Star. — London, England, 1815-01-31 00:00:00

bed, notice been' given of this . Meeting, which be was conviticetwas the reason why so many'per.. sons had not attended, who might have assisted wt their judgment; and he was fully persuaded that ; if the opinion of those whose authority ought 'tb have weight, were to be fairly taken, it would be, not to interfere by petitions with the wisdom of Parliament, and to "submat cheerfully to the continuance of the tax, iE necessary, • for another year. Mr. HOAR recommended the original motion to the attention of the Meeting. • On the suggestion of the Rev. CHARLES THORPEI the resaltition proposed by the "Earl of Strathmore, was put as an amendment to theoriginal motion, and a shee-uf hands being called, 'it was negatived by a large majority. The Resolutions proposed by Sir RALPH Mu.. natme, were Glen respectively pat 'and carried by a' very considerable majority, as was the Petition founded upon those Resolutions. Mr. Sprivro moved, that Lord BARNARD, and Mr. LAsln I N. he requested to present the Petition to the House of Commons. Mr. BAK Kit seconded the motion. - Mr. LASIBTON declared his readiness to comply with the wishes of the meeting, in conjunction with Lord BARNASID. _ The thanks of the meeting were then voted to Mr. CARR, the. Chairman, and the meeting broke up. TRI4L OF SIR JOHN MURRAY. WINCHESTER-NINTH DAY, MONDAY, LAN. The Court met for business at the Usualhour. Admiral HALLOWELL said, when the statement oft the force of the army was laid before the Court, be' was unable to produce the correct or official docu ment, and since that time betad obtained from the Transport Office the official returns of the army , ac tually embarked at Tarragona, and he was anxious to lay it before the Court. The Junoe ADVOCATE said, this was not the time for the Admiral to offer any thing to the Court. Sir JOHN MURRAY said he was. at the time alluded to, in possession of the paper now presented by Ad miral Hallowell, which, however, he did not produce. If he had availed himself of it, he should have pro fited his defence by it to the amount of 4.00 men, which was the difference between the returns of the 4th and 12th June. The PRESIDENT said. he could see no reason why the paper off,red by the Admiral shOuld not be placed with the other papers left for the future examination of the Court. The JUDGE ADVOCATE did not object to the pro. duction of the paper in question, but merely to the time at which it WAS presented ; it could not be re ceived till Sir J. Murray had closed his evidence, but . a refusal to receive the paper now did not preclude its reception hereafter. The Court then proceeded to read such doenotents ai had b.en received in evidence at the last sitting. The JUDGE ADVOCATE said, the first paper which had been properly proved was an extract of a memo rial of Colonel Cavane's, relating to the quality of the troops of the first army ; it was dated Vick, 13th of March, 1813, and described the army as. being brave, but destitute of disCipline ; the troops were active and fit for mountain warfare, but the infantry was uninsti ucted, and the cavalry without the neces sary experience for acting in a body. The army wanted the means of being terrible to the enemy; the corps of sappers were in the cradle, and besides the whole were almost without equipments. •The.secand document was dated Pernik, 4th of June, 1813. It was from the Alcalde of that place, and - that 7000 men were then arrived at Tortola, with 2000 baggage waggons, and that boats were assembled at Ambosa4or their transport. Sir John Murray said, this was produced to prove that the information of the peasant, at CoL Maaso's, was false. The third was a letter from Colonel Prevost, dated Col de Balaguer, June sth, 1818. It apprised Sir John Murray of the deficiency of the farce under the Colonel to reduce the fort of St. Felippe ; and men tioned the probibility of Sachet advancing on the place, in which case the five pieces of cannon used in the siege must be lost ; the tort was much stronger that had been imagined, and would take double the faro then betore it to secure its fall. The letter con cluded by saying how much the corps was in want of artillery and ammunition. The fourth was a letter fromGeneralWhittinghatri E 0 Sir John