In addition to very eminent classical acquirements, Lord Glenbervie was considered one of the first modern linguists of his time; and nothing was more remarkable than the way in which he retained his powers and faculties on literary subjects to the very last; and after they had become somewhat imperfect on matters requiring less mental exertion.

In December, 1822, his lordship, feeling the infirmities of age increase, went to Bath for the winter, accompanied by his son's widow, the Hon. Mrs. F. S. N. Douglas, from whom he experienced, during the latter part of his life, the most affectionate and unremitting attention. He visited Clifton and Cheltenham; but at length he was seized with a violent illness, which, after two months' duration, terminated his life at Cheltenham, on the 2d of May, 1823, in the 80th year of his age.

Besides an account of the Tokay and other wines of Hungary, inserted in the Philosophical Transactions for 1773, Lord Glenbervie was the author of "History of the Cases of Controverted Elections, determined during the first Session of the 14th Parliament of Great Britain," 4 vols. 8vo. 1777; 2d edition, 1802. "Reports of Cases determined in the Court of King's Bench, in the 19th, 20th, and 21st Years of George III." fol. 1783; 3d edition. 2 vols. royal 8vo. 1790. Many years ago His Lordship published "Lyric Poems," written by the late James Mercer, Esq., who had married Lord Glenbervie's sister, to which a life of the author, and an account of his own family, were prefixed. The celebrated Lord Mansfield used to instance the preface to this last-mentioned volume as a fine specimen of prose composition.

345

No. XVII.

MAJOR-GENERAL SIR DENIS PACK,

K.C. B. M.T. C. S. AND S. W. COLONEL OF THE 84TH FOOT, AND LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF PLYMOUTH.

EVEN an outline of the life of a gallant officer, whose name, is associated with all the triumphs and glories of the late war, and who lived long enough to reap for himself an ample harvest of honour and renown, must be interesting to every lover

of his country.

Sir Denis Pack was a native of Ireland. He was appointed

to a cornetcy in the 14th light dragoons in December, 1791. He joined his regiment, which was quartered in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, in January, 1792, and was engaged with it in quelling some disturbances in Ireland between that period and 1794; when he embarked at Cork for the Continent, and landed, with the forces under Lord Moira, at Ostend. After His Lordship's march from thence to form a junction with the Duke of York's army, Cornet Pack volunteered his services, and was employed to carry an important dispatch to Nieuport. He fortunately succeeded in the attempt, and was thanked for it by General Vyse. His commanding officer's squadron of the 14th light dragoons was destined, after the embarkation at Ostend, to retreat to Nieuport, which it effected by the advance of a corps from that place to its support.

Nieuport being immediately invested, further retreat from thence became extremely hazardous and difficult. Cornet Pack was in a boat with about two hundred emigrants, the last of those who escaped the horrors of that ill-fated garrison,

and who did not gain the sea without a sharp action and a severe loss. He joined the Duke of York's army near Antwerp, and was in the action at Boxtel, and in several partial affairs.

Having served the whole of that severe winter-campaign, in 1795 he returned to England, succeeded to a lieutenancy, and embarked at Southampton in command of a detachment of eighty dragoons for Quiberon Bay. After the disastrous failure of the emigrants there, he proceeded under the orders of General Doyle to the Isle Dieu, where he landed, and did duty for some months as a field-officer.

In 1796, Lieutenant Pack returned to England, obtained a troop in the 5th dragoon guards, and accompanied his regiment to Ireland. He was frequently engaged during the rebellion in that country, and on one occasion was noticed in the Gazette. When the French landed a force in Ireland, Captain Pack was specially employed by Lord Cornwallis with a detached squadron; and after the surrender of General Humbert, he was appointed to command the escort which was dispatched, in charge of him and the other French Generals, to Dublin.

