eve of his departure from the Cape (12 April) upset Popham, who later lodged a complaint with the government in this respect.24
On 24 June, the force was off Buenos Aires and the Spanish Viceroy, Rafael Marquis de Sobremonte, was advised of its arrival while attending the theatre that evening. He had been warned in general terms of the presence of the British squadron in the Rio de la Plata some weeks earlier, in response to which Sobremonte had taken certain defensive measures. Buenos Aires at that time was a town of between 40,000 and 50,000 inhabitants.25 There was a fort near the river with thirty-five 24lb guns and assorted other ordnance. However, the city was short of regular troops, for some of those designated to go there were still in northern Spain. A number of local regiments were augmented by a militia. When he was first warned of the British presence, Sobremonte called out the militia and stationed troops in Quilmes, Olivos and along the line of the Rio Riachuelo; the former to cover anticipated landing points, and the latter to create a defensive screen outside the city. However, the Viceroy’s reaction to the landing of the British was to abandon Buenos Aires and to proceed inland towards Córdoba with some 600 troops and sixteen wagons loaded with the state treasure and the valuables of wealthy citizens. He left his aide-de-camp (ADC), Hilarión de la Quintana, to resist the British, and if necessary to negotiate terms.26
The following day (25 June) Beresford disembarked his forces, amounting to probably less than 1,450 men, at Quilmes, approximately 12 miles from Buenos Aires.27 Having seized the beachhead, the small force spent the night near Reducción de Quilmes before proceeding towards Buenos Aires. The next day the British encountered a Spanish force estimated variously to be 2,000–3,000 strong with cavalry and cannon drawn up in a line. Beresford sent the 71st Regiment under Pack forward with bagpipes playing, while keeping the Saint Helena infantry in reserve. The British troops brushed aside resistance following a short but sharp fight. The Spanish retreated to a small village called Barracas, burning the bridge over the river Riachuello, but early on the morning of 27 June, following a brisk exchange of fire, Beresford’s troops crossed the Riachuello on a pontoon bridge made up of small boats and planks, and quickly gained possession of Barracas.
Beresford sent one of his ADCs, Alexander Gordon, to summons the city of Buenos Aires. Quintana sought terms for surrender, but Beresford refused conditions save such as he was pleased to offer. On the afternoon of 27 June the British entered Buenos Aires and took possession of the fortress. From disembarkation to the surrender of the fortress the British force lost only one man killed and a further twelve wounded. In victory Beresford allowed generous conditions, which may have stood him in good stead later; he allowed the garrison to surrender with the honours of war. Captain A. Gillespie of the marines was appointed Commissary for Prisoners and the Spanish officers signed their parole papers at his lodgings, in the ‘Inn of the Three Kings’. Beresford guaranteed security of property and freedom of commerce, together with the full exercise of religion. While this was entirely in line with British thinking on freedom of trade, it is likely that Beresford was motivated by a desire to cement the acquisition of Buenos Aires in a situation where he had landed with some 1,400 troops and needed to control a population of over 40,000 with many other potential enemies within striking distance in Montevideo and other towns.
Beresford’s correspondence with both London and the Cape reveals his anxiety regarding his position. Indeed, even while in Saint Helena he had written home to the government stating that in the event of success he would require reinforcements and additional instructions.28 He clearly felt that the best he could try and do was to hold Buenos Aires, and he indicated that he would not be undertaking further operations until reinforcements were received. In early July he requested an additional 2,000 infantry and 600 cavalry. Beresford must have received some degree of intelligence from the local community because he knew that Viceroy Sobremonte was trying to collect a large force from the towns of Córdoba in order to attempt the recovery of Buenos Aires.29
It was immediately evident that to have any prospect of retaining the city and its surrounding area would require additional troops. Popham’s first letters after the capture of Buenos Aires were to Baird in Capetown advising him of the success and seeking reinforcements. Similar reports and requests were sent to London.30 By way of response, Baird advised on 13 August that he was sending 2,000 men as soon as possible, a force that would include 350 cavalry. Understandably, given the length of time it took to communicate with England, a response from the government was somewhat slower.31
Beresford set up his headquarters in the fortress of Buenos Aires. He moved quickly in an effort to consolidate the tenuous hold he had on the city and with a view to garner support for British rule. While he secured the city, he sought to conciliate those accustomed to exercise power, the merchants and indeed other groups. In essence, he left in place the existing legal, administrative and ecclesiastical structures making just one major change in that he proclaimed the sovereignty of George III and assumed the position of Lieutenant-Governor in place of Viceroy Sobremonte.32 He made a series of proclamations designed to reassure the population, which reduced many commercial tariffs. As late as 4 August 1806 he issued a proclamation containing sixteen commercial regulations designed to break the system of ‘monopolies, restriction and oppression’.33 Free trade was established subject to the payment of certain taxes to the British Crown and to the Consulate. The amount of these taxes depended on the origin of the goods, with lesser rates appertaining to trade with Great Britain, Ireland and the colonies of the British crown. There were specific taxes in respect of tobacco, Chilean wine, whiskey, Paraguayan herbs, horse hides and other skins as well as for gold and silver.
Beresford moved also to establish his supply lines, appointing an Irish merchant resident in Buenos Aires, Thomas O’Gorman, as purveyor of provisions to the army. Some funds were available for this purpose, as over 600,000 pesos was sequestered from government coffers in the fort and on the quayside.34 In parallel with securing the city and encouraging commerce, he sought to recover the ‘treasure’ which it will be recalled had been sent inland with the Viceroy and an escort. To this end Beresford sent a party under Captain Robert Arbuthnot to attempt to retrieve the treasure, which had been sent to Luján, some fifty kilometres in the interior.35
Arbuthnot took with him seven dragoons, twenty infantry and two other officers from the 71st Regiment. They set out by horse on 3 July and remarkably returned with an immense sum one week later.36 The total sum recovered from Luján was $1,291,323. Of this $1,086,208 (perhaps $70–77,000,000 in current value) was sent back to England on 17 July on a frigate, HMS Narcissus, while Beresford kept back $205,115 for the Buenos Aires treasury and the needs of the expeditionary force.37 At the same time, over $100,000 worth of valuables was reportedly returned to Portenos (as the inhabitants of Buenos Aires were and are still known) in keeping with Beresford’s promise of security of property.
The Narcissus, commanded by Captain Ross Donnelly, arrived at Portsmouth, England, on 12 September after a 57-day voyage, and the news was forwarded to London. Letters had been despatched by Popham to the City of London, the chambers of commerce of other towns and even Lloyds Coffee House extolling the potential of trade with South America. In what appears to have been a well-engineered propaganda occasion, the treasure was transported on wagons from Portsmouth to London escorted by a picket of cavalry. The convoy arrived in London on 21 September to a rapturous reception, as reported in The Times and other publications. Each wagon bore a large sign stating ‘Treasure’ and when the convoy reached St James’s Square silk banners stating ‘Buenos Aires, Popham, Beresford, Victory’ were presented to the convoy as it made its way to the Bank of England.38
The lion’s share of the proceeds seized in what is now Argentina went to the state, but each officer, soldier and sailor received a share. Baird, who had authorised but not participated in the expedition, was awarded £23,990-5-8d, the largest sum; but even the lowly soldier or sailor received £18-6-0d. Beresford’s share at £11,995-2-10½d was deemed to be double that of Popham (£5,997-11-5d), notwithstanding the latter’s angry representations.39
A grateful City of London, with an eye on future trade at least as much as the benefit accruing from the capture of the treasure, voted Beresford and Popham
