The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-01-25 00:00:00

LONDON CilZfiTE EXTRAORDIN.II:Y,

TUESDAY, .1 `lll AM •~3.

Dotrraing-street, January 24, 1809.

The Honourable Captain Hope arrived late last
night with a dispatch from lieutenant-General Sir
David Baird to Lord Viscount Castlereagh, ore of
His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, of
which the following is a copy :

Nis Majesty's Ship Vile de Paris, at Sea,
January 14, 111119._
_ _

Mir Lono—By the much-lamented death of
Lieutenaut-General Sir John Moore, who fell in

action with the enemy on the pith instant, it has
become my duty to acquaint your Lordship, that
the French army attacked the British troops in the
position they occupied in front of Coronna, at
about two o'clock in the afternoon of that day.
A severe wound, which compelled Inc to quit the
field a short time previous to the fall of Sir John
Moore, ohliges me to refer your Lordship for the
particulars of the action, which ass lung and oh-
stiwately contested, to the inclosed Report of Lieu-
tenant-General Hope, who succeeded to the 170111
tumid of the army, and to whose ability and ex-
ertions in direction of the ardent zeal and uncon-
querable valour of His Majesty's troops, is to be
attributed, under Providence, the suceew of the
day, which terminated in the complete and entire
r. and defeat of the enemy at every point of

The Hou. Captain Gordon, my Aid-de-Camp.
will h.ve the honour of delivering this dispatch,
and will be able to give your Lordship any further
information which may be required.

1 Itavc the houour to he, &c.
D. BAIRD, Lieut.-Gen.

Right lion. Lon! Viscount Castlereagh.
818 dlsksty's ship Audacious, off Corinna,
dounary is, lion.
_ .

_ .
Sts—ln compliance with the desire contained in
your communication of yesterday, I avail myself
of the first moment l have been able to command,
to detail to you the occurrences of the action which
took place in front of Comma, on the Wilt
It will be in your recollection, that about one in
the afternoon of that day, the enemy, who had its
the morning received reinforcements, and who hail
placed some guns in front of the right and left of
his line, was observed to he moving troops towards
his left dank, and forming various columns of at-
tack at that extremity of the strong and command-
ing positiop, which, ou the morning of the 15th, he
had taken in our immediate front.

This iadication of his intention was immediately
succeeded by the rapid and determined attack
which he made upon your division, which occupied
the right of our position. The events which nu-
cuffed during that period of the action you are
fully acquainted with. The first Atria of the
enelasy was met by the Commander of the forces,
and by yourself, at the head of the cui Regiment,
and the brigade under Major-Generul Lord William
►ieutiuck.

The village on your right became an object of
obstinate contest.

I lament to say, that soon alter the severe wound
which deprived the army of your services, Lieut.-
General Sir Juhu Moore, who had just directed the
most able dispositions, fell by a eanuou-shot. The
troops, though not unacquainted with the irrepa-
rable loss they had sustained, were not dismayed,
but by the most determined bravery not only re-
pelled every attempt of the enemy to gain ground,
but actually forced I to retire, although he had
brought up fresh troops in support of those origi-
nally engaged.
The enemy, finding himself foiled is every at-

tempt to force the right of the position, endeavour-
ed by numbers to turn it. A judicious and well-
timed movement, which was made by Major-Gen.
Paget, with the reserve, which corps had moved out
of it, cantonments to support the right of the army.
by a vigorous attack, defeated this intention. The
Major-General having pushed forward the 95til
(idle corps) and Ist battalion 5241 regiments. drove
the enemy berme hiin, and in his rapid and judi-
cious adtance, threatened the haft of the enemy's
position. This circiiinstouce, with the position of
lientenunt-General Fraser'.. division, (calculated
to give still further security to the right of the line)
induced the euewy to relax his rants in that quar-
ter. .
They were however more forcibly directed towards
the centre, where they were agniu successfully re-
'listed by the brigade under Major-General Man-
'gingham, forming the left of your division, and
a part of that under Major-Geocral Leith, form-
ing the right of the division under my orders.
Upon the left, the enemy at first coutented
himself with an attack upon our picqucts, which
however its general maintained their ground.
Fiudini !wive% er his efforts unavailing on the right
and centre, he accused determined to render the
attack upon the left more serious, and had sue..
ceeiltil i.sobtainingpossessionof the villa;e through
which the great toad to Madrid pas,es, and which
was %I lliate!ti in Gout of that port of the line. N roan
Ow+ rest, however, he was .nose CXlid:ed, with 1:10/-
titirilible loss, by a gallant attack of some Coin-
ponies of the ±d Lattahon 14th Regiment, under
Lieutenant-Colonti ; before fire its the
evening, we had not only successfully repelled
every attack made upon the position, but had