Star. — London, England, 1815-01-18 00:00:00

t! *id ‘;' , k` • ()RMR o THE DATIL It was «t lii)t. intended that the Military Officers !la J obtained and clasps for their services, anti wt:o ire i:v-luded in the new creation of Knights of : h e It a th, 3f.041(1 give up those badges to be depo. 5i.11.1 tLe archives of the Order ; but this surrender et ;hest tet.littlMlCS cf bravery and merit being very encra p v Temonbtrated against, it is dispensed with E t cirkular : " lierse-Gsurds, lam V. lel I. fin refeetnce tu air Commandez Chief's letter of Again, l am decried by hi• Royal I - fishnets to acquaint ha. , *wen considered, that although you are not to re J 9 and dupe conf•rred upon yon fur your gallant , , 't.r voa 3hall have been invested with the decoration it usty still be gratifying to you to preserve lo your liad a. es of your dittinpuished merit ; and, • a *di not be caU:-.1 spool to return the said medal . Lay< the honour to be, kc. (.illtked) 4 ' u. -, acc. j•.f.dßnift. ON SFR JOHN MURRAT, HELD AT WINCHESTER. - TTESDAY-SECOND DAY. , laLowell being called upon by the Court wile the third charge, began by saying, h e ek..ited • • -o letters to be read, before he en t(.,.o o ao :;...age. The first was a letter written lo him to L. Feller on the 19th of June, cot ,e-rer that he had fallen into in his letter oi on which he stated, that 21 pieces of , ;elere had been left behind, and the car -, to The fact was, that but IS pieces of . .;;;:•.; had bran lert behind, but was sorry to say I.; a O. :sir can sages were not burnt or destroyed, as ti.. of the bawitzers were. He wished that teed, in order to show that he had re ... -•:.. :ne enor as soon as he discovered it. The '..:;r was from Mr. Croker, Secretary of the ' dater: the ISta of November, 1813, in • hon. t: :it he had received a letter from Mr. • toane, Ueda fiecraary or State, azquainting dic charges agaiast Sir J. Murray were to 5.. ... aaed inte before a Court-martial. Mr. Croker deo a d in r' aair.ess to support his charge, ,r ' Le? his wioaesas alsu ;n readiness to come .:oraard they should be called on. He wished aers t) be read, iu order to show that he came ore.., erosecutor, 'Jot from any motives of per veani mahce against Sir J. Murray, but that he bad z .1 non by the Government to substantiate the statement whieh he had canceived it his bounden ta make in his letter to Sir E. Pellew. Tht haaas were accordingly read. Hallowell then proceeded in his state- Fieviaus to calling any witnesses, he wished explain one passage in his first letter to Sir E. Pel le lie had raid that that army had already beer. na:e ,i;sgraced than any British army ever was. By this expressioal, he bad not intended to cast the slizlaca reflection cn any of the officers or men who sLivod loader Sir J. Murray. He believed that there wen. e.:ver officers more anxious and zealous to dis tinguisl: themselves thsa those officers Were. He eever sae any regiments in better condition than' those which composed this army. All that be meant 4411. a-pression was, that the army, as a body, had %ear. completely disgraced by the manner in which • lila been obliged to act b.,. the directions of Sir • SYle Tay. Since that pez;od he had been almost tcn.t otly ce:ving in the Moditorranean ; and had lace:,: v.ith astonishment, that reports most, prejudi ce...l to Lis character had been industriously circulated. been said of him, and the representatien e as • ry high circles, th.it he was a man who e:ai . : 6 4: I" ce ifls military opinion in cowpetition with Gziletal of the forces, and that he had 1;n uhnscit at tile head of a sort of cabal of the naval 0:•: 1 ..e.rs a:7 tir.st die.milimry branch of the service.— in :elate:rot el that calumny, he would appeal to ha John Ntarray himself. Whets the General inform -14.4m 4,! his intention to raise the siege, he gave no o,erliaa at all upon that subject. This was purely a .rulitary question ; and as he was asked for no opi otor. he did not obtrude it. But when the question -f re.embieltation was decided on, then he thnught til t his ,hity to his King and country required him to give every assistance, not only in re-embarking the treaes, but in saving the public stores and the heavy a: tido ie. lie had the means of doing so on the 12th, alai had piteiged nimself, if Sir John Murray had al s:,!:;ci:at time. If he was