The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-06-05 00:00:00

LORD COCHRANE.

The Chili Categie of the 17th Pehruary contains
a letter from Don ituism Prere, the ()avenue- of
Conception. amitosis; the subjoined extract of ■
letter Ito hem from Lord Cochrane. relative In the
taking of Valdivia. with regard in which the h'esstie
says..." The fortnitate isme of so brilliant an ex-
ploit exalts beyonti all praise the name of oar Mois-
tening naval commander and his brave comp4niort in
Prim; especially if we remember the strength of the
fortifications of Valdi,ta. hitherto considered im-
pregnakle, end the inadequacy of the means by
wine(' en heroic and important a conquest was
schi-...1"

Tite following intelligence is copied from tbs
Bath Petald

Extract of Lord Cuebrute% Lob?, dated 11th February,

on hoard the O'Higgins, in the port of Valdivia.
" I have the greatest satisfactinu in cornmioni•it!ng to
von the fortunate result of the attack limos V the
castles, forts, and batteries or which, with more than 110
pieces of ramico, are in our poesemon, with ali the stores
of Orrison, and the depot of the army of the south. The
Colonel, the c.,lours, the (water part of the acrootreinents
of the regiment of Contain'''. together sill, every thing
deposited in its head (parsers of Valdivia, have fallen into
nor bands. Only about 100 men escaped to the plains; b•t
those have met with so bad • reception from the peasantry
And Indians, that we have every day some of them returning
to us We bare taken the ship pylori., which was In the
port, and a brig ninth the enemy also hail in it he burnt.
The attack Seas Wide at night, and our whole loss consists
in six killed sod 19 prisoners. I have resolved un embark-
ing part lathe troops, to order in attack Chiloe, With such
brave fellows to accompany me, I have no dread of the issue
of the cotes prise. It is my wish that the vessel which car.
ries this proceed immediately to Chili wills the dispatches fur
Government."

...... ••••
A letttr, dined Valparaiso, February contains
the following a ldiumral details of Lord Cochrane's
intrepid at,tick on Valdivia, which appears to have
been as bold an euleriirise as any achieved by him
during the wur with reduce:—
" Lord Cochrane, on his reteirm from Liens, did not enter
This port, but stretched on to the southward wish Isis own
ship, the O'Higgins, to like • look into Valdivia. While
reconnoitring the batteries, a Spanish brig of war appeared
in the offing standing in fur the port; upon which Lord
Cochrane immediately hoisted Spanish colours. He decoyed
the brig close alongside of him before the mistake was dis-
covered. The Captain of the port of Valdivia. with his
whole boars crew, was caught in the same net. This 'Acre
we/ so entirely off his guard, that lee came on board the
O'Higgins, and was advancing on the quarter-deck with
the utmost ease and unconcern, when he met Lord Coch-
rane, at sight of whom he started back with surprise, mod
said, " I believe I have made a mistake;" to which his
Lordship cooly rejoined, "The greatest you ever made in
your life." The beige •bove-mentioesed proves to be the Pu-
trid. Spanish ship of war, from Lima, wills arms, stores,
end 20,000 dollar* in cash fur paying the troops in Valdivia.
She has s.nee arrived safe in Valparaiso. His Lordship
then pot into Talc:Amnia, where he took on hoard his own
vessel 250 soldiers, and reported that be was bound to VA-
peraiso ; lie, however, returned to Valdivia, landed his
small battalion eel the beach, and led them on to the charge
iu person, himself riarryiag thee deg of the O'Higgins as a
standard. The Royalism, after firing a few rounds, were
driven from their guns at the point of the bayonet. Thus
was Valdivia taken, the strongest point in South America
(Callao excepted), haviux mounted on its !easterlies Ito
pieces of caution. The Colonel and officers of the garrison
were made prisoners. The whose was accomplished with
the loss of very few men ou the part of the Patriots. As to
officers, Lord Cochrane hail few to lose, for his Feral Lieu-
tenant was absent in the prize, and his second was sick, so
that he was himself Admiral, Captain, and Lieutenant of
his own ship. After having secured the prisoners ou •
small island in the bay, cud manned the batteries with a
portion of his sailors, he embarked with his troops on board
some small vessels he had captured, and sailed with the in-
leutimi of subduing the Island of Chilne, a short distance
to the southward, and now the oily bold the Royalists have
in the south. This brilliant exploit has given a dart-eat
turn to affairs. The expedition to Pena is row ta;ked of
with confidence, and active preparations are inskine, beet
nothing will be done till his Lordship's arrival, for he is the
maim-spring of the whole. We expect him oa the 231 k."