Star. — London, England, 1809-01-25 00:00:00

LONDON GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY. DOWNING-STREXT, JAN. 24, ltiiii. The Honourable Captain Hope arrived latfr last night with a dispatch from Lienteriant-General Sir .... David Baird to Lord ViscOunt Castlereagh, one of his Majesty's'Piiiiciptif Sekret,Ariei of State, of which the following is a copy. ' His Majesty's Ship Ville de Paris, at See, Jan. 11, 1509. MY Lotter—By the muoh-lamented death of Lieu tenant-General Sir'John Moore, Who . fell in action with the enemy-on the 16th inst. it has become my duty to acquaint your Lordship, that • the French army attacked the British troops an the 'position they occupied in : front of Corunna, at about two o'clock in the afternoon of that day. A severe wound, which ccanpelled me to quit the field a short time previous to the fall of Sir John. Moore, obliges me to refer your Lordship for the 'particulars of the action, which was. long and oh-. stinately contested, to the inclosed report of Lieu tenant-General Hope, who succeeded - to the Com mand of the army, and to whose abilityand exertions in direction of the ardent s zeal'and uncontitierable va lour of his Majesty's troops, is to be attributed, under Paovioswer, the success of the day, which terminat ed in the complete and entire regilse and defeat of the enemy at every point of attack. The Honourable Captain Cordon, my Aideide. Camp, will have thelioneser Of delivering this dispatch, and will be able to give your LOrdship any further information which may be requited.--I have the hp. sour to be, &c. D. BAIRD, Lieut. Gen. Right Hon. Lord Viseo ant Castlereagh. ~ Rh Majesty's ship Audacious, off Climes, lan. t & Sin---In compliance with the desire contained in yogi- communication of yesterday, I avail myself of the first moment i have been able to command, to detail to you the occurrences of the action which took place in front of Cotten; on the 16th inst. It offilse in your recollection, that about one in the' afternoon of that day the enemy, who had in the morning received reinforcements, and who had placed some guns in front of the right and left othisline, watored to be moving troops 'towards his left ,fit, and fdrming various columns, of attack at that extremit of the strong and' commanding position, in which the ornmstithe 15th he had taken in our ism' eia l ate front. Thi indication of his intention was immediately succeeded by therapid and determined attack which he made upon your- diviaioa which occupied the right of our position. The events which occurred during that period of the action you are fully acquainted with. The first effort of. the enemy was met by the Com mander of the Forces, and by yourself, at the head •. of the 42d regiment, and the' brigade under Major- General Lord William Bentinck. The village on your right becaMe an object of ob stinate contest. I lament to say, that soon after the severe wound which deprived the army of your. services, Lieute nant-General Sir John Moore, who had just directed the most able disposition, fell by a cannon-shot. The troops, though not unacquainted with the irreparable loss they had. sustained, were not dismayed, but by the most determined bravery not only repelled every attempt of the enemy to gain ground, but actually forced him to retire, although he had brought up fresh troops in support of-those originally engaged.' The enemy, finding himself foiled in every attempt • to force the right of the position, endeavoured by numbers to turn it. A judicious and well timid movement which was made by Majoa-General Paget, ' with the reserve, which corps had moved out Of its cantonments to support the right of the army, by a vigorOui attack, defeated this iutentioq. The Major General, having pushed forward the 95th (rifle corps) and Ist battalion S2d regiments, drove the enemy before h'an, and in his rapid and :judicious advance, threatened the left of the enemy's position . This cir cumstance, with the position of Lieutenant-General Fraser's division, (ca i lculated to give still further se curity to the right of the line) indused the enemy to relax his efforts in that quarter. They were however more forcibly directed towards • the centre, where they were again successfully re sisted by the brigade under Major-General Manning ham, forming the left of your division, and a part of that division under Major-General Leith, forming the right of the division under n?r ni o s rrs. Upon the leiii:, the enemy ar fi rst contented h . withan attack upon our pi quet s, which however in general maintained their ground. Finding, however, his efforts unavailing on the right and centre, he seemed