the honour to inclose a copy of it, and of the answers received from Buenos Ayres. "From these answers, it may be sppposed that the leading people are unanimous in their determination to defend the place and keep their prisoners. But it appears that there are two parties in that city. “The party now in power are mostly natives of Spain, in the prin cipal offices of church and state, and devoted to the Spanish govern. ment. It has been their policy to inflame the minds of the lower or. ders against the English, by every species of exaggeration and falsehood, and to lead them to such acts of atrocity, as may preclude the possibility of any communication with us. "From a consciousness, that similarly situated, they would breathe nothing but revenge, they expect no mercy, and are become desperate and determined. "The second party consists of natives of the country, with some Spaniards that are settled in it. The oppression of the mother country has made them most anxious to throw off the Spanish yoke; and though, from their ignorance, their want of morals, and the barbarity of their disposition, they are totally unfitted to govern themselves; they aim at following the steps of the North-Americans, and erecting an independent state. If we could promise them independence, they would instantly revolt against the government, and join us with the great mass of the inhabitants. But though nothing less than independ ence will perfectly satisfy them, they would prefer our government, either to their present anarchy, or to the Spanish yoke, provided we could promise not to give up the country to Spain at a peace; but until such a promise is made, we must expect to find them open or secret ene. mies."* In this situation of affairs, gene. ral Whitelocke found the province, of Buenos Ayres, when he arrived in La Plata, on the 9th of May. On the 11th, he took the command of the troops: one division of which, consisting of the troops that had arrived with general Craufurd, was stationed at Colonia, opposite to Buenos Ayres, and one at Monte Video. Transports were ordered for the reception of troops for their passage to Buenos Ayres. On the 28th of June, a force was assembled near Ensenada de Bar ragon, amounting to 7822 rank and file, including 150 mounted dra. goons. It was provided with 18 pieces of field artillery, and 206 horses and mules for their conveyance, and for that of small-arm ammunition. There was, besides, a large quantity of ordnance stores embarked, and a reserve artillery of heavy pieces, mortars and howitzers. There were entrenchingtools for 1000 men, six pontoons with their carriages, and some pontoons. After some fatiguing marches, through a country much intersected by swamps and deep muddy rivulets, the army reached Reduction, a village about 9 miles * Letter from sir Samuel Auchmuty to the right honourable William Windham, Monte Video, March 6, 1808. Trial of General Whitelocke at Large, Appendix, p. 50. † Trial at Large of General Whitelocke, p. 66. distant distant from the bridge over the sir S. Auchmuty to take possessio Rio Chuelo; on the opposite bank with a regiment, of the Plaza of which, the enemy had construct- Toros, and the adjacent stro ed batteries, and established a for- ground, and there to take pos midable line of defence. The ge- Four other regiments, divided in neral, therefore, resolved to turn wings, were ordered to penetra this position, by marching in two into the street directly in its fron columns from his left, and crossing The light battalion divided int the river higher up, to unite his wings, and each followed by a win force in the suburbs of Buenos of the 95th regiment and a three Ayres. He sent directions at the pounder, was ordered to procee same time to colonel Mahon, who, down the two streets on the righ with two regiments, was bringing of the central one, and the 25t up the heavy artillery, to wait for regiment down the two adjoining further orders at the village of and after clearing the streets of the Reduction. Major-general Gower enemy, this latter regiment was to having the command of the right take post at the Residentia. Two columu, crossed the river at a ford six-pounders were ordered along called Passo Chico, and falling the central street, covered by the in with a corps of the enemy, at- carabineers and three troops of the tacked and defeated it. Next day, 9th light dragoons; the remainder general Whitelocke, with the main of which regiment was placed as a body of the army, having joined reserve in the centre. Each divigeneral Gower, formed his line by sion was ordered to proceed along placing brigadier sir Samuel Auch the street directly in its front, till muty's brigade on the left, extend it arrived at the last square of the ing it towards the convent of the houses next the river Plata; of Recolletta, from which it was dis- which square it was to take postant two miles. Two regiments session, forming on the flat roofs, were stationed on its right. Briga. and there wait for further orders. dier-general Craufurd's brigade oc- Two corporals with tools were orcupied the central and principal dered to march at the head of each avenues of the town, being