Star. — London, England, 1811-06-04 00:00:00

F F I V'' •••=- z. . • . t *. • -'~ • • • to invest the north side, antkro *unlit - on St. Cris. toval. By some accident to the bearer of the or ders to BrigaditeGeneral Kemmis, the ogficer did not arrive at his pelst till nine o'clock; the Hon. Ma:ln:- General Lumley on the approach of the light ccin panics of the brigade, advancing towards the town ith the force he brought from Elvas, the garrison made a sortie upon it, but was immediately drove back, and the grenadiers of the 17th regiment parti cularly distinguished themselves by cliargm; the ene my, headed by Colonel Turner ; the detachment f so feted the loss as per return, No. I. On the Bth, Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher, to pro tect the farther approaches, constructed batteriei against the Pardalleiras and Piquerino, on the heights commanding them, though at a considerable distance ~and Captain Squire, whom the Lieutenuat-Colonel had sent to supointend the works intendnd to be erected against St. Cristoval, begin his operations on the Bth. The breaking grouad cm that side isnme. diately caused great jealousy to the enemy, and he opposed it by a must heavy fire of shot and shell I . and on the morning of the 10th, he made a sortie against the battery constructing, with about 1•200 men, being within 500 yards of the place. He soon reached the battery, and it having, of the covering party allotted to it, only one light infantry company •in it, the enemy got possession of it, but had it not for two minutes, as the whole of' the covering party ' that was close to the battery on the slope of the hill immediately seized their arms, and drove the erremy.„ back with considerable loss to him r but I regret r, say ours on this occasion must have been considerately greater, from oor troops having exposed dr mselves to the shot and shell of the town and fort of St. Cris- • torah, and the musquetry from the latter. I annex the return of our loss on this day, and in it I have to lament being deprived of the services of Colonel Tur ner, who in the very short time he had been in the Portuguese service, had given me the greatest satis faction, and in these two days, the most conspicuous proofs of his gallantry. I annex the returns of our farther loss of men on the respective days that our operations against Bada jos continued; and the Hon. Major-General Lumley's reports on the circumstances and consequences of the enemy's sorties. On the 12th I received information from General Blake, that Marshal had left Seville on the 10th, and with the avowed intention of coming to Ba dajos, his force stated to be 15,000 men ; and Gene ral Latour Manlhourg had already again moved upon and occupied Guadalcanal and Llerena, from, which places the Count de Penne Villamitr had been obliged to retire. As General Blake had come down to Fre jenal, and . General Ballasteros front Monasterio had pushed his advances within a league of Seville, I could not judge if this advance of Marshal Soult was merely to oblige these Generals to retire, and leave him undisturbed in Seville, or really, as it was given out to be, against me, and with the object of raising the siege of Badajos, and therefore continued my ope rations against the place, until the farther advance of Soult should more clearly determine this point ; but in the middle of the night I received information from General Blake and other quarters, of the rapid advance of Marshal Soak, and which left no doubt as to his intentions. I immediat el y sent to sus p end I operations against Badajos, and to commence to re-, move to Elvas our guns and stores, which union*. nately had been nearly completed to what would harts been wanted for the siege. • By great exertions of Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher., - of the Royal Engineers, and Major Dixon, of the ar tillery, every thing was removed on the evening of the 15th. To Lieutenant-General Leiters (the . G6.. l vernor of the province of Alemtejo) zeal and hnwear ed activity in whatever, regards the service and wels fare of his country, it is but just to say we are on all occasions much indebted ; arid particularly-on thia, l in the getting together the transports necessary to us, and in furnishing and forwarding whatever else could be useful. I seize with pleasure this opportunity of giving to General Leite that praise which he has ever so fully merited. I had been obliged, to cover the removal of the stores, &c. to leave the division of Major-General the Hon. G. L. tole before Badajos. Major-General *le marched from before Badajos to join the army here at two o'clock in the morning