determined to rem. der the attack upon the left more serious, and had succeeded in obtaining possession of the village through which the great road to Madrid passes, and which was situated in front of that partof theliue. From this post, however, he was soon expelled, with con siderable loss, by a gallant attack of some companies of the 2d bat talion 14th regiment, under Lieutenant 'Colonel Nicholls ; before five in the, evening, we had Lot only successfully repelled every attack made upon the position, but had gained ground in almost all points, and occupied a more forward line, .than 4 the, commencement of the action, whilst the enemy Cal• fined his operations to a cannonade, and the fire of 4iis light troops, with a view to draw off his other corps. At six the firing entirely ceased. The dif ferent brigades were re-assembled on the ground they occupied in the morning, and the picquets and ad vanced posts, resumed their original stations. Notwithstanding the decided and markedsupericwiry which' at this moment the gallantry of the troops had given them over an enemy, who from his numbers amithe commanding advantages of his position, no doubt expected an easy victory, I did not, on review, lug' alt circumstances conceive that I sheuld be war.; , eausadindepartillg from what I knewwas the fixed and. /initials determination of the late COmmander of the. forces to wi.hdraw the army on the evening of the 16th, for the purpose of embarkation, the previous arrange ments for which had already been made by his order, undo.= in fact far advanced at the commencement of the action. . The troops quitted their position about. ten at right, with a degree of order that did them credit.—, T in :. wisaliof the artillery that remained uneinbarked hav i ng iieeti withdrawn, the troops followed in the order prescribed, and matched to their respective points of embarkation lathe town andjeighbourhood .. ... • . I of Cortina. The pirplets remained at their .posts the aruly through an arduous retreat with consnm until five on the morning of the 17th, whenthey wee mate firmness, he has terminated a career of distill also withdrawn•with simll.ir orders, and widivint-ths wished honour by a death that has given the enemy enemy having discovered the movement. itionol reason to respect the name of a British By the unremitted exertions of Captains the Hair- Wier: Like- the immortal Wolfe, he is snatched nourable H. Curzon, Gosselin, Boys, Rainier, Serret, om his country at an early period of a life spent in Hawkins,Digby, Carden, and Mackenzie of the Royal her service ; like Wolfe, his last moments were gilded navy, who, in pursuance of the orders of Rear Ad- by the prospect of success, and cheared by the acclar miral de Courcy, were entrusted with the service of mations of victory; like Wolfe also, his memory will' embarking the army ; acid in consequence of the ar- for ever remain sacred in that country which he sin rangements made by Commissioner Bowen, Captains, cerely loved, and which he had so faithfully served. Bowen and Shepherd, and the other Agents for trans-1 It remains for me only to express my hope, that ports, the whole of the army was embarked with an you will speedily be restored to the service of your expedition which has seldom been equalled. With country, and to lament-the unfortunate circumstance the exception of the brigades under Major Generals that removed you from your station in the field, and Hill and Beresford, which were destined to remain threw the momentary command into far less able on shore, until the movements of the enemy should , hands. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) become manifest, the whole was afloat before day- Amu Horn, Lieut. Gen. light. . To Lieutenant-General Sir DAVID BAIL!), &C. &c. &c. The brigade of Major-General Beresford, which was alternately to form our rear-guard, occupied the , laud front of the town of Corunna ; that under Major ' General Hill was stationed in reserve on the promon- • tory in rear of the town. The enemy pushed his light troops towards the ; town soon after eight o'clock in the morning of the j 17th, and shortly after occupied the heights of St. Lucia, which command the harbour. Brut notwith standing this circumstance, and the manifold defects I of the paw there being no apprehension that the rear-gnard Could be . forced, and the disposition.of the *poriards appearing to be good, the embarkation of Major-General Hill's brigade was conimepced and, completed.by three in the afternoon—Major-General Beresford, with that zeal and ability which is so well known triyourieTf andthe whole army, having fully ex plained, to the satisfaction of the Spanish