|
Translation:
Chaves on 30th October 1813
My dear Sir
I received Your Excellency’s gracious and kind communication
dated the 2nd inst. only on the 26th inst., I would certainly not have
delayed my thanks so long. The contents of the letter made me
exceedingly happy for I am flattered to be assured that my actions have
earned Your Excellency’s satisfaction and to know that I continue to
enjoy your gracious favour. May Your Excellency graciously receive the
genuine assurance that in me you possess a loyal honest servant who will
gladly fulfill all your commands and whose heart overflows with
gratitude. Your Excellency would set the seal on your special favours to me if you would graciously inform His Excellency the
Marshal of the following. I know that it is not possible to give me the
command of a province since all the provinces are at present taken. Far
be it from me to ask for something that could not be given. Or to desire
that injustices be done for my sake. Only if the public here is right in
saying that the Conde Amarante is called to Lisbon did I mean to ask for
this command to be left to me if that is possible. Otherwise I shall
endeavour to deserve His Excellency the Marshal’s supreme satisfaction
whatever charge he gives me. Your Excellency may kindly also observe
that at present I am assigned no employment. The Conde Amarante went to
Verin on the 7th inst., stayed there until the 22nd inst., and all
dispatches from there were dated Chavez. I reported everything to His
Excellency the Marshal through General Lemos, therefore take the liberty
of including my recent correspondence with the Conde Amarante.
Your Excellency knows that most inhabitants of this
province are still in need of education. A person of rank may therefore
greatly influence their hearts and minds. There are various tales of
injustice - against the local population – that their deeds of especial
bravery are passed over in silence or ascribed to the English, etc. etc.
Such things are fabricated and spread abroad, they descend into
trivialities, so I shall not repeat them, but they indicate envy of
certain persons. However at present their only effect is to produce a
mood of hostility towards the English. The proximity of Galicia where we
have friends is helpful too. For my part I have always successfully
endeavoured to teach the people to be grateful to the English and to
acknowledge that they owe their liberty and independence to that
magnanimous nation. Since an acquaintance of mine in London is preparing
a reply to ‘The Campaigns of the Loyal Lusitanian Legion’ I have asked
His Excellency the Marshal if I may make public some letters in which
His Excellency expressed his supreme satisfaction with my actions when
General Bernadim Freire d’Andrada was murdered in Braga. The Conde
Funchal advised me to submit a petition to the Prince of Brazil through
his brother the Principal Souza. This petition, which I would never have
sent it by that route, is still in my possession. I have told His
Excellency the Marshal of this in my letter.
Your Excellency will also be pleased with the
behaviour
of my countrymen the Prussians. When I served with General
Blücher as a
volunteer in 1807 I took an Army List back to England and happen to have
it here so I am able to send Your Excellency the present age and length
of service of the generals mentioned.
I commend myself to your further favour and
remain until death
Your Excellency’s most loyal, obedient, thankful servant,
Fredk Baron Eben
To His Excellency
Sir Charles Stuart
German Transcription:
Ewr. Excellenz gnädige
und freundschaftliche Zuschrift datum den 2ten d. M. habe ich nur am
26ten d. M. erhalten, gewis würde nicht so lange meine Dancksagung
verschoben haben. Allzuglücklich hat mir der Inhalt dieses Briefes
gemacht, da ich die Überzeugung die Zufriedenheit von Ewr. Exellenz in
meinen Geschäften verdient zu haben – und das Bewustsein noch Dero
gnädiges Wohlwollen zu besitzen ist sehr schmeichelhaft für mich. Nehmen
Ew. Excellenz die wahrhafte Versicherung gnädigst an, in mir einen
treuen aufrichtigen Diener zu besitzen, der alle Ihre Befehle mit
Freuden ausführen wird und von Danckbahrkeit beseelt ist. Ewr. Excellenz
würden das Geschäft Ihres besondern Wohlwollens gegen mich vollenden,
wenn Höchst-Dieselben gnädigst Sr. Excellenz dem Marshall Folgendes
mittheilen wollten. Mir das Comando einer Provinz zu geben weis ich ist
nicht möglich da alle Prowinzen gegenwärtig besetzet sind. Entfernt
etwas zu bitten, welches mir nicht gewähret werden könte - Entfernt
meinetwegen Ungerechtigkeiten zu wünschen - Nur in dem Fall, das die
Gespräche des hiesigen Publicums gegründet das der Conde Amarante nach
Lisbon beruffen, habe ich bitten wollen mir hir das Comando wan es
möglich ist zu lassen. Übrigens in jeder Bestimmung mir Sr. Excellenz
der Marshall geben wird, werde ich mich bestreben wie ich bishero gethan
dessen Höchste Zufriedenheit verdient zu machen. Wollen auch Ewr.
