Star. — London, England, 1808-03-16 00:00:00

r re Isted to the recogn iza nce made by Captain to . o a tliejth and 6th Jet. Hating hood g ham . ' l Taro s' er eat ,, I have nothing to add to ~th tetrat to the time we toothed from the a P R three, and arrived at Plana del. fiferarit halt • f ou r o'clock, and I reported to General ram at *mete Awe had paffed. H a d yne any eominoniestion with General Matte on ran return on the fabjea of his ,go. t he ,„ f te=a del Toros that evening ? A. I el coneral Sir Samuel Anchrnuty to onataa itated to eat effe B . 0, Iv A . ot i girt Or opinion of y our o w n as to ' lik a este or Cafe to Gametal Whitelocke ? a t being r il g. /coi ned with the dragoons alone, ',I didslif 1 se g ht Mere was no need of that. ',bou mg ite orders you reee rr ed to o p en a corn. 'Calks o w the tight flank, med• what you did in Ef t *of/orders ; the Rivet* of theefcort ef,k; doting yon took in performing sho t l et. 1 41 dawkry you encountered on the fame ? neareii thg ee ded from the Coral at half pail fix in the ...l r: —, o dds an dean of too dragoons. My orders tii'u t r ' o g' rown wwkate with Colonel Mahon , and af 'lag, w i t h the Refidencid, and the brigade under e:modoeford, if triable. About nine o'clock sw;offst Colonel Mahon's quaragrs, and canirii daerders I had received from General White . I t hen proceeded to the Refidencia, and ar rces- t h e re about one o'clask. I found frven come : Jo of the Oh, and fame riflemen under Major Wa t ch ted Lieut. Col. Davie. I then learnt that on. t h t arming at nine o'clock, the Btitifh colours had' ,„. fan fi l i n g, on the church of St. Domingo , and i ; Colonel Gerd had advanced in• that direaion sib fhereeadiers of the asth, but had not thenre toed. lo ck Rag was ftruck on the Church about oe o'clock. Whila I was at the Refidencia, the o wey attempted to bring cannonagaintt the Convent. fat Nichols, with a body of the s iivifion, advanced, d i wok two pieces of cannon, and two howitzers, lu g hiperfed the enemy. Lieutenant Colonel Davie thalaimated to me, that it would be in vain for me mo ot to penetrate to General Crawford. At i s aclock I again 'returned, and at half paft eight 'r o t a a t the Miferati. I communicated to Co. ked Mahon the dilpofition in which I found Colonel sear dirifion. I reported to Colonel Mahon the Loath of the Refidencia, and the able manner it wirocdtated by Coltmei Davie ; the pruvitions he _ad am with in the Convent and adjacent haufes ; al bow eafy a communicatian might be opened with , w i t h the Oro guns and howitzers ; and the ad wage they would derive from a reinforcement. Noel Mahon promifed (eine artillery men thould feint in the morning. ODid you not offer to Colonels Sorie and Ni elk the ico dragoons at the Refidencia, and at op your tet teat with ten dragoons—.the remaining ff eefyour demi ? A. I did. Oh the time you made this reconnoiffance , had s akfive operation's from the advancing columns Mill A. I cannot potitively fay. Q. , Defcribe to the Corot what difficulty occurred iipoforming this fervice, and your lin e of march, i going and Corning. and distance between the 1 kidge and Refidencia ? A. The roads and tops of Unhooks were occupied by armed men—no (Made ewe& othirwise. I difPatched a few dragoons, defeat cleared the roads : from Mr. White'shoufe to;thebridge is five or fai miles ; from the bridge to bfidencin aboot two miles ; from - Refidencia to White'shoofeabout fix miles. Q• From the obfeivations y ou made in perform ing this fere*, is.it ft or is it not, your opinion, that a communication might not hive been opened with tic Refidencia on the sth? A. I think it might tare ke•opencii, bicauft the enemy's force wete more ofpfable in annoying the light brigade. tj... Did General Wbiteli,cke make any attempt, ?atonally or °the/wife, to fupport the different corp n s a the attack of the sth of Jnly, with the exceptio i the two orders to which your evidence applies ? !,, I underßood that Brigade Major Ctofsley had :en nidered to the right. Q z Is that the only attempt you know of ? A. It is. 1t . ...11 Captain Croft's y had been ordered to the right with two or three dragoons, fhould yon think tat a proper efcort fir opening a communication sub the right ? A. It was• impoffible for