1704.

Apr. 25,

N. S.

Apr. 30,

N. S.

refcued the crown of Portugal from the Spaniards, and fixed it in the family that wear it at prefent. But though few, if any, of the Portuguese officers had the neceffary qualifications to be made generals; yet the king of Portugal would not break the established rule of that kingdom, whereby the governors of provinces command in chief all the troops within their districts. He had, indeed, made duke Schomberg velt-marshal-general of the Portuguese forces; but then his conferring the fame dignity upon monfieur Fagel, general of the Dutch forces, rather leffened than honoured the duke, and made Fagel unwilling to obey one, to whofe level the king of Portugal had raised him; fo that there was little concurrence of councils and defigns between these two generals. To all this may be added, that a French lady, married to the duke of Cadaval, the principal perfon in the court of Portugal, was not a little inftrumental in retarding the preparations for the campaign.

Upon information that the auxiliaries, which the king of France had fent to his grandfon Philip V. confifted, for the most part, of Irish foldiers; duke Schomberg, pursuant to the queen's warrant, published a proclamation, promifing "her gracious pardon to all fuch of her subjects, who, be"ing now in the fervice of her enemies, would quit the "fame, to come over to Charles III. king of Spain, or any "other of her majesty's allies; and that fuch of them as "were qualified to ferve in her majefty's forces, should be "received and entertained in the fame quality, as they en"joyed in the service they left: and that fuch as, by reason "of their religion, could not ferve in her majefty's forces, "fhould be employed in the fervice of the king of Spain, "or of fuch other of her majefty's allies, where they fhould " beft like." Charles III. and the king of Portugal, published likewife their respective manifeftos; the first fetting forth his title to the crown of Spain, and promifing " his pardon to "all fuch of his fubjects as fhould declare for him within "three months time." The other "justifying his Portu"guese majefty's taking up arms to restore the liberty of the "Spanish nation, oppreffed by the power of France, and to "affert the right of his catholic majefty, Charles III. to that "monarchy." Their majefties had intended to be in a readinefs to enter Spain by the middle of May, but it was the beginning of June before they reached Santarem, where they continued the rest of the fpring-campaign.

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The poffeffor of the crown of Spain, ftiled by the allies duke of Anjou, though the laft in proclaiming war, was

yet

yet the firft in maintaining his title by the sword; and, hav- 1704. ing invaded Portugal before his enemies were in a condition to oppose him, the duke of Berwick, his general, (who began to fhine there, though he had paffed elsewhere for a man of no very great character) took the town of Sogura by a ftratagem, and fo intimidated the governor of Salvaterra, that he delivered up the place without making any May 8. defence, and confented, that himself and his garrifon should remain prisoners of war. From Salva-terra the Spaniards advanced farther into the country, and without any resistance made themselves mafters of Cebreros. Pera-garcia ftood fome difcharges of cannon, and then furrendered to count d'Aguilar. The inhabitants of Zebredo abandoned the place at the approach of the Spanish troops; and the town of Ihana la Viella, rejecting the fummons of Don Jofeph Salazar and the marquis de Puyfegur, was ftormed and carried fword in hand. About the fame time, the marquis de Jeoffreville, having entered Portugal on the fide of Almeida, put feveral villages under military execution; and prince Tfercloes de Tilly, having advanced to Aonches raifed great contributions round about, whilft the marquis de Villadarias penetrated into Portugal another way. Thefe uninterrupted fucceffes of the Spaniards caft the Portuguese into great confternation; and general Fagel, who was pofted at Caftelbranco with four Dutch battalions, not thinking himself safe in that place, retired towards Abrantes with two battalions. The other two he posted at Sovreira Formofa, where they were soon after attacked by the duke of Berwick, and, after a brave defence, most of them taken prisoners, with majorgeneral Welderen. After this fuccefs, the duke of Berwick paffed the Tagus, joined another body of Spaniards, commanded by prince Tfercloes de Tilly, and king Philip, being arrived in the army, invefted Portalegre, the inhabitants of which forced the garrifon to furrender at difcretion; and among them an English regiment of foot commanded by colonel Stanhope. From thence king Philip brought his victorious army before Caftel-davide, which, though almoft an open town, yet refufed to open her gates, the garrifon being encouraged to defend themfelves by the refolution of the English regiment of lieutenant-general Stuart, commanded by lieutenant-colonel Huffey. By this time king Charles and the king of Portugal being come to Santerem, it was refolved, that the marquis das Minas, governor and general of the arms of the province of Beira, fhould make an irruption into Spain, and by that diverfion endeavour to

Ꭰ 3

draw

1704.

my 2, . S.

;

draw king Philip's forces from before Caftel-davide. The marquis having gathered a body of about fifteen thoufand men, marched accordingly towards the Tagus; took by form a Spanish place in Caftile, called Fuente Grimaldo defeated a body of French and Spaniards, commanded by Don Ronquillo; and made himself mafter of Manfeinto. But though king Philip fent the duke of Berwick, with a ftrong detachment to obferve the Portuguese, and it was from thence conjectured, that he would give over the attack of Caftel-davide; yet the duke of Berwick, finding that the marquis das Minas did not move forwards, returned foon after before Caftel-davide. Hereupon colonel Huffey propofed to the Portuguese to retire into the castle, and defend it to the laft extremity; but the militia opened the gates to the Spaniards, and fo the whole garrifon were made prifoners of war. The weather being, by this time, exceedingly hot, king Philip fent his wearied troops into quarters of refreshment; and, not thinking it poffible to preferve all his conquefts, ordered his men to abandon them, except Maroan and Salva-terra, and to raze the walls of Portalegre, Caftel-davide, and fome other towns. About the fame time the remainder of the English forces marched from Alentejo into the province of Beira, and the Portuguese and Dutch into quarters of refreshment about Pena Major.