of the the 16th ; and arr ived about half an hour - before the enemy made his attack. I have, however, the satisfaction to inform your Lordship, that the enemy cannot boast of hay. ing got a particle of our stores ; they were all safely lodged in Eliai : and with the exception ofSsigadier General Kemmis's brigade, which was on the north side of the Guadiana, our troops were all united on the morning of the 16th, to meet the attack and op. pose the march of Marshal Soult. ..ffa1P....... 11 LONDON GAi4ETTA EXTRAORDINAitY, . - al"WilAYs, JUNE S. . . DOW24III ; G:STREET, 3UNE e, ism Dispatched, of which the following are Erracts, have bee* tbb day received by the F..arl of Lira a row., addressed to kis Lard Ship by Lieuttnant.Genetal Viscount Wiza.thoTost, dated Elvaa, gad May, MI : - .. . On-the night of the 15th instant I received from Marshal Sir William Beresford letteraof the 12th and 13th inst. which reported Marihil Soul; bad Implant up from Seville about the 10th, and had advanced towards Estremadttra, notwithstanding the reports which had been previ , tusly received that he was bit any occupied in strengthening be,' Hie, and, the ap proaches to that city by worms, and that. all hi, mea sures indicated an intention to remain on din cierensiye in Andalusia. I therefore set out on the following morning from , Villa Formus; ar,d haring received farther iniornia lion of the 14th, from SirVilliam Beresford, of the enemy's movements, I hastened my progress, and Arrived here on the 19:14 and found that Sir William Beresiord had raised the siege of Baciajoz without the loss of ordnance or stores of any detcription, and col lected the troops tinder his command, and had - formed a junction with Generals Castanos and Blake, at Al- ' ip i huera, in tlrt course of - the 15th instant. He was attacked there on the 16th by the Freneh Army, under the command of Marshal Soule, and after a moat severe engagement, in which all the troops conducted themselves in the most gallant man . nee ? Sir William Beresford gained the victory. The t E ne my retired in the night of th e 17th, leavin g be- ! tweets 900 and jOOO wounded on the ground. Sir William Beresford sent the allied cavalry after them ; and on the 19th, in the morning, reinvested Iliclajoz. I enclose reports of Sir William Beresford,of the 16th and 18th instant, on the operations of the siege to the moment or raiting h, and 'Jo the battle at Albuera ; and I beg to draw your Lordship's attention Lo the ! . ability ? the firmness, find the gallantry manifested ly ' I. llarshal Sir William lieresford throughout the min ;actions sci which he has rvritten. I will add nothing -wire what he has said of the conduct of all the officers and troops, excepting to express my admiration of it, and my cordial concurrence in the favonrable reports by Sir William Beresford of the good conduct of all. . All has remained quiet in Castille since I quitted ! that part of the country. The battalions of the 9111 corps, belonging to regi ments serving in the corps d'Arniee, in Andalusia, had marched from Salamanca on or about the 15th, and went towards Avila, and were to come by Madrid. I send this dispatch by Major (Lieutenant-Colonel) Arbuthnot, the Secretary of Marshal Sir William Be. resford, who was present in the battle of Albuera ; and can give your Lordship any farther information you can require ; and / beg leave .to recommend him to your Lordship. • • • * • Sztract of a Letter from Marshal Braemar, to Lord Wei: Lisioros, dated .Athuera, May itiosit. to conformity to your Lordship's instructions given to me on the 24th ultimo, in consequence of the then state of the weather, and our means of communica tion across the Guadiana having been destroyed by, the sudden flooding of that river, and leaving my ca valry in Zatra, Los Santos, and Villa Franca, I placed the infantry with its head at Almendralejo, •Azuechal, and Villa Alva, where were the divisions of Major-General the Hon. William Stewart and Major;General Hamilton ; t he Hon. Ma j or-General • Cole's division, with Brigadier-General Madden's , brigade of cavalry , in Merida ; the infantry brigaded of it commanded by Brigadier-General Kemmis, and that which wasintendedfor the attack of Fort St.Crista val, at Montejo, and the light brigade German Le gion under Major-General Baron Alien, at Talavera Real, leaving the light battalion L. L. Legion in Otivenca, during the period of waiting the WI of the water of Guadiana, and the re-establishment of our bridge, it being of considerable importance to push the enemy from us as far as possible during the siegeo as he had, on,our obliging him to retire from Llertna to