1806. her shores, and the corrupt court of Naples was compelled again, as in the former war, to claim the protection of the british navy. Restricted as we are in our subject, a general view of the state of french power and influence in the Mediterranean states is all that will be required from us.

Treaty

burg.

As the great battle of Marengo in the former war ofPres-led to the peace of Luneville, so the still greater battle of Austerlitz in the present led to the peace of Presburg. But the terms granted to Austria were much less favourable in the latter, than in the former case. There the acquisition of the venetian states was considered to be no inadequate compensation for the loss of the Low Countries; but, by the treaty of Presburg, Austria renounced her share of those states, and consented that they should be ansion by nexed to the kingdom of Italy; taking, as her only of ve- possession on the shores of the Mediterranean, the comparatively insignificant port of Triest at the head of the Adriatic. About the same time (December 26, 1806) that the treaty of Presburg was concluded with Austria, a treaty between Buonaparte and Prussia was signed at Vienna.

Ces

Austria

netian

russian

Peace with these two powers, and the withdrawal of the russian army from Austria, left Napoléon at liberty to wreak his vengeance upon Ferdinand of Naples; who, in direct violation of the treaty Anglo of neutrality which he had concluded with the troops french emperor on the 8th of October, 1805, land at had suffered an anglo-russian squadron to land in vio- a body of troops in the bay of Naples. This of took place so shortly after the ratification of the treaty treaty of Portici as on the 20th of November. The France. russian troops were about 14000 in number, and

Naples

lation

with

commanded by general Lasey. These were quartered in Naples and its environs. The british troops, amounting to about 10000 men, were commanded by general sir James Craig, and were cantoned at Castel-à-mare, Torre-del-Greco, and the vicinity. Nor was this all. The king of Naples

began levying an army, and providing horses and 1806. waggons for its conveyance, and magazines of stores and ammunition for its use.

sures of

conse

With his accustomed promptitude in carrying his measures into execution, Napoléon, on the 28th of MeaDecember, the very day after the treaty of Presburg Buonahad been signed, issued from his head-quarters at parte in Vienna a proclamation, declaring that the neapolitan quence. dynasty had ceased to reign. The denouncement Reemof this threat was the signal for the two allies of barkaNaples to consult their own safety. The russian tion of troops reembarked and retired to Corfu; and the and english troops, being far too few for so extensive a Rusline of defence as it would have been necessary to maintain, reembarked also, and posted themselves at Messina in Sicily.

British

sians.

quits

for Pa

Hearing of the advance of a french army, the king of Naples quitted his capital on the 23d King of of January; and, embarking on board the british Naples 74-gun ship Excellent, captain Frank Sotheron, his catook refuge, a second time, at Palermo.* The pital queen and a part of the court accompanied or lermo. quickly followed the king in his retreat; but the duke of Calabria, the king's eldest son and the heir apparent of the throne, remained as regent of the kingdom until the 7th of February, when he also quitted Naples and retired to his dukedom. The french army, in the mean time, with Joseph Buonaparte for its nominal head, but really under the command of general Massena, assisted by general Reignier and other officers of reputation, had reached the frontiers, and on the 9th took post at Ferentino. From Proclathis place Joseph Buonaparte issued a proclamation, of JoVowing vengeance upon the court of Naples, but seph promising protection to the people. Shortly after- parte. wards the french army advanced in three divisions. French The right division, under general Reignier, marched attack to Gaeta, a strong port situated upon a rocky promontory, three sides of which are washed by the * See vol. ii. p. 276.

mation

Buona

Gaeta,

1806.

sea, and the fourth connected with the continent by Feb. a narrow and well-fortified isthmus. The governor of this fortress, the prince of Hesse-Philipsthadt, was summoned to surrender on favourable terms, but refused. An immediate attack by the French gave them, with some loss, the possession of a redoubt; but, for the present, they gained no other advantage. The centre division, under general Joseph Massena, marched straight to Naples; and on the parte's 12th and 15th of February Joseph Buonaparte entered successively, by capitulation with the garNaples. risons, Capua and Naples. In short, before the end of March, the French had placed garrisons in Scylla and Tarento, and were in possession of the whole kingdom of Naples, except Gaeta, and Civitella del Tranto in the further Abruzzo.

