Star. — London, England, 1808-01-28 00:00:00

ths; drrtaxc from England, were extremely valua ble. Cle faii he did n-t "care, for they mutt be el-are:: away—he alfn laid, that the dragoon hircfelf me , 'ye lightened. I of cootie remonfirated very ftrongly, but die fuhieli did not come to a conclu li,a titat• day, except that he perfevered in his opi ui.,n. Neat morning I waited upon him again, at his own haute—after having had much converfation with Colonel Mahon and Colonel Lloyd, the com manding offictrs wf thefe two regiments. who told me it would be thel total ruin and dellrotElion of their regiments; and that if any man 101 l any thing, there could be no means of replacing it ; and that the troops of entitle Aid not come nut from England with fiddles, and other appointment,, unlefs the fervice had required it. I laid that they Otould be petfonally refponlible, as the Colonels of the Regiments, f o r the deilitteiion this would occafion. When I law Generti Gower I repeated my objeflions in the lironga way I could, (lasing, that the honks wete wild, and-continually hi caking their accoutrements, befides the common wear and tear which the wetnefs oldie feafon would occafion. I cr ncluded by giv ing it as my opinion, that although the cavalry were well mounted, and well provided with corn, they would Coon be utelefs, from the want of common appointments. The MAint General grew exceeding. ly warm nn the fubje&, and laid Then are we at Hite.' I anfwered, By no means at Mite, Sir ; I am too old a loldier to difobey an order ; but I think it my duty to make this remon(lrance, as I may have to antwet for it hereafter.' He replied That is what we with—we with to do it through you— otherwife we mull do it ()natives.' I ventured to rem 'nitrate. hecaufe, in my opinion, it was againft the King's order!. I Paid, I would appeal to Gene tat Whitelocke. General Gower anfwered . . • , • The re;t. L fon I have timed all this is, becaufe I cannot pro duce any written order for dearoying the fibres; and when I was called upon by the Colonels of the Regiments frr a written order, I could not glee thent any, but I fain I would try. I never did ob tain any, but was referred to the General Order of the 3d of June, to keen the baggage of the army After this I went up to head quarters as ufual to re. crier totters, if there wete any. Major General Gower had been in converfation for Tome time with General Whitelocke, and the latter called roe up to fpeak with him. He confirmed the opinion ot Gene ral Gower, and desired his infiruCtions to be put into ere& He fail 'I am furry (or any difputes at this moment—you mull know it is very aokward to have ft much beggatee following the army ' He then NJ, that it was impoilisle for - him to be the (lore keeper. I then found the order mull be obeyed. This orrice was ' The baggage mutt be either fold, &arrayed, er fent to England—let it be done.' It was verbal. I applied for a written order, for my jollification, and I was referred to the General Order of the 31, as tieing fufficient. I accordingly gave direetions to the Commanding Officer of the two c trps, and the following motning I reported to Ge ncral Gower that the whe le of the baggage of the 9rll light dragoons would be matte away with by t t o'clock next day ; and, with refired to the 17th, the fame weuld lae done as faun as Lieutenant Coked Lloyd could bting a fufficient number of men again on (bore to cheat away the notes. I with it to le underfload, that this ceder applied to elm) , thing the' clot not belong to the ell - alive men. On the tth of June a cenverfation took place with relpeet tr tranfporting the cavalry to the South fide of the river. The ne gibers that were Rated by the (tar ter Matter Gtro.ral that would be embarked, were f ur on beerd the hell (hips that could he procured— the men being Rowed away In as to accommodate the h ales—three merits corn, and what cut grafs could be procured was alio put on board. The dragoons and the honk artillery were first embarked, and the difirounted dragoons next, who were ordered to take all their froth appointments with them. The number of dragoon horfes aflually embarked was 187, irolnding officers and fervants tonics. Many of them were excellent horfes, and likely to turn nut well, after being properly fed for fame time. The horfes of the Banditti who oppofed us were a lway s grazed, and therefore lets able to bear fatigue. At the period of the arrival of General Crawford in the Plata, the brigades were arranged, being the I "th• I was continued in the cavalry brigade, and I lent up orders to the Commanding Officer at Co 'lonia, Rating that he would prebaby be permitted to embark (note hurter, and fent Lim written intlruc tions how to proceed in feeding them, and on oiler neceffet y points ; Lieutenant Colonel Burke, the Quarter Matter General, having proroifed that f. me bodes (bould be embar ked at Colonia if poffible.