in the reinforcements (supposing them to be in a condition to march), in order to give better assurance of the great success which we should be able to obtain by advantageously giving tattle to the enemy, or by driving the French altogether from the continent of Spain, before they could be joined by succours from Italy.
“I have no doubt of the zeal and diligence with which you will take care to put in execution these directions and marches, so important to the common cause, and profitable for your own honour and glory, in which the friendship is interested which I profess for your person, praying God to preserve it in His holy keeping.”
Madrid was now Lord Peterborough’s post of duty for three reasons:—
First. The English Government, aware of his feeling of rivalry towards every brother officer, and towards Lord Galway specially, had given him a special post of honour. The Earl of Peterborough had been appointed ambassador-extraordinary at Madrid, with powers and instructions for treating of and adjusting all matters of state and traffic between the kingdoms of Great Britain and Spain. Brigadier Stanhope was the ambassador in attendance on the king’s person, and therefore Lord Peterborough ought to have hastened to Madrid in order to acquaint himself with the political situation. Secondly. He was generalissimo of the forces under the King of Spain, according to a commission granted by the king. He ought, therefore, to have obeyed the positive orders conveyed to him by letter. Thirdly. He was indebted to Lord Galway for the English regiments under his command. He should have regarded those regiments as having been lent to him in order to ensure his success at Barcelona, and as being now due to his brother officer in order to ensure his success at Madrid.
Notwithstanding these solid and solemn reasons, Lord Peterborough would not move until the king would come to the rendezvous at Valencia.
The king’s delay was inexcusable. He wished time for marshalling a royal equipage and retinue which would dazzle the admiring eyes of the Castilians. He set out by the province of Arragon, which, along with Castile, had formally submitted to him. His German favourites advocated his plan, saying, “It would not be advisable for his Majesty to go to Madrid in a hurry, without his equipage and retinue.” To this Stanhope replied, “William of Orange, when he made his descent upon England, went to London in a hackney, attended by a few dragoons, otherwise he had lost the crown.” The young king wasted thirty days in pageantry and easy marches, and at length rejoined Peterborough at Valencia.
During this weary time Lord Galway at Guadalaxara, and the people of Madrid, are kept in a state of blank astonishment or stupor. Here is an army, professedly
- ↑ This is the true date, although Sir J. Leake’s copy has “ce 20me. de Julliet.” See Appendix.