mounted dragoons to proceed in that dole country. Ql,,KRioil by General WHITLLOCKI. When did you receive the orders for communi. eating with the right ; and had you any converfation lab me on thofe ordus ? A. I received thrift orders tithe sth, between twelve and one o'clock, at mid eight; General Whitelocke came tome, and cleared rte to take a particular mark of the diltance of the tone I had taken. g.What icafun did Major Nichols affign for not meeting the too men you offered M leave as a re inforcement ? A. Major Nichols felt fo confident in his pofition and troops, that he was not particularly wens for a reinforcement ; and withed me to teach in Catty at head quarters with my report. Qeflion by the Court. When General Whitelorke• requefled yon to take S ,particular plan of the route you were to take on the-6th, did be- communicate any information him fill? A.. The perfon I feat. for was perk& mailer °1 the roads, and was .examined in the pretence. of tialttal Whitelucke, who put leveret queLtions to kik . QDo you know any more difficulty in proceed. 41 to the right Omsk, than wh at y ou met with in tong to the left, on the sth of July ? A. There vete more armed men on the tight, but the oppo, . I qa they offered is not worth Mentioning. Lieutenant-Colonel Baueste. Q, Did yon remain with General Whitelocke, at kad-quarters. on the sth ? A. I did. Lieutenant. Colonel Bourke then Rated—foon after Iktgua was fired cia do-morning of the sth, /Rated to the Commander of the Faeces that the different min had al, marched off, and that. the 9th dra. PP and combined: erne rationed on the Portico with two field pieces sUotte.d.them in genera du l orders; 4 0 I (WO loon often 644 roomed gun h'3ats Mowing up.to covert the 38th regiment. Abort ',..c0 o'clock I lam the 9tb, and carabineers, fawning "II tkr unfired:Gin' attack on the centre firegt .• lin wee halted about soo las& in front of the Mod from which they h n ad ogiandly Alerted; and I Inknothembole number Itatiemed at that,lmeerere *IP . i , date were rso mom of th e gel Poi • a %IA coo, wont the teeamandei Lau.7l vs' It VC do ht, 11- ;he 1 of here fieki was sera[ view i any and bet l a tion of his nerf ben their e ke? n with lit, by Reel with in a ret re' , ;Jena 14y, 45 of the Forces lainfelf was. About half pelt two, I Wet break-44okt Rig ebarkiiiidir of the Forces fent Captain Whittingham to the left. Ido hot rebnlle& Way other eircoutegriere. as oetterring on that day Which can give an anfwerto this queßicin. I thigh, about one eadei, ow the morning of the Bth, the General cleared me to write force orders which tie difiatdd, arid Which were linen to Captain White. who was fent off with them that morning. --About ten o'clock lisle diy the Getieral moved to Plata del Toros, with a (mall *fcort of too difmoun ted dragoons. I 'hit& two 6 ficrunders and Come few cavalry. Nothing particular occurred On the march. I underlood from a converfation I had with the General before the mink, that his inten tion was to keep hit left at tie Plaza del Toros, and throw his remaittiot force towards that fide. I do not remember any particular military tlCCOrreller' it the Plaza during the (oar days I remained there.* l I Raid till the “111110 g of the t6th. I fitould per; baps obferie, that on ilsid morning of the Bth July 1 fettled the line of demarcation of the two semis% with their gaff officer. QDo you know of any pertheal exertion made during the sth of July by General Whitelocke, or any other attempts heroin thole you have Rata, far fupporting the different columns fent into the Wrests of Buenos Ayres by his orders? A. Ido not know of any exertion made 14 Genual Whitelocke in his own perfon. I believe be foot General' Gower" Brigade Major with• a meffage to the right, and I conceive he fent Captain Folks frequently into the town of Buenok Ayres. . Q .. Do you know why General Whitelocke ttfed no perfonal exertions more that What you Rated in your LIR anfwer 1 A. Ido not. Q :. _ If exertion had been made by General 'White locke perfonally or otherwife for the jng6ion of Colonel Mahon's brigade. with theft at head gnat , ter: on the morning of the sth or rfahluly, do you not think with that force General Whitelocke might not have forced his way to the Refidencia,or any