— Upon the 18 h the brigades were finally arranged, and I had nothing farther to do with the mounted drageons—at leall they never were in front of the division with which I landed at Ettfenada Barra= gun, except ab Alt twelve as efcart or orderlies to Ma k). General Gower, and one or two with General Crawford and niyfclf. Lieutenant Colonel Lloyd will be able to Rate the refl. My brigade conlitted of the difmounted part of the 17th dragoons, and the 36111 and 9 3,h regiments of foot. I embarked on the loth, and the whole fleet re-afrembled off Enfe nada on the 26th of June. An order was ;tilted to pat the fpirits on board into the fmallett calks 'that could be found. On the 27th the final arrangements were made for landing, and on the 28th the troops landed abort t WO miles from the village of Barragon. The troops had been ordered to cook, and land with three days provision, which was done. On the 28th, in the evening, I was directed to advance with my brigade to the fartheß houfes in the village of Barra gon, and the troops were quartered in the houfes as well as they could. The Qgarter Matter General aflittrd in dividicg die quarters between the three brigades. The ground at the landing place, and round the village, was very low and fwarnpy ; two piquets we.e therefore fent out for the advanced polls, and Major General Gower's corps lay before els. We were ordered to march et nine the next 'morning, on the 29th. We did march, my brigade leading the column, and about one half of the rifle corps in our front, and fume few cavalry. [The tea of Brigadier General Lumley's evidence this day confined of a narrative of the proceedings of the army up to the atti, -- which was a repetition of that already detailed in the evidence of General Gower and General Crawford.] TENTH DAY. Almon the wh , le of this day was . ncenpied in reading 9ver Genet al Lurnley's evidence of yeiterday, to which he wade Come immaterial additions and exrlattatino3. Atter a conftderable degree of difinfUln among the Mentheis of the Court, an expleflion ufed by Ntaj r G neral Gower, when he gave the orders to dean)) , the cavalry appointments, was ordeted to be erafed from the proceedings. Colonel Ll-yd, whoft. name was menti-ned by General Lumley as c9-mmanding the cavalry, was then called. His evidetice merely went to confirm that part of General Lumley's refpaling the orders to dellroy the higgage of the drapont, and (fated the number of :ma and hot fes cmbatked at bknte Video. ELEVENTH DAY. Brigadier General Sir SAMUEL AUCHMUTY Called in and fworn. He was then requefted to detail the operations ofl the army from the moment he came tinder General Whitelocke'a command, up to the evening of the 4th of July. " General Whitelocke landed at Monte Video an expeaedly on the night of the toth of May, and next morning lie requefted that I would confult with General Gower on all matters relative to the expe dition. Before 1 could communicate with General Gower, he had already - an - timed the command of the troops, and dried orders from that day until we wr:e brigaded to go to the attack of Buenos Ayres. I had I no command or interference with the troops at head quarters except twice, when the men were un-1 der arms, and I was reqttelied to take the command of the infantry. A few days after Genera White locke's arrival, I was tequelled by him to accompany General Gower and examine all the ( hips in the bar 1 hour, and to feleCt thole which appeared fit for the navigation of the river. With thefe exceptions, to the belt of my tecolleClion, I was not confulted on any arrangements or equipments for taking the field. In civil mattets, and arrangements relpeCling the out polls of the army, 1 was at &ft frequently confulted. I was privy to many converfations at bead