distant column, for the purpose of breaking three miles from the great square open the doors. The whole troops and fort; three regiments on his were unloaded, and no firing was right extended in a line towards the to be permitted until the columns Residentia. The town was thus had reached their final points and nearly invested; and this disposi. formed. A cannonade in the cen tion of the army, and the circum. tral streets was the signal for the stances of the town and suburbs whole to come forward. The issue being divided into squares of 140 of the conflict which ensued, for a yards each side, together with the particular account of which, our knowledge that the enemy meant readers are referred to general to Occupy the flat roofs of the Whitelocke's dispatch to govern. houses, gave rise to the following ment, dated at Buenos Ayres, July plan of attack: Brigadier-general 10, 1807,* was such as was to be * See Appendix to Chronicle. expected hi from a plan so weak, and trous. Our troops morrward in the appointed order, ir unioaded muskets and razews, were assailed by a heavy manzed shower of musketry, -crenades, bricks, and stones, me tops of the windows of mases, the doors of which were dented in so strong a manner, ender it almost impossible to Item. The streets were ininverted ow deep ditches; and cantan prated on the inside of these, mov vodes of grape-shot on our trancing columns. They were sa And so with grape-shot at the tarters of all the streets. Every sender, with his negroes, deaded his own dwelling, which ve in itself a fortress. Yet, in must of all this assailance, and The the male population of Buenos by the means of destruction mentioned, was employed in its ce, sir S. Auchmuty, after a ** spirited and vigorous attack, a which his brigade suffered much grape-shot and musketry, rate himself master of the Plaza Toros, took 82 pieces of canon, an immense quantity of amBERition, and 600 prisoners; which erved as a place of refuge to some ther regiments that were overpowred by the enemy. Brigadier-gene. ra Craufurd with his brigade, being cut off from all communication with any of the other columns, was ubliged to surrender: so also was Heutenant-colonel Duff, with a detachment under his command. Still, however, the result of this day's action left general Whitelocke in possession of the Plaza de Toros, a strong post on the enemy's right, and the Residentia, another strong post on his left; whilst general 3 Whitelocke himself occupied an advanced post on his centre. But these advantages had cost about 2,500 men in killed, wounded, and prisoners. This was the situation of our army in the morning of the 6th of July, when general Linieres addressed a letter to the British commander, offering to give up ail his prisoners taken in the late affair, together with the 71st regimeut, and others taken with brigadier. general Beresford, on the condition of his desisting from any further attack on the town, and withdraw. ing his majesty's forces from the river Plata; intimating, at the same time, that, from the exasperated state of the populace, he could not answer for the safety of the prisoners if he persisted in offensive operations. General Whitelocke, influenced by this consideration (which, he says, he knew from better authority to be founded in fact), and reflecting of how little advantage would be the possession of a country, the inhabitants of which were so absolutely hostile, resolved to forego the advantages which the bravery of his troops had obtained, and acceded to a treaty of peace, on the basis that had been proposed by the Spanish commander. At a general court-martial, held at the hospital of Chelsea, on the 28th of January, 1808, and conti nued by adjouruments until the 18th of March. lieutenant-general John Whitelocke was tried upon the following charges: First charge. That lieutenant-ge neral Whitelocke, having received instructions from his majesty's prin cipal secretary of state, to proceed for the reduction of the province of Buenos Ayres, pursued measures ill calculated to facilitate that con quest: quest that when the Spanish commander had shewn such symptoms of a disposition to treat, as to express a desire to communicate with major-general Gower, the second in command, upon the subject of terms, the said lieutenant-general Whitelocke did return a message, in which he demanded, amongst other articles, the surrender of all persons holding civil offices in the government of Buenos Ayres, as prisoners of war: that the said lieu tenant-general Whitelocke, in making such an offensive and unusual demand, tending to exasperate the inhabitants of Buenos Ayres, to produce and encourage a spirit of resistance to his majesty's arms, to exclude the hope of amicable accommodation, and to increase the difficulties of the service with which he was intrusted, acted in a manner unbecoming his duty as an officer, prejudicial to military discipline, and contrary to the articles of war. Second charge. That the said lieutenant-general Whitelocke, after the landing of the troops at Ensenada, and during the march from thence to the town of Buenos Ayres, did not make the military arrangements best