Guadalcanal, held the latter place. • I directed a small cOlurin of 'men, composed of the Ist brigade 2d division, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Colborne, with two squadrons of cavalry and two Spanish 4-pounders, to proceed from Almendralejobv Ribera and Miquilla toAzuaga, to threaten his right. sending,,at the same tine four squadrons of cavalry from Ityividier.Genend Long at • Villa Franca to Llerena, to support the . Count de Penne Villamur, who wasahon with the Spanish Ca• vairy of General Castanos's corps, to make him fear • an attack in front ; and General Ballasteros went from Monasterio to Montemolin to threaten his left. These manceuv'ties had the desired effect; as soon as the enemy saw the-advance of Lieutenant-Colonel Col borne, near Azuaga, where lie hactsoo infantry and , 500 cavalry, he abandoned precipitately the place, and retired to Guadalcanal, which place the General Latour Mauhourg, with the sth corps, quitted in two hours after the arrival of this detachment, Aral at 11 ..o'clock at night retired near to Constantino. Litute , pant-Colonel Colborne performed this service in a mast judicious-and handsome manner. '•• The weather having been some time fine, and. the !enters of the Guadiana having subsided, and our preparations hating by Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher't 'activity , been nearly completed for the siege of Bada jos, on the Sd of May I sent threebrigades of infantry, a brigadsi of six-pounders, and two squadrons of ca. . valry, under the orders of Major-General the Hon. William. Stewart, to invest more Closely Badajos, on the south of the river, which he performed With his usual-eeril d attention on Ale 4th. On the 6th in • stint I directed the march of the remaining divisions on Bao'fajob, one by Albuera, the other. by Talavera, leaving the cavalry as before placed. On the 7th I came before Badips with ,these divisions. General Castaaos furnished, also, to. co-operate in the siege, • 2000 men. under' the command of Brigadier bon' Carlos D'Espagne. On the filh rlirected tiribrigade of Brigadier- on Ge-' al Kemmis, which had been previously placed a • ttlist Chebora, to proceed to the '1 orre of St. Irgracia; About' tiro rintleafrom Badajos, On the Campo Nlitior toad;satotto be• joined there by the 17th Portuz,uese . regiftrent, two squadrons of ca valr y , and four sir pounders'from Elves : the force to meet at 3 o'clock in the rnorning,'and the whole to be placed under the orders of the Hon. Major-General William Lumley, Albuen My 19. MY Loan —l have infinite satisfaction-in commu nicating to your Lordship, that the allied afmy, uni ted here under my orders, ohtssined on the 16th inst. after a most sanguinary contest, a complete victory over that of the enemy, commanded by Marshal Soult; and I 51i... 1 1 proceed to relate to your Lurdship the cir cumstances. In a former report I have informed your Lordship of the advance of Marshal . Soult from Seville, and I had in consequence judged it. wise entirely to raise the siege of Badajoz, and prepare to meet him with our united forces, rather than, by looking to two objects at once, to risk the loss of both. M arshal Souk, it appears, had been long straining every cerve to col lect a force which he thought Cully sufficient to his object for the relief of Badajoz ; and for this purpose he had drawn considerable numbers from the corps Lof Marshal Victor and General Sebastiani, and also, 1 I believe, front the French army of the centre. Hav -1 ing thus completed his preparations, he marched from Seville on the lOtli inst.-with a corps then esti mated at fifteen or sixteen thousand• men, and was joined on descending into Lstramadura by the corps under General _Latour Mairbourgb, stated to be 'five thousand men. -I-lis.rzoellency General Blake, as soon as he learnt the advance of Marshal Soult, in strict conformity to chi plan 'imposed by your L6rd fhip, proceeded tOlentp his inaction With the corps wick my ordtrs; and arrived at Valverde in person on the 14th inst. where, having consulted with hii ce Ek llency and 64iiilial Castanos, it was determined to meet the enemy, artMo give him battles On finding the degrgliskatt.oa.Of the ens:owl" re lieve Iladajoz, 1 11004°14n up from before ghat place, and marched the infantry to ill, position in troatbt Valverde, except the division of the Honour: . . able Major General C. L. Cole, which with 2000 rillery, commanded by Captain Lefebure, did poi.. Spanish troops, I left tocover the removalof our stores. execution on the enemy ' s cavalry ; and one brigade The cavalry, which had, according to orders , fallen of Spanish artillery (the