Governor, the nature of our movement, and having made every previous arrangement, withdrew his corps from the lind front of the town soon after dark, and was with all the wounded that had not been previously moved,. embarked-before one, this morning. eirertrnstances forbid us to indulge the hope, that the victory with which it has pleased Providence to crown the efforts of the army, can be attended with any very brilliant consequences to Great Bri tain. It is clouded by the loss of one of her best soldiers. It has been atehieved at the termination of a long and harassing service. The superior numbers, and advantageous position of the enemy, not less than the actual situation of this army, did not admit of any advantage being reaped from success. It must be, however to, you, to the army, and to our country, the sweetest reflection that the lustre of the British arms has been main tained, amidst many disadvantageous circumstances. The army which had entered Spain, amidst the fair est prospects, had no sooner completed its junction, than owing to the multiplied disasters that dispersed the native armies around us, it was left to its own re sources. The advance of the British corps from the Duero, afforded the best hope that the South of Spain might be relieved, but this generous effort to save the unfortunate people, also afforded the enemy the op portunity of directing every effort of his numerous troops, and concentrating all his principal resources for the destruction of the only regular force in the North of Spain. You are well aware with what diligence thismtem has been pursued. These circumstances produced the necessity of rapid and harassing marches, which had diminished the numbers, exhausted the strength, and impaired the equipment of the army. Notwithstanding all those disadvantages, and those more immediately at tached to a defensive position, which the imperious necessity of covering the harbour of Corunna for a time had rendered indispensible to assume, the native and undaunted valour of British troops was never more conspicuous, and must have exceeded what even your own experience of that invaluable quality so in herent in them, may have taught you to expect. — When every one that had an opportunity seemed to vie in improving it, it is difficult for me, in making this report, to select particular instances for your ap probation. The corps chiefly engaged were the bri gades under Major Generals Lord William Bentinck, and Manningham and Leitk ; and the brigade of Guards under Major General Warde. To these officers, and the troops under their imme diate orders, the greatest praise is due. Major. Gene. ral Hill and Colonel Catlin Crauford, with their bri gades on the left bf the position, ably supported their advanced posts. The brunt of the action fell upon the 4th, 42d, 50th, and 81st regiments, with parts of the brigade of Guards, and the 2tith regiment. From Lieutenant-Colonel Murray, Quarter -Master General, and the Officers of the General Staff, I received the most marked assistance. I had reason to regret; that the illness of Brigadier-General Clinton, Adjutant- General, deprived me of his aid. I was indebted to Brigadier-General Slade during the action, for a zea lous offer of his personal services, although the ca -1 valry were embarked. The greater part of the fleet having gone to sea yesterday evening, the whole being under weigh, and the corps in the embarkation necessarily much mixed on board, it is impossible at present to lay before you a return of our casualties. I hope the loss in num bers is not so considerable as might have been ex pected. If I was obliged to form an estimate I should say, that I believe it did not exceed in killed and wounded from seven to eight hundred ; that of the enemy must remain unknown, but many circum stances induce me to rate it at nearly double the above number. We have some prisoners, but I have not been able to obtain an account of the number; it is not, however, considerable. Several Officers of rank have fallen or been wounded, among whom I am only at present enabled to state the names of Lieutenant-Colonel Napier, 9'2d regiment, Majors Napier and Stanhope, 50th regiment, killed ; Lieute nant-Colonel Winch, 4th . regiment, Lieutenant-Colo nel Maxwell, 26th regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Fanc, 59th regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Griffith, Guards, Majors Miller and Williams, 81st regiment, SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZE7TE EXTRA ORDINARY, OF TUESDAY, JANUARY 24. ADMIRALTY OFFICE, JANUARY 24. .Copy of a I .etter from the Honourable Michael De Courcy, Rear Admiral of the White, to the