calculated to ensure the success of his operations against the town; and that, having known, previously to his attack upon the town of Buenos Ayres, upon the 5th July 1807, as appears from his public dispatch of 10th of July, that the enemy meant to occupy the flat roofs of the houses, he did nevertheless, in the said attack, divide his force into several brigades and parts, and ordered the whole to be unloaded, and no firing to be permitted on any account, and under this order, to march into the principal streets of the town unprovided with proper and suff. cient means for forcing the barricadoes, whereby the troops were unnecessarily exposed to destruction, without the possibility of making effectual opposition: suck conduct betraying great professi onal incapacity on the part of the said lieutenant-general Whitelocke, tending to lessen the confidence of the troops in the judgement of their officers, being derogatory to the honour of his majesty's arms, contrary to his duty as an officer, prejudicial to good order and military discipline, and contrary to the articles of war. Third charge. That the said lieutenant-general did not make, although it was in his power, any effectual attempt, by his own per sonal exertion or otherwise, to cooperate with, or support the different divisions of the army under his command, when engaged with the enemy in the streets of Buenos Ayres, on the 5th of July, 1807; whereby those troops, after having encountered and surmounted a constant and well directed fire, and having effected the purpose of their orders, were left without aid and support, or further orders; and considerable detachments, under lieutenant-colonel Duff and briga. dier-general Craufurd, were thereby compelled to surrender: such conduct on the part of the said lieutetenant-general Whitelocke tending to the defeat and dishonour of his majesty's arms, to lessen the confi dence of the troops in the skill and courage of their officers, being unbecoming and disgraceful to his character as an oficer, prejudicial to good order and military disci. pline, and contrary to the articles of war. Fourth Fourth charge. That the said lieutenant-general Whitelocke, subsequent to the attack upon the town of Fuenos Ayres, and at a time when the troops under his command were in possession of posts on each flank of the town, and of the principal arsenal, with a communication open to the fleet, and baving au effective force of upwards of 5063 men, did enter into, and finally conclude, a treaty with the enemy, whereby he acknowledges, in the public dispatch of the 10th of July, 1807, "That he resolved to forego the advantages which the bravery of his troops had obtained, and which advantages had cost him about 2,500 men, in killed, wound. ed, and prisoners;" and by such freaty, he unnecessarily and shame. fully surrendered all such advan. tages, totally evacuated the town of Buenos Ayres, and consented to deliver, and did shamefully abandon and deliver up to the enemy, the strong fortress of Monte Video, which had been committed to his charge; and which, at the period of the treaty and abandonment, was well and sufficiently garrisoned and provided against attack, and which was not, at such period, in a state of blockade or siege: such conduct, on the part of lieutenant-general Whitelocke, tending to the dishonour of his majesty's arms, and being contrary to his duty as an officer, prejudicial to good order and military discipline, and contrary to the articles of war. The court-martial found the general guilty of the whole of these charges, with the exception of that part of the second charge, which related to the order, that "columns should be unloaded, and that no firing should be permitted on any account." The court was " anxious that it might be distinctly understood, that they attached no censure whatever to the precautions taken to prevent unnecessary firing during the advance of the troops to the proposed points of attack; and did therefore acquit lieutenant-general Whitelocke against that part of the said charge." The court adjudged, “That the said lieutenant-general Whitclocke be cashiered, and declared totally unfit and unworthy to serve his majesty in any military capacity arhatever." This sentence was confirmed by the king, who gave orders that it should be read at the head of every regiment in his service, and inserted in all regimental orderly books, with a view of its becoming a lasting memorial of the fatal consequences to which officers expose themselves, who, in the discharge of the important duties confided to them, are deficient in that zeal, judgment, and personal exertion, which their sovereign and their country have a right to expect from officers entrusted with high commands. The plan of attack on Buenos Ayres adopted by general Whiten locke, it would appear, was none of his own contrivance, but one proposed to him by lieutenant-general Gower. This was declared by the general himself in his defence.* And general Gower admitted, in his evidence, that the basis of the plan adopted by General Whitelocke was very much like his. Indeed, general • Whitelocke's Trial at Large, p. 541. + Ditto, p. 54. Whitelocke |