In 1798, he obtained a majority in the 4th dragoon guards, and embarked with his regiment in the expedition to Holland; but was countermanded, and stationed in England and Scotland until 1800, when he succeeded, on the 6th of Deeember, to a lieutenant-colonelcy in the 71st regiment. He immediately joined that corps in Ireland, and served there until 1805; when he embarked at Cork on the expedition to the Cape of Good Hope under Sir David Baird, and was engaged and severely wounded in effecting the landing; but continued in the field, and was on the following day in the battle of Blueberg.

In the beginning of 1806, Lieutenant-colonel Pack went on the expedition to South America, under the command of General Beresford. He was present in six actions with the enemy in that country, and was wounded and detained a prisoner, contrary to the terms of the capitulation which restored

the town of Buenos Ayres to the Spaniards. Subsequently, making his escape with General Beresford, he joined Sir Samuel Auchmuty's army at Monte Video. Sir Samuel Auchmuty, at Lieutenant-colonel Pack's own request, directed a board of naval and military officers to inquire into the particulars of his escape, by whom it was unanimously approved, and he was declared free to serve. The circumstances of the transaction were thus detailed in a statement which Lieutenant-colonel Pack addressed to Sir Samuel Auchmuty :

"Sir,

"Monte Video, February 27. 1807. "Anxious to be immediately employed in the service of my country, I take the liberty of stating the circumstances which led me to make my escape from the enemy, trusting my conduct on the occasion will meet with your sanction, and that you will be pleased to take my wishes into consideration. The following, I believe, will be found à correct statement of the transaction.

"Immediately after the surrender of the fort of Buenos Ayres, on the 12th of August last, I understood, from Brigadier-general Beresford, that the conditions agreed to between him and Colonel Liniers were, that the British troops were to be considered prisoners of war, but to be immediately embarked for England, or the Cape, and to be exchanged for those Spanish prisoners made on the British possessing themselves of Buenos Ayres.

"On the 13th, in the morning, Colonel Liniers dispatched a Spanish officer to Sir Home Popham, with a letter from General Beresford, to send the British transports back, for the purpose of the immediate carrying the treaty into execution; and a few days afterwards I was present when Colonel Liniers unequivocally affixed his name to the capitulation, containing the above condition.

"After the return of the transports, various delays took place; and I believe it was on the 26th that Colonel Liniers informed General Beresford, in the presence of Major Tolly, of the 71st regiment, and Captain Arbuthnot, the General's

aide-de-camp, (from all of whom I learned it,) that he regretted to inform him of its having been resolved, in spite of his efforts, not to embark the British troops; at the same time declaring his (Colonel Liniers') abhorrence of such a breach of faith, and offering to second General Beresford's remonstrance on the occasion.

"On the 27th, in the evening, I heard that Colonel Liniers' aide-de-camp had waited on General Beresford, stating it to be the Colonel's intention to carry the treaty into execution, by privately embarking the men, and requesting the General would for that purpose order the British transports to a particular place. However, on the 31st of August, or the 1st of September, it was finally announced in a letter, printed and made public, to General Beresford, that our surrender was at discretion; and that it was the determination of the then Governor of Buenos Ayres, that the British troops should be sent to the interior, and the officers on their parole to Europe.

"General Beresford, for obvious reasons, at first declined our passing a parole; but being given to understand that without it our persons were insecure, and it being determined to separate the officers from the men, he (with the concurrence of the majority of the seniors) finally acceded to it. Notwithstanding this, on the appearance of a British force in the river, they were suddenly compelled to march, under an armed escort, several miles into the interior; and, about two months afterwards, orders were given to separate and remove them still farther; and which, notwithstanding the remonstrance of the Brigadier-general, were in part carried into effect. In his communication at that time to Colonel Liniers, he fully explained that we did not consider ourselves on parole, nor did we think it binding after our removal in the first instance, and their refusing to fulfil the conditions under which we had been prevailed on to give it.

"About this time, the unfortunate murder of Captain Ogilvie, of the royal artillery, and a private soldier of the 71st regiment. took place; when guards were placed at some of