charged with dis oheyiee tl e orders given by the Quarter-Master-Ge need, styping the embarkation of guns and horses, he rziu:.e plead guilt to that charge. But, in consequence of his not attending to the directions given by General I)onkin, twenty pieces of heavy endlery wrre caeriad away, that would otherwise . prolrably have been abandeased like the rest. He would appeal to every officat b the army, whether rte had ;let ze4leusly at - Lorded every co.operatinn in his poker. In a.aieher part of his statement, lie had eaid, Aar every further m ..ventent of the army while und, r the directians of Sir John Isfurray would be at a tended v. t',) fresh disas..zr, and he had assigned as the tease,, of :his fear, the irolecisioro that he knew to belong to the character of that cfficer. Ise shoule now state to the Court many remarkable instances of that indees'..m. On the night of the 10th, two new he"er;es were completed; and by daylight on the I tth, sill the batteries, bombs, and gun-vessels, open. ted their fire on Tarrago ; :a. At surar6e on th at day * 'Sir John Murray informed him that General Decaull ialvoered to Villa Frer. , ..e, and he set out to MIK' lie returned about eight o'clock that evening, and gave directions that Puerto Real should be inclosed precisely at ten. Before that time came, he again changed his mind, and countermanded the order ; and about midnight he informed hint that he had determined to raise the siege. Upon this, he (Admiral Hallowell)gave directions to Captain Wi. abets, to bring all the boats of the transports and men of war to the beach, by day-light the next morn ing, for the purpose of removing, in the first place, the stores and heavy artilliry. Taenty-five pieces or heavy artillery. had been actually brought down vs the beach before Jay-light. Between eight' and nine he tended from the Malta, and was in formed that General bonkin had been giving or, ders for stopping tioe embaskstioe of guns and horses. He then desired Ceptaius Hill and Williams to at. tend td iio eiriers tstft trOm t - eitar •it &a lit *. then told him, that Mr John Murray had ottletkei . him to stop the embaritation . of horses and tenni, 'and that the boats should only take the troops. He could prove, that almost immediately after, directions had been given to Major Williamson to spike the guns that were in battery, and destroy the carriages. While ; preparations were making for carrying those orders into execution, he waited on Sir J. Murray, and In formed him of the disgraceful way that they were going on at the beach—he also pledged himself, that if he would sutler the army to remain till night, he would carry every thing safely off. Sir J. Murray then denied that he had given such orders. A short time after a Spanish Officer arrived from General Copons, informing him that the French were at Villa Campa, and that their force was between five and six thousand men. Within a quarter of an hour al terwards Sir J. Murray said, that he was determined on a re-embarkation of the troops, and leaving the guns behind. By about eleven o'clock, all the borsee, mules, and field artillery, that was brought down the beach, were carried off without the least molesua- Lion on the part of the enemy. He was afterwards informed by Sir J. Murray, that his instructions wetk' to land in the province of Valencia, as far to the North as possible. He, however, afterwards deter.' mined on re-landing the army at Balaguer, for the professed object of cutting off 1,700 of Sachet's army. When the army was partly Innded, he was informed by telegraph, that about AVM' ileottrand •Ftenth were advancing towards Balaguer-..he then gave-or-• ders for stopping the landing of any more horses. — The French party was, however, fired on by the ships and retreated. He then renewed his orders for re landing the whole army. He thought that he had now advanced sufficient instances of the indecision of Sir J. Murray, t-) justify that exprenion in his letter to Sir E. Pellew. hos , ever, Sir John wished him to bring forward instances of his indecision after that letter was written, he could produce a great many. It was undeniable, that twenty-one pieces of heavy artillery had been abaniloned, end the re-embarka tion effected witli great precipitation, and that at a tint when there was no considerable force of the enemy in his rit