The National Register.
London, England, 1809-09-10 00:00:00

7S

pushed his parties almost to the gates of Madrid, with which
city he was in communication; and he would have been iu
Fladrid, if I had not thou ht it proper to call in, in ex-
pectation of that general action which took place on the tZStit of
ly. lie afterwards alarmed the enemy on the right of his
army ; anti throughout the service, sheer ed himself to be an active
mid intelli ent
,partizan, well acquainted with the country in
r.iiich he was acting, and pobsesbing the confidence of the troops
hic 11 he commanded.

.Being persuaded that his retreat was not open by Arzo Bispo,
be acted right •in taking the road he did, with which he was
acquainted;well and although tmeiccessful in the actioa which
he fought. (which may well he accounted for, by the superior
numbers and description of the enemy's troops,) the action, in
a opinion, does him great credit.
1 have the honour to he, &c, Plc. &c. &c.
(Signed) ARTHUR W ELLEstare.
Miranda de Castenar, Aug. 13, 1809-
have the honour to acquaint you, that 1 was on march
;yesterday morning on the road of Grenadetia from Aldea Neuya.
to `rettore my communication with the allied army, when a pea-
sant assured us, that considerable quantity of dust which we per-
ceived in the road of Plasencia, proceeded from the march of a
tit dy or the enemy. 1 immediately returned and took post in
front of 'Banos, with my pickets in advance of Aldea Neuva,
selecting such points for defence as the exigency of the time.
permitted. The enemy's cavalry advanced on the high road,
and drove bark my small cavalry. posts; but a picket of Spanish
infantry, which t had concealed, poured in on the cavalry a
steady and well directed fire, that killed and wounded many of
them. The two hundred Spanish infantry in advance of Aldea
Netrya, continued, under the direction of Colonel Grant and
their officers, to maintain their ground most gallantly, until the
eitemy's cavalry and chasseurs a Cheval, in considerable betties,
arpeared on both flanks, when they were obliged ta retreat.
Tat enemy's chasseurs a Cheval and cavalry advanced in great
min:hers in every direction, and pushed to cut off the legion post-
ed bet keen Aldea Neuvaaud Banos ; but by the steady conduct
of ollicers and men, the enemy could only advance gradually,
and ti it h 'a very severe loss from the commanding tire thrown on
them% The Merida battalion, however, having given way on
the tight, a road was laid open, which cut behind our position,
turd I. was obliged to order a retreat on the heights above Banos,
when I was again necessitated to detach a corps, in order to
scour the road of Monte Major, by which I saw the enemy di-
recting a columa, and which road turned altogether the Puerto
de Banos, a league in dui.rear. At this time, Don Carlos Mar-
quis de Estrafme came alt- with his battalion of light infantry,
mitt• in lite must gallant mannar, took post along the heights,
,
commanding the road of Banos; which enabled me to send some
of the Merida hattalian on the rannetain on our left, cammaad-
big the main road, and which the. 'enemy had tried' to ascend.
The battalion of light infantry, the netaClement of the Legion
on its right continued, not withstanding the enemy's fire of artil-
. lery'and Musketry, to maintain their ground ; lint, at six o'clock
tit theevening, three ctilurnns of the enemy mounted the height
Ott our left, gained .it, and poured such a fife on the troops
that longer defence was impracticable, and the whole
ivas obliged to retire on the mountains on our left, leaving open
the.main road, ailing which considerable column of cavairy
immediately poured.
The battalion of Seville had been left at Bejar with orders to
fallois me nest day, bululten 1 was obliged to return, and .the
action cdmthenced, 1 ordered it to Puerto Banos, to watch the
'Monte Major road, and the heights in the rear of our left.—
When the.ettemy'S cavalry came near, an officer and some dra-
plater Called out to the t ommanding officer to surrender, but a
10::.-4 hie:land his party, and then tie! battalion proceeded
to rfinant the heights, in which movement it was attacked and
surroiroded by-a 'column of cavalry and a column of infantrv,
Gait Cut its way and 'cleared itself, killing a great many of the
*Healy; brcially of bis cavalry. • The enemy is now passing to
Salahlanir.with .0,4' expedition; I lament that I'could no
'Unger arresilift progress, hut, when the enormous superiority of
the enemy's farce is Considered, and that we had no artillery,
vett that the•Puetto.tte Banos on time E6tremaduran side, is not a
uf each strength as on the side of Castille, ejpecially hoot
gorls,'l !lope that Ha* rNistance Of nine hours, which must have
the Ottemy air:eat Many•men, will nut be deemed inadequate
to snit' meniff:' • I flat e irk *Ono wledie the services rendered me
cm this te,etisioni by ''Coti- Cram, Major Itfisnan, Don Fermen ,
Adjulitat- Nfojiir Of the drdgootts of Pavia, Captain
11;:riv. and ; and to express thegreatest approba•
iwo-tr !no- comp:title, of the Merida battalion lidvaand is
11 • ;•! : 'lie t l Ili • *lf it 4.. e• tt .t..•

.

SEPT. M.