quarters., refpating the praClicability of carrying on operations at that advanced feafon of the year, as well as the molt advifable places for the army to land—a landing abrive the town, it was evident, would be attended with fewelt difficulties ; but it was doubtful if the channel would permit us to approach. The Milian' (batter Mallet General had been Oil. patched previous to General Whitelocke's arrival, with proper naval officers to examine the banks of the river ; and on his return the Deputy (tarter Mailer General was alto fent up, and I rinderlined from his report it was nearly impratlicalde to land above the town. I was alfo prefent at the examina tion of many perfuns who kne ry the county y below the town.. From what I could collect, it was very difficult, but not impraClicable, to 'pals the morals between the landing and the heights at any feafon, and the General allured me that he could without difii culty throw a bridge over the Chuelln. From this I concluded that he meant to land below the town, but I was not privy to his final determination.— When the troops under General Crawford arrived, I intimated to the General that I conceived that a mild but firm letter to the Governor of Buenos Ayres might be attended with good conlequences, and I offered to carry it myfelf. The General approved of the idea, and requelled me to draw up one. He afterwards Paid he approved of my letter, but thought it advifable to delay any lummons until he appeared (aefore the town. I was unacquainted with any fur ther Ileps taken to induce the enemy by negociation, to frurender the town. On the 17th of June I em barked for Colonial, With the troops lately arrived from the Cape. I was to take the command there until the remainder of the unfits came up, but I had no pa:ticstlar inlituflinns relpeeling that poll. I having had a long pillage, General Gower arrived there the fame, day, and when I waited on him the next morning; the 2 5 111 4 June, he was difmantling the works, intending to evacuate the place. This was effefted the next day, and the garrifon failed to join the others. The Admiral came to an anchor that afternoon off Enfenada Barragon. and orders were the fame evening iffued for the light brigade and mine to land next morning Many of the !hips with my btigade on board had not yet joined, nor. was it inalible to notify to them all the orders I had re. 1 ceived in time to 1 repare provifions. As the day was rainy, they did not dilembark till the 28:11.- I 'llse troops landed with three days provilions ready II dr elf.A. My brigade confined of the sth, 38th, and li 87th regiments, heing about 2000 men. The two II latter, inured to the climate and the fervice, in bia,h ;) order, and with every neceffsry equipment for the 1I field, except that, equally with the telt of the army, !, they landed without camp equipage or camp kettles. ;I The sth regiment had jult arrived with General I Crawlend its high order and equipment. A Itrong !I brigade of artillery was to have been attached to me,,11 but it never joined. Immediately on landing, the . 1 3nth and 87th were detached from me, and I was I ; left with tne sth at the battery near the landing place. Nn oppolition was made to the landing, nor did I fee any of the enemy. Thenext morning, the 29th, I marched with the General and the mein body of the army to the heights, about five miles off through a flat country, and a great part of it under , I water, places two and three feet deep, and interfeCled with very deep fwamps. This march took us the ; greaten , part of the day, and the troops were much ', fatigued. I The principal country houfe where we halted I was not abandoned, but what information the Ge neral gained there Ido not know. A few of the enemy's houfe reconnoitred us in this pofition : the 38th and 87th were left here, and again joined us.