Murray, dated the Bth of June, seven p. m. and contained a report from Villa Franca, which said that the enemy, with four or five thousand men, had put himself in motion Lhis object appeared to be to interrupt the siege of Tarragona, but the point for uniting the force destined for that object bad not yet been discovered. Thelfth was a letter from Mr. Tupper, the Con sul, dated the sth of June. It gave an account of the advance of two columns of French troops from Vullaria; it appeared to be Sachet's intentions to reinforce the garrisons in Catalonia, and then march for Arragon. It stated the French force on the Xucar to be 5000, and informed Sir .1. Murray that the army of the Duke del Parque had been provision. edfor a month. The sixth was a letter from Admiral Hallowell to Sir John Murray, dated four a. m. June 9th, inform ing Sir John Murray that he had received a letter from Captain Adam, and also another letter, which said a person had been sent from Altafullo to Pa atllo he had a communination with the Governer of that place, who said 2000 men were arrived there , and that Marshal Suchet was expected with 600 0 snare. The Admiral would dispatch a gun-boat to intercept the road to Tarragona. .The 10th was a letter from Captain Sharp, R. N. to the Officer commanding at the Col de Balaguer, dated from the Hyacinth, June 20th. .Froin . information received, the French advanced on the 6th from Valencia..Suchet departed with 500 cavalry ; the whole force which had marched amounted to 10,000 men, the peasants said not more than. 5300 remained in the garrison. The Bth was a letter horn the Alcalde of Pernello, dated. June 10th. the Governor of Tortoni had told' the Alcalde, that .by the morrow Suchet would be in the latter place. .Tbe 9th was a letter froin Colonel Prevost to Sir John Murray, dated Invincible, 10th ofJone ; stated i,..,,...rd.,: • , " . ..r., ~ '. .3 i from the return of twe ab fras seat out to obtaia hi. formation, he was en toielferm Sir John •MiftraT that : the enemy's late advance was to ascertain the fate of the Col de 'Balaguer. Sachet was not in Totteut on the night of the 9th, and the Colonel was not of opinion that he would advance speedily. • ' - The 10th document was a note froth Doctor Lau rence, in which he said that Suchet had left Valencia for Tortola, with 9000 men, as was said, for the put.- pose of attacking the division that bad landed at Tarragona. . The 11th was Mr. Tupper's note, chewing receipts for the payment of money to Dr. Laureate for the expense of dispatching the above information. The 12th was a note from Colonel Manzo, dated Vendrell, 10th of June. It stated, on the authority of letters received by the writer, that 7000 men were arrived at Barcelona, and that 10,000 men had ad. iranced ; at five o'clock on the 9th they had not at -rived, and only two guns had reached Barcelona; ten pieces of cannon and four holwitters were .prepar ing there, and in two days, it was calculated the energy would ham 10,000 - men and 'l4 pieces of can non. This force. it was said, would march directly 'against Tarragona ; hie own corps. was unequal to contend with such a force, but it succours seenernent him he would stop the progress of the eaemy lee a day or two. _ , •• The 19th was a report from:Coloael Manso, dated 'Villa Franca, Jane 11, 7A. M. • lt, stated that the enemy, in force 8000 infantry and 2000 cavalry, were at that moment entering Villa Reyna ; he did net expect them to arrive at Viola Franca that day ; this report was enclosed in a letter from General Whit tingham to General Clinton, and a copy of it was sent by. the former to Sir John Murray. The 14th was a letter from General Whittingham to General Clinton, enclosing a letter, signed B. Gail• lot, and dated Villa Franca, llth of June. He states that the enemy, to the number of 7 or 8000 infantry, and 2 or 8000 cavalry, was then at Villa Xeyne, and in advance upon Villa Franca. The 15th was a letter from General Whittinghant to General Clinton, enclosing information, awned as the preceding documents, and dated Vendrell, 11th of June. The enemy, who had been in Ordal, en tered Villa Franca at four o'clock. The Spanish troops had retired. The General then says, Copons has retired to Altafulla. if Sir J. Murray did not mean to risk a battle, it