•
front, and of mite commanding officer and soldiery of the batta-
lions of Seville. and the Portnguese brigade. I have already.
noticed the distinguished conduct of Don Carlos, and his batta-
lion merits the highet encomiums. I have not yet been able to
collect the returns of our loss. From the nature of mountain
warfare, many men are missing who cannot join for a day or
two, but I believe the enemy a ill only have to boast that he has
aichieved his passage, and his killed and mounded will he great
diminution of his victory.--1 have the honour to he, &e.
Sir A. Wellesley, &c. &c. &c. ROBERT WILSON:
Truaillo, Aug. 21, 1609.
General Cnesta moved his headquarters from the neighbour-
hood of the brid, eof Arcobispo on the night of the 7th instant,
to Peraleca de Harbin, leaving an advanced guard, con.-isting of
two di v isions-af infantry, and the Duke D'Alburquerque's divi-
sion of cavalry, Nr the defence of the passage of the Tagus at
this point. Ilse French cavalry passed the Tagus at a ford stn.
niediately above the bridge, at half-past one in the afternoon of_
the Bth, and surprised this advanced guard, which retired. leav-
ing behind them ail their cannon, as aell as those in the bat.
aeries constructed for the defence of the bridge. The General
then moved his head-quarters to the Mesa d'lbor on the even-
ing of the Bth, having his advanced at Bohoral. Ile resigned
the command of the army on the 12th, (on account of the
had state of his health,) which has devolved. upon General
Equia. The head-quarters of the Spanish army are now
at I)eleytosa. It appears that a detachment of Vanegas's
army had some success against the enemy, in an attack made
upon it in the neighbourhood of Aranjuez, on the sth
iostant. General Vanegas was then at Chaim, and he had deter.
mined to retire towards the Sierra Morrena ; and after the sth,
he had moved in that direction. he returned however towards
Toledo, with an intention of attacking the enemy on the 12th,
but on the 11th the enemy attacked him with Sebastiani's Carps,
and two of Victor's in the neighbourhood of Almora-
cid. The action appears to have lasted some hours, but the
French having at lna gained an advantage on General Vanegas's
left, he was obliged to retire, and was about to resume his posi-
tion, in the Sierra Morena. On the 9th, 10th, and 11th, targe
detachments of the French trooi:s which had conic (rein Pla-
sentia, returned to that quarter, and on the 12th, they al tacked
and defeated Sir Robert Wilson in the Puerto de Banos, on their
return to Salamanca. I rap pears now that the French force in
this part of Spain i 5 distributed as follows ; Marshal Victor's
corps is divided between Talavera and La, Mancha ; Sebasti-
ani sis in La Mancha : Marshal alortier's at Oropesa, Arzosi
bispo, and Navalmoral ; Marshal Soult's at Plasencia ; and
Marshal Ney's at Salamanca. Distress for want of provisions,
and its edects, have .at last obliged me to move towards the
frontiers of Portugal, in order to refresh my troops. In my for-
mer dispatches 1 have informed your Lordship of our distress
for the want of provisions and the means of transports. Those
wants, which were the first cause of the loss of many advantages
after the 22d of 3 uly, which were made. known to the Govern-
ment, and were actually known to them on the 20th of 'last
month, still exist in an aggravated degree, and under these cir-
cuiustances I determined to break up on the 20th .from Jaraiceje
where I had had my Ileadsquariers since the nth, with the
advanced posts on the Tagus, near the bridge of A Imaritz, and to
fall back upon the frontier of Portugal, where 1. hope I shall
lsesupplied withevery thing I want.. •

—mow—
Admiralty-Office, Sept. 9., NM.
A Letter has been receiVed at this Office by the Hon. Wm,.
Wellesley Pole from Vice-Admiral Lord Collingwood, dated on
board the Ville de Paris of Toulon, the 214 June last, trans,
taittin,, two letters from Captain Stewart, of his Majesty's shill
Sea-lrorse, and one from Captain `.lazwell. of his' 3lajesty's
ship Aleeste, detailing their proceedings on the coast of Italy.--
Captain Stewart reports the destruction of the enemy's forts on
the small islands of Giannti and Pianoso, in Which services great
gallantry appears to have been displayed by the officers and men
who were employed under the directions of Lieutenants Bennett
and Pearse, of the Sea-Horse and Haleyon. About one hundred
of the enemy were made prisoners.. One' private marine of th#
Sea-Horse only was kilted, and another wounded.
Captain Maxwell states the desttuction of two gun-boats at
Terrarina, by the Alceste and Cyane ; the bringing-Off frosts a
depot of timber on the coast as much Wood as tOe two ships
could curry'. and. the demolition of three strung blartcll6
towers by a curry'';
of seamen and tphrines, coasmaudect by
Captain Staines, of the Cyane, whdAisplayed equal juagniciAS
uud rtholutieu vo the 'occasioa. ' Whilst the. ships were miting
:4 •%! -i••••• •gi! '•• • •1 • • •••• . '4i • • t•: -! • • :N.

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SEPT. 10.