The Statesman. — London, England, 1809-09-11 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. Poarsmotrrn, Garr. 9.—fbc Thames and Unite frigates, fr un the Meditei - raoean, were released from guar:saline this usrernie,g. TheUeite left Gibraltar only twelve days since; there was then a general expectation that the fleet in Toulon moil nut to sea for some object, not at all sit=pectcd. Three .4il of the line had in consequence left Cadiz to join Lord Collingwood, which would increase his force to nearly that of theenemy. Admiral Allman(' had resumed the command OF the trench feet, and 400 seamen of the crews of the ships destroyed in Basque Roads, had been marched from Roche. firt, sad Join-d the fleet; 90iM1 more were daily expected. Tler. is 'nothing Lord Collingwond so ardently wishes, as Oise they w enli come net he has been ever since the great duvet Traeger, waiting for them ; hope and expectation of the event alone have kept him in long from his native land. no- Thames left the Adriatic so late as the 26th of June; it a fon'nnte eiretonoaner that the sulveiely for Austria could not he landed at Trieste, or Fiume. The money was in tended for the Austrian arms . , but the Fn•nch had interposed b.-Imeen the imperial hearl-quarters and those places, and it was not deemed safe to land it.—Sir John Stuart's Expedi ton had returned to Sicily, having evacuated Ischia , and Pro - da. The Spartiate, ii. with a convoy for England, was to .ail nn the Nth ult. The Kent and Hyperion lead sailed for Foclan.l. The vizors holpitala being full, upwards of 400 sick pri soners have been landed at the naval hospital at Ilaktr. Had they contiosted 'singer no bnard the ship" which brauzht diem from the Scheldt, there wns reasnn to espect flint a plague would have attacked the crews of uor ships, vs ho are very *wkly. Seer. 10.—The Port Stalin*, Captain 1.-lesson, will sail in the cm: - se of the eveisiog with Lord Wm flintiock fur Por fur l!. to join Lord Wellington. The %jay, of 74 eons, will call with the Mediterranean runvny the moment the wiad is Otir. Sailed the Defeelerb Lieut. N or s with dispatches fur Lisboa. PLYtrocur, SEPT. R.—Arrived the Ru.sian ship Slam Von Riga. from Wilmington, bound to Portsmouth, lades with timber. Also the English Ralliot Ru k. from St. Übes, bouml ts Lend on, with salt ; wets captured off Scilly by a Frying% schooner privateer ; after being same time in their pesserion, a ship heaving in sig7tt, which the Frenchmen conceived to be se En„dish mln of war, they took to the heat, leaving the Mate io possession, who hove away for the e.,1.t, and on throning out n sign:tl of distress, was boarded hr 1501%g-boat and brought Into this port. Failed the Amerlean ship Factor, for Chsertney. Arrived the American ship Pnwhatan, front London, blind to "interim, in ball vat & she had proceeded so far as Scilly, where she fell fu with a Preach schooner privateer, which chneed her a day and aight, but escaped by superi ority of sailing. Pat hack La Rhin frigate, bating encountered n severe gale of wind off Usbant, in which she received much damage. nElf, SlErrlo.—The folloising Fast-India shim, under t , srtwo..s of his Majesty's ships Lion and Nassau, arrived in the Mims ow Friday evenk : rhastone, Ilea. Foes, Widmer Cattle. Ocean. Ceres. Canton. Dorsetshire, F.teter, Alowiek-Castle. David Brett, Royal George, and Carmarthen. The Walley FasS.lndiaroaa patted in a gale of wind. and is gone to the Cape. The ship &serve Planter, 31' Pherson, front the River Plate, al'o arrived, and sailed for the Rivet yesterday, with reseed of the above ships. Seising kwge tramports have been ordered to re•hing to bring base the del. TUB ARMY. • in coluequenee of a Memorial respecting certain dthures, transmitted to the War-Oilice a few months back, the following Orders have been is sued. How the Forage 4nd other Contractors Kill relish the parting of so many oldand valuable friends, it is not difficult to conjecture;. we are will assured, however, that the separation of these Gentlemen, will be productive of a saving of many thousands per annum to the Public. and that the &Iles hitherto performed by Troop Quer ter.Mastess, will be so regulated, as to prevent all possibility of a