would not be prudent to re. main in the position he divisions then occupied ; the time pressed on them, and they might be forced into ' a battle on those heights which were so unfavourable to them. The 16th was a letter from Colonel Prevail, en dorsed June the 12th. It stated that a column of the enemy was filing . through a mountain pass in his front; was to gain the plain of Tarragona, which they would do by to-morrow morning; he had in vain endeavoured to intercept them ; be should give up the castle to Colonel Carlies, but what to do with the ea va!ry: he did not know, as in all probability the com munication with Tarragona would be cut off by the morning. On the whole, he thought it best to send the hussars on the road that night. The 17th was a letter . from General Copons to Sir J. Murray, dated Costa de la Baragueta, June the 16th. It gave information of the advance of the enemy, with the apparent intention of attacking. Sir J. Murray in the rear—stated his own inability to en gage the enemy, and pointed out great advantages to be derived from the reduction of Fort Mature, if troops for that purpose were sent to sea, with at di. lery, &c. his division should protect the landing. The 18th wasa letter from General Dunkin tn SirJa Murray, dated the 11th ofJunei Sr. ;it gave in telligence brought by a peasant, of the arrival of Se. abet and Hanspe the night before at Tarragona. and spoke of the advance of De Caen at the same ti and the possibility of their arriving at Reuss that day.; on the morrow Suchet might be very near them,. without their hearing of him. Tic General says, he has sent out persons to reconnoitre, and urges the ne cessity of breaking up the road by which he expects the enemy to advance. . The 19th was a letter from the Alcalde of Pena). dated the 17th. He says, this day the enemy marched out of Ptrrello with two regiments of infantry, and, two hundred cavalry, supposed against Valencia. The enemy, during his stay here, did not sack the town, but. he took away all our pots and pitchers, not a glass of water is lift in the tanks, so that we suffer much from drought —but. praised be Gon. we have saved our lives, which. after all, is the main thing. This letter was followedby loud laughter from every part of the Court. The 20th was a letter from Mr. Tupper to Sir J. Murray, dated 7th of June, giving an account of his sending an agent o ff on the 2d from him, stating he had obtained an account of the number and disposi tion of the enemy's force, which was enclosed. The 21st was a letter from General Copons to Sir ,Jobn Horsy, dated the 16th of May, Villa Franca, informing Sir John that he had received the authenti cation of the Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo, relative to the intended attack on Tarragona—that he hadaince done all in his power to prevent succour being thrown into that place, but he could not prevent the augmentation of the garrison. The 22d was a letter received from Colonel Adam, June the 15th or 16th. It contained the information of a deserter. On the 15th he left the enemy in full march to Ferrell°. Suchet had altogether 8000 men, and 16, all field pieces ; no more than 1000 horse. The report was, that Suchet was going to St. Felipper The 23d was a letter from Coel Prevost, dam. t. Felippe, 11 th of June, half past eight, it. as. Thy Colonel had . seen a peasant, who hadleft Tortosa half-past four on the evening of the 10th. At ten o'clock that day, Suchet, Harispe, and a General of Artillery. had entered that plade with a squadron of light troops. The main army woald enter the town before night. The General took four peasants as guides, and made inquiry concerning the Fort St. elippe. The Colonel laments'being obliged to'send off Roll's regiment, whose services he is much in want of. The 24th, 25th, and 26th, were, first, a return of the disposition of troops of the Spanish army to be taken at nine o'clock on the morning of the llth ; it was signed Cavanes, and dated June the 10th; se. cond, a return of the Catalonian, or First National Army, on the 7th of May ' • and •third, a return of Copons's army, which in all, amounted to 10,850 men. Memoir, signed Com*, dated May 7, 1813. In hrts 'ln, , ; . - •'• • '5 .