Extracts from Bodsletfs Annual Register for 1807.
* * * General Miranda, with the knowledge and a good understanding between him and the British government, set out from England for the purpose of carrying into execution, if possible, his long-cherished project of emancipating Spanish America.
[Page 155][627] He proceeded to the United States of America for the purpose of procuring that assistance, which, from the assurance he had received while in this country, he had every reason to expect, particularly at a period when there was every prospect of a war between the United States and Spain, on account of a dispute about Louisiana. But on his arrival he had the mortification to find that the dispute about Louisiana was compromised, and that although the wishes of the American, like those of the British government, were for him, he eottld not expect their avowed assistance. The general, however, animated by that persevering ardor which is inspired in great minds by great designs, induced, on terms agreed on, Mr. Ogden, a merchant of New York, to fit out a ship, the Leander, Captain Lewis, Avith two hundred young men of great respectability, who volunteered their services, and to proceed with her to St. Domingo for the purpose of being joined by a *second vessel, the Emperor, commanded by another Captain Lewis, brother to the master of the Leander. Unfortunately, soon after the departure of the Leander from New York, the American Government, giving way to the urgent solicitations of the French and Spanish embassadors, brought an action against Mr. Ogden and a Colonel Smith, a zealous friend to the cause of General Miranda, on the plea that the equipment of the Leander was unauthorized and illegal. The parties prosecuted were honorably acquitted. But the first consequences of the trial were of incalculable detriment to General Miranda’s expedition, for the master of the Emperor having heard, while at St. Domingo, that an action had been brought against the parties just mentioned, absolutely refused to proceed on its destination. It now became necessary to engage, instead of the Emperor, two small schooners. The general, however, though thus cruelly disappointed in the expectation of being joined by the armed ship Emperor, of about thirty guns, proceeded with his little squadron for the coast of Caracas; where, as he supposed that the Spanish government still continued ignorant of his movement, he hoped to effect a landing without opposition.
[628]
[629]
[630] The Spanish
embassador, however, having obtained information of this enterprise,
sent advice thereof to the governor of Caracas, where General Miranda,
*instead of meeting, as he expected, with none but friends, apprised of
his approach, had the mortification to learn that the government of
Caracas had given the necessary orders for taking measures of defense,
and where his two schooners unfortunately fell into the hands of the
Spanish guardacostas. In these circumstances General Miranda sailed
directly for Trinidad, for the purpose of procuring a British auxiliary
force. Admiral Cochrane, then commanding on the Windward station,
assured the general of support, in both ships and men, and immediately
ordered some sloops-of-war and gun-boats to proceed with him on the
expedition. Thus reinforced at Trinidad, the general set sail from
thence, on the 24th of July, 1806, again for the coast of Caracas with
his little fleet, now consisting of about fifteen vessels in all, and
having on board about five hundred officers and men, all volunteers. On
the morning of the 2d of August his little army effected its landing at
a place called Vela de Coro; but the smallness of his force prevented
confidence in his success. The people dreaded the cruel vengeance of the
Spanish government in the event of his defeat; and as the
captain-general of Caracas was collecting troops, General Miranda
retired from Coro and removed his headquarters to the shore, having
previously assured the people in a proclamation of his just and friendly
intentions, and that it was not in the city but in the field that he and
his army wished to fight with the oppressors
[Page 156]
alone of the Colombian people.” From thence
General Miranda dispatched an officer, Captain Ledlie, to our naval and
military com-manders on the Jamaica station to represent his prospects,
the absolute necessity there was for a force sufficient to give
confidence to the South American people, and to request that this aid
might be sent to him without delay. Sir Eyre Coote and Admiral Dacres
regretted that they were precluded from giving the assistance which his
views demanded, as they had not received any official instructions from
home on this subject. Admiral Dacres, however, gave orders to his
cruisers to afford every possible protection. Captain Ledlie immediately
returned with this answer to General Miranda, who, after dispatching
that officer to Jamaica, had proceeded himself with his troops to Aruba,
a few leagues from Vela de Coro, with an intention to seize the strong
post of Rio de la Hache, and there await the arrival of succor. Soon
after Admiral Cochrane sent him a ship of the line with two frigates,
with the reiterated assurances of support; but erroneous reports having
reached the West Indies that preliminaries of peace between England and
France had been signed by Lauderdale at Paris, and these reports
accompanied with *an intimation that Admiral Cochrane would consequently
be obliged to entirely withdraw the aid of the naval force, General
Miranda found himself under the necessity of abandoning all further
operations on the Spanish main, and retired, with his comrades in arms,
to Trinidad.—(See the Annual Register for 1807; London, 1809.)