Excellenz gnädigst bemerken das mir gegenwärtig kein Geschäft übertragen
wird. Conde Amarante reisete am 7ten d. M. nach Verin, woselbst er bis
zum 22ten d. M. verblieb, zeichnete dort alle Dispatches mit dem Datum
Chaves. Ich habe Sr. Excellenz dem Marshall durch General Lemos von
allen Meldung gemacht, nehme mir die Freyheit Ew. Excellenz also meine
letzte Correspondenz mit dem Conde Amarante beyzulegen.
Ewr. Excellenz wissen, das der gröste Theil der
Einwohner dieser Provinz noch in der Aufklärung zurück ist. Eine Person
von Range kan dahero auf die Gemüther sehr würken. Mannigfaltige
Erzählungen von Ungerechtigkeiten – gegen die Eingebohrenen – das man
deren Handlungen von besonderer Tapferkeit verschweiget oder den
Engländern zueignet & v. a. Es werden Begebenheiten dieser Arth
erdichtet und unter die Leuthe gebracht, die in Kleinigkeiten übergehen,
deshalb solche nicht wiederhole, die aber den Neid gegen gewisse
Personen bezeichnen. Ob zwar für den Augenblick keine andere Folge
daraus erstehet als eine wiedrige Stimmung gegen die Engländer
hervorzubringen. Die Nachbahrschaft von Galicien wo man Freunde hat ist
gleichfals behülflich. Ich meines Theils habe immer dahin gearbeitet mit
gutem Erfolg die Einwohner zur Danckbahrkeit gegen die Engländer zu
stimmen das selbige nur dieser Grossmüthigen Nation Ihre Freyheit,
Unabhängigkeit zu danken. Da ein Bekanter von mir in London ‘The
Campaigns of the Loyal Lusitanian Legion’ beantworten will, habe ich Sr.
Excellenz den Marshall um die Erlaubnis gefraget, ob ich einige Briefe,
worinnen mir Sr. Excellenz die Höchste Zufriedenheit über mein Betragen
bezeugen als General Bernardim Freire d’Andrada in Braga ermordet wurde,
publiciren darf. Der Conde Funchal gab mir den Rath ein Memorial am
Prinzen von Braziel durch seinen Bruder den Prinzipal Souza beförden zu
lassen, dieses Memorial ist noch im meinem Besitz welches ich niemals
auf diesem Wege absenden wollte. Ich habe Sr. Excellenz den Marshall in
meinem Briefe mit diesem Vorgange bekannt gemacht.
Ewr. Excellenz werden mit dem Betragen meiner
LandsLeuthe denen Preußen gleichfals zufrieden sein. Als ich im Jahr
1807 mit General Blücher als Volontair diente brachte eine Army List mit
mir zurück nach England, welche aus Zufall bey mir habe, deshalb bin ich
im Stande Ew. Excellenz das gegenwärtige Alter und Dienstzeit der
genanten Generäle zu senden.
Empfehle mich zum fernern
gnädigen Wohlwollens, ersterbe als
Ewr. Excellenz unterthänigst gehorsamster Dankbarer Diener
Fredk Baron Eben
[transcription and translation by Dr. John
Hibbard, University of Bristol]
Note on General Bernardino Freire and the Battle of Braga
French Marshal Junot had forced the disbandment of the regular
Portuguese army when France occupied Portugal in 1808. Following the Second
invasion by France in 1809, Marshal Soult landed at Coruna and started
his march to Oporto. Having captured the town of Chaves (10-11 March
1809) Soult marched to Braga which offered him a chance to defeat a
large Portuguese force. The Battle of Braga (or of Lanhozo) on 20
March 1809 was an easy French victory won against a large force of
Portuguese. This force, under the command of General Bernardino Freire,
was 25,000 strong but otherwise very weak. The bulk of the army was
provided by 23,000 members of the local ordenanza, the Portuguese
emergency levy of every able bodied male. This force was patriotic and
enthusiastic, but also chaotic and undisciplined, and prone to murder
officers it did not consider loyal enough, as Freire would soon discover
to his cost. Of these 23,000 men only 5,000 were armed with guns of some
sort, 11,000 with pikes and the rest with improvised weapons. Freire
made repeated calls for reinforcements, especially for regular troops,
but the Bishop of Oporto, the ruler of the province, was concentrating
on the defence of Oporto itself. All Freire received was the recently
formed 2nd Battalion of the Loyal Lusitanian Legion, under the command
of Baron Eben, a Prussian officer sent to Oporto by the British. When
Freire learnt that the French were crossing the mountain passes at the
upper end of the Cavado Valley, he began to plan for a retreat to
Oporto. This would cost him his life.
