The article from the Times is singularly unjust to the old field-marshal’s
memory, and contains assertions which are entirely unsupported by the facts.
For instance, it implies that he submitted to the French on their invasion
of Portugal, in 1807, whereas just the contrary was the case. He served
under Wellington in 1808, and in 1810 commanded a battalion at the battle of
Busaco, receiving a medal from the Regent of England for his bravery on that
occasion. He commanded a division before Bayonne in 1812, and served under
Wellington at the battle of Toulouse. I knew him well, and he once told me
that he entered London with the allied sovereigns in 1814 as a brevet
brigadier-general, being at the time but 24 years of age. And another
remarkable event in his career is the fact that he was a member of the
congress of Vienna of 1815, and was one of those who signed the famous
convention entered into by the allied powers there on the 19th March of that
year.
The duke was restless, and frequently gave his government trouble. In the
month of May, 1870, he headed a military revolution in Lisbon, which
effected the overthrow of his political opponents and placed him in power at
the head of a new ministry, which, however, was of but short duration, as it
terminated on the 2d of September following. But he was too powerful a rival
not to be conciliated, and the mission to London was given him. * * * There
he remained until his death, which took place on the 21st instant, in his
eighty-sixth year.
Notwithstanding his political course, the duke was highly esteemed by the
great mass of the Portuguese people, was an especial favorite with the army
5 and the nation at the moment is paying sincere respect to his memory, and
as a mark of national regard a vessel of war has been dispatched to England
to bring his remains in state to Portugal for final interment in Lisbon.
I have often thought that his expedition from England to Terceira, in the
Azores, suggested that island to Captain Semmes as a fit and convenient
place to arm and equip the Anglo-rebel cruiser “No. 290.”
Saldanha’s design was to aid Dona Maria against Don Miguel. The expedition
consisted of four vessels, not armed or equipped, but believed to be
provided with the means of arming the most formidable of their number. His
purpose becoming known, and the British Government believing that it had
committed a breach of neutrality by allowing him to escape, dispatched, at
Lord Wellington’s instance, who was then prime minister, a naval force,
under Captain Walpole, with orders to prevent Saldanha from landing his men.
Captain Walpole carried out his orders effectively. Saldanha demanded an
explanation, claiming that his vessels were unarmed and were Portuguese, and
were bound to an island under Portuguese authority; but getting no
satisfactory reply, surrendered his vessels and men as prisoners. Captain
Walpole, however, refused to receive either, and the vessels finally put
into a French port. The expedition was. nevertheless effectually broken up
by Captain Walpole, who fired into one of the vessels, killing one and
wounding another man. In Dana’s Wheaton, at pages 566 and 567, is an
interesting note on the question of neutrality involved in this expedition
and its defeat, and Sir Erskine May gives a concise history of the affair
and the debates arising from it in Parliament in his excellent work on the
English constitution.
That Lord Palmerston knew of this precedent cannot be doubted, but he failed
* * * to adopt it as a guide in the case of the Alabama, and the world knows
with what consequences.
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
[From the Jornal do Commercio, Lisbon,
November 22, 1876.]
Lisbon, November 21,
1876.
By a telegram from London we have received the sad news of the death
to-day, at 10 a.m., in the above city, of the Duke of Saldanha,
field-marshal of the army and representative of our government at the
court of St. James.
Notwithstanding the generally well-known serious character of the last
illness which afflicted the old marshal, the unexpected news of his
death was received with deep sorrow, and in the army, especially, it
caused the most painful impression.
The Field-Marshal Duke of Saldanha was the greatest glory of the
Portuguese army. Trying for the first time the temper of his valiant
blade in the defense of the fort of Torres Vedras against the
disciplined troops of the first captain of the century, it can be said
that since then his propitious star has never waned in the command of
his soldiers, whom he so well knew how to lead on to victory.
The Duke of Saldanha, greatly admired in the army for the services which
he rendered during the glorious campaign of the Peninsula war,
distinguished himself still more in the war for the restoration of
liberty and legitimate monarchy by the side of the immortal D. Pedro IV.
It was in that struggle that his intelligence, valor, and ability for
the chief command of troops showed itself remarkably.
Well-known generals, such as Marmont, Solignac, Macdonald, and a good
many others who took part in our political discords, showed their
inferiority on more than one occasion as soldiers invested with the
chief command, when fighting either side by side or against the gallant
marshal, whom death has at last removed from the general esteem of the
national army.
