The National Register.
London, England, 1813-05-23 00:00:00

TYTT NATION.- L

32S

' S

coninssed of three
.divisions .of infantry, a corps of cavalry about
1600 men, and -a formidable train of arti
'rue posilien of the Allied Army was extensive. The left was
posted on a strange range ()chills, occupied by Major-General Whit-
thigh:tiles division of Spanish troops, and the advance of the Allied
Army under CoMmel Adam. .
-
This range of hills terminates at Castalla, which, and the ground
to the right, was occupied by Major-General Mackenzie's divi-ion,
and the regiment, from that of Lieutenant-General Clinton.
The remainder of the pssition was covered by a strong ravhw,
behind which Lieutenant-General Clinton was stationed, supported
by three battalions of Genetal Roche's division, as a column of le-
serve.

A few hitteties had been constructed in this part of the line, and
in front of 'the castle of Castalla. The enemy necessarily advanced
on the left of, the position. The first movement he made, was to
pass testrong body of cavalry along the line, threatening our right,
which wa 1-feinted. Of this movement no notice was taken : the
ground to which he was pointing is imfavonrable to cavalry, and as
this movement was forest-ea, the necessary precantiens had Lecti
taken; when.this body of cavalry had passed nearly the hair °four
line (If infiatry. Marshal Sachet advanced his colitunis to the feet
of the hills ; and certainly his troops, with a degree of ffallantry
that entitles them to the bight st praise, stormed the' wriole line,
which is not less than two miles and a half in extent. lint gollantl)
as the attack was made, the defence of the heights was 1.0
brilliant :,,at every point the enemy was repulsed—at seany with
the bayonet.
He suffered a very severe. loss; our gallant troops pursued him
for some distanco, and drove him, after a severe struggle, with pee-
copitation on his battalions of reserve upon the plain. The cavalry,.
which had slowly advanced along. our right, gradually tt II bark to
the infaatry. At present his superiority in that artil etiabietfhim
venture this movement, which otherwise he should have, severely
tepetited.
Having united his shattered battalions with those which he. kept
in reserve, Marshal Sachet took up it• position in the valley ; but
which it would not have been creditable to allow hint to retain. I
therefore decided on quitting_ mine, still, however, retaining the
heights, and fotinQd the Allied Army in his trout, covered my right
flank with the cavalry, whilst the left rested on the hills. The army
advanced in two lines to attack him at a considerable distance, but
iintininnately Marshal Socket did not choo,c to ri4. a second ac-
tion, 'With the &filo in his rear.

Thy Hue of the Allies was scarcely formed when he began his re-
treat, aad we could Effect nothing more .than ttiv Frei,ch
into the p: .S with defeat, which they had exultingly passed in the
mowing. The action terminated at dusk, with a distaut but heavy
canuouade.

ain sorry to say that I have ne .trophies to boast of. The ene-
my took no guns to the heighis, and he retired too expeditiously
to enable tue to reach him. Those which he nscd in the latter part
of the day were_ posted in the gorge of the defile, and it would have
cost us the lives of many brave
,men to take theiu.
lu the dusk, the Allied Army returned to its position at Cas-
talla, after the enemy had retired to Liar. From thence he eon-
tinu..d his retreat at inidnight to Villena, which he qnitted amain this
month% in great haste, directing his march upon Fucute de la Hi-
guera twit Onteniente.
But although have taken no cannon from the enemy, in point
of 'mowers his army is very considerably crippled; and the defeat
of a French army, which boasted it had never known a cheek, can-
ttot fail, I should hope, in producing a most favourable effect in
this part of the

. .
As I ociore mentioned to your Lordship, Marshal Suehet com-
manded in person.
The General's Native, Habert, and Robert, commanded their
respective division-. I hear born all. quarters that General Ha-
rive is killed ; anti .1 believe, froth every account that 1 can coil( et,
that tile loss of toe enemy aini,unts fully to three th.:nsand men ;
and he admits v.vo thousand five inindred. • Upwards of eight lam.
dre:l have alre.idy been buried iu front of only one part of our tine ;
anal me know twit lie has carried off with him an immense number
of wounded.

We had no opportunity of making prisoners, except such as were
'rounded; the numbers of which have-not yet reamed me. •
• lam sure your Lordship will hear with much satisfaction, that-
titis action has not cost us the lives of many of our comrades. •
Deeply must be felt the loss, however trifliti4 of such brave and
gal:ant soldiers ;• but we know it is inevitable, and Veal' with truth
their there-was not an, officer al soldier en4aged who did not
eouit the giorionstermination of an how >urable life, in tilt dizcharge
ct his duty to ilkiting and to his country.

MAY 23.

The gallant anti jo.iteools coudtict of th,,,e the welt. emtaged,
d much nKre an one hal(the army.. of sitathnt iir bk. petit*
arol glory of the aity : bt.t the steatly eoantenowe %via, r :tie]; the
ti.visionn of General's Ciiittoo and _Mackenzie et! tar Nome
nrs makr a cannon:Lie, and the edgeilietts.and ii.Lerity with wi
the Imes of oituck %vett• formed, sotliciently proved twme what I
had to depend on ftotn them, laid MarAtal_ Sachet awaited the ut-
taek.

