cers, consumed a considerable portion of time, during which the English forces suffered severely.-At length, a retreat was ordered, and they retired out of the reach of the enemy's cannon. It is well known, however, that the late gallant Sir Ralph Abercrombie's sight was very imperfect: the indecision which has been noticed on this occasion, may, perhaps, be attributed to that cause*."

In the battle of Aboukir Major-General Moore was wounded in the leg; he, however, refused to quit the field, and continued to exert himself to the utmost +.-We shall in this place introduce the observations of His Royal Highness the Duke of York on this battle, when he thanked the troops for their gallant exertions:-" An attack begun an hour before day-light could derive no advantage over the vigilance of an enemy ever ready to receive it; the enemy's most vigorous and repeated efforts were directed against the right and centre. Our infantry fought in the plain, greatly inferior in the number of their artillery, and unaided by cavalry. They relied upon their discipline and courage.-The desperate attacks of a veteran cavalry, joined to those of a numerous infantry, which had vainly styled itself invincible, were every where repulsed; and a conflict the most severe, terminated in one of the most signal victories which ever adorned the annals of the British nation."-Notwithstanding General Moore's wound, Major-General Craddock having been confined at Cairo by illness, General Hutchinson, who had succeeded the gallant Abercrombie, entrusted the command of the troops to Major-General Moore, who, during a long march of a very novel and critical nature, displayed his usual judgment.

After the Campaign in Egypt, Major-General Moore was placed on the Staff of the Southern Military District, and commanded the troops stationed at and in the neighbourhood of Sandgate.-In May 1808, he was entrusted with the command of 10,000 men to assist the King of Sweden against a combined attack from Russia, France, and Denmark.

The expedition reached Gottenburgh on the 17th of May; but some opposition having been made to the landing of the troops, Sir John Moore repaired to Stockholm.-The General's brother, Mr. James Moore, in a narrative of the campaigns of the British army

* Vide Armstrong's "Observations," &c.

+ General Hutchinson, in communicating this affair to Government, observed, "I regret the temporary absence from the army of this highly valuable and meritorious officer, whose counsel and co-operation would be so highly necessary to us at this moment."

in Spain, has furnished the public with the following statement of his conduct at the Court of Sweden.

On Sir John Moore's arrival at Stockholm, "he there found to his surprise that, although the Swedish army was quite inadequate even for defensive operations, His Majesty's thoughts were entirely bent on conquest.-It was first proposed that the British should remain in their ships, till some Swedish regiments should be collected at Gottenburgh; and that the combined forces should land and conquer Zealand.-Upon an examination of this plan, it was acknowledged, that the Island of Zealand, besides containing several strong fortresses, was filled with a far superior regular force to any that could be assembled; and also that the Island Funen was full of French and Spanish troops, which could not be hindered from crossing over in small bodies. Sir John Moore, in the mildest and most respectful manner, represented that these difficulties seemed too great to be surmounted by the bravest troops.-It was next proposed that the British alone should land in Russian Finland, storm a fortress, and take a position there.-This notion was still more preposterous than the former; and Sir John Moore endeavoured to prove, that 10,000 British were insufficient to encounter the principal force of the Russian Empire, which would quickly be brought against them at any point so near Petersburgh.-The objections which he was obliged to make to these, and to another scheme equally impracticable, drew upon him the resentment of His Swedish Majesty, who arrested him in his capital.-He, however, with considerable address withdrew himself from the thraldom of Sweden without committing his government; and, conformably to his instructions, brought back the army to England.”

Allowing for the natural partiality of a brother, the above statement may be considered in a great degree correct.-It is, however, well known that Sir John Moore possessed a reprehensible warmth of temper, which was most particularly evident in the case of Monsieur de Charmilly*: and we have therefore every reason to suppose that the King of Sweden would not have resorted to so violent and unjustifiable a measure had not some grounds existed for the same, further than the mild and respectful manner in which Mr. James Moore states his brother to have started objections to the plans of the Swedish monarch.

Vide "Narrative of the Campaigns in the Peninsula," p. 361, Vol. I. Military

Panorama.

Sir John Moore was next directed to proceed to Portugal, with the army which had gone up the Baltic with him, and it was intended that he should have served in that country as third in command. This officer arrived at his destination whilst the Convention of Cintra was pending, and on the return of Sir Hew Dalrymple and Sir Harry Burrard, he was nominated to the chief command of the army, destined to advance into Spain in aid of the patriots.

In the "Narrative of the Campaigns in the Peninsula," we have faithfully recorded the conduct of Sir John Moore, from the period of his receiving the chief command, to the fatal hour of his death, which renders it unnecessary to enter again on that subject: we shall therefore conclude the biography of this lamented officer with the General Orders issued by His Royal Highness the Duke of York in commemoration of a distinguished and devoted life passed with honor in the defence of this country, and which pourtrays Sir John Moore as a bright example to British officers, by whom he was universally beloved and respected; and a brief account of his most honourable private character as represented by his brother, Mr. James Moore.

GENERAL ORDERS.

The benefits derived to an army from the example of a distinguished commander, do not terminate at his death; his virtues live in the recollection of his associates, and his fame remains the strongest incentive to great and glorious actions.

In this view, the Commander-in-Chief, amidst the deep and universal regret which the death of Lieut.-Gen. Sir John Moore has occasioned, recals to the troops the military career of that illustrious officer for their instruction and imitation.