repetition of the Peculation' arid Frauds in that Department, which have for so many years been carried on with impunity. GENERAL ORDERS. Hone Guards, 21th June, 1111)9. The King has signified his pleasure, that the appointment of Troop Quarter. Master in his Regiments of Dragoon Guards and Dragoons, shall gradually be done away; and that the Duties heretofore attached to that Officer shall henceforward be performed by a Troop Serjrant•Major: one Non-conunis sinned °Meer of vi bieh description will, from this time, he allowed on the establishment of each troop of Dragoon Goads and Dragoons. in which the appointment of Quarter- Master shall have ceased. Hk Majesty, in making this ar rangement, has not overlooked the merits and services of the persons now acting as Troop Quarter-Mastbrs, and has been pleacni to command, that such as are now lit for envier, shall continue to hold their present situations; and with a view of making a provisions for such as are unlit for Service and bare served Forty years and upwarls, his Majesty has bees gra chanty pleased to command, that they shall be allowed to retire upon their present full pay for life, and that sarkother Quarter-Masters mare now, ror may hereafter IbCCOMr, intik for Service, shall be allowed to retire on the pay of Three Shinier per day for life. His Majesty has moreover been pleased to command, that the Pay of the Regimental Serjeam-Major in the Regiments of Dragoon Guards and Dragoons, shall be Three Shillings and Sixpence, and that of the Troop Serjeant-Major Three dhillirgs per day. Oar Regimental Quarter-Master will henceforth he added to the establishment of each Regiment of Dragoon Guards and Dragoon, at the daily pay of Eight Shillings, including the allowance of Two Shinier per day for his Horse. le Causeway of the above Commands from his Majesty, the C•11111111111kT is Chief directs, that the Colonels of Regi ments of Dragoon Guards and Dragoman do immediately transmit a Return of such Troop Quarter-Masters in their re- Vallee Regiments, as they consider audit for Service (with roper Certlicates of the mine, vouched by Military Medical 'Metes). Vecif irg such as have served Forty Years and up wards, mid are. na that account, entitled to retire on their' Full Pay; and that they continue, from time to time, to make such Returns in the event of any Troop Quarter- Masters who remain in the Regiments becoming unfit for `ten ice; and, gather vataacies oecer the Colonels of Re giments will fill tl= 6 /i hst y noniiasting Troop Serjeant - Majors soon the most de ***ants of their Regiment. •Itisto be observed, the Troop Serjesta-Majon are, in all respects, on the same footing as the ether Serjeants of the Regional, of whom however they take precedence, and they are to be distinguished byes additional Chevron on the Bight Ana. The Regimental Ferjeant-Major is lobe distinguished by a Crowe above the Chevron. Tire Colonels of Regiment of nrareell Guards and Dra goons will please to nominate. for the Commander in Chiefs Approbation and Rerommeadatioe to his Majesty. Persons dub qualified for the Appointment of Regimental Quarler- Mask rs ia their res t ectisc Regiments. By the Commander in Chien Command. HARRY CALVERT, Adjutoot-Getseral. THE STATESMAN. From Mc LONDON GAZETTE, 'Carr. 9. ''''. ll ."••• . Downing-street, Sept. 7. Dispatches, of which the following are copies and extracts, were this day received at the office of Viscount Castlereagh, one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, from Lieutenant. General Viscount Wellington, K. B. Trazillo. Angus{ 90, 11209. My LORD.--. 1 wrote some days ago a letter to the French Commander in Chief, which I sent to him by Lieutenant-Colonel Walters, to request his care and attention to the wounded officers and soldiers of the British army wbo had fallen into his hands, in return for the care and attention which I had paid to the French officers and sol. tilers, who had fallen into my hands at diferetst times ; and that he would allow money to be sent to the officers ; and that officers, who should not be deemed prisoners of war, might be sent to su perintend and take care of the soldiers, till they should recover from their wounds, when the oft. cers should be sent to join