the fleet; as it had been previously arranged that we were to draw our supplies from those two points. The main body of the army, soon after it had moved off its ground, was attacked by a corps of the enemy, which, with several field-pieces, had taken a strong position, very favourable for at tempting to make an impression on the head of the column, as it showed itself at the end of a narrow road, with a thick wood on each flank. The European flank battalions, which formed the advanced guard, under the command of Lieutenant-colonel Campbell, of the 33d regiment, and under the general direction of General Warde, formed with as much regularity as the bad and broken ground would admit of, charged the enemy withthe greatest spirit, and compelled him to retire with the loss of his guns, and many killed and wounded. This advantage was gained by the fall of Lieutenant-colonel Campbell, a most excellent and valuable officer, as well as Major O'Keefe, of the 12th regiment, whom I have also every reason sincerely to regret. In the course of the forenoon the army occupied a position in front of the enemy's lines, just beyond the range of cannon-shot. On the following morning, while I was employed in making arrangements for detaching a corps to the southern side of the town, and placing myself in a situation to make a general attack, General de Caen proposed to capitulate. Many of the articles appeared to Vice-admiral Bertie and myself to be perfectly inadmissible; but the French governor having in the course of the same day, acceded to our terms, a capitulation for the surrender of this colony and its dependencies was finally concluded. Your lordship will perceive that the capitulation is in strict conformity with the spirit of your instructions, with a single exception, that the garrison is not to be made prisoners of war. Although the determined courage and high state of discipline of the army, which your lordship has done me the honour to place under my command, could leave not the smallest doubt in my mind in respect to the issue of an attack upon the town, I was never theless prevailed upon to acquiesce in this indulgence being granted to the enemy, from the desire of sparing the lives of many brave officers and soldiers, out of regard to the interests of the inhabitants of this island, having long laboured under the most degrading misery and oppression, (and knowing confidently your lordship's further views in regard to this army), added to the late period of the season, when every hour became valuable; I considered these to be motives of much more national importance, than any injury that could arise from a small body of troops, at so remote a distance from Europe, being permitted to return to their own country, free from any engagement. In every other particular, we have gained all which could have been acquired, if the town had been carried by assault. During the course of this short service, the enemy has not afforded an opportunity to the army in general general for displaying the ardent zeal and animated courage with which every individual is inspired; but it is nevertheless my duty to represent to your lordship, in the strongest terms, the merits of evety corps under my command. The officers and men (European as well as native) have cheerfully and patiently submitted to the greatest fatigues and privations. During the advance of the army, the troops were unable, for the space of twenty-four hours, to procure a sufficient supply of water; but this trying circumstance did not produce a single murmur, or the smallest mark of discontent or disapprobation. I feel myself particularly indebted to Lieut.-colonels Picton, Gibbs, Kelso, Keating, M'Leod, and Smyth, who commanded the different brigades, as well as to Major Taynton, the senior officer of the artillery, of whose services I was deprived by a wound which he received on the day the army occupied a position before this town. Although I have every reason to be satisfied with the zeal of the heads of departments, I feel it a particular duty incumbent upon me to express, in the most pointed manner, the obligations which I owe to Dr. Harris, the superintending surgeon, and to the medical staff in general, for their unremitting attention, in discharge of the important duty reposed in them. I have received every assistance from Lieutenant Gregory, my military secretary, and the whole of any personal staff. To Major Caldwell, of the Madas engineers, and who accompa nied me from India, I am indebted for the most able and assiduous exertions. Since his arrival amongst these islands he has been indefatigable in procuring the necessary information, in respect to the defence of this colony, and through his means I was put in possession of an accurate plan of the town, some time previous to the disembarkation of the army; and I trust your lordship will permit me to recommend to your lordship's protection this valuable and experi→ enced officer. It is not in my power to do justice to the merits of Major-general Warde; I have on every occasion received from him the most cordial co-operation and assistance; and during the short operations of the army, he was constantly at the head of the column, directing the advanced guard, and animating the soldiers by his personal example. The most perfect harmony and cordiality have subsisted between the navy and army, and I have received every assistance from Viceadmiral Bertie, and the squadron under his command. The arrangements connected with the disembarkation were conducted in the most able and judicious manner by Captain Beaver, of his Majesty's frigate Nisus; and during the subsequent operations of the army, I am indebted to him for his unremitting attention and assiduous exertions in landing the necessary stores and provisions. To Captain Briggs, of his Majesty's ship Clorinde, and to Captain Lye, of the Doris, who were employed under the orders of Captain Beaver, my most grateful acknowledgments are due for the N 2 services services they perforined, as well as to the officers and seamen under 'their command. A body of seamen was landed 'from the fleet, under the command of Captain Montague; the exertions which were used to bring forward the guns through a most difficult country were such as to attract the admiration of the whole army, and fully entitle Captain Montague, Lieutenant Lloyd, of the Africaine, and every officer and sailor, to the encomiums I can pass on their conduct. The battalion of marines, under the command of Captain Liardet, supported the reputation of this distinguished corps. This dispatch will be delivered to your lordship by my aide-decamp, Lieutenant McMurdo of the Bombay establishment, who will afford your lordship any further information you may require respecting the late operations of the army. I have, &c. (Signed) J. ABERCROMBY, Maj. Gen. True Copy. A. E. GREGORY, Military Secretary to the Commander of the Forces. Return of the killed, wounded, and missing, at the attack of the Isle of France, on the 30th of November, and 1st and 2d of De'cember, 1810. Head-Quarters, Camp before Port-Louis, Dec. 4, 1810. Artillery-1 major, 1 rank and file, wounded. European Flank Battalion. 