— 't'he line was ordered to march at nine o'clock on the 3oth, but as Reduainn was two long marches frnm us, and the men had but one day's provifion in their knapfacks, if any thing had remained after the feve rity of the march, frecoently up to their middles in water—l obferved to the General that I was more arprehenfive of want of provifions than of the ene-i my ; and. afterwards, upon his exprefling fume dif appointment about the commiffariar, and remarking that he found he mull be a Commiffary as well as a , General, I took the liberty of laying, that if a General did not attend Isimfelf to the fiipply of his troops, they would often want provifions. Pre. yions to our marching this day, a flock of Cheep had been dircovered and brought into ou r c am p ; but it was fo late before it could be fecured, that though the Gene, al delayed the march for the gturpofe, few o f t he men had taken more than one day's confimp tion of meat, and many not fn much. They carried it uncooked, and tome bircuit , not equal to a da y 's comfumption, was iffued on the march. My brigade came to their ground at Roderigo's Insole, a little before fun let that day. I was fent between three and four miles in advance with the Caralinteers of the gib dragoons, difmeunted, the 45th, and part of the 95th regiment. We arrived upon our ground at defk. The march this day and the next, was in general i upon riling ground with a fine turf, nterfeeed every two or three miles with fwamps and creeks, fume of all of them deep for the them s ve t r o y d w iffi ad e e ra t t h t r o ni p ig afs; h, and we were never dry during the march. Many horfemen made their ap pearance this day, and at night there was tome firing at my picquets. The next day being the rlt of July, my diva . ' in was under arms at day break, waiting for the rear. They arrived at eight o'clock, though , they were to have joined we much former, and we again marched. I had veiled the General to let me in irch without waiting for them, as the march was long, and I conceived that both divifions w o uld move with more facility, and come footer to their ground at night when feparated. This the General would not permit, observing. he willed the troops to .march with regularity. The march this and the preceding day,liad been much impeded by fr es cprent halts, and we arrived at Itedualion by stalk!' M o lt of the troops had meat iffued to them in the courfe of the evening. We law many of the enemy's hutle in the courfe of the day ; but the few honks we-paffed by, as well as the village of Redutlion, were abandoned. Pat ties were ordered to Qllilmes to bring t p provilions, far the communication with the navy was now reltored, and butchers were fent early in the morning to prep%re the meat for the men. On returning from reconnoitring next evening, being the ad, I waited on the General, and txpreffed my hopes that he world ren the traops at kali that day, as they were neatle exhaufled ; and the advan ced corps, from the numbers of it left at Reduetion, appeared Hill more fatigued. The General replied, that would depend upon a letter from General Gower, and forth after I was ordered to beat to arms, and leave the meat then ready to be cot in pieces on the ground. I again noticed to the Cc neral that the troops were without provifions. Hi• reply was Don't you fee it is going ter rain ?" As the troops did not march irrorfediately, I lira hoped they could take fume of the meat from their haverfacks, but they were prevented from removirg, it by the General's orders. We were ordered to march from our right by the great road leading to the advanced corps, but immediately before we moved, I was informed that the route was changed, and we marched from r ur left about ten o'clock.— ['he fir It part of the march was good, but we after wards got into low frvampy t r and, very difficult to pafs, arid the met had to wade a long way in the water. Between two ma! three o'clock, iemediately slier leaving the fwamp, the General fent for me to the front, and trilled my opinion al-out preceeding? He obferved, that his guide had dectived him ; that the ford of the Chnello was Ilia-many miles eff— that there was no chance of reaching it before dark —that he had fecured cattle for the troops, and where he then was, theta was a firfficiency of fire wood to cook the meat.. Form this Ilatement, and knowing that the troops were cr rnpletely &leaned, I was decidedly of opinion that we fhould halt here I mutt here obfei ye it was near three o'clock, and the day doled at five. Plerity of meat, and half a I day's bread was iffued to the troops. They were re titer difcnntented this evening, ant at my fuggenion an ria',er was ilLed by the General, encouraging them to do their duty cheerfully. In the evening' we heard the firing of the advanced corps, and the General appeared to me extremely