ig;ibourhood. It could not be denied, that after having ordered General M , Kenzie to storm Puerto Real, at ten o'clock he suddenly counter. mended those orders. He had conceived it but jus tice to Sir J. Murray to inform him, previous to his leaving Spain, that he had, his public letters, ex pressed himself as strongly as he felt ripon his con- I duct at Tarragona. The General's reply was, that it was what he had expected. He considered it due to himself to state this circumstance, as he had been ' informed that it had been whispeted about, 11,4 la: had not acted candidly by that officer. lie would solemnly assure the Court, upon Itis honour, that no personal feeling towards Sir J. Murray dictated the representation that he had made of his conduct hut that his sole reason was, that being fully convinced that no good could be expected from an army snider , his directions, his sense of duty to his king and coon- I try made him feel it necessary to express this convic- I tion. He bad served on many conjoint expeditions, and never with eit having received ample testimo nies of his cordial support. He should herehave closed his statement, it he had not thought that some expres sions in Sir John- Murray's letter to Lord Wellington appeared to cast a reflection itt some 'degree on thei manner in which the naval service was performed.— He could prove that the whole of the infantry was • larakd on the Sd of June; that every succeeding day during the siege, horses, stores, and provisions were landed. On die Bth, (the day on which Sir John Murray . supposed that there was no communicatiin between the ships and the shore) Dio horses and six mortars were I.nded. He ions , : again repeat, that he never gave any opinion as to the question of the propriety of raising the siege, and col,scqulmily re embar king the army. That was purely a military question, and he had never presumed to give an opi nion open it. It was not of the re-embarkation that he complained, but of the manner in wnicii it was done—a manner which appeared to him to be altoge ther inexcusable. When the Admiral had made this statement, he was then sworn as a witness. The Deputy Judge Ad vocate then recommended s him to look over the paper in his hand, and swear to such parts as were'within his immediate knowledge. Admiral Hallowell' said, that he was re.tdy to swear to the whole of the statement. After souse conversation about the regularity of , swearing to the whole of a statement, of which some parts were to be proved by other witnesses, Admiral Halloa•ehl was allowed to swear to the truth of every part cf ►he statement which he had gives: in, which came under his own knowledge. Sir John Murray being asked whether be wished to cross-examine the witness, declined ir, but said that, he should examine him in his defence. Captain Thomas Withers, who bad the , direction of the transports, was the next witness called. , Admiral Hallowell proposed, by way of saving the l time of the Court, that the witnesses whom he should call might be permitted to read the narratives that they had drawn up at the time, and then swear to such parts al were within their knowledge. ' There having been no objection to tuts proposal, Captain WITHERS proceeded in his natrative.—Qn the 12th of June, about one o'clock in the morning, he received Admiral Hallowell's orders to prepare for the embarkation of the battering-train, military-, stores, provisions, atid cavalry. He then ordered the boats to be assembled on the beatll by day-light. It was then day-light at; four o'clock, but the boats were not actually assembled till a little after five. An hour previous to receiving these orders from Al miral Hallowell, he had been requited by Genetal Dunkin to send some boats to carry off the books, and papers of his department, which hoats he accor dingly furnished. During the operations of embark ing the guns and stores, and after many of the heavy guns had been sent off, General Donkin arrived at the beach, about half past eight, and desired that the embarkation of the guns should be disconti-, nued, and the boats kept clear for the re-embar kation of the troops' observing, that the great object was, that men, and not guns or horses, should be em barked. On his expressing his kurprise at an ar rangement so very different from the orders he had received early in the