The National Register. — London, England, 1811-06-09 00:00:00

The four guns of "the horse 'Artillery commanded 1 L'Estrange, did great execution on the eneiny't cavalry, ale 'brigade of Spanish artillery (the only - one In the ile.d) I. saw equally gallantly and well served: we lost in the misfortune which occured to.the brigade commanded by Lteutenant•Colos nel Colborne, (whom General Stewart reports to have acted, and was then acting in a must noble manner, leading on the bri gade in admirable order) one Howitzer, which the enemy, be fore the arrival of the gallant General Houghton's brigade, had time to carry off, with Avo hundred or three hundred prisoners, of that Brigade. After he had been beaten from this, his prin cipal attack, he still continued that near the village, on which he never could make any impression or cross the rivulet, though I had been obliged to bripg a very great proportion of the troops from it, to support the principal point of attack; but the ene my, seeing his main attack defeated, relaxed in his attempt there also. The Portuguese dvision of Major-General Hamilton, in every instance evinced the utmost steadiness and courage, and suanceuvred equally well with the British: Briga ter-General Harvey's Portuguese brigade, belonging to Grn.ral Cole's division, had an opportunity of distinguishing itself when Marching in line across. the plain, by. repulsing with the utmost steadiness a charge of the enemy's cavalry. it is impossible to enumerate every instance of discipline and valour shown on this severely contested day. But never were srpope th t more valiantly or gloriously maintained the honour ortheir respectis e countries. I have not been able to particu larize the S, anish divisions, brigade.; or reaiments, that were particularly engaged, because I am not acquainted with their denominations or names; but I have great pleasure in saying that their behaviour was most gallant and honourable; and though, from the superior number and weight of the enemy's force, that part of them that were in the position attacked were obliged to cede the ground, it was after a gallant resistance, and the; ,continued . in. good order to support their allies; and I doubt dot, rriS Eict Ileitcy General Blake will do ample justice on this heal, by inakinglionourable mention of the deserving. The battle commenced at nide o'clock, and continued with nut interruption till two is the Afternooon,, when the enemy having-been driven over the Albetera . for the remainder of the day there was but cannonading and skirmishing. It is impossible, by any description, t 6 do justice to the dis tinguished gallantry of the troops, buf every individual most nobly did his duty, and which will be Well proved by the great low we -have suffered, though repulsing the enemy; and it was observed, that our dead. particularly the 57th regiment, were lying, as they had fought, in ranks, and every wountnwas in the front. The Honourable Major-General Williant Stewart most par ticularly distinguished himself, and conduced much to the ho nour of the day; he received two contusions, but would no quit the field. Major-General the Honourable G. L." Cole is air entitled to every praise; and I have to regret being de prived, for some time, of his services, by the wound he has re ceived. - The Honourable Lieutenant-General Abercrombie, commanding the 2d brigade, 2d division, and Major L'Estrange, 31st regiMent, deserve to be particularly mentioned; and . no thing could exceed the conduct and . gailarittr-of Colonel Inglis, at the head of his regiment. To the Honourable Major-Gene ral William Lumley, for the very able manner in winch he op posed the nun: erous cavalry of the enemy, and toiled him in his object, I am particularly indebted. To Nlajor-General Hamilton, who commanded on the left, during the severe attack upon our right, I am also much indebted; and the Pbrtueuese, brigade of Brig.-Generals Fonseca and Archibald Campbell,' deserve to be mewl - wed. To Major-General Altos. and to the excellent brigade under his orders, I haye much praise to give; and it is with great pleasure L assure yotir Lordship that the good and gallant conduct of every Corps, and of every person WAS in proportion to the opportunity that offered . fur distin guishing themselves. I know not an individual who did not do his duty. I have, I fear, to regret the loss to the service of Colonel Collins, commanding a Portuguese brigade, his leg haying been carried - off by a cannon shot. He is an officer of great merit; and I deeply lament the death of Major-General Houghton and of those two promising officers, Lieutenant-Win Del Sir William Myers and Lieutenant-Colonel Duckworth. . It is most pleasing to me to inform your Lordship, not only of the steady and gallant conduct of our allies, the Spanish troops, under hi.; Excellency General Blake, but alsd to assure you that the most perfect harmony has subsisted between us, and that General Blake not only confcrmed in all things to the general line proposed by your Lordship, but in the details and whatever I suggested co his Excellency, I received time most immediate and *orchid assent and CO-1 peration ; and nothing was