uneafy at the a:nation he was placed in. He afked me if I thought General Gower was flrong enough to refill the enemy ? I anfwered, that unlefs he advanced into the town, I was perfuaded there could be no danger whatever numbers might oppofe them. He ap peered fatirfied with this remark, and faid he- had In high an opinion of General Gower, he thought he would not attempt the town without our coming up. We marched again an hour before day light on the morning of the 3.1. The country we pallid through was low, and at times fwampy. A little more lain would have rendered it impalfable, for it had rained doting the nieho About noon we came to a ford over the Clitiello, but did not pal, it. We paffed the fecund we came to—the fold was not row, but deep : in one place it Was near fiye feet. Not long after, about two or three o'clock, we commu nicated with General Gower. My brigade was or dered to take up a polition with my right, join ing General Lttmley's left, and extending towards the Recollettas. On approaching it I found Gene ral Lunacy's brigade had retired, and the enemy's light troops had advanced to it. I formed my bri gade in the rear of the polition, and rccannoitred it, and when the troops on my right were prepared to regain their pofition, I advanced and occupied ir Some of the enemy's fhot reached the line as we were advancing. As loon as the brigade was formed it was dark, and the rain fell itt torrents—the men were fheltered in houfes, and received an allowance of bifcuit, and flume liquor : there was much fi:ing during the night at the outpofli,:v.hich I endeat oared to prevera, as from the reports I had reafon to be lieve few or none of the enemy approached. I here (peak of my own brigade. Early the next morning I found the enemy had got round my left flank, and were in confider able numbers on my rear. I removed the left wing of the 38th, and the Rifle Corps, to the rear, and after tome firing the enemy retired. It was now near to o'clock e o n r el a dragoon informed m e t h e G enera l was wa i t i ng t me at head quarters. On my arr i va l, t h e G ene ral Informed the that the principal Officers of the . army . liad been waiting fo r m e a b out two h ours . O n mvefttgatlon, it appeared that General Gower's .aidoele canfp had been fent to me at day light, but had been taken prifoner on the way. I found the General and Field Officers in poffeflion of a plan of attack, which was to be carried into execution at to 'o'clock. It was explained to me by Colonel Burke, who had alfo the plan of the town before him. I o b b ng4 fearvee were totally dtotheGeneral that the Regiments of my ignorant of the intended attack, and T apprehended li t g h t e a re iition w te : let tl ih i na d atc:nfin,:itiwndglibidella,m,etil communicate it ro them, and mak e t h e ‘. atrangements for carrying it into et „ I alfo üblerved, having previeufly eonve44 " tome of the principal officers, my opinion, an improper time to m rc h eh ; fireets of a populous city, and I conceived v nenetrate farther without fcrious l. f t , if , L e n w e a r s ai d m efe en rr t e i( d m t e o d d li a i y , propolition to Gentili uit t h e room he':.; inevionfly cleare d of A ll 1 cept the Get..;:als and en Gower acquiefced in the propriety o f 6 LN ferred till day light near m:rning. Anna—, copying f. -r me the grneral ord er , f„, e i l Tet hut General Gower nbfer we! there v. as an in them, and he woilld fend me a cnned „. " " an hour. 1 received it in the (condi of t h e 62 I kit bead Travers with rbe l)eputy q t.t , tlee — ' General, who was to point out to m e t h eL l !, (he iiteets through which my columns treret " en next mot using i but intelligence having been 4 that the cntrny were coming nut of the to-wat t( I repaired to my brigade, and fo in after tud, to retire to the rear, in hope , nt eaticine, th ee to advance : we remained under arms the pi part of the day, and when the brigade L eto their ground, the Derry Q . !narter Matt er c l pointed out tu me the principal , greet,, thrcto, 1 the columns we - e to perwrate. I then explained to the Feld Officersthee 9 their columns, and gave diretlion s f• I th properly placed in time the tsar m „ min us defiled them to fearch for the tcol, th e h i d, ntdered. By this time it was dark, and d+wing the night, it v. a! r epnrrtdtum,theot had been made ti