the British army. I received a very civil answer from Marshal Mortier, promising that every possible care should be taken, and every attention paid to the British officers and soldiers who were wounded; but stating that he could not answer upon the other demands contained in my letter, having been obliged to refer them to the French Commauder in Chief. Since the receipt of this letter, Mr. Dillon, the Assistant Commissary, has arrived from Talavera, having been taken prisoner near Cet•olla on the 27th of July, previous to the action, and having been allowed to come sway. He reports that the British officers and soldiers, who are wounded, are doing remarkably well, and are well fed and taken care of—indeed he says pre. ferably to the French troops. I propose to send Culonel ',Valters with another flag of truce, to-morrow morning, and a letter to the Commander-in-Chief of the French army, re questing that a sum of money, which 1 shall send, may be given to the officers ; and I shall endea ♦our to establish a cartel of exchange as sows as possible. I hare the honour to be, &c. ARTIi eft Wk.LLIESLEY. Lord Vircoant Castlereagh, dc. Tres Mc, Aug. 21, 1809. MY Loan—When marched from Talavera on the 3d inst. with a view to oppose the French corps which we had heard bad passed through the Puerto de Banos, and had atrived at Plasencia, Sir Rob. Wilson was detached, upon the left of the army, towards Escalotnt ; and before I marched on that morning, I pat him in communication with the Spanish General Guest*, who it had been settled was to remain at Talavera. I understood that General Cuesta put Sir Robert in communication with his advanced guard, which retired from Tala item on the night of the 4th. Sir Robert Wilson, however, did not arrive at Valada till the night of the 4th, having made a long march through the mountains ; and as he was then six leagues from the bridge of Arzo and had to cross the high road from Oropesa to Talavera, of which the enemy was in possession, he conceived that he was too late to retire to Arzo Bispo, and he determined to move Yenta St. Julien and Ceutinello towards the ietara, and across that river towards the mountains which se parate Castile from Extremadura. Some of Sir Robert Wilson's dispatches having missed me, I am not aware by which of the passes he went through the mountains, but I believe by Tornavacas. Ile arrived, however, at Banos on the 11th, and on the 12th was attacked and de feated by the French corps of Marshal Ney, which, with that of Soult, returned to Plasencia on the 9th, 10th, and 11th, that of Ncy having since gone on to Salamanca. I inclose Sir Robert Wilson's account of the action. Ile has been very active, intelligent, and useful in the command of the Portuguese and Spa nish corps with which he was detached from this army. Before the battle of the 28th of July, he had pushed his parties almost to the Aides of Madrid, with which city he was in communication; and he would have been in Madrid, if I had nut thought it proper to call him in, in expectation of that go ncral action which took place on the 28th of July. lle afterwards alarmed the enemy un thu right of his army ; and throughout the service, showed himself to he an active and intelligent partizan, well acquainted with the country in which he was acting, and possessing the confidence of the troops which ho commanded. Being persuaded that his retreat was not open by Am Bispo, he acted right in taking the road he did, with which he was well acquainted ; and Though unsuccessful in the action which he fought (which may be well accounted for, by the superior numbers and description of the enemy's troops), the action, in my opinion, does him great credit. I have the honour to be, &c. (Slimed) A RTil U W ELLESLEY Miranda de C.astessr. Aug. 15. 