Thus affairs went on very unfuccefsfully in Portugal, fo that it was thought, if the duke of Berwick had followed his advantages, nothing could have hindered his marching to Lifbon. The enemies fuccefs gave no fmall uneafinefs in England, and duke Schomberg, finding his advice had not that weight it deferved with the Portuguefe, was defirous to quit a lefing game. Upon which, the queen refolved to beflow the command of her forces in Portugal on the earl of Galway; who having accepted of it, more in fubmiffion to the queen's command than out of any great profpect or hope of fuccefs, reprefented the neccffity of augmenting the forces and the train of artillery. All his demands were 'readily complied with, and four thoufaud men ordered to be fent to Portugal from England and Ireland, the Statesgeneral having agreed to fend thither a proportionable number of their forces. The earl having embarked at Portfmouth on-board the Tartar man of war, with feveral French engineers and volunteers, in eight days failing fafely arrived at Lifoon, where duke Schomberg refigned to him July 30. the command of the English forces. About a month after, the earl, having reviewed the Portuguefe and auxiliary forces

marched

55

1704.

marched them over the little river Coa, and incamped near Almeida. On the 20th of September, the two kings of Spain and Portugal came to the army with defign to invade Caftile; but, when they reached the river Agueda, which they intended to pafs near Caftel-Rodrigo, they found the oppofite banks fo well guarded by the Spaniards, commanded by the duke of Berwick, that they did not think it advifeable to hazard the lofs of their whole army; and fo, retiring farther into the territories of Portugal, they fent their troops into winter-quarters. On the other hand, the Spaniards O. 9. were fo weakened by the detachments fent under the com- N. S. mand of the marquis de Villadarias, to attempt the retaking of Gibraltar, that they were contented to defend their own country, and had no thoughts of invading Portugal; fo that things were quiet on those frontiers all the remaining part of

the year.

The Spaniards had drawn all the forces they had in Anda- The fiege lufta and Eftremadura together, to retake Gibraltar; and of Gibralthe marquis de Villadarias had with him fome French troops, tar. with fome engineers of that nation, who were chiefly relied Burnet. on, and were fent from France to carry on the fiege. This gave fome difguft to the Spaniards, who were fo abfurd in their pride, that, though they could do nothing for themfelves, and indeed knew not how to fet about it, yet could not bear to be taught by others, or to fee themfelves outdone by them. The fiege was continued for four months, during which time the prince of Heffe had many occafions given him to diftinguith himfelf very eminently, both as to his courage, conduct, and indefatigable application. Convoys came frequently from Lifbon with fupplies of men and provifions, which the French were not able to hinder or intercept. Monfieur de Pointis at laft came with a fquadron of twenty French fhips, and lay long in the Bay, trying what could be done by fea, while the place was preffed by land. Upon that, a much stronger fquadron was fent from Lifbon under the command of Sir John Leake and rearadmiral Vander-Duffen, to relieve the place, and raise the fiege, who arrived in the Bay of Gibraltar on the 9th of October. In the mean while, marshal de Teffe, who was fent by the court of France, which was diffatisfied with the conduct of the marquis de Villadarias, had no better fuccels The fiege at land than that general; fo that the enemy was at laft is raifed obliged to raise the fiege. March 20.

In Italy the duke of Savoy had a melancholy campaign, Affairs in lofing place after place; but he fupported his affairs with Italy.

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great

1704. great conduct, and shewed a firmness in his misfortunes, beyond what could have been imagined. Vercelli and Ivrea gave the duke of Vendofme the trouble of a tedious fiege! they defended themselves against him as long as poffible. The duke of Savoy's army was not strong enough to raise thefe fieges; fo that both places fell at laft into the enemy's hands. The French had not troops both to carry on the war, and to leave garrifons in thofe places; for which reafon they demolished the fortifications. After they had fucceeded fo far, they fat down before Verue in the end of October. The duke of Savoy pofted his army at Crefcentino, over-againft it, on the other fide of the Po: he had a bridge of communication; he went often into the place during the fiege, to fee and animate his men, and to give the neceffary orders. The fick and wounded were carried away, and fresh men put in their ftead. This fiege proved the most famous of all that had been during the late war: it lafted above five months, the garrifon being often changed and always well fupplied. The French army fuffered much, by continuing the fiege all the winter; and they were at a vaft charge in carrying it on. The bridge of communication was, after many unfuccessful attempts, at laft cut off; and the duke of Savoy being thus feparated from the place, retired to Chivaz, and left them to defend themfelves as long as they could, which they did beyond what could in reason have been expected. He complained much of the emperor's failing to make good his promifes; but, in a difcourse upon that fubject with her majefty's envoy, he faid, though he was bandoned by his allies, he would not abandon them himself.

and in the

The people of the Cevennes fuffered much this fummer. Cevennes. It was not poffible to come to them with fupplies, till matters fhould go better in Piedmont, of which there was no profpect. They were advised to preserve themselves the beft they could. Marfhal Villars was fent into the country to manage them with a gentler hand; and the severe methods, taken by thofe formerly employed, being now difowned, he was ordered to treat with their leaders, and to offer them full liberty to ferve God in their own way without disturbance. They generally inclined to hearken to this, for they had now kept themfelves in a body much longer than was thought poffible in their low and helpless state. Some of them capitulated, and took service in the French army; but, as foon as they came near the armies of the allies, they deferted, and went over to them; fo that, by

all