The National Register. — London, England, 1811-06-16 00:00:00

NATIONAL REG Camp near Usngre, Two A. M. May 26, 1811. SIR—As will have been stated to you yesterday verbally by the Officer I sent for that purpose, I have the honour to acquaint you, that having, as I before reported, driven the enemy's rear guard from Usagre, I occupied that post ou the night of the 24th, by placing the Spanish troops in front of the town, with their tiradores wt.ll in adva.lce towards the enemy, and the Portu guese and British cavalry, with the four six-pounders, in rt.ar of the place ; a small brook, hollow and deep ravine, and narrow defile being on this site of the town. About six o'clock yester- day morning it was reported to me that the enemy's cavalry were advancing in force; and that there was reason to believe they were accompanied by artillery and infantry; conceiving reports might exaggerate the fact, and nct wishing to yield the post to inferior numbers, the 13th Light D:•agoons and Colonel Otway's Portuguese brigade of cavalry were ordered across the ravine to the left of the town, through the narrow fords and passes which had been previously reconnoitred, and Brigadier- Qeneral Madden's brigade of Portuguese cavalry in like manner to the right, with orders to retire by the same passes if neces sary. The h?aVy brigade of British with the guns being still in reserve behind the town. Upon the nearer approach of the enemy, it was evident they were adVancing with the whole of their cavalry, and five or six heavy guns (eight-pounders). This being ascertained, and upon opening their first gun, the line was ordered to retire, which they did slowly, in excellent order, and without loss; the Spa nish. troops filing on the main road, through the town which had been left open for them. A smart cannonade now com menced from the opposite heights, the superiority of numbers and ►eight of metal decidedly in favour of the enemy; but the superior skill and well-directed aim of Captain Lefevre and h;s corps, with only four six-pounders, was most pre-eminently conspicuous. The enemy now committed a most daring at tempt, or rather an error, for which they were severely punished. In spite of two of our guns, which bore directly for a few paces On the road, three of their chosen regiments, 4th, 20th, and 26th, dashed through the town and formed rapidly on the flank of the 3d Dragoon Guards, which corps, concealed by a small bill, I verily believe they did not see, and in front of the 4th Dragoons; themselves presenting two fronts. A charge of the 3d Dragoon Guards was at this moment ordered on the right, and a simultaneous movement of the 4th Dragoons, directed most judiciously by Brigadier-Genera Long at the same mo ment on the left, where I had requested him to remain, decided the point. The enemy wavered before our cavalry reached them ; but almost in the same instant they were overturned, and appa rently annihilated. The affair took place so near the brook and bridge which immediately leads into the town, and which I had forbid the cavalry to enter, that it was impossible for them to pursue ; it is difficult therefore to decide upon the enemy's loss; Many severely . wounded escaped through the town, others threw themselves Off their horses, and escaped over the bro-k and throUgh the gardens, but besides seventy-eight prisoners, twinty. nine lay dead on the spot, many were also observed ly'ng dead on the bridge and in the first street ; and a peasant reports, that from thirty to fifty were sent off wounded to their rear on horns and cars. I must not omit to state that a portion of the Count de Penne Villamur's Spanish Cavalry gallantly supported the charge on the left of the 3d Dragoon Guards, as I am informed Brigadier- General :Vladden's brigade did on the right; !nit the dust caused by the charge was so great, I was myself unable to observe on that flank. I- am positively assured from the report of the prisoners, that the em my had thirteen regiments of cavalry in the field, which, though not exceeding from two hundred men each, gave them so great a superiority over the force under my orders, com posed of dirty nations, many of them as yet but little known to each other in ca' placing a deep defend the to' attack on the other side. I hays the peculiar satisfaction to add, that the advantage gained has been almost bloodless on our part, although occa sionally for a few seconds, of necessity exposed to the range of artillery and a charge made against a corps elite of the enemy, who, on the other hand, visibly suilered from our artillery, its addition to those lost in the charge. I feel myself under the highest obligations to Brigadier• Gen eral Long, for his well timed and active exertions during the day, as well as for his assistance at all times. To Brigadier-General Loy, commanding the Spanish cavalry (the Count de Penne Villamur being sick at Villa Franca), and to Brigadier-General Madden, commanding the Portuguese division, I am highly indebted for their readiness in obeying, and promptitude in executing my orders; to the Honourable Colonel De Grey, commanding the British brigade of heavy ca valry, and to Colonel Otway, commanding the Portuguese bri gade, both under the orders of Brigadier-General Long; to Co lonel Lord Edward Somerset, commanding the 4th dragoons ; to Colonel Head, commanding the 13th light dragoons; to Ma jor Weston, commanding the 3d dragoon guards (Sir G. Calcraft being sick at Villa Franca); and to Captain Lefevre, of the royal horse artillery, my very best thanks are due, as well as to every officer and soldier, for the promptitude and steadiness with which every, even retrogade, movement was performed in the face of a superior enemy. The advantage gained will not only in some degree lessen the enemy's superior cavalry, but will, I trust, still further tend to render him fearful and timid in all his movements. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) W. LUMLEY, Major General. Marshal Sir William Beresford, its. &c. &c. ISTER X 7.3 avahy movements, that I feel fully justified in not p ravine and defile in my rear, and attempting to Iwn, which is only defensible by infantry,from an FRENCH PAPERS. We received yesterday morning Moniteurs and other Paris of the 9th and 10th ; the intermediate ones between the sth and 9th, are not yet arrived— those we have received preserve tht, most profound silence relative to affairs in Portugal and Spain...— . The Moniteur, however, contains one article rarely to be found in the French or any other Papers ; the account of the capture of a British ship of war— it is the Alacrity of eighteen guns, Captain PALIVCR, which the French account states at 20 guns, 52 pounders, whilst it makes the French vessel that took her only a vessel of the same number of guns, but (2.4 pounders. We will venture to say, that this is improbable, nay, we had almost said impossible. No British vessel would surrender to a vessel of in ferior or indeed of equal force. The French vessel will be found to have been a frigate of the largest class. TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE MINISTER OF MARINE. " I have the honour to give you an account of the action I had on the 26th of May, in the Canal of Corsica, in th Emperor's brig Abeille, which I commanded provisionally, with his Bri tannic Majesty's ship Alacrity, Capt. Palmer. " On the 26th, at sun rise, I descried a brig north of Cape St, Andre. I presumed it to he one of those from Genoa. I made the usual signals six nii:es distant. She did not answer. I hoisted the Emperor's flag. and tired agun, amidst the accu.sua. tiom of the brave fellows of the Abeille. . • 401 V. /30; ,~' er- S , i _ __ -,