Honourable William Wellesley Pole, dated on board his Mikjesty's Ship the Tonna:lt, at Co mma, the 17th and liTtb last. Sit, Jansary 170009. Having it in design to detach the Cossack to Eng land as soon as her boats shall cease to be essential to the einbirkalicii of troops, I seize a moment to ac quaint you,forthe inforinatiOn of the LordiCommis sioners of the iidmitaity, that the ships of war, as per margin., and tran'snorts, under the orderk of Rear Admiral Sir Samuel Hood and Commissioner Bowen,. arrived at this anchorage from Vigo on the 14th and' 1.5 . ..11 instant. The. Alfred and Hindostan, with some transports, were left. at Vigo to receive a brigade of 3500 men, that had taken that route, under the Generals Alten and Craufurd. • • In the vicinity of Corunna, the enemy have pres sed upon • the British in great force. The embarka tion of the sick, the cavalry, and the stores, went on. The night of the I6th was appointed for the general embarkation of the infantry ; and, mean time, the enemy prepared for attack At three, P. M. an action commenced; the enemy, which hid been posted on a, lofty hill, endeavouring to force the British, on another hill of inferior height, and nearer the town. The enemy were driven hack with great slaugh- ter ; but very sorry am I to add, that the British, though triumphant, have suffered severe losses. I am unable to communicate further particulars, than that Sir John Moore received a mortal wound, of which he died at night ; that Sir David Baird lost tin arm ; that several officers and many men have been killed and wounded ; and that the ships of war have received all such of the latter as they could accom modate, the remainder being sent to transports. The weather is now tempestuous, and the difficul ties of embarkation are great. All except the rear guard are embarked, consisting, perhaps, at this mo moat, of 2660 men. The enemy having brought cannon to a hill overhanging the beach, have forced a majority of the transports to cut or slip. Embar kation being no longer practicable at the town, the boats have been ordered to Sandy Beach, near the light house ; and it is hoped, that the greater part, if not all., will still be embarked, the ships of war hay- ing dropped out to facilitate embarkation. JAN Any 18. The embarkation of the troops having occupied the greater part of 'last night, it has not been in my power to detach the Cossack before this d.ty ; and it is with satisfaction I am able to add, that in conse quence of the good order maintained by the troops, and the unwearied exertions of Commissioner Bowen, the Captains, and other officers of the navy, the agents, as well as the boats' crews, many of whom were for two days without food and without repose, the army have been embarked to the last man, and the ships are now in the offing, preparatory to steering for Eng land. The great body of the transports having, lost their anchors, ran to sea Without the troops they were ordered to receive, in consequence of which there are some thousands on board the ships of war. Several transports, through mismanagement, ran on shore.— The seamen appeared to have abondoned them, two ' ; being brought out by the baats' crews of the men of war, two were burnt, and five were bilged. I cannot conclude this hasty statement without ex pressing my great obligation to Rear Admiral Sir Satimel Hood, whose eye was every where, and whose exertions were tmremitted. I hay.e the honour to be, &c. (Signed) 3+4 DE COUJIA.T.. Hazy. weather rendering the Cossack obscure, I detach the Gleaner with this dispatch. • Vile de Paris, Victory, Barfleur, Zealous, Implacable, Eli zabeth, Norge, Plestegeeeti Resolution, iaudacious, Endymiun, Mediator. FROM LAST NIGHT'S GAZETTE. BANKRUPTCY SUPERSEDED. William Partington t of Manchester, money-scrivener. BANKRUPTS. John Tucker and Richard Bothwell, of Manchester, cotton-ma nufacturers, dealers and chapmen, to surrender January 80, 31, and March 7, at two, at the Dog Tavern, in Deansg-ate, Man chester. Attornies, Messrs. Redhead and Brother, Manchcstcr, or Messrs. Milne and Parry, Temple. John Greenwell, of South Shields, Durham, butcher, dealer and ebarnan, February 9, 14, and March 7, at ten, at the Golden- Lion Inn, South Shields. Attornies, Mr. Bainbridge, South Shields ; or Messrs. Bell and Erodrick, Bow-lane, Cheapside. James Winnard, late of Ormskirk, Lancashire, beer-brewer, dealer and chapmen, February 9, at six, Feb. 10, and March 7, at eleven,satthe Talbot, in Ormskirk. Anomie', Mr. Black- stock, St. Mildred's- court, Poultry, London ; or Mess. Wright and Palmer, Ormskirk. Thomas Machall, of Criggleston, Yorkshire, butcher, dealer and chapman, February 