The National Register. — London, England, 1813-05-23 00:00:00

TYTT NATION.- L 3 2S ' S coninssed of three .divisions .of infantry, a corps of cavalry about 1600 men, and - a formidable train of arti 'rue po s ilien of the Allied Army was extensive. The left was posted on a strange range ()chills, occupied by Major-General Whit thigh:tiles division of Spanish troops, and the advance of the Allied Army under CoMmel Adam. . - This range of hills terminates at Castalla, which, and the ground to the right, was occupied by Major-General Mackenzie's divi-ion, and the regiment, from that of Lieutenant-General Clinton. The remainder of the pssition was covered by a strong ravhw, behind which Lieutenant-General Clinton was stationed, supported by three battalions of Genetal Roche's division, as a column of le serve. A few hitteties had been constructed in this part of the line, and in front of 'the castle of Castalla. The enemy necessarily advanced on the left of, the position. The first movement he made, was to pass testrong body of cavalry along the line, threatening our right, which wa 1 - feinted. Of this movement no notice was taken : the ground to which he was pointing is imfavonrable to cavalry, and as this movement was forest-ea, the necessary precantiens had Lecti taken; when.this body of cavalry had passed nearly the hair °four line (If infiatry. Marshal Sachet advanced his colitunis to the feet of the hills ; and certainly his troops, with a degree of ffallantry that entitles them to the bight st praise, stormed the' wriole line, which is not less than two miles and a half in extent. lint gollantl) as the attack was made, the defence of the heights was 1.0 brilliant :,,at every point the enemy was repulsed—at seany with the bayonet. He suffered a very severe. loss; our gallant troops pursued him for some distanco, and drove him, after a severe struggle, with pee copitation on his battalions of reserve upon the plain. The cavalry,. which had slowly advanced along. our right, gradually tt II bark to the infaatry. At present his superiority in that artil etiabietfhim venture this movement, which otherwise he should have, severely tepetited. Having united his shattered battalions with those which he. kept in reserve, Marshal Sachet took up it• position in the valley ; but which it would not have been creditable to allow hint to retain. I therefore decided on quitting_ mine, still, however, retaining the heights, and fotinQd the Allied Army in his trout, covered my right flank with the cavalry, whilst the left rested on the hills. The army advanced in two lines to attack him at a considerable distance, but iintininnately Marshal Socket did not choo,c to ri4. a second ac tion, 'With the &filo in his rear. Thy Hue of the Allies was scarcely formed when he began his re treat, aad we could Effect nothing more .than ttiv Frei , ch into the p: .S with defeat, which they had exultingly passed in the mowing. The action terminated at dusk, with a distaut but heavy canuouade. ain sorry to say that I have ne .trophies to boast of. The ene my took no guns to the heighis, a n d he retired too expeditiously to enable tue to reach him. Those which he nscd in the latter part of the day were_ posted in the gorge of the defile, and it would have cost us the lives of many brave ,men to take theiu. lu the dusk, the Allied Army returned to its position at Cas talla, after the enemy had retired to Liar. From thence he eon tinu..d his retreat at inidnight to Villena, which he qnitted amain this month% in great haste, directing his march upon Fucute de la Hi guera twit Onteniente. But although have taken no cannon from the enemy, in point of 'mowers his army is very considerably crippled; and the defeat of a French army, which boasted it had never known a cheek, can ttot fail, I should hope, in producing a most favourable effect in this part of the . . As I ociore mentioned to your Lordship, Marshal Suehet com manded in person. The General's Native, Habert, and Robert, commanded their respective division-. I hear born all. quarters that General Ha rive is killed ; anti .1 believe, froth every account that 1 can coil( et, that tile loss of toe enemy aini , unts fully to three th.:nsand men ; and he admits v.vo thousand five inindred. • Upwards of eight lam. dre:l have alre.idy been buried iu front of only one part of our tine ; anal me know twit lie has carried off with him an immense number of wounded. We had no opportunity of making prisoners, except such as were 'rounded; the numbers of which have - not yet reamed me. • • lam sure your Lordship will hear with much satisfaction, that titis action has not cost us the lives of many of our comrades. • Deeply must be felt the loss, however trifliti4 of such brave and gal:ant soldiers ;• but we know it is inevitable, and Veal' with truth their there-was not an, officer al soldier en4aged who did not eouit the giorionstermination of an how >urable life, in tilt dizcharge ct his duty to