Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v4p1.djvu/57

 a frigate despatched from England, with a supply of arms and ammunition expressly for the insurgents of Spain. The whole world at Corcubion were thrown into extravagant joy by this unlooked-for piece of good fortune; and nothing certainly could have been more seasonable than a supply of several thousand muskets, being nearly one for every unarmed peasant at our camp – of those at least who were in some degree organized and drilled. But as there were still upwards of 1,000 men over and above those formed into corps, and many others were crowding in from the country, it was thought right to despatch the Loire to England for a fresh supply.

“Early next day, we proceeded to the shore in great glee, to be present at the grand distribution of arms to the patriots in their camp. On reaching the council room, however, we learned, to our utter astonishment, that the army, as they were pleased to term it, had broken up that morning at two o’clock, from Bernun, and marched to a place called Paisas, twenty miles further off. It was in vain to urge the Junta to send off immediate orders to recall, or, at least, to arrest the troops, till they had arms put into their hands, their cartouch-boxes filled, and their arrangements got into some kind of trim to meet the enemy, should he think of coming down upon them. All we could extract from the Junta was, that as their orders had been given upon solid grounds, they could not be rescinded. * * *

“As the Junta had taken no measures to keep open the communication between the town and their forces. Lieutenant Thruston was sent off to the insurgent head-quarters at Paisas, to render any service to the cause, which his talents and activity might bring to bear upon the sadly misdirected fortunes of these poor Spaniards. In the mean time, we assisted the fishermen, and more stirring part of the town’s-people, in completing the equipment of several gun-boats, which, in the absence of better means, it was thought might keep the enemy at bay, should they come near Corcubion, as the fire from these vessels commanded the main road for a considerable distance. These, and all the other precautions we couUl think of, became every hour more necessary; for reports poured rapidly in from the country, stating that the French had actually moved from Santiago in two divisions – the first of 1,000 men, the other of 600 – and that one of these corps had been seen in full march towards the coast. Still, even when we knew that the enemy was bearing down upon us, we could fall upon no means of rousing the imperturbable Junta to any thing like action, or even precaution. * * * * * *

“The captain of the Endymion now became seriously alarmed for the fate of the town he had been called upon to protect. But all he could possibly do, was to send a fresh supply of ammunition for the gun-boats, and a message to the Junta – of which I was the bearer – to say, that if they wished it, the frigate should instantly be warped close to Corcubion to cover the escape of the inhabitants, since, from all he could learn, the