22, 23, and March 7, at eleven, at the Woolpacks Inn, Wakefield. Attornies, Mr. &nye, Chancery lane, London; or Mr. Brook, Wakefield. John Gillam, of Cambridge, merchant, dealer and chapman, lan. 27, 31, and March 7, at tea, at the Black Bull Inn, Cambridge. Anomie', Messrs. Gee, Cambridge; or Messrs. Sandy. and Horton, Crane.court, Fleet-street. John Brown, of Little East Cheap, London, cheesemong er, dealer and chapman, January SO, Feb. 7, and March 7, at one, at Guildhall. Attorney, Mr. Gregory, Clement's Inn. William Heckford, of London -street, Ratcllff cross, 'Middlesex, victualler, dealer and chapman, January 28, Feb. 4, and March 7, at ten, at Guildhall. Attorney, Mr. Lingard, Lower Chap man-road, New-road, St. George's East. James Hunter, of Whitehaven, Cumberland, mcwer and draper, Feb. 7,8, and March 7, at eleven, at the Globe, King-street, Whitehaven. Attornies , Mr. Ad amson, Whitehaven; or Mr. Clennell, Staple's Inn, London. David Davies, of Carmarthen, ironmonger, dealer and chapmar February 6,7, and March 7, at eleven, at the Bush Taver Bristol. Attornies, Mr. James, Gray's Itus-ssnare, Loud Mann. Morgan and Lieut. Bristol. wounded. To you, who are well acquainted with the excellent qualities of Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore, I need not expatiate on the loss the army and his coun. try have sustained by his death. His fall has deprived me of a valuable friend, to whom long experience of his worth had sincerely attached me. But it is chiefly on public grounds that I must lament the blow. It will be the conversation of every one who loved ar respected his manly character, that, after conducting . 0 PARLIAMENTARY PROCRRDE.C:. HOUSE OF LORDS, TUESDAY, JANUARY 2.1. The Earl of CLANCAIITY took the oaths and his seat a, 0 . the Representative Peers of Ireland. The Commissioners of the Customs presented several At: Accounts, which were ordered to lie ou the table. BATTLE OTe CORUNNA. The Earl of LIVERPOOL gave notice, that he shood. morrow, move tbe Thanks of the House to the Lieutenant.f ral and Officers of the Army, who bad defeated the enemy b; Corunua on the lath instant. Their Lordships were ordered to be summoned.—Adjot HOUSE OF COMMOVS. Lord STOPFORD, from the Bar, acquainted the House, t l , . his Majesty had been waited upon• with the Address, to whic'e had been pleassfl to return a most gracious answer, expe es q z the satisfaction his Majesty felt at receiving the assurance thy ti, House would take speedy measures to augment the regular arrl c , and declaring this assurance a fresh proof of the sense entertain, } 4 by the House of the extent of tbepresent exigency. A new writ was ordered for the county of Kilkenny, in th room of the Hon. Charles Butler, who, since his election, had 4 . cepted the office of Steward of the Hundred of East Henilred. A person from the East India House presented the Annual ; t . counts of Prohibited East India Goods, Naval Stores, &c. ula c k were ordered to lie on the table. _ _ The account . of all Coals and Cubn exported from Liverpo o t to Wales, was ordered to be presented forthwith. Mr. NAMES GRAHAM presented a p from the Deans in the Gaol of Carlisle.—Ordered to lie on the table. Mr. WHARTON brought up a. Report from the Conuaittec on Expiring Laws, which was ordered to lie on the table. NOTICES.--.-THAMES TO THE ARMY. Lord CASTLEREAGH, adverting to the notice which 1.04 1 1 given of a Motion of Thanks to the Officers and Army eng the battle of V inlicra *lab the circumstance of there hav er , been no House les e;day pzevanted hire from submitting, p• ; ,. suant to his original notice, reuewed his notice for to-merrow, and, likewise, signified his intention to extend the Vote of 'Thanks to the Officers and Army engaged in the late brilliant ac tion at Cerunna. His Lordship, at the same, took occasion to state that It was his intention to explain the nature of the measure which he had to propose for augmenting the regular army ; which he trusted he should obtain leave to bring in the bill, who, it would be read a first time and printed, and ordered for a sec reading on some convenient day, allowing Gentlemen a eufll a: opportunity to become acquainted with its provisions. • CINTH k CON VE4TION. Lord HENRY PETTY gave notice, that, in the event of trio Papers relative to the Convention in Portugal being laid before eie House in a day or two, he should on this day fortnight submit a Motion to the House ape& the subject. WAR IN SPAIN. Mr. GEORGE PONSONBY gave notice, that on Thurshr fortnight he should submit a Motion to the House relative to :I: . r conduct of the War in Spain, Lord FOLKSTON E rose for the purpose of putting a quest . c: to his Majesty's Ministers, the answer to which would deck whether howas to give notice of a motion on the subject to which his question related. He had been informed that the Hon. Men. her for Poole bad been appointed Consul General for Portuge s though he continued still to retain his sear. in that House, and Cat the appointment had been withheld from publication in the onli nary way in which such appointments were announced. As he considered such appointment of a nature to %acne the seat of t Member of that Hons.:, he should submit a motion to the upon the subject, if he should find that his informatior. