CHAPTER III

British occupation of Minorca.

The people of Spain had long been misgoverned, impoverished, and oppressed when the last king of the House of Austria died and left the War of Succession as a legacy to his subjects.

The descendant of Maria Teresa, sister of Charles II. and wife of Louis XIV. of France, would have had the best right if her marriage had not been allowed on condition of the most solemn renunciation of the crown of Spain for the offspring of it. The next heir was the Emperor Leopold I., descended from a sister of Philip IV. of Spain, the father of Charles II. He resigned his claim to his second son, the Archduke Charles. Strongly in favour of the Austrian claim, the unhappy King was forced by priestly threats on his deathbed to sign a will declaring Philip, Duke of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV. and Maria Teresa, to be heir to the Spanish monarchy. Philip was then seventeen. The Archduke Charles was fifteen.

Louis XIV. was strictly pledged to the Governments of England and Holland not to allow his grandson to succeed. In February 1701, in defiance of this solemn compact, Philip was sent to Madrid and proclaimed as Philip V. Castille acknowledged him. Aragon, Catalonia, and the Balearic Islands declared for the Archduke Charles as Charles III. He was supported by England, Holland, Portugal, Savoy, and the Empire. War was declared on May 15, 1702, and the War of the Spanish Succession commenced. In March 1704 Charles III. arrived at Lisbon with four thousand Dutch and eight thousand English troops, where he was joined by Don Juan Henriquez, Admiral of Castille, one of the greatest of the Spanish nobles. On August 3 Gibraltar was taken, and garrisoned with two thousand men, the Prince of Hesse Darmstadt being the first Governor. Charles III. then proceeded to Barcelona, the almost impregnable castle of Monjuich having previously been captured by the Earl of Peterborough. Amidst great rejoicings Charles made his public entry on October 23, 1705. Peterborough entered Valencia in triumph on February 4, 1706, and Majorca declared for King Charles.

General Stanhope was appointed Envoy Extraordinary to King Charles and sent out in command of reinforcements. He was a grandson of the first Earl of Chesterfield and son of Alexander Stanhope, who was Ambassador at Madrid in the time of Charles II. Having passed his youth in his father’s house, he was well acquainted with Spanish and with the feelings of the people. He learnt the art of war under Marlborough.

The disastrous battle of Almanza was fought in April 1707, and for some time the cause of King Charles seemed almost hopeless. The Duke of Berwick entered Valencia and conquered Aragon, the French claimant, Philip, abolishing all its provincial privileges; while General Stanhope was reduced to a strictly defensive system. King Charles’s base was the east coast of Spain and the Mediterranean Sea. The English fleet was therefore of the utmost importance, and it became very urgent that the ships should remain out, instead of returning home for the winter. But, although Majorca was for Charles, the harbour of Port Mahon was still occupied by French and Spanish troops for Philip.

Stanhope, with his German colleague Staremburg, after several weeks of skilful but desultory manœuvres, obliged the French army to retreat from Tortosa, to which place the enemy had advanced. In August of the same year, 1707, Admiral Leake with the British fleet took Cagliari and secured the island of Sardinia for King Charles. But the most important enterprise was the capture of Minorca with its excellent harbour.

The Duke of Marlborough wrote to General Stanhope saying: ‘I am so entirely convinced that nothing can be done effectually without the fleet, that I conjure you, if possible, to take Port Mahon.’ Lord Godolphin sent out instructions to the same effect, which reached Stanhope when he was encamped at Cervera with Marshal Staremburg, at the close of the campaign against the French.

Stanhope immediately set out for Barcelona in pursuance of his instructions, but few men could be spared for the enterprise. Fortunately, Charles was fully alive to its great importance. Admiral Sir John Leake was still off Sardinia with the bulk of the fleet. There were, however, six men-of-war at Barcelona; but some of the captains hesitated to take any responsibility. The two who supported the General were his brother Philip of the _Milford_, and Trevanion of the _York_.

Stanhope forced their hands by actually embarking in some transports the troops he had been able to collect, and announcing his intention of proceeding at once to Majorca, there to await reinforcements. This made all the captains resolve to accompany him. One of the ships (the _Milford_) was commanded by the General’s brother, Captain Philip Stanhope, and the two brothers sailed together. The force consisted of 1,200 British troops, including marines, 600 Portuguese, and the rest Spanish. The General wrote to Sir John Leake, who had just reduced Sardinia to obedience to Charles, sending a copy of the letter from Lord Godolphin, and entreating him to co-operate.

Sir John Leake was about to return with the Beet to England for the winter, leaving a squadron to guard the Portuguese coast. He, however, left Pula, near Cagliari, with the fleet on August 18, in compliance with General Stanhope’s request, and arrived off Port Mahon on the 25th. He cruised off the island until September 14, when Stanhope arrived on board the _Milford_, the transports following on October 3.

Stanhope’s plan was to land at once and lay siege to the castle of San Felipe. Measures were accordingly arranged with the Admiral, who lent all the marines and guns that could be spared. There were forty-two guns and thirteen mortars. A spot was selected about two miles from the castle to the south-west, and the troops were landed. All the inhabitants received them joyfully, declaring for King Charles; and the magistrates of Mahon came and delivered up the keys of their city. On the 7th the _Dunkirk_, _Centurion_, and _York_ were anchored near the south-east point of the island, to cover the landing of the heavy guns. This was a service of great difficulty, for the only place for landing them was in a creek within half gunshot of the enemy’s batteries. Nevertheless it was attempted that very evening, and effected with little loss. The country was found to be rocky and without roads, and the beasts of burden that could be obtained were so few that it was twelve days before the guns could be got into position ready to commence the attack.

