The National Register. — London, England, 1809-08-13 00:00:00

AUG. 13. tish troops nllowed them to advance unmolested, confining them selves within their trenches, and not e% returning the tire with which they were incesqmtly d but when they had come w it bin point blank range, a mast de...tractive tire from musketrx and field-pieces was opened uplin tnem, and their consequent confusion presented a fine opportunity for the employment of that truly 13ritish weapon, the basonet. The troops instantly advanced from the trencaes, and proceeding with a hoz= to the charge, in an instant put :1)0 enemy to the rout. Evety thing that could be done by the exercise of authority, or the influence a example to rally them, and restore order, was at tempted in vain by the Crepe!) officers. The dispersion was so complete, and the ptosuit so active, that the broken ranks of the enemy could not dtrive protection from their own batteries, to which they tied, as if a tire had been opened from the walls, It must have been as destructive to the 11 as to the pursuing corps. W h"n they first began to give way, one of their brave ' officers, io the hope of reanimating their courage, snatched up a standard, and rushing forward, in the midst of a heavy fire from our troops, planted it in the front of the British line, and called upon his fix ing companions to rally round it. But the panic with which they had been seized, was not to be removed by such m.o. heroic example. They fled in all directions w lib the loss of 509 in killed, wounded, and prisoners. The loss on our part was also considerable; it amounted to 48 killed, and 187 svouncled. A few more such sorties would decide the fate of Flushing, without a bombardment or a general assault, A most afrecting occurrence took place about the commencement V this splendid action. Two soldiers belonging to one of the British regiments engaged, who had been made prisoners in Spain, and forced into the service of France, were amongst the enemy when coming to the charge, joined their old comrades in their huzza, and directed their tire against the common enemy of both. Since this sortie, the enemy have been quiet. Yesterday about 500 of them spewed themselves without their walls alumni three o'clock, hut they did not venture to come further. Timis day some of them have again shewn themselves out, and at this moment an intermitted cannonade is heard ; but it is supposed here to proceed from the walls of the fortress, against some part of the British lines. The importance of Cadsand, with a view to an attack on Flushing by sea, may be estimated from a very brilliant affair which took place in the Channel bet►veen both up° the third of this month. W hen it was observed that the 'French were throwing in reinforcements daily into Flushing from Cadsand, it • was found necessary to resort to some means of intercepting this communication. Several gun-boats were consequently snit tip the channel between them, in order to take soundings, as a direc tion for stationing vessels to prevent all communication between Flushing and Cadsand. These gun-boats were to be protected bv the Raven sloop of war, Capt. llanchett. The batteries soon opened on the gun-boats, when Capt. llanchett most spiritedly, ran his vessel up between the gun-boats and the fire of the elle- my, which was instantly transferred to his ship. He was fired at from five batteries on Cadsand, from the whole sea-front of Flushing, and from thirty-nine gun-boats. For four hours he bravely maintained the unequal contest, and brought off the gun boats safe, after having silenced the battery of Breskens in Cad sand. though not before he had three of his own guns dismount ed, his vessel distrasted, and several times set on fire, and above a thousand shotidischarged against him from all sides. This gallant exploit deserves to rank..with the most brilliant in the naval records of the country. and was no less an object of admi ration to the naval than to the military part of those who were witnesses of the atchievement. Captain Hanchett has since re ceived the distinguished thanks of his Commander. in Chief, Sir R. Strachan, and the most flattering assurances of the high ap probation of every General Officer who was a spectator of his gallantry and devotion to the service. It must enhance the value of such an exploit, that it has been atchieved «ithout much com parative lass, only the gallant Captain and 18 of his brave crew having been wounded, anne of them badly, and not a single man baying been killed during such a long contested action, against such fearful odds. If ships of the line should be brought tract against Flushing, as they can lie within pistol shot of the bat teries, the carnage must he dreadful on both sides. The contest however will be short, hut must be decisive; perhaps the work of a few hours. Unless, aided by the co-operatioa of the fleet, at such nn expellee