Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v2p1.djvu/353

 Every night since, the boats have been in the same station, under the direction of Mr. Hawkins, and have each night killed some of the patroles, generally cavalry. The enemy have likewise lost a great number of men by the peasantry since we have been at the anchorage.

“I calculate it at 200 in killed, prisoners, wounded, and deserters, and 20 horses; and had I had at first a disposable force of 500 men, with the assistance of the Simotines, I am sure we should have increased the enemy’s loss to five times the number. The German and Italian troops desert hourly; and it is evident that the French army in this quarter are much in want of provisions, which has induced their General to attack Mataro, in order to provide his troops with bread. However, if the weather continues moderate, I trust we shall be able to prevent his getting much of the plunder to Barcelona. Captain Staines has been employed in embarking, and conveying the artillery of the Marquis de Lagoses, coming from St. Fiton to Tarragona. By the deserters we learn that General Lecchi certainly intends to evacuate Mataro, as soon as he can get the plunder from it.

“I have written the Captain-General Reding a statement of the business, of which I am surprised to find he is entirely ignorant. I have the honor to be, &c.

(Signed)“.”

In all his succeeding reports, Captain Mundy bore ample testimony to the noble and gallant spirit of the Simotines, whom he constantly supplied with such arms and ammunition as he could obtain for them, which was the means of prolonging the obstinate resistance which was made by the irregulars of that province; and as he conceived that the Spanish authorities did not do sufficient justice to the exertions made by that spirited people, his humanity was ever at work to advocate their cause, as will appear by one of the following letters addressed to the Junta of Mataro:

“H.B.M. Ship Hydra, off Mongat, March 25, 1809.

“Excellent Sirs.– I have the honour to send such ammunition as can be spared from his Majesty’s ship under my command, and wish it was more equal to the grateful service it will be employed upon, that of harrassing the incendiary Lecchi on his return from Spain, in which, I trust, the people of Catalonia will shew themselves worthy of being allied in the great and just cause with the heroes of Saragossa. Gentlemen of the Junta, I call upon you, in the name of my country, that country which has shewn an unalterable attachment and zeal for your welfare, to exert the utmost of your power in raising the whole population of Catalonia to harrass the retreat of the army of Napoleon; indeed not only to harass,