il of war composed
of such jarring elements as these. However, Lord Peterborough's
instructions were positive, and on the 16th of August, 1705, he convened
a council of war on board the Britannia, consisting of nine generals and
a brigadier, with two colonels on the staff. The king and the Prince
of Hesse Darmstadt were present, but took no part in the deliberations.
Singularly enough the council proved unanimous in their opinion that
Barcelona should not be attacked. The reasons for the decision were
drawn up and put on record. The council pointed out all the difficulties
which existed, and declared the strength of the allied army to be only
nineteen battalions of foot and two cavalry regiments, of whom no more
than seven thousand men were fit for action, and only one hundred and
twenty dragoon horses had survived the voyage in serviceable condition.

The decision of the council was most opposed to the hopes and wishes of
Charles and the Prince of Hesse Darmstadt, and they addressed letters
of strong remonstrance to Lord Peterborough, urging that to abandon the
expedition at this juncture would be alike fatal to the common cause and
discreditable to the British arms.

Meanwhile, however, the greater part of the troops had landed without
opposition; but the sea broke with such force on the beach that much
difficulty had been experienced in getting ashore. The landing place had
been well chosen by Lord Peterborough and Sir Cloudesley Shovel. It
was about two miles east of the city, near a place called Badalona, and
close to the mouth of the little river Basoz. The transports were
moored in as close as possible, and the boats of the fleet carried three
thousand men ashore each trip.

In five hours fifteen battalions were landed without the loss of a man.
A strong natural position about a mile from the city was chosen for the
encampment; its left rested on the sea, its right was covered by several
abrupt hills and defiles through which the river Basoz flowed. The front
was, however, much extended, but this mattered the less, as the people
from the neighboring villages began to assemble when the landing took
place, and welcomed the allies of King Charles with joy. A number of
these were employed by Lord Peterborough in guarding the advanced posts
and covering the numerous roads leading from the city toward the camp.

On the 22d another council of war was held at the Dutch General
Schratenbach's quarters in the camp to co