The National Register. — London, England, 1811-10-27 00:00:00

THE NI Cavalry, their steadiness and determination were conspicuous, and the Commander of the Forces observed with pleasure, the order and regularity with which they made aU their movements, and the confidence they showed in their Officers. No. V.—The Commander of the Forces has been particular in stating the detail of this action, in the General Orders; as, in his opinion, it affords a memorable example of what may be ef fected, by steadiness, discipline, and confidence.—lt is imifbssible that any troops can, at any time, bt. exposed to the attack of num bers relatively greater than those which attacked the troops un der Major-Gen. Colville and Major-Gen. Alten, on the 25th of September; and the Commander of the Forces recommends to the particular attention of the .)fficers and Soldiers of the Army, as an example to be followed in all such circumstances. No. Vl.—The Commander of the Forces consider Major• Gen. Alten and Major-Gen. Collvile, and the Officers commanding regiments under their command, respectively, viz. Lieut.-Col. Cumming, Lieut.-Col. Arenchild, Lieut.-Col. Btomhead, Ma jor Ridge, and Col. 13oulter, of the 21st Portuguese Regiment, and the Officers and Sold!ers under their command, to be en title I to his particular thanks, and he ac.s :res them that he has not failed to report his sense of their cot.cli. et in the action of the 25th of September, to tilt', , e by whom he trusts that it will be duly appreciated and recollected. (Signed) C. fiTEWAR r, Major-General and Adjt.-General. During the last Campaign in Portugal, while the French were on the Banks of the Zezere, a Portuguese Peas - lit from the nei,libourhood of Thomar, of amazing muscular strength, be came so annoyirg to them on the Banks of the Zezere, that they offered a very high reward for his head. This man was accus tomed to penetrate by night to their very encampment at Tho mar. During the month of February, he killed, with his own hand, upwards of 30 French s ildiers, and carried off at differect times near fifty horses and mules. He lived in a' cave in a retired avd unknown part of the mountains, but regte.arly brought his booty to Abrantes,where he sold it. He was a man of most de termined ferocious look, and continued his predatory warfare-as long as the enemy rein:lined in the country. The poor inhabi tants of that part uses! to flock to his habitation, with the secret of which they were acquainted, end then thought themselves in perfect security under his protection. On the evening of the Ist of March, a Portuguese boy was taken-in Abrantes with a considerable quantity of hams, sugar, • Zcc. which he had purchased, but for whom he was reluttant to declare. Ott being carried before the Gover or, and minutely interrogated, he confessed that he was servant to the Command ing Officer of the, French 66th Regiment, and that he had been sent to purchase these articles, in consequence of the army being about to retire to the North of Portugal. He also stated, that Massena was to review the troops on the South of the Zezere at Montalvo, next day, the 2d of March, and that the retreat would continence t.n the evening of the sth. The troops were cer tainly reviewed at Montalvo on the 2d, and Massena was on the ground from 12 till four o'clock—and the retreat actually com menced, as the boy had stated, on the sth of March. MILITARY HONOUR.—At the Expedition to Walcheren, 12 of the French cannons were found spiked in Fort de Batz, when John Skinner, a Grenadier, . belonging to the First Regiment of Foot Guards, applied to his Commanding Officer, Colonel Rains ford, to allow him permission to make an attempt in working the spikes out, and having made himself a tool with the assist ance of some sand, he completely accomplished his object of un spiking them.. This was considered such a meritorious act, that it was represented to the Duke of York, the Colonel of his Regi ment ; and his Royal Higbness having consulted with the Offi cers, directions were given for an elegant die to be cast for an appropriate medal, to be presented to him, which took place on Sunday the 6th inst. in the Knightsbridge Barracks. The two Companies of Grenadiers were called out who surrounded John Skinner, when Colonel Rainsford addressed him in a neat and suitable speech on his meritorious conduct, and presented him with a very elegant silver medal. On one side John Ainner is represented on a cannon, undefit is his name, presented by the , Duke of York and the Officers of the kirst Regiment of Foot Guards, for ins soldier-like conduct. On the other sideis the flo tilla bombarding Fort de Batz. Colonel Rainsford hung it on kis breast, with a silver chain at his own expence. FIVE THOUSAND POUNDS ! !—The Ticket No. 3,363, (Class C,) drawn on ruesday last a Prize of 5,9001. was sold in one Fourth, one Eighth, and ten Sixteenth Shares, with se veral other CAPITALS, at CARTHR'S, 8, Charing-cross, where ;he fortunate holders may receive their Money on Demand.