On the 8th the fleet, consisting of fifteen sail of the line, under the command of Sir John Leake, sailed for England. The Admiral had lent the General as many marines as could possibly be spared, and supplied him with ammunition and some provisions. A squadron of seventeen sail was left off Port Mahon, under the command of Sir Edward Whitaker, the hero of Gibraltar, to assist in the reduction of the castle of San Felipe.

Two ships, the _Dunkirk_ (Captain Butler) and _Centurion_ (Captain Fairborn), were detached to take possession of the castle and harbour of Fornelle, on the north coast of the island. The _Dunkirk_ arrived two hours before the _Centurion_, and opened a heavy fire, which was returned with some effect; but when the _Centurion_ also hove in sight, the garrison surrendered as prisoners of war. All the transports and bomb-vessels were then sent to Fornelle creek, having previously had no secure place to ride in.

On the 28th General Stanhope opened a battery of nine guns on two towers flanking an outer line, which the garrison of San Felipe had lately thrown up, beating them down and making some breaches in the connecting walls. This was not difficult, as the works had been hastily run up with loose stones. Brigadier Lane was stationed on the right with two battalions. Captain Philip Stanhope commanded the marines. Some of Wade’s men entered a breach in the wall without orders, and as soon as he saw their advance he followed with all his men. Philip Stanhope led on his marines, and there was a general advance, the garrison, after a short resistance, abandoning all the outworks and retreating into the castle. Next morning the enemy commenced a parley, which was followed by their capitulation in the afternoon. They could have held out for a long time. A hundred pieces of ordnance were found in the castle, three thousand barrels of powder, and all things necessary for a long defence. The victory was dearly bought with the death of Captain Philip Stanhope, who fell mortally wounded. He was struck by a ball on the forehead as he was held up by two sailors to look over a wall seven feet high. He was interred in one of the vaults of the castle. The General wrote: ‘The conquest has cost me very dear, but since Philip died in doing service to Her Majesty and his country, I shall think his life well bestowed, as I should my own.’

Ciudadela at once surrendered, and its garrison of a hundred men became prisoners of war. There was no resistance in any other part of the island. Stanhope wrote: ‘A great part of our success in reducing this island is owing to the zeal and affection the people have for us, which is beyond expression.’ Port Mahon was garrisoned by British marines, and the fortifications were strengthened by new works at a cost of about 60,000_l._ It was General Stanhope’s idea that Minorca should be held as a sort of mortgage for the large sums advanced to King Charles.

A medal was struck at the Tower to commemorate the conquests of Sardinia and Minorca.

_Obv._: Bust of Queen Anne.

_Rev._: Victory holding a palm-branch in one hand, and the Union Jack in the other. Two islands appearing in the distance, ‘SARDINIA ET BALEARIS MINOR CAPTÆ.’

_Exergue_: MDCCVII.

Stanhope returned to his military duties in Spain. He was at Barcelona again on November 9. It is not necessary to follow the course of events. The death of the Emperor Joseph I. in 1711 opened the succession to his brother Charles; while his want of success and the animosity of the Castilians destroyed all chance of his succeeding to the crown of Spain. In fact, he became Emperor of Germany as Charles VI.

The Ministry of Harley and St. John opened negotiations for peace. The abandonment of the Catalans and Majorcans to their fate cast an indelible stain of infamy on the British Government. Queen Anne had several times pledged her royal word for the preservation of the lives and liberties of the Catalans. In consequence of those promises the Catalans had begun and maintained an insurrection. Yet no stipulation was made in the treaty, and St. John had the effrontery to announce that ‘it is not for the interests of England to preserve the Catalan liberties.’

On April 11, 1713, the Peace of Utrecht was signed, the Emperor Charles refusing to be a party to it. The French Prince was acknowledged as King of Spain, being Philip V. of that country, but resigning any right of succession to the French crown. The Duke of Savoy was to have Sicily; Gibraltar and Minorca were ceded to England; the Netherlands, Naples, Milan, and Sardinia to the Emperor. Lord Stanhope, the descendant of the conqueror of Minorca, has pleaded with some truth that, whilst the glories of the war belong to the whole British people, the disgrace of the peace, the unworthy result of such great achievements, rests on a small knot of factious politicians.

Their beloved King Charles, now Emperor of Germany, must be acquitted of blame as regards the Catalans and Majorcans. He was powerless. Writing to General Stanhope, he said: ‘Knowing as I do your goodness of heart, I am persuaded that you and your friends will compassionate the fidelity, firmness, and misfortune of my poor Catalans. No difficulties, no dangers, no temptations could shake their generous loyalty. All this pierces my heart. I leave you to judge whether it is in my power to aid them without a naval force. I doubt not that you will consider the dreadful state to which they have been reduced by the evil-minded men of your country, contrary to the most solemn and repeated engagements.’

Catalonia and Majorca were abandoned to the mean vengeance of Philip. Minorca was more fortunate in becoming a British possession. In 1717 the conqueror of Minorca was created Viscount Stanhope of Mahon.