only one in the field) I sew back as the enemy advanced, was joined at Santa equally gallantly and well served : we lost in the mis iViaitha by the cavalry of General slake ; that of fortune which occurred to the brigade commanded by General Castanos, under the Count de Penne Villa- Lieutenant-Colonel Colbnene ( whom General Stewart niur, had been always with it. As remaining at Val. reports co have acted, and was then acting, is a most verde though a stronger positio. ,'eft Badajoz entirely noble manner, leading on the brigade in admirable open, l determined to take up a position (such as could order) one howitzer, which the enemy, before the at. be got in this widely open country) at this place: thus rival of the gallant General Hoghtoa s brigade, had standing directly between the enemy and Badajoz.— time to carry uff,.with 2or 500 prisooers of that b:;. The army was therefore assembled here on the 15th gade. After he had been beaten. hags this his print. inst. The corps of General Blake, though makingl pal attack, he still continued that near the village, OE a forced march to effect it, only joined in the night, i which he never could make anyhtapreraion,or crossits and could not be placed in 'its position till the morn- I rivuleothough I bad beeo obliged to brirg a verygreat ing of the 16th inst. when General Cole's division,l proportionse the troops from it, to support the pnaci. with the Spanish brigade under Don Carl os d'Es-i pal point of attack ; but the enemy seeir.g his main , pagne, also joined, and a little before the commence-1 attack defeated, relaxed in his atterept there also.— iment of the action. Our cavalry had been f o r ced on ' The Portu g uese division of Meijer-General Hamiltoa. t oile morning. of the 15th inst. to retire from Santa. b n every initnnee evinced the uttnest stecalineu are iMartha and joined here. In the afternoon of that , courage, and manceuvred equally well with the Britis! . alay the enemy appeared in front of us. The next : Brigadier General Harvey's Portuguese brigade, I morning our disposition for receiving the enemy was , belonging to General Cole's division, had an (-ppm. made, being formed in two lines, nearly parallel to tunity of distinguishing itself when. marching in hat \ the river Albuera, on the ridge of the gradual ascent across the plain, by reptiLing with the %Arnett :teed. rising from that river, and covering the roads to Ba- ness a charge of the enemy's cavalry. dajoz and Valverde, though your Lordship is aware, It is impossible to enumerate every instance of di:. that the whole face of this country is every where pas- cipliae aid valour shewn on this severely contested (sable for all arms. General Blake's corps was o n the da y : but never were troops that more valiantly or right, in two lines ; its left, on the Valverde road, mere gloriously ma intained t he h on our of their re . i joined the right of Major General the Hon. William epective countries. I have not been able to partial. -Stewart's division, the left of which reached the Ba- lame the Spanish divisions, brigades, or regiments dajoz road ; where commenced the right of Major- that were particularly engaged, because lam not ac- General Hamilton's division, which closed t h e l eft of quainted wit% their denominations or names; but 1 the line. General Cole's division, with one brigade ave great pleasure in sang that their behaviour was of General Hamilton's, formed the second line of the most gallant and honourable; and though, from the British and Portuguese army. superior n umber and weight et the enemy's fume, The enemy, on the morning of the 16th, did not that part of them that were in the post iop mamba long delay his attack ; at eight o'clock he was Moser- were obliged to cede the ground, it was after agallant ved to be in movement, and his cavalry was seen resistance, and they continued in good order to sups passing the rivulet of Albuera, and considerably above port their allies; and I doubt not, his Excellency Ce. our right ; and shortly after he marched out of the .neral Blake will 'do ample justice on this head, by wood opposite toes a strong force of cavalry, and making losatoetsibleattentim of the deserving, two heavy columns of infantry, pointing theM to °lift The•battle .: a need at nine o'clufik e sod coatis front, as if to attiek - the village and bridge of Alias- '.need withouLieteetuptlaeo: sal ;wp tit o r oftemoont era ; during this-time. under covet of his vastly - suo: whits ahr-teefeery having been .driven over the AL perior cavalry, he was filing the principal body of las- ; buera, for the, tettialmler of 'the day there was bat infantry over the