1These affecting circumstances are stated in a letter written from Zaragoza, 22d of January, 1812, to D. Mariano de Lope, a priest who distinguished himself by his heroic conduct during both sieges. A copy of this letter I had the honour of receiving from the Countess de Bureta, who transmitted it to me at the time, that I might see what were the feelings and the conduct of her fellow-citizens during their captivity.

2The weekly average of desertions I find thus curiously stated: 25 Spaniards, 15 Irish, 12 English, 6 Scotch, and half a Portugueze.

3The particulars of this negotiation are stated by Escoiquiz upon Ferdinand’s authority, and from that king’s own papers.

4The father of Baron de Lahoutan, in whose Voyages dans l’Amerique Septentrionale (Amsterdam, 1709, t. i. 149.) these facts are stated: the consequences were related by M. Dufort, of the Gironde, in the Legislative Assembly, 31 Aug. 1814.

6After Buonaparte’s return from Elba, the Marquis put himself at the head of the Vendeans, repeated these words of his heroic brother, and died, like him, in the same cause.

7This statement is drawn up from the printed narrative by Van Halen, and from a manuscript one by Eroles. Marshal Suchet’s brief account is erroneous in stating that Tortosa was the last place at which the stratagem was tried instead of the first. He says that Van Halen deserted, montÉ sur un cheval dÉrobÉ, et laissant À Barcelone des dettes criardes. (T. 2. 366.) Concerning the horse, it is not likely that in such circumstances the adventurer would be scrupulous; but as to his debts, he left a letter at Barcelona, saying, that there were the arrears of his pay to liquidate them, being more by one-half than all that he owed amounted to.

Van Halen afterwards got into the Inquisition as a freemason and a liberal, got out of it, published his adventures in English, went to Brussels, headed the inhabitants in that insurrection the success of which they have had so much reason to repent, was suspected of treachery by the party whom he had served, thrown into prison, and after awhile released. And there the drama of his unquiet life breaks off.

8Bien suponiamos que lo habria, por las relaciones con las Potencias aliadas; pero no sabiÉndolo de cierto, teniamos derecho, tratando con hombre tan perfido, para ponerlo en duda y conseguir con este justo dissimulo el fin de nuestros deseos que era la libertad del Rey. EngaÑar maÑosamente con la verdad Á un hombre tan falso, era una obra no mala sino excelente: tal era nuestro maxÎma. Idea Sencilla, 114.

9French exaggeration has seldom been carried farther than in the accounts of this action. One account makes the loss of the allies 21,000 in killed, and nearly 15,000 wounded! and the author of the PrÉcis Historique de la Bataille takes credit to himself for moderation and candour in reducing the number of the slain to 17,000.—P. 3. pp. 32–37.

10