1809. SI R—l have the holiuur to acquaint you, that I was on march yesterday morning on the road of Grenadelia from Aides Neuva, to restore my corn. munication with the allied army, when a peasant assured us, that a considerable quantity of dust, which we perceived in the toad of Plasencia, pro. seeded from the march of a body of the enemy. I immediately returned, and took post in front of Banos, with my pickets in advance of Aldea Neuva, selecting such points fur defence as the exigency of the time permitted. The enemy's cavalry advanced on (be high road, and drove back my small cavalry posts; but a picket of Spani4h infantry, which I bad concealed, poured in on the cavalry a steady and well. directed fire, that killed and wounded many of them. The 200 Spanish infantry in advance of Aide* Neuva, continued, under the direction of Col. Grant and their Officers, to maintain their ground most gallantly, until the enemy's cavalry and chasseurs i choral, in considerable bodies, ap. peered on both Batiks, when they were obliged to retreat. The enemy's chaascars A cheval and cavalry ad. winced in great numbers in every direction, and pushed to cut of the legion posted between Aide. Neuva and Banos; but, by the steady coodect of officers and men, the enemy could only advance gradually, and with a very severe loss, from the commanding fire thrown on them. The Merida battalion, however, having given way on the right, a road was laid open, which cut behind our position, and I was obliged to order a retreat on the heights above Bands, when I was again necessitated to detach a corps, in order to scour the road of Monte Major, by which I saw the enemy directing a column, and which road turned altogether the Puerto de Bands, a league in our rear. At this time, Don Carlos Marquis de &traipse came up with his battalion of light infantry, and, in the most gallant manner, took post along the heights commanding the road of Ban6s, which enabled Inc to send some of the Merida battalion on the mountain on our left, commanding the main road, and which the enemy had tried to as. unit. The battalion of light infant►y, and the detach. meat of the legion on its right, continued, not. withstanding the enemy's fire of artillery and mus ketry, to maintain their ground; but, at sia o'clock in the evening, three columns of the ene my mounted the height on our left, gained it, and poured such a fire on the troops below, that longer defence was impracticable, and the whole was obliged to retire on the mountains on our left, leaving open the main road, along which a consi. durable column of cavalry immediately poured. The battalion of Seville had been left at Bejar, with orders to follow me neat day, but when I .4 as obliged to return, and the action commenced, I ordered it to Puerto Banda, to watch the Monte Major road, and the heights in the rear of oar lefti _ When the enemy's cavalry came near, an officer mid some dragoons called out to the Commanding Otficer to surrender, but a volley killed him and his party, and then the battalion proceeded to mount the heights, in which movement it was at tacked and surrounded by a column of cavalry and a column of infantry, but cut its way and cleared itself, killing a groat many of the enemy, especially of his cavalry. The enemy is now passing to Salamanca with great expedition ; I lament that I could no longer arrest his prvgress; but, when the enormous supe riority of the enemy's force is considered, and that we had no artillery, and that the Puerto de Banos, on the Estremadurao aide, is not a pass of such strength as on the side of Castile, especially without guns, I hope that a resistance fur nine hours ) which must have cost the enemy a great many am, will not be deemed inadequate to our means. I have to acknowledge the services rendered me on this occasion by Colonel Grant, Major Rei man, Don Fermen Marquis, Adjutant-Major of the Dragoons of Pavia, Captain Charles and Mr. Bolinon ; and to express the greatest approbation of two companies of the Merida battalions, ad. sauced in front, and of the Commanding Officer and soldiery of the battalions of Seville, and the Portuguese brigade. I have already noticed the . distinguished conduct of Don Carlos, and his bat. talion merits the highest encomiums. I have not been able to collect the returns of our loss. From the nature of mountain warfare, many men are missing, who cannot join ter a day or two, but I believe the enemy will only have to boast that he has achieved his passage, and his kit. led and wounded will be a great diminution of his victory. hare the honour to be, Ste. ROBERT WILSON. Sir Arthur Wellesley, &c. &c. he. Twitllo, Aug. 21, 1809. General