* • Z 46 Me isepee, the Ir;a4 force le cetelooleis stated al l IMMO infantry, all 1920 s . ,ivtaiii• • lessepe surrustme, ir • ugultemar-coLeset , etontes, fs' atilt* STAIR*, Sift .AtilY IfSlmilt SIR JOUSI c • , I ! • • • J /11111RILVL Q/:1;; FIRST It Kiva it, *tad Tarragona, 4th June, ISt L Total Rank and File, 14,344 present. rots' of the Cavalry, daces), Rureart. rink and filo, passes& . 691 Total present 12,114 Sick - 3d Sick - 919 Conatiad - Catunaad . 734 ..—..--... 26 . ........3 760 726 14,491 TIIIRD itaillltll. ---..0. To - al prawn 11,521 Artillery, total present 733 51ek 1,021 , Sick - .. •5$ Cuumand - 1,013 Comma - 199 Grand Total I disso Total 900 Artl Nyyses ...sm. 362 Total of Horses 3,0 604 Mules 811 604 _lieteir•from Lord William Bentiuck to Sir John Murrayi . dated Pakrmo, May 9. 1813. This letter stated that the.6th German Legion, the 44th, Regi. ment, and a detachment of Sicilians :aid Neapolitans, Would sail to join General Murray in about 10 days. *tetter from Sir John 'Murray to Sir Edward Pel. lew, dated on board the Malta, 2d Jane, 1813. It stated, that the success of the army about to land at Tarragona would depend on preventing the junction Of the Fmcit t itppy l Cataloni4 with the army which Suthet nuht ditich (rem Valencia, and solicited the Adrbli i. to &attain attack on Rocas, which might have-the Ohm .preventing De Caen from advancing to , Tarragoem. Letter from . Sir John Murray. to Sir Edward Pel lew, dated 4th June, 1818, nearly to the same effect. Admiral HALLOWELL said, as he had been ae• cased by General Murray, in his defence, of with holding the first of the letters to Sir Edward Pellew, he wished to ask the Court if he was at liberty to question the General with regard to the time when that letter was delivered to him to be transmitted to Sir Edward ? This accusation had been first brought forward after he had closed his case. ' • The JUDO ADVOCATE informed the Admiral that he would bkallowed to call'his own witnesses again, with respeCt to any new point in the defence. Letter from Sir Edward Pellew to Sir John Mur ray, dated Bth June, 1813, stating that he was on his 'way to Roses. He trusted that his presence would alarm the enemy, and prevent the meditated concen tration of their armies. It was his intention to land all his marines, and to give the French all the unea siness in his power. Extract from a letter from Sir John Murray to the Duke of Wellington, dated Castalla, May 11, 1813. In this letter General Murray stated, that be had Made a calculation of Suchet's force, and the result was, that he could Sollect in the neighbourhood of Tarragona 'AA() men in about twelve days, after hearing of the landing of the allied army there. Su chet would still have about 14,000 men to oppose to the second and third armies of Spain. The allied army, ' including the Spanish Catalonian army, only amoun ted in all to 22,000. Extract of a letter from the Duke of Wellington; in answer to the above, dated 23d May, 1813.• The Duke observed, that when General Murray stated Sucker's force at 24,000, leaving 14,000 behind to meet the 2d and 3d Spanish armies, he must have over rated him, and not allowed for the different gar risons. If they weakened their garrisons, and if Ge neral Copons was sufficient to keep in check the French Catalonian army, he did not see how they could be at Tarragona in twelve days. He acknowledged that he had always found the French in the field fully more in number than what they were reported to be ; but he thought that General Murray, with his force, , would be fully a match for them. The JUDGE ADVOCATE observed to the Court, that they had now gone through ail the papers which were admitted by them ; and they were come to those the reading of which was suspended till the Court should determine with respect to them. Having looked into these papers he thought that three of them might be received, namely, the three Returns of Ge neral Whittingham, General Dunkin, and Colonel Cabanes, containing their calculations of the French force. The Court admitted the documents in question. The first was a return signed by Colonel Cabana,. Chief of the Staff of General Cupons' army, of the French army in Catalonia, dated 15th April, 1813 Troops 22,550; cavalry 1088. The calculation of each regiment was given, and Colonel Cabana stated that he bad dot his numbers from the ben means of information to his power. - .2d, Returns by General Whittingliam of the force and distribution of the French force under Sufliet, in Valencia, dated I9th March, 1813. Total infantry, 28,485, cavalry 2475 ; guns 57. General WHITIINCIRAU observed, that this general total nearly agreed with the accounts of the strength , of the French, when they entered Valencia. S. Memorandum taken from papers found on the wounded of the enemy with observations, by Ge nera l Donkin, dated 14th April, 1813. According to this paper, the grand total of the army of .