The National Register. — London, England, 1809-08-27 00:00:00

AUG. 9.7. 545 AUG. Q 7. • LONDON GiZErr, SUNDAY, AU Downing-Str A Dispatch, of which the received at the Office of Visc jesty's principal Secretaries o the Earl of Chatham, K. G. August 16, 1809. MY LORD,--I have the lion that on the 13th instant, tht completed (and the frigates, l the same time taken their slat half past one p. in. from tiff which was vigorously returne battery of six twenty-four pi night, and the whole continue tle or no intermission till late morning of the 14th inst. abi ships at anchor in the Dorton Sir Richard Strachan, got um the sea line of defence, kept ul nonade on the town for.several and effect. About four in th fire of the enemy had entirely a most awful scene of destructi quarter, 1 directed Lientenan in to summons the place; Gene that he would reply to the sue a Council of War; an hoer ha pose, but a considerable time I any answer being received, h nience with the utmost vigour, one of the enemy's batteries, front of Lieutenant-General lantlycarried at the point of t THE NATIONAL REGISTER.. LONDON GiZErrE EXTRAORDINARY. SUNDAY, AUGNST, 20,1809. Downing-Street, August 10. A Dispatch, of which the following is . a copy, was this day received at the O ffi ce of Viscou k t C as tl e ieagli, one of his Ala jesty's principal Secretaries of State, from Lieutenant General the Earl of Chatham, K. G. dated head-quarters, Middleburg, August 16, 1809. _ Headivarters, Middleburg, August 16. MY LORD,--•-I have the honour of acquainting your Lordship. that on the 13th instant, the batteries before Flushing being completed (and the frigates, homhs, and gun-vessels, basins. at the same time taken their stations), a tire was opened at abo u t half past one p. m. from tifty-two pieces of heavy ordnance, which was vigorously returned by the enemy. An additional battery of six twenty-four pounders was completed the same night, and the whole continued to play upon the town with lit tle or no intermission till late on the following date. On the morning of the 14th inst. about ten o'clock, timeline of battle ships at anchor in the Durloo, Passage, led by Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Strachan, got under weigh, and ranging up along the sea line of defence, kept up as they passed a tremendous can nonade on the town for.several hours with the greatest gallantry and erect. About four in the afternoon, perceiving that the fire of the enemy had entirely ceased, and the town presenting a most awful scene of destruction, being on fire in almost every quarter, I directed Lieutenant-General Sir Lyre Coote to send in to summons the place; General Monnet returned for answer, that he would reply to the summons as soon as he had consulted a Council of War; an hour had been allowed him for the pur pose, but a considerable time beyond it having elapsed without any answer being received, hostilities were ordered to recom mence with the utmost vigour, and about eleven o'clock at night, one of the enemy's batteries, advanced upon the Sea Dyke in front of Lieutenant-General Fraser's position, was most gal lantly carried at the point of the bayonet, by detachments from the 3Gth, i Ist, and light battalions of the King's German Le gion, under Lieut.-Colonel Pack, opposed to ;Treat superiority of numbers; they took forty prisoners, and killed and a outfeed a great many of the enemy. " I must not omit to ssention, that, on the preceding even ing, an intrenchment in front of Major-General Graham's position was also forced in a manner equally undaunted, by the 14th regiment, and detachments of the King's German Legion, under Lieut.-Colonel Nicolls, who drove the enemy from it, and made a lodgment within musket-shot of the walls of the town, taking one gun and thirty prisoners. About two in the morning, the enemy demanded a suspension of arms for forty-eight hours, which was refused, and only two hours granted, when he agreed to surrender according to the summons sent in, on the basis of the Garrison becoming Prisoners of War. I have now the satisfac tion of acquainting your Lordship, that these preliminaries being acceded to ; soon as the Admiral landed i n th e morning, Col .' Long, Adjutant-General, and Captain Cockburn, of time Royal Navy, were appointed to negociate the further articles of capi tulation, which I have now the honour to inclose. They ((ere ratified about three this morning, when detachments of the Royals on the right, and of his Majesty's 71st regiment on the left, took possession of the rates of the town. The garrison will march out to-morrow, and will be embarked as speedily as possible. I may now congratulate your Lordship on the fall of a place so indispensibly necessary to tor future operations, s so large a proportion of our force being required. to carry on the siege with that degree of vigour and dispatch which the means of defence the enemy possessed, and particularly his powers of inundation, which was rapidly spreading to an alarming extent, rendered absolutely necessary. Having hoped, had circumstances per mitted, to have proceceded up the river at an earlier period, I had committed to Lieutenant-General Sir Lyre Conte the direc tion of the details of the siege, and of time operations before Flushing, and I cannot sufficiently express my sense of the un remitting zeal and exertion isasith which he has conducted the arduous service entrusted to him, in which he was ably assisted by Lieut.sCols. Walsh owl Offerey attached to him, as assistants in the Adjutilit and Quarter. laster-Generars department. 