— Tickets and Shares. are on sale at the above Fortunate Office for the Little Starr Lottery to be drawn 19th November next, containing two Prizes of 16,u001. and only 6,500 Tickets. ST NAUTIC. INTELLIGENCE. NAVAL COUR COUR I'S MARTIAL. On Wednesday a Court Martial was closed at Portsmouth, which had sat for some days on Captain Preston, of the Cany medei charged by the ship's company with tyranby and ov presslon ; when he was sentenced to be admonished, and to he more circumspect in his language to his ship's company for the future. On the 18th and 19th instant, a Court Martial was held on board his Majesty's ship Raisonable, in Sheerness harbour, corn posed of the following Members :—Captain Walker. President ; together with Captdins Downman, Currie, Maitland, ard Fowke; when the Court prncee led to the trial of the late act ing Lieutenant Croke. on the undermentioned charges, exhi bited against him by Captain ,tlexander his VLJesty's brig Trincnlo ; viz. for contempt upon the 99th of July, 1811 ; also for unofficer-like conduct to a centinel, while he himself was under arrest ; for making use of improper language in the gun-worn, the 15th of August, 1811 ; and being one of a corn bination against him, the said Captain Rennv. The Court hav ing very maturely and deliberattl) weighed end considered the evidence produced in supp,,rt of the charges, as well as what the prisoner had to offer in hi: defence. were of opinion, that he was guilty of the two first chari. , es alievd against him, but acquitted him of the two latter, and ad j udged him, the said 11 , 1 r. Croke, to be incapable of remotion for two years; to serve aboard such ship is the Colimander in Chief may think fit to direct, and !hat he he admonished to be more circumspect in his conduct for the future. Anew projectile of a most destructive nature has bccn lately exhibited bcfore the Lords f the Admiralty. It Is a low-priti , 4 shot, wrapped round with prcpared cotton, and in,ide vt;-y so as to appear like iarge cannon ball; on firing of whirl;, it has the u,tial utket of cannon s:tot ; but the moment it %tares from the cannon's ineuth, it presents one solid il.ass of fire, and whatever it hits, whether rigitie or hull of a ship, will imme diately take fire. 'Tuesday se'nnight four young men sailed in an open boat from Bristol, on a cruise in and about Kiugsroad, and remained at Clevedon and the adjacent places till Sunday, when they pre pared to return home; but coming by the wreck of the Rebecca, they agreed to g'> on board her, and fasten their boat by the painter (the isitiutsthis time wi,s tremendous.) They had been on the wreck bet a short time, when the violence of the wares swamped the boat, and she went to pieces; and in an instant * wave swept them away. Tsivo su , k to- rise no more! the other two, hour, excellent swimmers, buffeted the waves for nearly an isur, when they were stored by a bnat passing that way. The immense piers (or breakwater) which will render Ply mouth not only the safest, but the best harbour in the world, are about to he commenced. The stupendous rock, near thellying brid,e (seven acres in extent), has been perchased of Lord bo ringdon, and every preparation made for staking the. first masses of stone in April next. It is calculated that this stupendous un dertaking will occupy nearly six years; and cost, independent of the labour of the convicts that are to be employed un it, nearly two millions sterling. One of the piers will run out from the Mewstrme Rock, and the other troll Pollee Point, each ex tending a mile and an half into the water. The following melancholy circumstance occurred about five o'clock o.i Wednesday evening, at Deal party of marines and sailors of his Majesty's ship Egmont were on shore to attend the funeral of a marine officer be.onging to that ship, who died a few days since in the hospital ; and on returning to the ship had actually come alongside, when, dirt - igh some unaccountable accident, the boat upset, and out of 31 seamen and marines who were on board, 13 were lost. The Lieutenant of Marines who was with the party, is amongst the unfortunate sufferers. Every exertion was mile by the :e , itts of the Egmont and the Armada, to render assistance, in which they fortunately succeeded in saving many lives, as .otherwise thcmhole must have unav- iidably perished. Extract of a letter from Killala, dated the Bth instant On Friday, the.tith ult. the galliot Anna Hulk Kias Boyr, 'Vieillet tz, master, from Christiansand, laden with deals, for Killala, was drove on shore at a place cal&d Porturlin, between Killala and Broadhaven. The Captain and crew providentially saved their lives by jumping on shore on a small island , or rock. At this time the stern and quarter were stove in. The crew remained two hours on this rock ; when they were taken off he a boat, and brought to the main land. Shortly after, the C.:penn's trunk, with • II the sai ors' clothes in general, came on shore; when the country people immediately begrn to plunder. leaving the unfortunate sufferers nothing but what they had on their backs. The plunderers repaired to the wreck, and cut away ) every thing they could come at of the sails, rigging, &c. while ~:.~