Note 18 — Chapter I

In the winter of 1812, captain Hill, of the royal navy, was sent to Cronstadt to receive Spanish prisoners who had been taken by the Russians. Of five thousand Spaniards that were delivered to him, above four thousand were men who had escaped with Romana from the Danish isles in 1808. Captives at Espinosa, they had entered the French ranks, served in Napoleon’s continental wars, and being made prisoners by the Russians in the retreat from Moscow, were once more brought back to Spain in English vessels. This is a curious commentary upon the silly stories that have been promulgated relative to the desperate fighting of Blake’s army, and the devoted courage with which, Spartan-like, Romana’s soldiers died to a man upon the field of battle.

MEN.

Landed at Gihon, 9th October, 1808 9,404

Deduct cavalry, which never joined Blake’s army 1,404

——

8,000

Prisoners delivered to captain Hill 4,500

——

3,500

Now, if we make allowance, 1º. For natural and violent deaths during four years of service under Napoleon, 2º. For those who might not have been taken by the Russians, and if we believe that some might possibly have escaped from Espinosa alive, the number of Spartans will probably be thought not to have exceeded the classical number of 300.