Sir John Moore, from his youth, embraced the profession with the feelings and sentiments of a soldier; he felt, that a perfect knowledge, and an exact performance of the humble, but important duties of a subaltern officer, are the best foundations for subsequent military fame; and his ardent mind, while it looked forward to those brilliant achievements for which it was formed, applied itself with energy and exemplary assiduity to the duties of that station. In the school of regimental duty, he obtained that correct knowledge of his profession, so essential to the proper direction of the gallant spirit of the soldier; and he was enabled to establish a characteristic order, and regularity of conduct, because the troops found in their leader a striking example of the discipline which he enforced on others. Having risen to command, he signalized his name in the West-Indies, in Holland, and in Egypt. The unremitting attention with which he devoted himself to the duties of every branch of his profession obtained him the -confidence of Sir Ralph Abercrombie; and he became the companion in arms of that illustrious officer, who fell at the head of his victorious troops,

in an action which maintained our national superiority over the arms of France.

Thus Sir John Moore at an early period obtained, with general approbation, that conspicuous station on which he gloriously terminated his useful and honourable life.

In a military character, obtained amidst the dangers of climate, the privations incident to service, and the sufferings of repeated wounds, it is difficult to select any one point as a preferable subject for praise: it exhibits, however, one feature so particularly characteristic of the man, and so important to the best interests of the service, that the Commander-in-Chief is pleased to mark it with his peculiar approbation.

The life of Sir John Moore was spent among the troops.

During the season of repose, his time was devoted to the care and instruction of the officer and soldier; in war, he courted service in every quarter of the globe.

Regardless of personal considerations, he esteemed that to which his country called him the post of honour; and, by his undaunted spirit, and unconquerable perseverance, he pointed the way to victory.

His country, the object of his latest solicitude, will rear a monument to his lamented memory; and the Commander-in-Chief feels he is paying the best tribute to his fame, by thus holding him forth as an example to the army. By order of His Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief,

Horse-Guards, July 1st, 1809.

HARRY CALVERT, Adjutant-Gen.

[Extract from Mr. James Moore's letter to his Mother.] "Should they, historians, enter into his, Sir John Moore's, private character, they ought to represent him as a man who felt for his father and mother filial piety; and for his sister and brothers paternal affection: who was faithful in friendship, and in his intercourse with the world was guided by honour. When they shall display those qualities and actions which properly belong to the province of history, if truth be observed, he must be described as exercising his genius in the profession of arms for the service of his country, to which he had devoted his life. Finally, he must be shown leading on to victory a British army, which he had preserved by his wisdom, and falling gloriously in the front of battle."

MARSHAL SOULT, Duke of Dalmatia*.

[From "THE PHILOSOPHER" of General Sarrazin.]

SOULT is only forty-two years old, though he appears to be more than fifty; his height five feet ten inches; although slender he is very vigorous; his face is but ordinary, his complexion pallid, his look scrutinizing, and his pensive air expressive of a genius above the common cast. You may read in his physiognomy the harshness of his soul, and the pride with which he is

The character of Marshal Soult is thus described in a work, entitled

"The Secret History of the Cabinet of Buonaparte," by Lewis Goldsmith.

inspired by his military talents; his figure is soldier-like, his manner simple, his address cold, speaking but seldom; he is very rigid in maintaining discipline; his activity and his comprehensive view have deservedly obtained him the encomiums of Kleber and Buonaparte.

Born of poor parents, Soult may be considered as being himself the only founder of his military fortune: as early as sixteen he enlisted as a common soldier. His good conduct occasioned his being distinguished by the chief officers of his company, who successively appointed him as corporal and serjeant. Endued with much intelligence, he soon became versed in the art of manoeuvring; and even at that period he evinced towards his subordinates that firmness of character which has since greatly contributed to his advancement. In 1792, his reputation as a good instructor, obtained him the situation of Adjutant-Major in a battalion of national guards. In 1793, he was appointed an officer of the staff, and some little time after, AdjutantGeneral. He was employed in the army of the Moselle under the command of Jourdan. At the time when forty thousand men of that army marched upon the Sambre, to relieve Charleroi, Soult was appointed Chief of the Staff for the division of Gen. Lefevre, which formed the advanced guard of that army.

The 27th of June, 1794, the day of the battle of Fleurus, the right wing of the French army, commanded by Marceau, was attacked by Beaulieu at three o'clock in the morning. By noon all the troops of Marceau were thrown into confusion, and he himself, surrounded by the Austrian dragoons, owed his safety only to the bravery of some officers of his staff, who protected his retreat to Lefevre's division. "Give me," said Marceau to this General, "four battalions of your troops, that I may drive the enemy away from my position ;" and observing that Lefevre hesitated, Marceau, in order to determine him, added, in a tone of despair, "If you refuse me, I will blow my brains out." Lefevre consulted Soult, who said aloud, that this disposition would expose the safety of the division. Marceau cast a threatening look at him, and asked him who he was, that he should take upon himself to use so peremptory a tone?" I am calm,” replied Soult coldly, "and you are not so." This observation only tended to augment the indignation of Marceau, who provoked Soult to fight a duel with him the next day." Whether to-day or to-morrow," replied Soult, "you will always find me ready to tell you the truth, and to pay the respect I owe you-don't kill yourself, but fight in your ranks, and when we shall have secured our position, you shall have the battalions you wish for." At that very moment the prince of Cobourg attacked Lefevre with the choice of his troops; seven successive and unsuccessful onsets were made by the Hungarian grenadiers. Soult conveyed himself with rapidity wherever there was the greatest danger; Marceau fought also like a lion. Lefevre remained with the reserve. The battle raged with unexampled fury: the brave Royal Allemand regiment several times charged the columns of Soult and Marceau, who were pursuing the Austrians. About three hundred of these intrepid horsemen perished within pistol-shot of Lefevre's intrenchments. At six in the evening

"A Brigand, in every sense of the word; a common thief before the revolution. This man of course embarked in the cause of French liberty,