The National Register.
London, England, 1811-04-14 00:00:00

'ION AL REG

STEII.

ception of the loss sustained in the deatk-of Gerteral-Metzacho,
it had suffered very little ; that there was no want of provisions
or ammunition, and that it was, in fact, in so good a condition,
that it was probable it might hold out a month.
" General Imaz, a person of equal reputation with the lase
Governor, succeeded to the command, and the greatest confi-
dence was repos d in him ; but he surrendered to the enemy
on the day following that on which he received my'assurancks
of succour; at the same time that I urged him to defeud it to the
last extremity.
" It is useless to make any reflection on the facts here stated.
The Spanish nation has lost, in the course of two months, the
fortresses of Tortosa Olivenza, and Badajoz, without any suifi-
tient cause—and at Ale same time Marshall Soult, With a corps
of troops, which never was supposed to exceed 20,000 men, be-
sides the capture of the two last places, had made prisoners anti
destroyed above 22,000 Spanish troops."
etcro, MARCH 26.—0 n the 20th instant, near Folhaccozs,
we made 1000 prisoners ; a great deal of baggage fell into our
hands. On the 21st, we also took a considerable number. The
enemy has only 2500 cavalry left. It is said, that in the whole
upwards of 6000 prisoners have been taken. A soldier of the
6th en-adores says they had a severe skirmish at the Puerte de
Falhir, in which an English Major was killed.
LISBON, MARcH 25.—Letters from Arganel, where the
head-quarters of Lord Wellington then were, are the most
satisfactory. On the 13th he made 100 prisoners in Pom•
beiro, and on the 19th 1000, without losing a single man. He
likewise took from- them n:ore than two thousand heads of
cattle ; on the roads were found more than one thousat:d
muskets, great spoils, and ornaments of churches, &c. The
enemy has lost the greater part of his artillery of six and nitre
pounders. They murder all the peasants they meet, and have
burned the greater part of the houses, although we pursue them
very closely. A pitched battle would not have caused tern
such loss.
From the Lisbon Gazette of the 27th of March :—On the 25th
we received from •Elvas the following telegraphic dispatch t—
" Elvas, half-past three in the afternoon.
gg Campo Mayor is evacuated. Our-army entered it at no,:n.
The enemy's cavalry made a shew of resistance, but retired to
Badajoz." 4
LISBON MARCH 29.—We have no further information 70-
specting die progress of our army, but we know that on the 25th
instant, the head-quarters of Lord Wellington were in Celerice,
and that his cavalry and light troops, who continued to mane
nn prisoners, were still further advanced.
LissoN, rvL sell 31.—Letters received last night from cur
army, state, that the head-quarters were about four leagues cri
this side Celerico. It would appear Massena had made a stand
there. It i 3 also reported, that the enemy on the Alenn jo shit
have 'nada a similar stand at Badajoz, with about 12,003 men.
Our army in that quarter is 22,000 men. The cruelty, wanton
havoc and destruction, committed by the army of Massena in
its retreat, exceeds all former examples. They nut only burned
and destroyed all houses and towns near their route, but also
murdered the inhabitants with circumstances of such atrocious
barbarity as would have disgraced Vandals: their avidity for
plunder was such, that in one place the Royal Dragoons sex-
prised a party of them digging the dead out of their graves in a
church in search of plunder.
General Slade, who commands our cavalry, has greatly dis-
tinguished himself; he did not for three days during the pursuit
quit his horse, and was almost always close upon the enemy.—
The Royals and 16. h Light Dragoons have acquired great repu-
tation and honour by their gallant behaviour oo all occasions.
The loss of the enemy must have been immense, as the roads
were literally strewed with dead, and parties or from .e,O to lOCO
each are daily brought in as prisoners. We still hope to hear of
a much greater destruction of the enemy.

General Castanos arrived in the Tagus on the 4tit inst. on
hoard of an English frigate. He is appointed by the Regency,
Commander of the Spanish army of Estremadura.
Lord ‘Vtllington, we understand, has written to Ministers,
that he shall send home his prisoners in the tianSf)Orts,. Which
are now no hnger necessary, in order that Ministers may make
such economical arrange ments as they may thiuk fit, there
being no apprehensions of a second attack on Portugal fur some
time.
The Toss sirt.:ined by the army under Massena, from itS'en.
trance int() Portugal, is supposed to have fallen little "shOrt of
40,000 1114.11.
There will be four Admirals employed in the Baltic this sea-
son, namely, Vice-Admiral Saumarez, in the Victory; Rear-
Admiral kul,ltolds, in the St. George; Rear-Admiral Manly
Dixon, in the Vigo; and Rear-Admiral Durham, in the Han-
nibal. The fleet is expected to sdl in a very short time for that
destination:

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