other corps. on the affault ? A. I believe. if proper means had been adopted. there would have been no great difficulty in uniting the-corps under Colonel Mahon with that at the Toros the 4th, or early on the mor ning of the sth, but what effe& an attack on that point might have had, it is more than I can fay. I believe there would have been no difficulty on the morning of the 6th with a much (mallet force tohave c nnmunicated with the Refidlencia. Q .. Would not the bringing Colonel Mahon': corps to co operate with the different attacking columns have afforded another chance of fuccefs on the at. tack ? A. Certainly it would. QWere you ever confulted on the treaty ? A. I waslliewn the fire letter fent by General Liniers on the morning of the 6th ; the Commander alked my opinion of it, in pretence of General Gower ; I told him we ought to refufe the Commons. and throw the remainder of the forces to the left. General Gower obferved, he was of the fame opinion, and an anfwer to that effe& fhould be feht off, which an Bier, with Come few alterations, was fent. I was no farther confulted by General tinsitelocke upon the Cubic& of the treaty. Q_Did you give your opinion to General White. locke on that fubje& ? A. No farther than what I have Rated, till fubfequent to the figning of the treaty. Q2eßion by General WHITELnCICE. Were there not mounted cavalry of the enemy on our rear and flanks on the sth July ? A. There were, in confiderable numbers. What force had I on the Coral , for the de fence of the Coral, the prifoners, lick and wounded ? A. Exclufively of the 600 which I have already fated to have been in the centre (beet, there were about sso, in which I include 83 difmounted dragooos, attached to the Cotnmiffary General. , • Q..Flow•were the men attached to the Comm if . far&General armed ? A. I believe with cara h i nes. . Did you hear apy doubts expreffed by General Officers on the plan of attack failing of fuccefs ; and what was their opinion of it on the cleft of the sth of July ? A. I never heard any doubts whatever ex prefred as to the fuccefs of the attack : I remember, a little before fun let on the stk, of expreffing to a General 011lcer Come fears as to the fate of General Crawford's Brigade ;he told me he had a great deal depending if General Crawford was killed, and he hoped to hear coon that General Crawford was well potted. Q Did you examine the pofition of the Toros, and Rate what command it had on the City of lluenos Ayres ? A. I examined it very carefully; the Plaza Was fituated on one fide a little ravine, and a great' part of Buenos Ayres on the other fide of the Plaza was high, and from that circumfance it commas.' ded to the ditlance of five or fix hundred yards on the oppofite fide, but at the difianee of three hundred yards it had no advantage whatever. Q. From your knowledge of the environs of Bile nos Ayres, do you think that fupplies might have been cut off from Buenos Ayres with the whole force on the sth of July ? A. I lhould conceive, frown the.preat (pace, it would have been neceliary to guard not lefs than five miles, there being no lefs than thirty roads le;ding from the country into the town ; from the garrifon of the town, provifions of this kind could have been found for more than el:ou. ble the number ; and from the circomilance of the enemy having large. bodies 'of cavalry to harafs us in the rear . I think a blockade Would hardly have been fuccessful. It is alfo neceffary to date the tea- lon INK appeared before Buenos Ayres; granaries in that province are generally filled with grain before the foxing in of the tins and breaking up . of the roads. We had hkewife bees informed at Monte Video. that theenenay bad enabliffied Magazines of . provifions in the town. Q. Is it your opinion that it would have been prac ticable to have bombarded Buenos Ayres with effect by a combined attack by Ica or land on or after the sth ? A. I behave it would have been in Qui p ower to have dettroyed a number of houfes. Qiteßiogs by the COVIT. WAX you near Geneva Whitelocke on the ph July, and was you acquainted with the order for the .attic k op t h a t day ? A. "f was oeir General White. lecke the whole of that day, and was acquainted vk l a t theorderr . -' . D ia the order dire&lhe different