moaning . from Admiral Ha lowell (which did hot seem to imply any particulir urgency), he informed him that the enemy wear within two hours and a ball's matt)),' aid that such • r. •' lt i e kie tars oiAir ;John kurra fie then asked ral bonkin whether any of the infantry had ar rived on the beach, or were immediately etpectett ? The answer was, that General Clintun't Division would probably in-ive in about three quarters of an hour. He then left him, and after informing Cap- t twin tngleby, who superintended the embarkation of the guns on another part of the beach, he went in search of the Admiral, svhom he found in convex's,- tioe with Major Williamson. Having sniormel the Admiral of those new orders, the Admiral desired him to continue the embarkation of the guns, and said that he would immediately wait on Sir Jelin Murray. Afterwards fresh orders were rect:ved to continue the embarkation of guns and horses till two o'clock, after which the boats were ro be clear for taking in the troops. About three o'clock the bolts were assembled in sufficient number to commence the embarkation, which then commenced, and conti nued without interruption till after sun-set. The rear-bard did not arrive on the beach until past eleven, but by about twelve all were safely re-em barked. During the time this embarkation of the infantry was going on, there was also an embarka .tion of staff horses, and of the horses of the i'Uth Light Dragoons, at Western Cove, which was at a short distance, and where he had ordered a stage to be etected for that purpose. The embarkation of the horses and mules went on there till the following tnorning at elevens and all the animals that wet:: brought down to the beach were got off without any difficulty cr molestation from the enemy. Some questions were then pet to the - witness, at the suggestion of Admiral HALLOWELL. Being asked what ce-dnance-stores, artillery, or horses were landed on the Bth? the witness answered, that about 26S horses were lauded, and six mortars. They landed pa:visions and stores evi.Ty day drying the siege, but not so much as usual upon the Sib, as the wind blew fresh. In answer to other questions, he s..id that twomor tars were landed c,n the 10th ; and Ot it hetween the Sd and Bth aho;lt 1670 horses were l 4cd , :d. He mei General Donidn c,n the 11th, at about eleven o'clock at night, and was informed by Lim that it Wa3LeCCS sary to make every preparati‘m for re-ernl h u king the army. About twelve he met the Admiral, returning from the batteries, who gave him the orders he had before stated. Admiral Hawnwr.t.t. said, that his reason film put ting those questions was to shew that be had no pre vious inlorrnation respecting the intended re-einbar kation. The witness was then cross-examined by Sir J. lIN MUILitAY. Tie first question was, could boats at all times go between the ships :ma the beach at Tarragona ? Answer—cert.linli not. He was next asked, was there not generally a surf upon the beach wh►le the army lay before Tarrago na ? Witness answered, that there was generally a surf, hut that it was no impediment to the landing is embarking. He was next asked, if the surf did not amount to an actual impediment, did it no: oftea produce great difficulties ? He answered, not often. He was then asked, supposing a defeat or other cir cumstances should make a re-embarkation necessary, could it be covered by the fire of the ships in the . Roads I •Answer, certainly it could by the ships and gun boats—not by the ships alont. Q. Could gunboats or ships be brought in a posi tic,n to flank the embarkation, if the army were drawn up vslih their rear to the sea ? A. He conceived that to be a miliLary question that he was nut competent to asswer. . Some plans of the bAy of Tarragona and the posi tion of the beach were then produced. After having given an account, from the reports of his officers, of the number of homes and .;lalcs car. tied off from Western Cove, which amounted to About 400, _ The witness was asked, why the two mortars had been lauded on the 10th, and not on the Bth or 9th ? Answer, because they were not required to be landed sooner. On his re-examination by Admiral HALLOWELL, he said that those tsro additional mortars had been sent in consequence of a fresh requisition. Six - billy had been landed on the Bth, because no more had been