I trust your Lordslilp will now permit me to perform the incst
pleasing part of my duty, that of humbly tiut►inistii.g, tin. hi• Royal
Highness the Prince begent's apprut►atiou, the tani•..s-of thost flirt-
eers and c•:rps which have had the fortunate oppyrronity of distill-
,...uishing themselves, in as far at least as has yet come to my knux-
ledgc. _ . . . _

Colonel Adam, who commandA the advance. CLAMS the fig .t place
in tins liot:nurah;e list. I c...miot lily p,aise the j. ~ariotts
arranLementil he made, hod abilOy with %%hicli he execiitt d his
orders on the I'2-.11

advance consists only of the 'rd battalion 27th regiment,
comittant!ell -by Licat..Coltotel Ree‘es ; the I rt giment,
contrna•i:led by I.ient.•Colonel lint he ; the Free Cot ps,
emennoulud by Alajos Carey ; one rifle cono!,:ri. of te..e and Bth
battalions Cu rano. 'Legion, rowtiland,d try roptains Li otter
and. fauns of thoce corps; anti a troop of fo-eign under
the orders of Captain Jacks, of the '23th drop,. itik toot mutiny
tam guns, in charge of Captain Arabin, royal aittl.:•ty.
The enemy tacked tills corps w itii from ti%c to ,Of, thouu--and
men, and for fire hours (and then only in curv:i.-quence or outer)
snecce tit"t in possessing Itintsclf of the pass.
This fact d Itliie says more in fir-onr of Cdo. el Adam, and in
praise of tho,c lie cf,smitands, tit.in ally word- of C c;+./ eNpress.
therefore, coolitte myself to ass.:ring. your.l.ordsiip, t: at
'lie ectinnet of all ent.,aged in this hriiliant allair, merits, and has
ittet with, my ItiOtest appri.bation.
Colonel Adam was wounded very early attack, but con.
tinned ;inkl still contintieS in eb r:re of Lis i'ti toil.

On the ISi the attack of the ent•my on Colo! el Adam's
was very sevel e, out the molly was fiefea:ol every point, and a
most gisLot ein-age of the t! tt, 177th, led oy Colette! Mani and ben-
tenant- Colooel Reeves, decided the fate of the day, at that part of
flehl of lytitle.

judgment. and gallantry displayed by Major-General
Whittingliatit, and his division of ti•e Shalllsii army, rivals, though
it cannot surpass, the conduct of C,llobel Adam and tne,a.lifaiire. •
At every !mint the enemy was ; at ni.•••y, at ti:e.p:iint
of the bayonil. At one point in particular I must mention, wl.ere
a French grenadier l'attalion kail gained the summit ot-the Lill, but
was charged and deiren from the h•-ight4-by a coil), under th.e cum-
mandol Colonel Casans.

Majfir-Geueral ‘Vittingham highly RN)lauds, and I know it is not
without reason, the conctiet of Colonel Casale:, C 010,41 Romero,
Colonel Campbell, Colonel Casteras, and Lieutenam•Colonel When,
who commanded at various points of the hills. To the chief of his
Stati, Colonel Serrano, he likewise expresses himself to he equally
aliged on this, as well as mail other • occasioe• I—and he acknow-
ledges with gratitude the services of Colonel Cathielii, of the Staff
of tie Italian Levy, who was attached to him Miring the day.
These, my Lord, are the officers and corps that I- am most anxious
to ri cominend to his Royal Higuness's it... Lice and protectOt ; aud
I earnestly entreat your Lordship well most respectitnly, r.O my
part, report their merits to the Prince hegent, and to the Spanish
Government. •

It now only rerraius for me to acknowletke the cordial co-opera-
tion and support 1 have met wish fi om tue several General Officeis
and Brigadiers, at: well as from the various otkeers in charge of de-
par tau nth attached to this army.
To Major-Geweral Donkin, Quarter Master General, I am parti-
cularly indebted, for the zeal • and ability log woks, he iu
the duties of ais extensive department, and the gallantry he displays
On every OCCUgiQn. •
Maior Kends, who is at the head of the Adjutant-General's f!e-
partm nt, affords me every satisfaction. LirutenaniXiduni 1 Hot-
emnbe, an.l, undernis orders, Major Willi Anson, conducted the d•lil•
eery branch of tste service in a Ilidlint'r highly creditabie. • Toe air;
o..rent brigades of guns; under Captains Lacy. Thomsonesold Gil-
mour. (and Garcia, of the Sicilian army), and. Lieutenant Patton,
of the flying artilliTy, were extrervely useful, and most pliantly
.served; and the Portuguese artillery supported the reputatiod their
ront-trymen have acquired.
• ThCarniy is now in march. I proceed to Alcoy, in the hope, but
not the sanguine hope, that I May be ena;ded to force thL•Alhayda
Pis. and reach' the entrenched pwition of the enemy of St. Felipti
hefore 4e eau alive there.

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