corps to pe usob : . .. kali / 1 4 1 1° $ 1. - 6 Atm ~t othe. . river: thererind ither or oc o r ri p t y thAe:Tandjeopinridnegg did not ecrefs that_ they were, there to wait for further orders—it tgglt have been IP .ondelliood- Q_Did You (non perCeive .thia ,elte cpottnunica tiott-by General Whitekipke With the attacking co. lump was intercepted by the partici of the enemy ? A. They were In lel. than half an hour after they Marched off. Q. Did it Rrike yod as important that the Gene ral, with the remaining force, &Odd march to the affifiatice of the columns on the atteck A. As catty as eight o'clock in the morning, whets I found the fire continued eery heavy in the ,town, and is we heireceiied no intelligence from the. IStigedier Ge nerals Who continandedi I thought the* leas a need:- fity . Of eaminunicating with' them, and that neceffity increafed as the day advanced, and it could haste been obtained in no other Way but by General W. advancing at the head pf the troops of refee.vd; IP my Opinion, this ought to have becn attempted. . D# you know whether inch netetty ever Attic Genera l Whitelocke, or whiten it was ever pointed oat to him . ? A. I cannot Cal whether it.did over (hike him or ant ; it was not pointed out to hint . in my prefence: Can you Rate that you have no opinion or the cants why General Whiteligke remaincd stationary the whOle of the sth', and did not co-operate for the fupport of the attacking columns, and there their fate whatever it was ? A. Although I never parted from General Whitelocke .hiring that day for any confi derable length of time, yet 1 bad fo little converfa tion with him, that I cannot attempt to afilgu any grounds for his conduet. Twiarry-inownt DAY. - This morning, at the meeting . of the Crurt, ah . adjournment took plaie in confequence of the Ulnae of the Judge Advocate General. TWENTY NINTH DAY. Lieutenant Colonel Bova as. Colonel Bourke writhed to amend an anfsver to a queftion put by the Court on friday, which was — whether General Whitelocke at the head of the forces under Colonel Mahon, and thole at head quer• tens, could have penetrated to the fupport of the different columns in Buenos Ayres. the sth of July ? He laid, that it was his opinion that General White locke, at the head of thole troops, might have pe netrated to the centre of Buenos Ayres, and the co. operation of that force would have afforded the bell prolpea of fuccefs, and of reaming the fortune of the day. O Could not the forces under General White locke, by being concentered, have fo broken up, or occupied the toads, as to have prevented any fup. plies of provifions from being Cent into Buenos Ayrf s, mean the roads between the Chuello and the Re. colletta ? A. 1 believe the dillance from the neaten part of the Chuello and the convent of Recolletta, waencarly feven miles, and I do not believe General Whitelocke, with the a hole force of 7500 mer, could have effeCted that purpofe t nor do I think it pdlible to have broken up the roads fo as to have ptevented fupplies being Cent into town. Qaeftion by General Wm-moots. Is there any command of view from the Coral fide of the town from which Buenos Ayres or the march of the columns might helve ? A. There is not. Lieutenant Colonel BRADFORD. QWere you with Lieutenant General Whitelocke during the sth of July ? A. I was.* On the morn ing of the sth, I accompanied general Whitelocke to the Coral ; the troops entered the town, agree• ble to orders, and loon afar the cannopade com-nen ced. I was direlled by General Whitelocke to com munists with the right and gain any report. if poffible, The two- regiments on the right were the 4th Dray goon Guards and the 45th. The 45th had quitted. their ground, and advanced to the town. The 6th Dragoons having miffed the way pointed out to them by millake ; I immediately returned to General Whitelocke, to make my report. About nice o'clock General Whitelocke teemed anxious to know what was paffing in advance. proceeded from the Coral in a North Welt direelion, to the entrance of a flreet leading to the great fquare. I advanced fome diaance in the fireet, and found the 6th Dragoons, and a de. tacliment of the gth Dragoons, with one fix pounder —the enemy were then fiting Come mufkets from the houfes, and grape from a battery in ad vance, but ill dilated, leveret honks bad been broken open by the foldiers. 