demanded. The witness then, in explanation of part of his evi dence, said, that as to the exact number of horses, and amount of stores landed or re.ernharked, he took it principally from the daily reports of the officers employed under him. Admiral HALLOWELL examined by the Court. Q. The last witness having stated, that after Sir John Murray had given orders for embarking the troops, he received contrary orders from you—the Court wishei to know whether that is correctly stated, Or What your reasons were for so doing ? A. On landing oti the morning of the 12th, 1 found that the Quarter-Master-General had directed the embarkation to be stopped., After having re ported to Sir John Murray General Donkin's order to discontinue the embarkation, and to desist from spiking the guns, I was desired to go on with the em barkatton of the troops • and fi nding at one o'clock that the Conamander-inChief had decided to embark and leave the tons behind him, I still continued to put the ordnance and other stores on beard till two o'clock, knowing that it was impossible for the troops to he on the beach before that tone, and wishing to take advantage of every moment in saving the stores. Captain BATHURST, ot the Royal Navy, called in and examined by Admiral flat.oowba.L. Q. Were you employed on the 12th of Jane, 1515, in carrying on board military stores from beim the town of Tarragona whilst the siege WAS raising ? A. I was. OnsheAdmiral's suggestion, the witness was here allowed to assist his recollection by referring, as he proceeded in his testimony, to a written narrative made at the time of the transaction which it described. and attested by himself. It was in substance, that on Saturday the 12th of June, a signal was made for all boats to assist in immediately embarking the troops. HE waited on Rear-Admiral Hallowell, and was desired to superintend this operation on a wharf on the west side of Tarragona, from whence the ca valry were to be pot on board, and having the flat, Imagism boats under his direction to be employed for; that purpose. Daring the forenoon many ot the 20th Drasoons were-embarked, when an order calne a be believed from the Quarter-Master•Getortl ) to 1101) -•-- - any Furth* etrigarlstrian. in• Its cetvid two triesei, iefottnieg :tint t!),.; boats were to be sent to that part of tpe belch where t'.e Admiral was, to be employed in in-onediatil puuin the troops on board A hont four o'clock neral Deakin emote the wharf . . an,lsa;clhr c , to look for another place to put guns that WY eneltlY were approaching, under G • neoll Dtcaen, with eight thousand men I heat they were th v. entering Tarragona, and might attack them ie an hour of so. 'L'hat it was necessary, therefore, that every boot should asrist in getting off Cl 7: troops, and if there was not time, that the horses ind make matt he de stroyed. Seeing some fishing.hoats all' a distance, General Donkin enquired whether they (mild be rt for the same service! The fishit.g vess e ls, were pro cured, and sent with the !matt After having seen theft off, he joined Mrnital Hellewelt, and re. mained on the beech with him till the ivhole embariett tion *as completed, about midnight. During the tensainier of the night, it brigade of artillery was shipped from the oh uf : and rally oa the 13th came ashore to sup(rintead the removal of the horses and mules. In the course of the forenoon everr ani mal ofrburthen, horses, mules, and a , -ses, stele sai,:ly embarked, and every thing via! brought away from the west end of the 13 y. fie had also ',lista the wharf tip, when Le reo:ived orders tr.eir do Athoi. ral tore-boild it, which Was done wi...hout any i to.:o want) from the enemy. His ship remeined in ti,e bay the whole of the I 3t!i, nor did he perceive that the enemy got any reinforcements, or e at the pic. quets. or detachments advanced. On the 14:b, at half-past four P.M. be sailed witheut descrying Any alteration in the enemy's appearance. Q. Were you employed Qe the 10th in taking 0 guns and mortars to the battery on the hill overlook ing Tarragona ?