obtain the tool. without 6, I obtained a few, however, from the houle<l cupii!ti." [H ere the wand's bowed, ar.d he had kill his narrative.] Examined by the Junce Anwr irr . Q. Slate to the Court w 1 .at i n fi rrr , t i ntira, ceivecl by Genera/ Whitelocke '.f the Otero, and movements of the enemy, upon the Ce, t , an ival a t Monte Vide:‘, and previous to the the attack of Buenos At res. A. In my c cation., with the General, irome,satel; 401 4 ival, I acquainted him that the inhabitants inimical to us, I c , uld gain little inionna t i N • Buenos Ayres, and that little was not lobed on. That General Brit s.ord had better informati n than it was in my rwer to obi* fie h a d infOrmed me the number of reran the enemy pori - eti - ;:d were f:vr, and their Genet nn means a man of abilities—that they !tads is body of rr.en iu aim., and A veil' powesfultra arti!lery. I nits unacquair t,sd with their incrii or plans for the defen ce of the town, norml quninted with any particular infornsationtliagn afterwards obtained. Q Having Rated, that upon the arrival piC a ra t c iaw f ur d, y ou prr p• fed to fend a mildbeti fommons to :! e Governor ; have/rail" copy of the letter you drew upon that occafil? Nn. I d ef.i toyed it, but I dare fay the Genual'il cretaty has got it. CL 1) you know whether all the tinter aaJk were brought au ay fr: , m Culonii, and if w i t! number was left ? A. I am totally anarquaiii with what was done at Coloria, excepttharthei nance was thrown into the river, and the coated. Do Cbt Can i tiif ; he moi of I lA* ends it is S' C• Did _ WI ' rhg )r Corp r at RI sr rem D. D" over, 1 I do W ad 1 ternoni the 3c O. 0 lie on guid and 1 Q . IV ppiize they I St FT 4.1 1) toad , th oad Q. I u um whal To iave tneill ettit hiel .Q O. Why was Colonia Foil clinfen as the ren:ezvous, arid then abandoned ? A. I know. :he ii If ti If th , itlArl Q 2 _ Would not the polleflion of Colonia Inn . a commanling influence on the left bank of titf of gtest importance to any operations oft& after the Innender of Buenos Ayres ? A. was the only fortified putt on the left bra river above Monte Vide r. and confeganall always have been a place of importance. Q . _ Can you tell why the flrong brigaded ler y promifed to be attached to your brigade, joined you ? A. I know not the Generarstafoor leaving it in the rear, but from the rapidity; march, and the badnefs of the roads, it was pollible it could join us. O What artillery had you there ? A.llad with my brigade. Can you tell how it happened that tie body of the army was in want of bread aad . fo early as the z9th ? A. The dlfEcultyof . fpirits acrofs the fwamp fulliciently accountr I have already given in evidence that tbe .. marched on th e zgth, with three dayspry and I apprehend that molt of the bilcuit mat been deltroyed, when the troops waded then the zBth and 29th• Q . ... What became of the quantity of , landed at Enfenada for the ute of the army! cann-t. tell. . (,),._ Is the Court to underftand, that frat to the evening of the ad there was no near (inns from the Commilfariat ? A. What we, Rednelion was from the country itfal bel l tatted from the Commitfariar.. Q . _ Can you (late what qnamity was ifeell the march from Enienzda to Redudlion? A. Brigade received liquor either on the 29th et hut at no other time. 0..... If there had been more mounted C (Cour the coun!ty, would there not have beat ample fupply of pt ovifions for the army? A., certainly, with the aflitlance of the nati9el s country, who alone could catch the cattle. Q Was there any, and what nurntver d I men accompanying the army for this pare [bete were time Laffoemen, but I do 04 whether.they were attached to the main boll the advance of the army. Do you know of any orders gi ven t ° ! Q cautions taken by General Wititelockeonn: jt a ? A. An order was itfued on the 28th 01 1: hi-bidet:l% the troops, on any account, tow! vifions themfelves, without paying for thelnj: rangeneents had been made with the Cursor fupplying the troops in the field. Q Would there have been any difficakl i • coring fuch a fupply• from the fleet as the quired, by the fame means of contmunica tioP 1 obtained from point Zttilmes, while PA th e A. Pravifions might cert tins y have b!en • I but not without difficulty, as they molt ha _ i . I brouLlit over a morals about two runes bro 7 vet' ,Tre r (111 kw] Q.