river beyond our right, and it was canannadditalsirslaimishing. • not long before his intention appeared to be to turn ! It is impossible. by any description to do justice to us by that flank, and cut us offYrnm Valverde, Ma- ' thetlietinguished gallantry of the troopobut every iedi. jor General Cole's division was therefore ordered .solvidlialittnitanbly did his duty, and which will be well form an oblique line to the rear of our riglii;witb,his pro* il, the 'great loss we have suffered, though m own right thrown back • and' the intentiow,of the pursing the enemy ; and it was observed that our dead, enemy to attack our right becoming evident, 1 tnii: partioulaily thee/1h regiment, were lying o they bed quested General Blake to form part of his first lint s fought, in ranks, 21;3 - every wound was in the hoot. and all his second, to that front ; which was done. i t' The Hon. Major-General William Stewart most The enemy commenced his attack at nine o'clock,' particularly distinguished himself, and conduced moch not ceasing at the same time to menace our left ; to the honour of the day ; he received two contusions, and after a strong and gallant resistance of the See- btu would not quit the field. Major-General the Ho nish troops, he gained the heights upon which they nourable G. L. Cole is also entitled to every praise ; had been formed ; meanwhile the division of the Ho- ' and I have to regret being deprived for some time of nourable Major General William Stewart had been fat services, by the wound he has received. The Hon. ' brought up to support them ; and that of Majorrae- Lieutenant-Colonel Abercrombie, commanding the 2d neral Hamilton brought to the left of the Spaalth brigade 2d division, and Major L'Estrange, 31st re line, and formed in contiguous close columns of bat- , gimeht, deserve to be particularly mentioned; and talions, to be moveable in any direction. The- Por- nothing could exceed the ccnduct and gallantry cf tuguese brigade of cavalry. under Brigadier General Colonel Inglis, at the bead of his regiment. To the Otway, remained at some distance on the left of this, , Hon. Major-General Win. Losidey o lfor the very able to check any attempt of the enemy below the village. manner in which he opposed the numerous cavalry et As the heights the enemy had gained raked and en- the enemy, arid foiled him in his object, lam pant. -tirely commanded our whole position, it became ne- cularly indebted, To Major-General Hamiltnn who cessary to make every effort to retake and maintain commended on the left, during the severe attack upon I them . and a noble on e . was made by the divisicp of our right, I am also much indebted ; and t he Porto General Stewart, headed by that gallant officer.— ! guese brigade of Brigadier. Generals Fonseca and At• Nearly at the beginning of the enemy's attack, a , chibald Campbell deserve to be mentioned. To Major heavy storm of rain came on, which, with the smoke , General Alten, and to the excellent brigade under no from the firing, rendered it impossible to discern any i orders, I have much praise to give ; and it is with thing distinctly. This, with the nature af the ground , , great pleasure I assure your Lordship, that the good had been extremely favourable to the enemy in form- , and gallant conduct of every corps. And of every per ing his columns, and in his subsequent attack. ' son, was in proportion to the opportenity that offered The right brigade of General Stewart's Division, . for:distinguishing themselves. I know not an indivi. under Lientenaut.Coloriel Colborne, first came into I dual who did not do his duty. :taloa, and behaved in the most gallant manner; and I t I have, I fear, to regret the loss to the service of finding that the enemy's column could not be shaken : Colonel Collins, commanding a Portuguese brigade, by fire, proceeded to attack it with the bayonet ; and i his leg having been carried off by a canuon-shot. He while in the act of charging a body of Polish lancers : is an officer of great merit; and I deeply lament the (cavalry) which the thickness of the atmosphere and i death of Major-General Hoghton, and of ;hose two the nature of the ground had concealed, (and which ! promising officers, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Vildliam 1 , was besides, mistaken by those of the brigade, wbeh I Myers and Lieutenant-Colonel Duckworth. discovered, for Spadish cavalry, and therefore not 1 It is most pleasing to me to inform your Lordship , fired upon), turned it; and being thus attacked unex- I not only of the steady and gallant conduct of our pettedly in the rear, was unfortunately broken, and ' allies, the Spanish