omitted no his part to ensure the success of our united efforts; and during the battle, he most essentially, by his experience, knowledge, anti zeal, contributed to its fortunate result.. His Excelt ncy the Captain-General Castanos, who had united the few troops he had in a state to be brought into the field, to placed them - under his orders, as. person in and not only on this, but on all oc casions, I am much indebted to General Castanoi, who is ever beibret.and in giving whatever can be beneficial to the success of the common cause. Though I unfortunately cannot point out the corps, or many of the individuals of the Spanish troops, that distinguished themselves, yet I will not omit to mention •he names 'of Gene- Ballasteros, whose gallantry was most conspicuous, as of the corps he hid under his command ; ar:d the same of Generals Ziyas and of -Don Carlos D'Espagne. The Spanish cavalry have behaved extremely well, and the Count de Penne Villaniur Is particularly desei ving to be mentioned. I annex the return of our loss in this hard contested day : it Is verysevere, and in addition to it is that of Gen. Blake's troops, who are Wed, missing, and wounded, but of which I have not the return. The loss of the enemy, : though I cannot know what it is, must be still more severe. H has left on the Reid of battle about two thousand dead, and we have taken from nine hun dred to one thousand prisoners. He has had five Generals killed and wounded ; cf the former Generals of Division Werle and Pesim ; and Gazan and two others amongst the I...tter. His force was much more considerable than we had been inform , :d of, as I do not think he displayed , less than . from twenty to wenty-two thousand infantry, and he certainly had four thou• sand cavalry, with a numerous and heavy artillery. His over bearinng cavalry cramped and confined all our operations, and wi h his artilery saved hi • infantry, after its rout. He retired after the battle to the ground he had been previ ously on, but occupying it in position ; and on this motting or rather during the night, commenced his retreat on the road he came, towards Seville, and has abandoned Badajoz to .ts fate He let a 'masher of his wound , .d on the ground he had re tired to. and to which we arc adm•nistering what assistance-we. cart. I haVe sent our cavalry to follow the enemy, hut in that arm he is ton powerful for us to attempt any thing against hint in the plains h , . is traversing. Thus we have reaped :lie advantage we proposed from our opposition to the attempts of the enemy; and whilst he has been forced to abandon the object for avhleli he has almost stripped Andalusia of troops, instead of having - accomplished the haughty boasts with which Mat•shal Souk harangued his troops on leaving Seville, be returns there with a curtailed army, and what perhaps may be still inure hurtful to Imp, with a di• mini sed reputation. In enumerating the t serrices received from the offfi-ers of my own' staff, I must particularly call your Lordship's attend- at to those of Brigadier-General trikbaii, garter-master. General to the Portuguese army ;.and which I cannot sufficiently praise, though I can appreciat4. On all occasions I have telt.the bene. fits of his talents and- services, and more particularly on 'this, where they very essentially contributed to the success of the day; and. I cannot here omit the name of Lieutenant-Colonel Hardinge, Deputy Quarter-masser General to the Portuguese troops, whose talent ;lad exertions deserve my tnai:ks. l'o gadier-General Mozinho, Adjutant- Ge!ieral of the,Portuguese army, and to Lieutenant-Colonel Rot,ke, Assistant Adjutant- General to the united British and Portuguese force, and to Bri.. gadier General Lemos, as 1 to the Officers of my own personal staff, I alri indebted fur their asbiitatlce. To the services of Lietitenan . t-Ctilonel Arbuthnot (Major in his Majesty's service) I an) also much indebted, and 1.4: is the bearer of this to your Lordship, and is fully enabled to give you any further information you may e.esire, and is ;mist deserving of any favour your Lordship may he pleased to recommend him for, to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) W. L. BbkASFORD, alarshit anti Lieut. Gen. P. S. Major General Hamilton's division, and Brigadier Gene ral - Madden brigade of Portuguese cavalry march to-morrow I morning to re-invest lsadajoa on the south side of the Guadiana. W. C. Bs THE NATIONAIRgGISTER. esninanded by ,Ca taco 11 excise o r General Blake, and meiny's coalry, and one Aged in person in the fie:d ; —at.lr-• - - • • • • No. 1. Return of Kalil, Wounded, and Missing of the Corps of the Arnig tstalvr the Gornmand of Lieutenant General lord Vis count Welhagton, K. B. under the immediate orders of Mar shal Sir W Corr b'cresfurd K. ii. an attack of the enemy's p,st bePre Badajos, on the stk May, 1811. Total British Loss-11 rank and life wounded. Portuguese Loss-1 rank and tile killed; 1 Ensign, 18 rank and file wounded. General 'Total--1 rank and file killed; 1 Ensign, 29 rank and file wounded. Nome of Officer wounded. 17th Portuguese regnuent, nslgn Luiz Valoza. !,,Signed) CHARLE:i S . l t.,WART, Major-General and Adjutant-GeneraL