CELEBRATED INSURRECTION OF MADRID. 347

in the morning of that day, as if by pre-accord, all theFrench in the street, and some even in their lodgings, wereattacked and slain by the Spanish populace. The details ofthis transaction are very curious, but I cannot venture onwriting such particulars as would occupy several pages morethan the mere essential. But to proceed: it was mid-daybefore Murat was convinced that serious, and apparentlypre-concerted insurrection had taken place. Several bodiesof cavalry and infantry were brought into the city; the gar-rison was drawn out, and for some time Murat had hoped tocheck, the insurgents by the mere display of his over-whelming means. But numerous bodies of Spaniards tookup positions at various points, and cannon were evenbrought up to play upon the French by the brave CaptainVelarde and Lieutenant Daoiz of the Spanish artillery. Itbecame necessary to act with vigour, or submit to be mas-sacred, or expelled the city. The French cavalry madeseveral charges. Grape was returned for grape, and dis-charges of musketry exchanged for such as came from theassembled Spaniards, or from the windows of the houses,which supplied a very brisk shower upon the French .

The streets of Alcala and that of San Geronimo werequickly cleared by the cavalry, which dispersed the multi-tude at the Puerto del Sol. Columns of French infantrykept clearing the street San Bernardo, and those surround-ing the palace of Murat. The French soldiers were cer-tainly irritated at the sight of the numerous dead bodies oftheir comrades lying about, who had been surprised un-armed, and killed in the morning; but it is a base partyfalsehood to state that the French troops exceeded in theirhostility on that occasion the just and regular limits of theirmilitary duty and self-defence. The instant it was foundthat the populace had been driven from their offensive atti-tude, Murat, supported by the Spanish ministers, Azanza