&rragon is stated at 27,90 D, beside* the garrison of Amason. The JIIIMIL ADVOCATA then stated to the Court, I that Sir John Murray had, since Sittuiday last, deli vered in observations on two of the other papers, of which the reading was suspended, ;tamely, a memoir of Colonel Gibson, aad mecum from M. Tuppen, the British Consul at Alicant, of the state of the Dttke tlsl Parque's army. These observations he read iMir to tilteoutt. AdMelwl is& objected to the letter from Mr. Topper bolas received. Is was dated in July, Mow than Arm after the period of the siege of Tanagoanlitied tbasobjert was,one on a bich Mr. Tupper was set irecopeteat to "oak. Sir J rhn Mur. ray knew die of the Duke del-Porquelii army before be sailed fries Alicant. By his instructions he was ordered let to move from that place till he knew the strength of the army in question, and he did accordingly wait at Alicant till it joined him.— The letter in question could not have influenced Ge neral Murray's conduct at the period of the siege, and' was not, therefore, now admissible. General Mvanav allowed that the letter in ques tion -could not have influenced his conduct s but it was influenced by the farm which that letter went to confirlh. Admiral HALLowss& professed himself willing to; give Sir John Murray every advantAge, but be could Mt allow this paper to be received. • General Hunan paid, that this Liter of Mr. Tup. per proved that the army of the Dube del Pat was not in q state to move for want of subsistence and the groper equipments, from the 9d to the t 1 th June. Before clearing the Court, General Donkin was called in to authenticate a paper, purporting to be a Spa nish armies,signed Ferran, Brigade Chief o f the Suff, summary of the operations of th e 2d a n d 3d dated 12th June, 1813. In this summary it w a s stated, that Suchet set out for Cit,alo9i.4 on the 6th instant, leaving only from els toeight thousand men to the south of the Xucar. The Duke delrarque having resolved to advance his army was in motion on . the 9th. The enemy retreated on the night of the mule day, and was pursued by their cavalry. Th :h e Court was then cleared for the purr or of de termining with respect to the admissibility of served papers. On the Court being re-opened, The Joon ADVOCATE acquainted Sir John Murray e that the Court had agreed to admit the memoir of Colotiel Cavanor, respecting the operation of the CAM paign of 1813, as evidence. - The memoir was then read. It referred generally to the operations which were to be contemplated as arising from this campaign ; it was dated Dec. 1812. Tile JUDGE ADVOCATE then Stated, that the pars signed *l'u mgr. that signed Daniel:, and a paper re specting a return oft-amp-kettles, were not to be ad mitted as evidence.. The Court had, however, agreed admitto Alm upon of St. Cyr, found in Joseph's port folio„ as to the force of the army in the interior of Arragon, dated May IS, 1813. This stated the in. .fliniry officers to be NV rthe troops 12,278 a the ea. ..ealry officers 87, and the am 1867 ; the bores 1971. To these were additions, tibia) made the total present of officers 453, men 15848, and horses 1971. Sir Jolla MURRAY now made some observations, founded upon subsequent information, received by him, from which it appeared that the grand total was 32,675 men ist-the army of Arragon, which =mob). rated with die other reports received by him. The paper proposed to be pttt in by Admiral Hal lowell, respecting the troops embarked on the 12th, was then read. From this it appeared, that the total rank and file was 14,181—sick 1499.—in command , 1466.