The Sun.
London, England, 1809-10-04 00:00:00

SrIrNISH Pd :'i S.

OFFICIAL ACCOUNT BY GENERAL CUSTA OF
TILE BATTLE OF TALAVERA, TO THE SE..
Cit ETARY AT WAR.

i

3EV.ILL'E,

"-MOST;.•EXCELLEINiT .Sitt, .
" I removed my:head-quarters an the 21st cur-
rent, to Velada, according to. what I mentioned in
my former dispatch of the same night. Thiscom-
manication was made aiter.l had seep at Oropesa, in
the evening of that day, the gallant and Thustrious
army of the English. These forces having all re-
united in that town, 1 ordered my vanguard to be
placed before Velada, concluding. that the -firing I
then discovered was a skirmishing of our parties
with an. advanced body of the curry, stationed at
that time in the district of Gatilonal,,two leagues dis,
tant from Talavera, and which in the sequel was
routed and pursued to Casar. At break of day on
the 22d, my army .being assembled in the extensive
plain between Velada and Talavera, I directed that
the/vanguard, under the intrepid Chief Brigedier-
General Don Josef de Zayas, should charge the
enemy, wit*, had been reinfOrced with the division
of cavalry'of General Latour itaubourg, and I di-
rected that the divisions of infantry and cavalry
should march in close order, that thus advancing
towards Talavera, they might resist the attack, if the

French should endeavour to force the entrance to
this place, as they seemed to have determined. The
dispatch of Zayas, No: 1, sent by this opportunity,
will give you a perted knowledge of what occurred
on that morning. "(This communication is .pro-
mised in a new Supplement to the Seville Gazetie,-
but was not published at the time of the departure

of the vessel.)
" The whole army followed the vanguard, pass-
ing by Talavera,
,and took up a position in the olive
grounds, between that town and the. Wier Albert-Ale.
The British army on the night of the 21st, marched
from Oropesa, and on the tolloiving morning, unit-
ed with us, andiwhile the vanguard attacked and
ic-
pulsed the enemy, the English also filet ott L Tala-
vera, to take op a position on
.our lett, accord,ng to
the plan agreed. It was, WWI Exceilent Sr,, a mag-
nificent exhibitiou, when • we saw the combined

armies in a plain of two leagues exieui, advancing
upon the enemy, and most brilli2nt and gratu hig
was the admirable order, tirlunes,.and

with which this- movemeht. wus pertorweu t,y
,our

Allies. The whole evening 'of we wvte re,
commit ring' the camp of. the enemy, when .we. jolt
some prisoners between the Wood and the 011%.e
grounds, who could not reach their vanguard, winch
had been ouliged to retreat in consequence of an'

[Tepid chargit by our cavalry.
" Duriug• the whole of the 23d.nothing deserv-
ing notice happened. It was turplo.%ed in exatuin-
ing the position
.ot the enemy, who, had again
ciiticentraied his forces in the distria of Casale-
gas, curd on the adjacent heighis, preserving his
vanguard supported by some pieces fit arisliery oat
the bridge and. sores of the river..A.iberche, and
.which fired the greater part of the day od our skit-

mishaig porttea.
.‘! I had agreed with the General in Chief of his
Britannic:. Majesty's army, Sir Arthur. Welleflq, as
to th:f attack on the bridge aid shows, or the rivtr
betore day-break-of the 4th, and to tins purpose I
sent onward the sth division. ot .in;autry under M3r-
shal de Camp D. Luis de, 13o,secouri, in evening
of the'23d, m °icier, that atter having crossed at the
Ford of Cartliel, three leagues from :4.alavera, URI

might march by the con; igo-i,,us heigh ts, so as by break
of day on the 24th to tali on thefehr-guard.a4 light
flank of the army of the enemy at C.asalegas... At tile
same _hour, 7"1 proposed to attack iii person on the
left flank, and a part of .his front, while tile Eng-
lish :army assailed thew hole of his right. The flight
of the enemy during:the night of the 230, discon-
certed this plan,. and when at dawn of the 24th, we
saw the French camp,abandone_d, I thought it pro=
per to follow them witti.,triy army alone (as the. ,130-
thin army remained in Casalegas and the shores of
the Alberche), With the hope ot. reaching his rear-
guard,.or some portion of it. - The news which I
acquired_of .his route,- _appriseditne that_he had pro-
ceeded in two columns by,Santa Olalla and Cebolla,
• _ and in consequence, 1. divided iny,arniy so asio tol-
• low him in both direCtions. -Notwithstanding the
forced Match of my army, Mho qua‘leAlieir day's pro-
gross-without fatigue, . we could.ntunccomplish our
object., ...as the enemy had early commenced his; re-
' treat, and hod •proceetted with great •rapidity. On
the .24th, .having pasted myselt in Santa-Olalla, I
ordered the troops.which had taken•the.road of Ce-
:bollal'tc; join nut, !with tlictpxception of the sth
corps, which. I . left there to watch the:district,
placing the vanguardin the neighbouzlioed, of Alea7
• hati.., from; whence the piquets of the enenry were
dislodged, :and pursued to Torrijos, where a con-
sideranie part ot the army of .the erietny was sta-
tione;l.
•, • -
- " The whole of the 25th was engaged in giving
repose to the troops, and 'in apportioning ,the t-tt-
.. . ,
- lions, whicu. were. extremely deficient. l'aoics of
the reach during the day -Were employed either in
endavouring to dislodge. us from our posts, :or to
reconnoitre our situation, but in bothattenipts they
Were disappointe4 by the valotir Of•tlie Officers com-
intilkhia•,:, the SkirMishing parties, whb attacked them
, on al, bides, add prevented their approach. -At nine
o'clock
at night, of the same day, I had. infortna-
nun that the enemy was advancing 1.11)0 Torrijus,_
and that his-Whole army was in movement, but my
advices did not instruct me •to which point the
greater part was proceeding. On hearing this, I
apprised the Generals, and dispatched 397.qt-1-leer. to
General Wellesley. In consequence of
"ids deter-
mination and•diredion, and on•findinetny vanguard
powerfullk attacked on the morning of the 26th, by
a very superior force, and the enemy indicating a de-
sign of making. a.general attack, 1 'resolved to make
• a retrograde movement upon the Atberc.be, to re-
unite with the EnoliSli, which I effected on the even-
.
ingot the: banns day.
,The disliatches of Brigadier-General Don Josef
de Zayas, and, •of Oeutenaut-General tile:Duke of
Albuquerque, Nos:2 and 3, (not yet published) ex-
plain the particUlars'of the action on the morning of
that day, atYd in • which" the corps there mentioned
.acquired great credit fur their firmness and • valour,

a.