JB/012/107/001

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1823 June 21
Col Hall, Rio Hacha, March 27th 1823 to Mr. Empson

By the occupation of the Province of
Quito, the Spanish dominion was reduced, at the
end of the Summer, to the single point of Puerto Cabello,
the garrisons of which was driven to considerable
streights—not only by a blockade by land, but by
the indisposition of the Spanish Merchants and Emigrants
in Curacao and the Havanah, who are the sole
support of the war, to make any further advances in a
cause they could not but consider as desperate. In this
state of things, the Commander in Chief, Morales, a
man of sanguinary and brutal character, but of considerable
activity, after several ineffectual efforts in
the province of Coro, succeeded in disembarking about
1200 men, almost starved and naked and with this
force, aided by the most culpable neglect on our part
occupied the city of Maracaybo, as the
Maps will show you, is one of the principal Commercial
outlets of this Continent. At the time of its
capture there was probably near half a million of merchandise in
it, principally English or Dutch property, all which Morales confiscated
applying part to the payment of debts contracted in the Colonies, & the
rest to the exigencies of the war. The Spanish Commercial Juntas aforesaid
immediately seconded his efforts with supplies of all kinds & he
has now a force of at least 3000 men, with the advantage of almost
inattackable positions, but measures in the mean while have been both
dilatory & unfortunate. The advanced volume of the force collected here
compromised itself in an action, & was almost entirely destroyed: new
levies are raised with great difficulty, in the exhausted state of the
country, & when raised fall universally short, both from desertion &
sickness. We have not here 2000 men, though this is the principal army
to operate against Maracaybo. Morales has made several attempts
to penetrate into the interior, but with no success: a division which
appeared on the frontier of this Province, has just retired without
deriving any advantages from the Expedition. Our operations are
moreover paralysed by insurrections: Santa Martha lately
revolted & though again subjugated, the province continues troubled
and unsettled. In the South serious insurrections have broken out
in

Identifier: | JB/012/107/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 12.
Date_1	1823-03-27	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	012	Main Headings
Folio number	107	Info in main headings field	col. hall, rio hacha, march 27 1823, to mr empson
Image	001	Titles
Category	correspondence	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	d3 / e3
Penner	john flowerdew colls; richard doane	Watermarks	j whatman turkey mill 1822
Marginals		Paper Producer	john flowerdew colls
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year	1822
Notes public		ID Number	4168
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