—Grand total, 17,126. • Here concluded the documentary. evidence. Sir JOHN MURICAY now declared his I eddiness to ocefti with the exAnsination of his witnesses. The Court having expressed their wish that he should go on with his examination— Captain MILNER was celled in, sworn, and examit,- ed by Sir John Murray, as follows : Q. What situation did you hold in Sir John Mur ray's army in Catalonia in June 1813 ?—A. I acted as his military Secretary. Q. Did you accompany me on the morning of the 1 lth, and where did we go ?—A. I accompanied Sir John Murray toVeadrellos on the morning of the 1 1 lth to the head-quarters of the first Spanish army. Q. State, to the best of your . recollection, what oc. curred on that diy previous to my return to head quarters ?—A. On Sir John Murray' arrival at Ven drellos, he went to General Copons, with whom he had a private interview. .I remained in the anti room with some Spanish Officers, who told me that the French had occupied Villa Franca in consider. able force. They appeared to expect that the enemy would attack them that night, and that they would be Obliged to retire: Sir John Murray remained above two hours with General Copons. General Capons accompanied Sir. John Murray on his return, ler the purpose of finding out a position to cover Tarrageria- Xwo or three were looked at, but were found objec tionable. General Copons stated to Sir John Mur ray the difficulty of the two armies acting together, and that his army was quiti unaccustomed to act in position, and that he could not place much confidence in them otherwise than as light troops, acting on 4 moun•ainous country. When General Copons re. turned to Vraulrillgs, Sir John Murray proceeded to Tarragona. Q. Do you recollect Sir John Murray sending back Captain Dmwett with an order to Lord William Ben. thick, when he came from Altafulla I—A. Yes, I do. Q. State the substance of that order ?—A. Sir John Murray ordered Captain Drewett to return to Lord William Bentinck, who wee at Altafulla, to desire that he would be particularly 'on the alert, and place an extra piquet on the road. Q. At what time did Sir John Murray return to head-quarters t--.A. I had not arrived quite so soon as Sir John Murray at he:t!-V-irren. I arrived about nine. Sir John Murray left me in the roe, about eight o'clock. My horse had lost a shoe. Sir 'oho must have returned about half-past eight o'clock. Q. State what passed upon my return to heal. quarters ?- I .A. Sir John Murray sent back Captain 2, to General Copons with orders. Shortly. after I isv Sir Jolin Murray receive a letter, upon which he ce. der:4 me to go to General Id:Kenzie, to coup . Mand the storming of Fuerto Reale, and to find A tonal Hallowell and Colonel Williamson, and to them Sir John Murray wiehed to see them imme diately. I returned, not being able to find - the Ad. miral or Colonel Williamsoo. I told Sir John luu •derstood Colonel Williamson was gone to the batter; at the Mei. Sir John said it did not signify, for that be hat seen both the Admiral and the Would. Q. When you reached General MiKenzie to cow. terusand the storming of the Fuerto Reale, did yob see any (loops paraded, and what were they ?—A.The 10th regiment was parading, and the Italian Levy, 2d battalion, at the time. Q. Did you understand for what purpose these troops were parading ?—A. For the storming of the R)serto Reale. Q. How long after I first sent you to General *Kenzie, that' you found Colonel Williamson and Admiral Hallowell had been with me? A, About an hour or an hour and a'half. Q. Did you hear Admiral Hallowell make any re mark, and what, upon the state of the beach, and the impracticability of disembarkation, on the 2d of June t A. The dud anchored off Tarragona on.tho ed Of June 1 Sir John Murray and Admiral Hallo•. well went on shore to meet G e ne ra l C o p ons od dick' return I heard the Admiral say, he had never been in a greater Surf, and that the boat had been nOarly swamped—that it would have be,n impossible tta have disembarked any thing that Unbend that it would be. necessary to commence the disembarkation of the . troops before break of day, as the surf would be an about nine o'clock. I heard the Admiral Ilse say. diet if it came to blow fresh, it would be impossible to have shy onsitimaisation -with the shout. • [Tie eoptionadeso ef . Core4bi Moen olibuse will be give° te.neerow. Thit Conn, as mal l &looted it throe 'Veal '