Notwithstanding the tempestuous political events through which he passed,
notwithstanding his vast learning and deep knowledge of public affairs,
the Duke of Saldanha’s qualities as a statesman did not correspond with
those which distinguished him as a general. Sacrificing often to the
impulse of his heart and personal affections the duties which political
consistency made him incur or his love of liberty advised him, he had to
regain the prestige of his military name with his sword, with his energy
and accustomed disregard of danger, and remained at the head of his
party. As such, his acts in 1851 redeemed his political errors of 1846,
as had his valiant services of 1832 and 1834 pardoned his
inconsistencies of 1823.
The memory still remains in all our minds of the enthusiasm with which
the whole nation welcomed the bold resolution of the marshal in the
revolutionary moment of 1851, and it is not to be denied that it is
since that time that tolerance has been established on a firm basis, and
that the constitutional régime has strengthened
the country.
As a man and as a friend, none of his bitterest enemies which the old
marshal had during his long political and military career deny him those
excellent qualities which ennobled him. Nobody in fact could exceed his
generous feelings, and many are aware of his repeated proof of charity
in the most painful situations.
The name of the Duke of Saldanha is already in history, and is reserved a
glorious place among the most distinguished captains and leaders of the
Portuguese army. John Charles Gregory Domingos Vincent Francisco de
Saldanha de Oliveira e Daun, first count of Saldanha in 1827; title
confirmed on the 14th January, 1833: first marquis of the same title on
27th May, 1834, and first duke on the 4th of November, 1846; peer of the
realm, councilor of state, marshal of the army, first aid-de-camp of Dom
Fernando, lord chamberlain of the royal house, president of the supreme
court-martial, member of the royal academy of sciences, envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of Portugal at London; was
born on the 17th November, 1790. He was minister of war from 26th May to
18th November, 1835; president of the council from 27th May to 18th
November, 1835; minister of foreign affairs from 20th to 26th May, 1846,
the decree nominating the Duke of Terceira ad
interim being declared null and void; war, from 26th May to
16th July, 1846, but not being present José Jorge Loureiro ad interim; president of the council from 6th
October, 1846, to 28th April, 1847; war, from 6th of October, 1846, to
26th April, 1847; during his absence Jose’ Antonio Maria de Souza
Azevedo acted from the 4th November, 1846, to the 20th February, 1847,
and Baron Ovar acted from 20th February to the 28th April, 1847; foreign
affairs (ad interim) from 6th October, 1846, to
28th April, 1847, D. Manuel de Portugal e Castro acting during his
absence from 4th November, 1846, to the 28th April, 1847; president of
the council 18th December, 1847, to 18th June, 1849; foreign affairs
18th December, 1847, to 29th March, 1849; war (ad
interim), 18th December, 1847, to 8th January, 1848; interior,
29th March, 1848, to 18th June, 1849; foreign affairs (ad interim), 3d May to 1st June, 1849, through sickness of the
Viscount of Castro.
President of the council, 1st May, 1851, to 6th June, 1856; war (ad interim), 17th May, 1851, to 6th June, 1856;
interior, from 1st to 22d May, 1851, Baron da Senhora da Luz acting
during his absence from 1st to 17th; president of the council, from 19th
May to the 29th August, 1870; justice (ad
interim), from 20th to 26th May, 1870; finances (ad interim),
[Page 454]
from
20th to 26th May, 1870; marine (ad interim), from
20th to 26th May, 1870; foreign affairs (ad
interim), from 20th to 29th August, 1870; public works (ad interim), from 20th to 26th May, 1870.
Grand Cross of the Tower and Sword, Order of Christ, of S. Thiago, of
Saint Ferdinand of Spain, of Carlos III, of Leopold of Belgium, of
Ernest Pio of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, of St. Gregory the Great of Rome, of
St. Mauritius and Lazarus of Italy, of the Legion of Honor of France, of
the Salvador of Greece, of the Netherlands Lion, of the White Eagle of
Russia, of Albert the Valorous of Saxony, and of Leopold of Austria,
Knight of the Annunciation of Italy, of Saint John of Jerusalem and of
the Golden Fleece.
Commander of the Order of Conception, Portuguese medals of Bussaco, Saint
Sebastian and the Nive.
British medals of Bussaco, Saint Sebastian, and the Nive.
Spanish medals of Victoria, Saint Sebastian, and the Nive, and Toulouse;
cross with six clasps, of the campaigns of the Peninsular war.
Star of Gold of the Montevidean war.
Medal with nine clasps of the campaigns of liberty; and
The gold military medals for courage, good services, and exemplary
conduct.
He joined the army at fourteen years of age, on the 28th September, 1805;
he never was ensign or lieutenant, but passed captain on 24th June,
1806; major, 9th December, 1809; lieutenant-colonel, 5th February, 1812;
colonel, 22d June, 1815; brigadier, 22d January, 1818; field-marshal,
6th February, 1826; lieutenant-general, 6th June, 1831, and marshal of
the army, 22d September, 1833.