—A. My peopleussisted early on that day in carrying up howittas and ammunition, as well as in raising mortars. Here Sir Jelin flurr.ey observed, that if' the object of these qu,:sti:els wa. ei!her to .c,certain the fact to. fettled to, Cf .to prove the e t• ti ons of the navy, lie was ready, if it would be of ariventage in saving the time of the Court, to admit b xh the one and ti , e other. Admiral Hall Owen said, his object was by no meals to sheu any thing affecting the'ct;nduct of the navy ; but he prsierred haring the circumstances in question established by evidence tif his own, rather than by the General's admission. His object wat, to sin.w the ildeeision of S:r John Murray's.cbaracter, Isy proving that he did not ch .nge h;s mind finally tip! 11 o'cloi.k •In the night oa which the older for embarkation was given. Witne.;s cross.exam!oed by Sir J. MURRAY. (2. Did General Dunkin mention the idea of de. straying the homes as entertained by me, or as re. ferret to in any inst:uct'ons lie had received from me ? —A. No, le only mentionci it to me in the course of conversa;lon. Captain SAMUE!. Tio(n) was next called. Q. Were you emi.loyed oa the 12i1i o: June, 1813, in embarking the heavy i,uos and military store (rum before TannOrla.?—A. I %%as. Q. Can you state to tie C• uct what orders you re ceived, and what passe.t ;o tieir execution ? The witness, occa.aenally reteiring to a paper drawn up under his instruction, anti signed by him at the time, then dapost•J, that in the wihrtiitig of 'the 12th of Jnne, 1811, he was directed to take 200 sea. men from the Malta, and superintend the emb irka don of ordnance stores, which he accomplished before noon. Whilst eni; its this service, Lieutenant Withers, pi incipll “gent for transports, came betweeu nine aid tin o'clock, to the best o•his bclicf, and saitt had I,:ct.ived orders from the Quarter- lklatter-Ges neral to suspend the fui ther embarkation. Shortly after, General Donine time to that part of the beach where he was, and said . the enemy was appearing-in force, which made it absolutely necessary that.all m i d boats should be ordered to that point. Raving gene to another pan. of the beach, he was ;tilos med by se veral officers; that Sir 'Joint Murray bad desired all the boats to be kept empty for the accommociati.4t of the troops, and he in cortege:nor sent dif no more military stores. The whole army was embarked in the course of the night. He atterisarJs proceeded with six transport boats, stores of vari. 4Sckscriptioni, viz . . tracking tools, sand-bags, platforms, &c. (tons the engineer depot nearest the town, and returned to the Malta about five o'clJck. Q. Have you not seen the whole French army stopped in their march by the fire of our Fun-boats, and compelled to take another direction ?. A. I have seen that, whilst Loll Wm. rentinck commanded, but not during the• time of the siege. Admiral Hallowell observed, in explanation, that he had put this question trom a persuasion that he could, at the time the siege w.is raised, base covered, with his gun-boats; the advance of General Copons' army, which was precisely in the situatica from which the French had been &Lyda under Suchet himself. Some doubts being expressed as to tl:e re clarity of the question by the Deputy Judge Advec 4t , , :were overruled by the Court. Q. Were any provisions destroyed, or left belind, at Tarragona, rind of what description ? A. A great quantity of corn, •floui . , btaro, arld firewood was left bellied. Q. Do you recollect that the British made a siggal on the 110, of the enemy appearing, near LaJap,uer s to the number cf %Ott c..valiy and with IA me cannon ? The Deputy Jodge Advocate her.: observed, that this question referred to point of time riot ine;nded in the third clee - ge ; tialess Gelierai Murray the/dote 511,11141 admit ir, the ptopriety of .t.e hues. • t'en must be determined on by the Court, which must be cleared for that pit:Tose. Admiral Hallowell said, he had been d:e•cted by the Secretary of State to substantiate by evidence the assertions contained in his letter, dated the 14th, and wac therefore desirous, in vindication of his oantha racter, so to do. Sir John Murray repli:d, that he was fully pre. pared to meet the charges •%%h;ch the Court w..a as sembled to try, but could not be supposed to poring; the means of controverting whatever new =tux might be introduced. Admiral Hallowell observed, that Sir Jchn Mur ray had been 1$ months in possession ot a copy of his letter. The pnblic were then excluded, and it being near Jive o'clock * She decision of the Court on this polo will be titiouricut tstminvw (this I f I • . •