ed himself very sanguinely as to the possibility of carrying Malaga by a coup-de-main; and he proposed that the troops should occupy the enemy’s attention on the land side, while the ships bombarded the town to the eastward; and that the boats should at the same time push for the mole, and throw a party into the town, to favor and assist an insurrection of the inhabitants.
“To this plan,” says Lord Blayney, “I found it impossible to give my approbation, well assured that no intelligence received from the Spaniards was to be depended on; and besides, there being an extensive plain between the Rio Grande and Malaga, in which a large body of cavalry could act to the greatest advantage; and as I had every reason to believe that the enemy could immediately collect a force of this description, it seemed to me highly imprudent to risque encountering it, with the motley troop of foreigners that composed two-thirds of my detachment.”
These reasons induced Lord Blayney to determine on proceeding to Cala Moral, a bay between Marbella and Frangerola, with the intention of attacking the latter, the possession of which would be of the greatest consequence to his future proceedings, as affording the means of receiving regular and certain information, as well as of organizing the peasantry (to whom arms had been already distributed), and commanding the neighbouring country.
On the 14th Oct. the troops were landed at Cala Moral without accident or opposition; their subsequent movements are thus described by Lord Blayney, in an official letter addressed to the Lieutenant-Governor of Gibraltar, dated at Grenada, on his way to Verdun Nov. 8, 1810:
“We proceeded over a difficult and mountainous country, until we came opposite the castle. Immediately on my arrival, I sent in a flag of truce, which was refused; and the enemy commenced a heavy fire on our gun-boats, sunk one[1], and killed and wounded several men in others; on which I advanced close to the works, with the Germans and 89th, when a warm fire of musketry commenced, supported by grape from the fort. In this contest, I lament to inform your Excellency, Major Grant, of the 89th, was mortally wounded, with several others. We succeeded, however, in silencing the guns, so as to admit the boats taking a station. During a severe night of thunder and rain, the artillery, consisting of one 32-pounder carronade, two 12-pounders, a howitzer, and 2 swivels, were landed. Early next morning a heavy and destructive fire commenced on both sides.
- ↑ Commanded by Lieutenant Frederick Jennings Thomas.