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCI.j EQUER was not aware that any such appointment am that alluded to, had even takes place, or was in contempl.:tion ; hut if the N oble Lord Wtl47i.; wait till his Right Hon. Friend, to whose department the appuint ment snore particularly b: lunged, came to the House, he was con fident be would obtain the most satisfactory information upon the subject. LORDS COMMISSIONERS SE'rECII. It was ordered, on the Motion of the Cutactatoll of the Ft. cite4t , F.R, that the House should to-morrow resolve itself Committer of the whole House on the Lords COlumissionat r,peecb. Ordered, that the Chaplain of that House 4o,preaah Won that House, on Monday, the ioth of January. COMMITTEE Or FINANCE: The CHANCELLO R of the EXCHEQUER now rose, to move for the revival of the Committee for en• qiiiring into the expeediture wailer the several heads of revenue, commonly stiled the Committee of Public Finance: On the propriety of reviving that Colo mittee, he conceived there could be no difference of opinion, and therefore he felt it unnece s sary to detair the House long upon that point; but as he contea plated some change by reduction in the number Members, from what had been settled last year, be should in the first . place, state his proposition to the House, and wait to hear if any objections should be made to it. His Honourable Friend of posite to him (Mr. Bankes), who had so ably and efficiently for the public service, and so honourablj for himself, filled the Chair of the Finance Coruna: tee for many successive Sessiene past, would see the idea of reducing the number of the Commie originated in a suggestion of his own, that by slid an alteration, greater dispatch would be effected it the disposal of the business referred to them ; and the profits of their labours could, by such means, be mole speedily and more frequently laid before Parliament; and dispatch must be allowed as a desirable objec; so long as it was no impediment to the discovery a truth. In proposing to the House the names of tlx Members to compose this list, it was by no mean his wish, nor could it, he thought, be conducive r the objects of the Ingeiry, that they should all be ma of the same political sentiments. It was likely thl the Inquiry would be more efficient if made by 's Committee of Gentlemen, whose political atuchments were on each side of the House. He should, therefore propose, as a basis, the list of 25 Members who ccio posed the last Committee, and reduce them by asl lection to 15, the number he proposed for the tie! Committee ; and so far was he from wishing to ma ist the selection any thing like what might be suppe . a leading towards his Majesty's Ministers, he anxious rather that the balance should tend the otl way. In making this selection, conformably to suggestion of his Honourable Friend, who had ably filled the chair of the former Committee, thought it of the highest importance to retain 11 name ; and expressed his hope that his Heeoura.... Friend would have no objection to robume the doos of a situation in which his talents, his discernment, as his zeal, were so well calculated to give effect to tis labours of the Committee. The Right Hon. Geno man then read to the House the list of fifteen, viz. Henry Bankes, Esq. Richard Ellison, Esq. Henry Thornton, Esq. Nicholson Calvert, Esq. J. H. Leigh, Esq. James i3regden, Esq. Lord Henry Peuy Right Hon. P. Carew Henry Joddrell, Esq. Right Hon. H. Grattan Isaac H. Browne, Esq. Richard Wharton, En. Hon. Dennis Browne Lord Archibald Hamilum• R. M Biddulph, Esq. And he moved, that they be appointed a Commt to inquire and examine, ficc. as before. Mr. BANKES said, he had certainly menticr to the Right Hon. Gentleman, that a Commit. constituted as the last was, coulduot so of ectuallys before the House the result of their labours, as if tlr: number was more compact. He expressed his :Ira ) to the Right Hon. Gentleman fot his civility in 0 tending to his suggestion * as well as for the :2.10 SOU ha' hilT ably list! apt ob; ed in tc