12th Foot-4 rank and file, killed; 2 lieutenants, 3 serjeants, 23 rank and file, wounded; 2 rank and file missing. 14th Foot-1 rank and file, killed; 2 rank and file, wounded. 33d Foot-1 lieutenant-colonel, 1 serjeant, I rank and file, killed; 1 serjeant, 12 rank and file, wounded. 56th Foot-3 rank and file, kitled; 1 lieutenant colonel, 2 rank and file wounded ; 2 rank and file, missing. Three of the rank and file missing, supposed to be killed. Europeans. 12th Foot-1 major, 1 drummer, 1 rank and file, killed; 5 rank and file, wounded; 3 rank and file, missing. 22d Foot 4 rank and fi'e wounded. 59th Foot-1 rank and file killed, 4 rank and file wounded. 84th Foot-9 rank and file, killed; 1 lieutenant, serjeant, 1 drummer, 19 rank and file, wounded; 1 drummer, 3 rank and file, missing. Detachment 87th Foot-2 rank and file killed. 80th Foot 1 rank and file wounded. Royal Marines-2 rank and file wounded. led; 1 lieut. colonel, 1 major, 3 29 thirty-six pounders, 81 twen- Senior officer of artillery. N. B. The ordnance are in excellent order, and the whole of the batteries completely equipped with shot, ammunition, and every other requisite for service. London Gazette Extraordinary, Monday, March 25, 1811. Dispatches, of which the following are copies, were last night received at the Earl of Liverpool's office, addressed to his lordship by Lieut. General Graham, dated Isla de Leon, 6th and 10th of March, 1811. Isla de Leon, March 6. My Lord-Captain Hope, my first aide-de-camp, will have the honour of delivering this dispatch, to inform your lordship of the glorious issue of an action fought yesterday by the division under my command against the army commanded by Marshal Victor, composed of the two divisions Rufin and Laval. The circumstances were such as compelled me to attack this very superior force. In order as well to explain to your lordship the circumstances of peculiar disadvantage under which the action was begun, as to justify myself from the imputation of rashness in the attempt, I must state to your lordship, that the allied army, after a night-march of sixteen hours from the camp near Veger, arrived in the morning of the 5th on the low ridge of Barrosa, about four miles to the southward of the mouth of the Santi Petri river. This height extends inland about a mile. and a half, continuing on the north the extensive heathy plain of Chiclana. A great pine-forest skirts the plain, and circles round the height at some distance, terminating down to Santi retri; the in termediate space between the north side of the height and the forest being uneven and broken. A well-conducted and success. ful attack on the rear of the enemy's lines near Santi Petri, by the van-guard of the Spanish army under Brigadier-general Ladrizabel, having opened the communication with the Isla de Leon, I received General la Pena's directions to move down from the position of Barrosa to that of the Torre de Bermesa, about half-way to the Santi Petri river, in order to secure the communication across the river, over which a bridge had been lately established. This latter position occupies a narrow woody ridge, the right on the sea-cliff, the left falling down to the Almanza creek, on the edge of the marsh. A hard sandy beach gives an easy communication between the western points of these two positions. My division being halted on the eastern eastern slope of the Barrosa height, was marched about twelve o'clock through the wood towards the Bermesa (cavalry patroles having previously been sent towards Chiclana, without meeting with the enemy). On the march I received notice that the enemy had appeared in force on the plain, and was advancing towards the heights of Barrosa. As I considered that position as the key of that of Santi Petri, I immediately counter marched, in order to support the troops left for its defence; and the alacrity with which this manoeuvre was executed served as a favourable omen. It was however impossible in such intricate and difficult ground to preserve order in the columns, and there never was time to restore it entirely. But before we could get our selves quite disentangled from the wood, the troops on the Barrosa bill were seen returning from it, while the enemy's left wing was rapidly ascending. At the same time his right wing stood on the plain, on the edge of the wood, within cannon-shot, A retreat in the face of such an enemy, already within reach of the easy communication by the sea-beach, must have involved the whole allied army in all the danger of being attacked during the unavoidable confusion of the different corps arriving on the narrow ridge of Bermesa nearly at the same time, Trusting to the known heroism of British troops, regardless of the numbers and position of their enemy, an immediate attack was determined on. Major Duncan soon opened a powerful battery of ten gus in the centre. Brigadier Gen. Dilkes, with the brigade of guards, Lieut. Col. Browre's (of the 28th) flank battalion, Lient. Col. Norcott's two companies of the 2d rifle corps, and Major Acheson, with a part of the 67th foot (separated from the regiment in the wood), formed on the right. Colonel Wheatly's brigade, with three companies of the Coldstreamn guards, under Lieut. Col. Jackson (separated likewise from his battalion in the wood), and Lieut. Col. Barnard's flank battalion, formed on the left. As soon as the infantry was thus hastily got together, the guns advanced to a more favourable position, and kept up a most destructive fire. The right wing proceeded to the attack of General Rufin's division on the hill, while Lieut. Col, Barnard's battalion and Lieut. Col. Bushe's detachment of the 20th Portuguese, were warmly engaged with the enemy's tirailleurs on our left. Gen. Laval's division, notwithstanding the bavoc made by Major Duncan's battery, continued to advance in very imposing masses, opening his fire of musquetry, and was only checked by that of the left wing. The left wing now advanced, firing; a most determined charge by the three companies of guards, and the 87th regiment, supported by all the remainder of the wing, decided the defeat of General Laval's division. The eagle of the 8th regiment of light infantry, which suffered immensely, and a howitzer, rewarded this charge, and remained in possession of Major Gough, of the 87th regiment. These attacks were zealously supported by Col. Belson |