Cuesta moved his headquarters from the neighbourhood of the bridge of Arcubispo on the night of the 7th inst. to Peraloca de Garbin, leaving an advanced guard, consisting of two divi. slung of infantry, and the Duke D'Albuqncrque's division of cavalry, fur the defence of the passage, of the Tagus at this point. The French cavalry _passed the Tagus at a ford immediately above the bridge, at half past one in the afternoon of the Bth, and surprised this ad. vanced guard, which retired, leaving behind them all their cannon, as well u thine in the batteries constructed fur the defence of the bridge. The General then g►oyed his head-quarters to the Mesa d'lbor, on the evening of the Bth, hay. ing his advanced guard at Bohoral. Ile resigned the command of the army on the 12th (un account of the bad state of his health), which has devolved upon General Equia. The head.quartcrs of the Spanish army are now at Deleytosa. It appears that a detachment of Vanegai's army had some success against the enemy, in an attack made nitwit in the neighbourhood of Aranjues, on the sth instant. General Venegas was then at Ocana, and he had determined to retire towards the Sierra Morena ; and, after the sth, he had moved in that direction. lie returned, howe►er, towards Toledo, with an intention of attacking the enemy on the 12th; but, on the 11th, the enemy attacked him, with Sebutiani's corps and two di. visions of Victor's, in the neighbourhood of Al. muracid. The action appears to hate lasted some hours ; but the French having at last gained an advantage on General Vanegas'a left, he, 'las obli. ged to retire, and was about resume his position in the Sierra Morena. On the 9th., 10th, and 11th, large detachments of the French troops, which had come from Pl 4. sends, returned to that quarter; and on the 12th, they attacked and defeated Sir Robert Wilma in the Puerto de Bands, on their return to Sala manca. It appears now, that the French force in this part of Spain is distributed as follows: Marshti Victor's corps it divided betweenTalavera and La Mancha ; Sebastiani's is in La Mancha ; Marshal blortier's at Oropesa, Arzobispo, and Navalmora; Marshal Soak's at Plasencia; and Marshal N.lO. at Salamanca. _ _ _ _ _ Distress for wantof provisions, and its effects, haws at lut obliged me to more towards the fron tiers of Portugal, in order to refresh my troop- In my former dispatches, I bate Informed your Lordship of our distress for the N ant of provisions and the mea 'a of transports. Those wants, which were the first cause of the less of many advantages, after ahe 22d of July, which were made known to the Gaverntnent, and were actually knows to them On the 20th of last month, still exist in an aggra vated degree ; and, under these circumstances, determined to break up, on the 20th, from Jan& cejo, where I had had my hcad-qnarters since the 11th, with the advanced posti on the Taps, near the bridge of Almares, and to fall bark upon the frontiers of Portugal, *here I hope I shall be sup. plied with every thing I want. Admiralty Office, Sept. 9, 1809. Letters, of which the following are copies, er abstracts, have been received at this Office, from Vice-Admiral Lord Collingswood, Commander in Chief of his Majesty's ships and vessels in the Me. diterrancan, addressed to the lionourable William Wellesley Pole. A letter has beeii received at this Office, by the Hon. William Wellesley Pule, from Vice-Admiral Lord Collingswood, dated ise board the Ville de Paris, off Toulon, the 41st June last, transmit. ting two letters from Captain Stewart, n ' t his Ma. jesty's ship Seaherze; and one from Capt. Maze well, of his Majesty's ship Alceste, detailing their proceedings on the coast of Italy. Captain Stewart reports the tit.t•tiction of the enemy's forts on the mail islands of Giannti and Pianoso; in which services great gallantry spiseen to have been displayed by the Officers and men who were employed, under the directions of Lieu. tenants Bennett and Peerse, of the Seahorse and Halcyon. About one hundred of the enemy were made prisoners. One private marine, of the Sea. horse, only, was killed, and another wounded. Captain Mazwell states the destruction of two gun.boats, at Terrarium, by the Aleeste and