1 went, to the top of a houfe near this poll, from Web I difcovered what I conceived to be Come of our riflemen on a building in front ; but the or, ning being hazy, and a great building in front, al lowed me hot an impeded view. I returned to General Whitelocke's head quarters, to make my report, when be ordered me to advance, with•the 6th and gth Dragoon.] reported to him, the road being fo bad, and the rag *cis Pot able to keep up with the column—he deified the Fun might be left, and the column to advine s e without it, diredling Colonel Kington to editing, a; far in front as polfible, agree able to orders fbr the guidance of the column which had entered the town: Thele are theonly orders I received from General Whitelocke during that day, excepting when I eras fent op thi'evenipg of the 7th to the Plaza derToros, and V./Moral Whitelocke direfted me to take cliatge of the potts in the cent of the army; General s Whiieloeke, when on the Co ral about twelve o'clochcia.Abp 6th, direaed me to retain that poll, and wait a jtentlion with Colonel Mahon front the right . Also* 6z o'clock, Colonel Mahon's divifion arrived at the . Coral. b'euarequence of the report from Colonel Davis Mt the Refiriencia, to fend a reinfoicemen s t;,if P9Ple, one hundred men with an artillery of fi cer, were sdirceted to be held in readings to move at day light from that poll the fol. lowing morning. As this deter:ilium wee *ho s pice march, a letter was received. from the Plaza del To e roe, to make no other movement.' At - feven I joined ' Peutenant General' Whitelocke on the Plaza del Toros. IQ_ Do on know of ant petfcrnal exertion made -by afteitt Whitelocke vrn the show of any exertion meo-oistiate with the troops'adtaftced into the town on the jth ? A. Ido not. Do Yo‘ know Why GetiV r Whitelocke made no - Perfonal 'exertion nor no . other atiempti berates thole you have already defcribe for fupportioz and co-operating with the' efolunnis ? A. J do not - know of any other r COOK, ester peihaps hiti con once in the troops being el l , accrAplith chi j ell 'of mli attack, this is 0 sigajoa. • 7 . N 1 CZ :4 Was if generally usuierano4 by the Cora. • man ing •Officer '•oa the sth, when the different columns had obtained their feveral obietts of attack, - that they Mere to wait for further orders ? A. Ido • not know. Q If proper meafores had been made fix Genera Whitelocke for joining the corps under Col: • Melton with thofe at bead quitters, o we the Matting f_the stb, ould it have,been.il the,pn General itelocbe thereby to have given fripport toithicliffer; . ont, columns on the attack, or could fie not on tl Morning Of the 6th. have penetrated fo the RefidC3... Oil"; and would it not, have been a proper °licit of ceiloring the for t u ne of the day A. / t hink it„ would. • - • •Q. What number of prifonets w e re taken at the • Cara ? A. About 200. Have you returns ,of the effeelive Orength of the army after the sth ? A. I base t there were 1441 rank and file. (colonel Bradford then d e livered a copy of the different regiments of re(erve, and the ftrength of each regiment.) • Q. Can you hate the efferftive ftrength of the Tos' 4rve on the Coral on the sth ? A..Th'ey amounted to above :+lo men after deduaing cafualues and the lots of carabineers on the Morning of the Oh which were shoot so men. • . • cluding given u Q . What total number of pritonitiviere . p to the enemy ? A. I believe about tOO% In 'the zoo taken at the Coral. Q z _How form aftet the different colturrosof theirmy bad marched into Buenos Ayres, did you perceive all' communication cut off by parties *Elite enemy near you ? A. Ido not know that any communication MRS cut off ; but I apprehend it would not have been . adeifable to have communicated by the centre Rivets, after the refult of the attack of the 6th and 9th dray gOons, who were obliged to retire with lots. I ap- prehend it was poffible to communicate by the Re 64lencia, and from that polt with the other divifion* in the town. Q Did it not appear to you on that day neceffary for die general and'his Staff to pulls forward with the remainder of the army at all Wks, and combine with them whatever fortunes might await them ? A. I think it would have been advifable after 12 o'clock, when the report had been received •of the failure of the centre attack, to have done fo. Q . Do you know whether any filch neeetfity ever (truck General Whitelocke, or was it ever pointed Out to him ? A. I do not know. As you were near the perfon of General Whitelocke on the nth, have yon any opinion of what induced General Whitelocke to remain flationary in the rear, feparated from his army, inflead of forcing his way to join them. to direa its future operations ? A. It is imporfible for me to fay what motives attu ated him efli —I have formed no opinion. Qilons by General WHITELOCKE. Did the 6th Dragoon Guards and 9th Dragoons, as as infantry, from their landing . at Enfenada, till the treaty was figned ? A. They did. Defcribe their arms ? A. Old carabines. Q r.. What endeavours were made by General Whaelocke in that period, or previoufly at Monte Video, to fupply them with moikets and ammuni tion ? A. Till the at rival of General Crawford, we had :so (pm arms. I do not know of any endea vour for the putpofe. On recolleition. I believe the • 9 , 11 Dragoons had mufkets ;the carabineers had eld c rrabines. Did you know, as Adjutant General, where Colonel Mahon and his divifion were on the morniog of the sth jolt'. A. I know that an order was fact to Colonel Mahon to march from ReduCtion to Point de Qnileaei.' but I did not know that order was re ceivid-till his arrival on the evening of the 6th. QWhen General Whitelocke left the Coral on the mooing of the 6th, to proceed to the Toroi. did the enemy appear in any force about the Coral ? A. I do pot recoiled feeing any force at that time about the Coral-rra (mall Rraggling force attacked the pots . after the departure of General Whitelocke, Q t.. Was any other attempt made by the enemy afterwards, doting your command at the Coral ? A. This was the only one, and they were driven back immediately. Captain llama', Aid de camp, was called in. Tie JUDGE ADVOCATE then intimated that he had gone through the whole of the evidence, which he withed to call in ; bur, that there might be every op., portunity of afcertaining any fates already hated, he, Captain Browne, was there to anfwer any queftion which the Members of the Court, or General White, Incite. might like to put. No queflinn was put to,, Captain Browne, and the Judge Advocate (haat• the he had now clofed the evidence for the profecut ion." The Juno' ADVOCATE silo hated that he did not„„ t think ii neceffary to call any evidepce as to the hate , of defence in which Monte Video tomcat the time of , the treaty concluded with General Liniers, as Gen. Whitelocke had admitted that Monte Video was well garrifoned. and not in any ttate of liege or blockade by the -enemy. General Wit sTsLocea being • then called upon to fay when he Would be ready to enter upon his defence, anfwered 0. on Monday next," and the Conn was accorilingly adjourned to that day, Wog the seth March, 1898. centre I moppAy, wpm' 14. DEFENCE.. • General Winzeincitii commenced his defence. Iftv.... fore entering upon the immediate subject' of . inquiW, he made a variety of preliminary observations, in which he first stated, the . satisfaCtion which he felt in being at length permitted to claim the att.-mien - and indulgence of the Court. He had long looked forward to this opportunity of explaining hi conduit in South America, and the causes isleichid to lftnelmi4kTdati constituted the subject Of the' iirieitilintiOW kfluei"': titre. The disappointment of his " Bing per"' rated hint W iseet a strong and general feeling cot-TOVOnding with his own, the natural and 41MOStite..; cessary attendant upon public disappointMent. - 13 tie !feeling conscious that he had zealo,uslyei&ristserivi tau perforM his duty, it was *jth surprike and inOrtifica., tion that he found opinions hi his prejutfi4tneertaine4 hi higher quarters, and thnt:catum4ies, nijinriotli to his character, had been made : tie stilkieet o(offiCial dis cession.' Anderhen the Editors kifthe disily papers,' on learning th 4 Government kid determined on an invesgation of his conduct, actuated by a Sense of • decent priqiwie4,7 l - and Co:ninon juistice, iminediately forbere 'an} *thee comments, a Subaltern "Odiccr • - . . . . ri llMMllni -