ilkiting and to his country. MAY 23. The gallant anti jo.iteools coudtict of th,,,e the welt. emtaged, d much nKre an one hal(the army.. of sitathnt iir bk. petit* arol glory of the aity : bt.t the steatly eoantenowe %via, r :tie]; the ti.visionn of General's Ciiittoo and _Mackenzie et! tar Nome nrs makr a cannon:Lie, and the edgeilietts . and ii.Lerity with wi the Imes of oituck %vett• formed, sotliciently proved twme what I had to depend on ftotn them, laid MarAtal_ Sachet awaited the ut taek. I trust your Lordslilp will now permit me to perform the incst pleasing part of my duty, that of humbly tiut►inistii.g, tin. hi• Royal Highness the Prince begent's apprut►atiou, the tani•..s-of thost flirt eers and c•:rps which have had the fortunate oppyrronity of distill ,...uishing themselves, in as far at least as has yet come to my knux ledgc. _ . . . _ Colonel Adam, who commandA the advance. CLAMS the fig .t place in tins liot:nurah;e list. I c...miot lily p,aise the j. ~ariotts arranLementil he made, hod abilOy with %%hicli he execiitt d his orders on the I'2-.11 advance consists only of the 'rd battalion 27th regiment, comittant!ell - by Licat..Coltotel Ree‘es ; the I rt giment, contrna•i:led by I.ient.•Colonel lint he ; the Free Cot ps, emennoulud by Alajos Carey ; one rifle cono!,:ri . of te..e and Bth battalions Cu rano. 'Legion, rowtiland,d try roptains Li otter and . fauns of thoce corps; anti a troop of fo-eign under the orders of Captain Jacks, of the '23th drop , . itik toot mutiny tam guns, in charge of Captain Arabin, royal aittl.:•ty. The enemy tacked tills corps w itii from ti%c to ,O f , thouu--and men, and for fire hours (and then only in curv:i.-quence or outer) snecce tit"t in possessing Itintsclf of the pass. This fact d Itliie says more in fir - onr of Cdo. el Adam, and in praise of tho , c lie cf,smitands, tit.in ally word- of C c;+./ eNpress. therefore, coolitte myself to ass.:ring. your.l.ordsiip, t: at 'lie ectinnet of all ent. , aged in this hriiliant allair, merits, and has ittet with, my ItiOtest appri.bation. Colonel Adam was wounded very early attack, but con. tinned ;inkl still contintieS in eb r:re of Lis i'ti toil. On the ISi the attack of the ent•my on Colo! el Adam's was very sevel e, out the molly was fiefea:ol every point, and a most gisLot ein-age of the t! tt, 1 77th, led oy Colette! Mani and ben tenant- Colooel Reeves, decided the fate of the day, at that part of flehl of lytitle. judgment. and gallantry displayed by Major-General Whittingliatit, and his division of ti•e Shalllsii army, rivals, though it cannot surpass, the conduct of C , llobel Adam and tne,a.lifaiire. • At every !mint the enemy was ; at ni.•••y, at ti:e . p:iint of the bayonil. At one point in particular I must mention, wl.ere a French grenadier l'attalion kail gained the summit ot - the Lill, but was charged and deiren from the h•-ight4 - by a coil), under th.e cum mandol Colonel Casans. Majfir-Geueral ‘Vittingham highly RN)lauds, and I know it is not without reason, the conctiet of Colonel Casale:, C 01 0 ,41 Romero, Colonel Campbell, Colonel Casteras, and Lieutenam•Colonel When, who commanded at various points of the hills. To the chief of his Stati, Colonel Serrano, he likewise expresses himself to he equally aliged on this, as well as mail other • occasioe• I—and he acknow ledges with gratitude the services of Colonel Cathielii, of the Staff of tie Italian Levy, who was attached to him Miring the day. These, my Lord, are the officers and corps that I- am most anxious to ri cominend to his Royal Higuness's it... Lice and protectOt ; aud I earnestly entreat your Lordship well most respectitnly, r.O my part, report their merits to the Prince hegent, and to the Spanish Government. • It now only rerraius for me to acknowletke the cordial co-opera tion and support 1 have met wish fi om tue several General Officeis and Brigadiers, at: well as from the various otkeers in charge of de par tau nt h attached to this army. To Major-Geweral Donkin, Quarter Master General, I am parti cularly indebted, for the zeal • and ability lo g w oks, he i u the duties of ais extensive department, and the gallantry he displays On every OCCUgiQn. • Maior Kends, who is at the head of the Adjutant-General's f!e partm nt, affords me every satisfaction. LirutenaniXiduni 1 Hot emnbe, an.l, undernis orders, Major Willi Anson, conducted the d•lil• eery branch of tste service in a Ilidlint'r highly creditabie. • Toe air; o..rent brigades of guns; under Captains Lacy. Thomson e sold Gil mour. (and Garcia, of the Sicilian army), and. Lieutenant Patton, of the flying artilliTy, were extrervely useful, and most pliantly .served; and the Portuguese artillery supported the reputatiod their ront-trymen have acquired. • ThCarniy is now in march. I proceed to Alcoy, in the hope, but not the sanguine hope, that I May be ena;ded to force thL•Alhayda Pis. and reach' the entrenched pwition of the enemy of St. Felipti hefore 4e eau alive there. . , i<