Cyane; the bringing off from a depdt of timber on the coast, as much wood a; the two ships could carry ; and the demolition of three strong Martello tow ers, by a detachment of seamen and marines, commanded by Captain Staines, of the Cyane, who displayed equal judgment and resolution on the occasion. Whilst the ships were talc+ ing off the timber, a serjeant, two corporals, and twenty privates came oa board, deserters front the French army. Lord Collingwood, at the same time, cornmeal. cates an account be had received free Captain Duncan, of the Mercury, of the destruction of a number of trabacculos, and other vessels, on the beach of Rotti, near Manfredonia. by the boats of that ship, under Lieutenant Gordon. Ville de Paris, of Toulon, Jane 13,1!109. Sta—lnclosed, I transmit you, for the idol.. matiun of the Lords Commissioners of thy Admi. rally, a letter I have received from Captain Relit, Commander of his Majesi Os sloop the Scout, giving an account of the boats of that sloop bay. ing carried an enemy's battery, near Cape Crol. 'elle, and captured and destroyed seven sail of the enemy's coasters, which had taken abetter ntss der it. Captain Baste speaks in high terms of praise of the conduct of Lieutenant Battersby, who come manded the boats on this occasion, and of the Of. fivers and men who accompanied I have the. honoui to be, kr. COLLINGWOOD. Honourable W. SA•llesley Pole. lib Majeisy's sloop sent, at nes. .nuie 14, MC M Lono—l beg leave to itilirm r Lord. ship ) that, this morning, having observed a convoy of about fourteen sail, tinder the protectiao of two gun-boats, coming round Cape Croisette, steering to the eastward, I made all sail in chase ; but, about one, P. M. it falling nearly calm, and the convoy a good deal dispersed, I detached the boats, under the command of Lieutenant Bat. teraby, maimed by volunteers. Seven sail pushed for a harbour, about three leagues to the east. ward of the Cape, where the beats proceeded ) under a heavy and well.directed fire of grape and musketry. After landing a party to keep the enemy in check, who were numerous among the rocks, stormed and took possession of the battery, with two siz.pounders mounted in embrasures, which, after spiking, brought out the whole of the vessels, although they were fast with ropes to their mast-heads and keels, and constantly as. flayed with musketry from behind the rooks. I am sorry to say this service has not been performed without some loss un our side, having one killed and five wounded, two badly ; but, from the time, and other great advautages the enemy had, I hope your Lordship will agree with me in think. ing it comparatively small. The conduct of the whole of the officers, sea. men, and marines, employed on this occasion, de. serves the highest commendation ; but I wish to point out particularly, that of Lieutenant Bat. tersby, the First Lieutenant, who led the party up to storm the battery. From his conduct on this occ.asion, and a great *ember of others that he has performed in the Streights of Gibraltar, I beg leave to r :commend him to your Lordship. The conduct of Mr. Farrant, Secon,: Lieutenant, Mr; Batten, master, and Mr. Thompson, master's. mate, deserves my warmest thanks, for their de. termined bravery in going up the harbnar with th e boa'', under a heavy fire of grape and musketry from b,,th sides, who have at all times handsomely vol 'steered their services on similar occasions. The prises are laden with wool, grain, !eviler, four, and cheese; two of them 1 have been obliged to destroy, after taking out their carioca, the others I have sent to Mallon. I beg Uwe to inclose& list of killed and wounded. I save the honour to be, &c. (Sired) WM. RA ITT. The Right Hon. Lord Colin etc. Sm. !kr. .4 list of O i pars sod mesa ki ed and monad in .nerd of h Ifoloolii stoop &out, Williams Rain, km. Coserasoosisr. spiting out eictoot convoy otf ogercArrog .suds, from. rod* to Ossuary near Copt Crnisette, toast 4 Preece, ifo. stilersoneas, upon Ms I.llh of Jane t IttJJ. Kiiled -.• Marshlan.l, Madman. ooralerl—J oho W ' Ningbo anti John Gage, hods= I Alexaodo. moony. landours; Robert Eras. +oioidecr hi dab , t Jerc.usith Barlocr, corporal of marines. Total-1. killed, b wors ted. [Tani over. um I