1 have every reason to he satisfied with theiudicious manner in which the General Officers have dire( ted the several operations 4s well as with the spirit and intelligence na :ni fasted by the Commanding Officers of corps, and the zeal and ardour of all ranks of (deers. It is with great pleasure I can report the uniform good conduct of the troops, who have nut o n ly on all OteaSiUUS StlelVl4 the gavot intrepic.ity iu proence of the eaeuiy, but have sustained, with great plensare and cheerfulnrss, the laborious duties they have have had to perform. The artiseatad .persevering exertions of the Royal Engineers have been con ducted with much ',kill and judgment by Colonel Fyers, aided by Lieutenant-Colonel D'Arcey, and it is impossible for iine to do sufficient justice to the distinguished conduct of the officers and men of the Royal Artillery, under the able direction and animating example of Brigadier-Ceneral The seamen, who,ze labours had already been so useful to the army, sought their reward in a further opportunity of distir. guisin.• themselves, and one of the batteries wa s a c c or di ng l y entrusted to them, and which they served with admirable vitmur tnd effect. I must here beg to express my strong sense of the constant and cordial co-operation of the navy on all occasions. ;tnd nay warmest acknowledgments are most particularly due to Capt. Cockburn of the Delleisle, commanding the flotilla, and to Capt. Richardson of the Ctesar, commanding the brigade of seamen landed with the army. I have the honour to enclose a return of the garrison of Flushing, in addition to whi h I ha e learned, that besides the number killed, which was ron3iden We, upwards of one thousand wounded men were transported to la.t sand, previous to the complete investment of the town, 1 al• o subjoiti a statement of de,erters and prisoners, exclusive of the garrison of Flushing. This dispatch will be dills ered to your Lordship by my first Aid-de-Camp, Major radford, who is fully qualified to give your Lor.iship every further information. and whom I be lease earnestly to recommeutt to Lis Majesty's protectiou.-1 have the Inotour to he, &c. (Signed) CIIATUAM. ARTICLES OF CANTUIATION. Art. T. The garrison of Flushing shall he prisoners of irar, and shall march out of the place with all the tiling rs of war . ; hey shall deposit their arms on the Qaay of the Water Gate ; they shall return to France on their parole. and shall not for vne year bear a , ats against his Ilrittanic Niaje ty, or the Allies w hum he may have at t he time of capitulation. Answer.—The garrison of Flushing will be pc: milled to march out of the toon w ith the honours of war required, and they ss ill lay down their arms on the glacis, but must be con: dead as prisoners of war, and sent as such to England. The officers of marine will share the fate of the rest of tho Garrison. Art. IJ. General and staff officers, officers of the marine and of the corps composing the garri,on, shall keep their arms, their homes, and all the property w hid, belongs to them. The non commissioned officers, soldiers, seamen, and officers' servants shall keep their hay resacks. Answer.—Granted. Art. M. The sick and wounded capable of being sent nut shall be forwarded to France, the yenta ining sick shall be left to the care and hmanity of the General commanding the troops of his Britanni:! Majesty, a2d sent In the French dominions as soon as their condition will permit; there shall be left a sufficient number of medical attendants for the care of the sick ; the medical attendants shall receive the same allowances as those of his Britannic Alajesty. • A uswer,—The sick and wounded tnu;t he consieered as pri soners of war. Such as are in a state to be retnoled he embarked with the garrison; the rest ts ill remain under the ca.e of the trench physicians and surgeons until sufficiently recovered to admit of their lig..ing removed. The physicians and surgeons will receive the allowance usually granted to prisoners of war of their rank and desct ip- Oen, together with such further remuneration for their attend ance on the sick ac the General commanding the British army may be pleased In grant. Art. iV. The non combatants, such ;IS the sub-inspector, the commissary at war, the medical attendants, the heads of the dif ferent administrative departments, shall not he considered pi i soners of war ; they shall be at liberty to dispose of their ef fects, their private and personal property, and to carry it to France, as well as all documents relative to their accounts, in order to justify their conduct to the French Government. This arrangement is applicable to the commissaries and civil office's of the marine, to the officers of the customs and duties, as well to the paymasters of the army and navy, Answer.—The officers and others mcniioned in this nt tsitle, all attendants on the French army, and in short Frenchmen of every description, tint inhabitants o' Flushing previous to sh e year 1807. will be sent to England, and hereafter treated accord ing to suck arrangement as 111,1 y take place between the two vernments respecting non-combatantc ; their private and pc -nav al property shall be rcspec tett, and perathsiou wl/ ,be giveu