On 17 March the first French troops
appeared in front of the Portuguese position (the divisions of
Franceschi and Delaborde). After capturing an outlying spur of high
ground close to the Portuguese lines, they then waited for Soult to
arrive with the rest of the army. Their appearance finally convinced
Freire that the position was hopeless. By now he was well aware that his
army would turn on him if he attempted to order a retreat, and so on 17
March he attempted to sneak away to Oporto. He was discovered and
arrested at Tobossa, and taken back to his army in disgrace. The Ordenança were understandably furious. Baron Eben took command of the
army and imprisoned Freire in the prison at Braga, from where he was
almost immediately dragged by the Ordenança and killed. During the same
day the mob also killed a number of officers they believed to be too
close to Freire. Once in charge of the horde, Eben did his best to
strengthen their position. The Portuguese line was based on a semi
circle of hills on either side of the main road into Braga. The left of
the line was drawn up on the plateau of Monte Adaufé, while the right
wing was on the Monte Vallongo. Eden was aware that the left wing was
the weaker of the two, and so concentrated on digging trenches on that
hill. He even attempted to outflank the French on 19 March by captured
some hills behind the main French position at Lanhozo, but was soon
driven back.
Soult decided to launch a general assault along the
entire Portuguese line, correctly judging the quality of Freire’s army.
In theory the French were outnumbered, for Soult only had 13,000
infantry and 3,000 cavalry with him on 20 March, but even this
smaller force outnumbered the "armed" part of the Portuguese army by around
three-to-one. Soult made his strongest attacks against the Portuguese
right and centre. Delaborde’s infantry division and Lahoussaye’s
dragoons attacked along the road in the centre of the line and on the
Monte Adaufé, Mermet’s infantry and Franceschi’s light horse attacks the
Monte Vallongo, and one brigade from Heudelet’s division attacked on the
far right.
Along most of the line the landscape proved to be more
of an obstacle than the Ordenança. In the centre they stood
their ground only until Delaborde and Lahoussaye’s men had reached the
top of the plateau, and then fled. The French cavalry chased the
retreating peasants for fourteen miles, and offered no quarter. On the
left, the slopes of the Monte Vallongo held up the French advance, but
once again, when they reached the top of the hill, the Ordenança
turned and fled, once again to be cut down by the French cavalry. Only
Heudelet ran into serious resistance. Once again the Ordenança
fled once the French reached the top of the hill, but this time there
was no cavalry to chase them, and they were able to reform. Heudelet’s
leading battalion actually suffered a defeat when it attempted to attack
this new line, and the 26th Regiment of the Line had to be sent in to
help them before the Portuguese rout was complete.
[extract from historyofwar.com] |
|
NOTES
The uncovering of the alleged conspiracy of General Gomes Freire de
Andrade in May 1817 is cited by most historians as the opening episode
of the revolutionary era in Portugal.
In April the Commander of the Portuguese army, Marshal General Lord
Beresford, was approached by an army officer who told him that a friend
had confided in him the existence of a revolutionary conspiracy.
Beresford encouraged his informant to get involved with the
revolutionary group, and as a result was steadily fed information over
the next month. On 23 May Beresford informed the Governors
(Governadores) and on 25 May, on their instructions, he organized the
arrest of thirty alleged conspirators, including General Gomes Freire de
Andrade and General Frederick Baron Eben. Those arrested were then kept incommunicado and
interrogated. Three months later they were put on trial and twelve of
them, including Gomes Freire, were executed on 18 October. The lengthy
delays in carrying out the public hanging and the burning of the bodies
meant that the executions were not completed by dark but, as Don Miguel
Pereira Forjaz, one of the Council of Governors, famously said, “felizmente há
luar” (fortunately there was moonlight) – a comment that subsequent
writers have found to be particularly apt and have seldom been able to
resist quoting .
The question of the guilt of Baron Eben was
of particular concern to Marshal General Lord Beresford. The involved relationship
of Lord Beresford with Baron Eben and the British royal family is
essential to understanding the whole Conspiracy. Baron Eben was a Prussian officer who entered
British service and became an equerry to the Prince of Wales between
1807 to 1813 . He appeared in a portrait of the Prince and his entourage
painted by Copley. During that time he had, among other duties,
presented Beresford with a ceremonial sword, the gift of the Prince
Regent. He served in Portugal as an officer in Dillon’s regiment and
then joined the Portuguese service under Beresford. However, after the
Peninsular War, he was
dismissed from his post in 1815. He remained in Portugal and, as a
Freemason, became acquainted with Gomes Freire. He appears to have
remained in touch with the Duke of Sussex, who had spent some time in
Portugal earlier in the century and who was grand master of the
Freemasons in Britain. In the evidence recorded at his trial he stated
that he had sent copies to the Duke of the documents considered
seditious. His animosity towards Marshal Beresford was direct and
personal. As the Memória put it, the Baron had been content, if Lord
Beresford would have raised him to honours and promoted his interests,
he would not have shouted out to the Portuguese “Your king is ungrateful, it
is necessary to depose him”.
excerpts from: Odelben, Ernst Otto Innocenz, freiherr
von. A circumstantial narrative of the campaign in Saxony, in the year
1813. Written originally in German by Baron Von Odel eben, to which are
subjoined the notes of M. Aubert de Vitry, editor of the French edition;
the whole translated by Alfred John Kempe. London, John Murray, 1820. 2v.
|
GENERAL FREDERICK BARON EBEN - (ALS)