Buona

into

Arrival

of sir

On the 21st of April, while matters were in this Sidney state, rear-admiral sir William Sidney Smith, having Smith been detached by lord Collingwood for the purpose, lermo. arrived in the Pompée 74 at Palermo, to take the

at Pa

Throws

plies

into Gaeta.

command of the squadron assembled there for the defence of Sicily. That squadron then consisted, besides the Pompée and Excellent, of the two 64gun ships Athénien, captain John Giffard, and Intrepid, captain the honourable Philip Wodehouse, a neapolitan frigate, one or two british frigates, and a few neapolitan gun and mortar boats. The british army still occupied Messina, but, owing to the retirement of sir James Craig from ill-health, was now under the command of sir John Stuart.

The first step taken by sir Sidney, was to throw sup supplies into Gaeta, which he accomplished, under a heavy fire from the besiegers, landing, along with a considerable quantity of ammunition, four of the Excellent's lowerdeck guns. Shortly afterwards, considering that the best means of cooperating with Sails the prince of Hesse in defending the fort, which he had hitherto with so much gallantry maintained, would be to draw off a part of the attacking force for the defence of Naples, sir Sidney proceeded

for Na.

ples.

thither with the Pompée, Excellent, Athénien, and 1806. Intrepid; leaving in command off Gaeta captain April. Henry Richardson, with the 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Juno, neapolitan frigate Minerva, captain Vieugna, and 12 neapolitan gun-boats.

Rich

ta.

The French having erected a battery of four guns on the point of la Madona della Catterra, the prince of Hesse ordered 60 men from the garrison to be embarked in four fishing-boats; and on the night of Capt. the 12th captain Richardson, with the armed boats ardson of the two frigates, landed the troops undiscovered at Gaein a small bay in the rear of the enemy's works. The French abandoned the fort as the boats reached the shore; and the guns were spiked, the carriages destroyed, and the troops reembarked, without any loss. On the 15th the garrison of Gaeta made another tolerably successful sortie, supported in the attack and retreat by two divisions of gun-boats, one of them under the command of captain Richardson, and by the armed boats of the Juno under the direction of lieutenant Thomas Wells, assisted by lieutenant of marines Robert M. Mant. The only loss on the part of the allies was sustained by the Juno's boats, and consisted of four seamen killed and five wounded.

Sidney

bay of

Upon sir Sidney's arrival in the bay of Naples Arrival with his squadron, now, by the junction of the 74-gun of sir ship Eagle, captain Charles Rowley, augmented to Smith five sail of the line, he found the city illuminated in in the honour of Joseph Buonaparte; who, since the 30th Naples. of March, had caused himself to be proclaimed, and was now being crowned, king of the two Sicilies. Although the fire of his squadron would soon have His huinterrupted the ceremony, sir Sidney humanely and mane politically refrained from hostilities against the inhabitants, and directed his attention to a more legitimate object, the dislodgement of the french garrison from the island of Capri.

To the french commandant, captain Chervet, a summons was sent on the 11th; and, upon the re

for

bear

ance.

At

1806. fusal of the latter to capitulate, the Eagle was detachApril. ed to take up a position for the purpose of covering the troops intended to be landed. Captain Rowley tacks placed his ship in the most judicious manner; and and the Eagle did not open her fire until near enough Capri. to feel the effects of the enemy's musketry upon her

carries

Return

to Pa

quarterdeck, where a seaman was killed and her first lieutenant, Mr. James Crawley, wounded. After a fire from both decks of the Eagle, and from two neapolitan mortar-boats, continued from 9 till 10 A. M., the French were driven from the vineyards within their walls. Immediate advantage of this was taken by the disembarkation of the storming party, consisting of seamen and marines, the latter under the command of captain Richard Bunce, assisted by captain John Stannus and lieutenant George P. Carroll, and the former of lieutenants John Arthur Morell, of the Eagle, and Edward Reding, of the Pompée. Thus led, the british seamen and marines gallantly mounted the steps that led to the heights; and captain Stannus, pressing forward, killed the french commandant. On this event being known, the garrison beat a parley, and were allowed to capitulate upon honourable terms. This success was fortunately obtained with no greater additional loss to the British, than one marine killed and four seamen and six marines wounded; total, with the Eagle's loss on first anchoring, two killed and 10 wounded.

Having placed an english garrison in Capri, sir Sidney steered along the coast to the southward, obstructing by land, and cutting off by sea, the of sir enemy's communications, in order to retard his Sidney operations against Gaeta. The rear-admiral then lermo. returned to Palermo, and, falling into the views of Ferdinand, joined the latter in persuading general Stuart to invade Calabria. Reluctantly consenting, lands sir John, on the 1st of July, landed about 4800 troops effective men, all infantry, without opposition, in a labria. bay in the gulf of St.-Eufemia. On the afternoon of

Sir

Stuart

in Ca