Meanwhile the Marquis de la Romans departed for the Danish island of Funen, in compliance with the order which Marshal Bernadotte had transmitted to him.  There, as at Hamburg, the Spaniards were well liked, for their general obliged them to observe the strictest discipline.  Great preparations were made in Hamburg on the approach of Saint Napoleon’s day, which was then celebrated with much solemnity in every town in which France had representatives.  The Prince de Ponte-Corvo was at Travemunde, a small seaport near Lubeck, but that did not prevent him from giving directions for the festival of the 15th of August.  The Marquis de la Romana, the better to deceive the Marshal, despatched a courier, requesting permission to visit Hamburg on the day of the fete in order to join his prayers to those of the French, and to receive, on the day of the fete, from the hands of the Prince, the grand order of the Legion of Honour, which he had solicited, and which Napoleon had granted him.  Three days after Bernadotte received intelligence of the defection of de la Romana.  The Marquis had contrived to assemble a great number of English vessels on the coast, and to escape with all his troops except a depot of 600 men left at Altona.  We afterwards heard that he experienced no interruption on his passage, and that he landed with his troops at Corunna.  I now knew to what to attribute the drowsiness which always overcame the Marquis de la Romana when he sat down to take a hand at whist.  The fact was, he sat up all night making preparations for the escape which he had long meditated, while to lull suspicion he showed himself everywhere during the day, as usual.

On the defection of the Spanish troops I received letters from Government requiring me to augment my vigilance, and to seek out those persons who might be supposed to have been in the confidence of the Marquis de la Romans.  I was informed that English agents, dispersed through the Hanse Towns, were endeavouring to foment discord and dissatisfaction among the King of Holland’s troops.  These manoeuvres were connected with the treason of the Spaniards and the arrival of Danican in Denmark.  Insubordination had already broken out, but it was promptly repressed.  Two Dutch soldiers were shot for striking their officers, but notwithstanding this severity desertion among the troops increased to an alarming degree.  Indefatigable agents in the pay of the English Government laboured incessantly to seduce the soldiers of King Louis (of Holland) from their duty.  Some of these agents being denounced to me were taken almost in the act, and positive proof being adduced of their guilt they were condemned to death.