troops under his Excellency Gene• suffered immensely. The slat regiment being thelral Blake, but also to assure you that the most per left one of the brigade, alone escaped this charge, i feet harmony has subsisted bet w e en us ; and that Genes and under the command of' Major L'Estrange kept! ral. Blake, not only conformed in all thin but s t o the o the its ground until the arrival of the 3 d brigade , under I g eneral line p ro p osed by your Lordship, Major General Hoghton. The conduct of this bri- details, and in whatever J suggested to his Excellency, gade was most conspicuously gallant ; and that of the, I received the most iesluue and cordial assent and 2d brigade, under the command of the Hon. Lieute- . co-operation ; and tioabiug. was omitted n hish part. nant Colonel Abercrombie, was not less so : Majoio: to ensure th e success of our united efforts i nn ermi General Hoghton, cheering on his brigade, fell pier- the battle he most essentially by hie experience, knew. ced by mounds. Though the enemy's principal at, s ledge, and zeal, d o t ` contribute g.its ferlenate result. tack was on this rim of the right, he also made al - His Excenencjihe Captiiiiwencral Castanos, who continual attempt upon that part of our original front had united the few troops-Ile - had.. in a state to b! at the village and bridge, which was defended in the. , brought into the field. to those of General Bla'o, most.gallant manner .by Major-General Baron Alten ; and placed them undet his orders. assisted in perwe and the light infantry brigade oftheGerman Legion, in th e field t and nos as4y9n tbis, but on all o whose conduct was in every point of view co:upon ; dons, I am much indebtealto General Castanos,wlO ously good. This point now formed our left, and is ever beforehand in givitig whatever can be bent:' Major• General Hamilton's division had.been brought cial to the suchess of the common cause. up there ; and he was left to direct the defence of that 1 Though I unfortunately cannot poin t nut the coo! point, whilst the enemyle attack continued on our ; or many of the individuals of the Spanish imps* slut right, a considerable proportion of the Spanish troops ~ distinguished themselves, yet I will not omit to men. supporting the defence of this place. The enemy's 1 tion the names of General B.dleste ros, whose 2a114. cavalry, on his infantry attempting to force our right, try was most conspicuous, as of the corps he h had endeavoured to turn it ; but by thosable maned. i, der his command ; and the same of General Zip. vies of Major-General the Hon. WM. Lumley, com-1 and 'of 1)on Carlos D'Espagne. The Spatifoli Ci t . mandieg the allied cavalry, though vastly inferior to . retry have behaved extremely well ; and the `o ant that-of the enemy in number, his endeavours were foil. de Penne Villamur is particularly deserving to ad. Major-General Cole seeing the attack ot the enemy, ' mentioned. very judiciously bringing tip hisleft a little, marched in I•' I annex the return of our loss in this hard to::: ad tin to attack the enemy's left, and arrived most op- I tested day: it is very severe. And in .iddieion el . portunely to contribute, with the charges of the b p- ; the loss of the troops tinder his Excellency &Term gades of General Stewart's division, to force the one - ' Biome, who are killed, missing, and woonsied,f bit my to abandon his situation, and retire precipitately , of which I have not the return . The loss o oft b th, And to'f se ake refuge . under his reserve • here the Fuzi- i enemy; though 1 cannot know what it b3l is, m er brigade particularly distinguished itself. He was still more severe. lie has left on , th e fi ,.. ld of :- pursued by the allies yea considerable distance , and tle about two thrinsand dead, aiu we fiaVe tAte as far as I thought it piudent , with his immense su- i from 909 to 100 U prisoner*. He has ha d live Geier' periority of cavalry; and I contented myself with see- rals killed and wounded ; of the foreier, Generals , ing him driven across the Albuera. I have every rea- ! Division Werle and Pesint ; and Gaom and t' l ` son CO speak favourably of the manner in which our , others amongsethe latter. His force was 'mach too: ‘ artillery was served, and fought ; and Major Hartman :, considerable than we had been informed ot, as , I c, `mendcommanding the British, and Major Dickson corn. ! not th ink he displayed less than from '2O to 2‘7.,'1n; ing the ,ortisguete, and the officers and men, are infantry, 4000 eavalry.lnss' .e t entitled to my thanks. The f our in ns of the horse an- ' numerous and heavy artillery. His rinfbeamo ; and he certainly had I' r ♦al wit k C R .~ s