of blood as must unavoidably be shed in a Contest of such a nature, and under such circumstances, the re duction of the fortress by the army may be a protracted business. But though the progress of aetice hostility vents to be attspencled for the moment in Walcheree, operatioe4 are on the TIIE NATIONAL REGISTER; point of acing prosecuted with vigour in other quarters. Sir John llope has proceeded from North to South Hevelour], with the division under his command. On Tuesday he was at Baths, on the sonth-eastern extremity of South Beveland, being more than half way to Antwerp, with 2'2,000 men. General the Marquis of Handy crossed with his division from North South Beveland on Wednesday, for the purpose of reinforcing the army under Sir John Hope. Their united forces wool() amount to little Fhort of 30,009 men, including a marine hrigede. The departure of Sir Richard StrachaN, for the East Scheldt vestf!rdav, must certainly he connected with some projected operations in advance on that side. The head-quarters were be removed this day to South Bevelanil, in which case the com mand in chief in this island would rest with Sir Lyre Coote, through whom at present all orders are given to the army here, and by whom all arrangements are made for the conduct of the siege. The advaneed posts of the army here arc on the right at Knole House, and on the left a little within the Ramniekerra battery and castle, which have been taken from the enemy since the lines were first marked out. • The troops have very slender accommodation in huts, constructed by themselves, and at • bust were moth exposed from the prevalence of rainy weather: but the privations they have submitted to with the greatest alacrity, and since the weather has become fine, they appear even to enjoy their situation, anxious only that the enemy should come out and give them an opportunity of meeting them in the field. Very little bagg.. - .7e was allowed in the first instance ; now, however, blankets have been sent for, with a view to the accommodation of the troops; and hence it may teammably he inferred, that their service is not thought likely to be soon over. `• As it is likely that the main body of the British army, now under Sir John Hope, will advance, it may now be uninterest ing to state the amount of the French force, which, accoiding to the most authentic estimate, he may have to encounter, The garrison of Bergen-op-Zoom is said to consist of 7000 me n , which, whilst locked up in that fortress, cannot be available in the field. At Antwerp, Bernadotte is stated to have ro sembled a force of at least 30,006 men; so that in case of au emergency, between these two cities and the other places sf minor consideration in their vicinity, Bernadotte might hr able to collect an army of about 40,000 men. Against such a force it might not perhaps be prudent for a British General to att. vance with an army numerically inferior. If Flushing should once fall, there would then be a prospect ; yet certainly the present situation of the Continent might justify some risk with the view to strike a great and decisive blow." A Dutch Official Gazette, just received, contains an Ex poses of the state of Holland :—The article divides itself into three heads—under the first and second heads it is at tempted to reconcile the people .to the employment of the orphans in the military service, by asserting that if they are not to be employed, recourse must be had to a foreigi► army, to a conscription, or to a voluntary recruiting.— Against the conscription the King has declared, and a to reign army would destroy the independence of the state.-- !'he arming of the Burghers alone remains; but from the manner in which that measure is spoken of, it is easy to see that the people arc by no means friendly to• it. It is equally easy to see by the third head, which treats of the menaced invasion from England,. that that event does not create thosb appreheasions nor stir the people up to those exertions which the Govcrn meat wish. The House of Orangeis mentioned with respect and praise, as " having performed important services for Holland :" and it should seem as if the Dutch Government suspected the object of our Expedition to he to attempt the restoration of the late Statholder's nephew, a suspicion to which his Highness's visit to this country has given rise. The people are invited to rally round Kin.. Louis, " even though his Government should not possess all the confidence of the Nation!! !" Flushing was to have been besieged on Thusday last, by the British troops, with 100 pieces of cannon. The Duke of Brunswick Gels, with 2000 of his followers, has made good his retreat to the. banks of the Weser, from whence they have been brought off, together with their gallant leader, by the squadron under Lord George Stuart, Who will probably land them on the island of NV alchereP,- to reintiooe our grand armament,.