The Sun.
London, England, 1809-07-21 00:00:00

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S DRPARTWENT.

Colonel Long, Adjutant-General; i Dar-
ling, Deputy Adjutant-General.
Assistant Adjutants-General Lieutenant-Colonels Mt*.
sham, lion. B. Keppel, Walsh, Farquharson, MiDonala,
Diaper, Anderson, and Major Bradford.
Deputy-Assistants—Captains Jervis Elphingstone, Mar•
shall, Leggat, Barclay, Knightley, Gibbs, /3erron, lvestlon,
Erdgill, Fothermgham and Carnell.

Wednesday her MAJESTY, Princessei AUGUSTA,
SOPHIA, ELIZABETH, and MARY, accompanied by
Lady G. MURRAY, Mr. and Mrs. DRAX GROSVENOR
and Daughter, Lady THYNNE, General DE. RUDE,
and Colonel DESBROW, went to. Si. Leonard's Hill,
the seat of the Earl of HARCOURT, where they dined
with Lord and Lady HARCOURT. There were also
of the party invited, Lord and Lady BATHURST,
Marquis CORNWALLIS, Hon. Mr. and Mrs. G. VIL-
LIERS and Family; Colonel NEWDIGOT, CoOnt
Murivrisit, nilci Major TALWIT, ke. Her MAlitsrx
returned to Windsor at eight o'clock.
Yesterday morning his MAJESTY the Duke of
CUMBERLAND, Princesses SOPHIA and AUGUSTA,
accompanied by Generals CARTWRIGHT and FITZ..
ROY, Mr. DRAX GROSVENOR, Colonels TAYLOR and
DESBROW, rode in Windsor Park, and returned at
twelve.

We are authorized to contradict the report in some
of the Papers of Brigadier-general Sir ROBERr WIL-
isoN having resigned his command in Portugal, he be-
ng now with his brigade under Sir A. WELLESLEY.
It is said that Captain BARCLAY, whose move-
ments have lately excited so much attention, is gone
with our Expedition. If so, he has taken steps to
procure a more rational tame than that to which he
has hithqrto aspired, and his charater will obtain, in
the opinion of his countrymen, a better footing.
• The Lady who has been spoken of frequently as
having rode 1000 miles in 1000' hours, at Newmar-
ket, in 1758, did it under circumstances far from dif.
ficult. She was a relative of the Publisher of the
Sporting Calendar, in' Oxendon-street, who'was suc-
ceeeded by the present Mr. Weatherby, and she
was backed by the present Duke of Queensberry,
who • was then Lord March. She was allo ved to
dO the thousand miles on as many horses as sh..: '
chose,without regarding time, and she did the match
in 28 days, and two thirds of the time, mi
vourite horse. The Lady took her rev regulaily at
.night, and rode in the day time 40 or 50 miles.

lAtjr.4l.

on the Bth February, Major Welsh, with Lieut.
Gore, surveyed the enemy's lines, and to their aSto-
nishrnent observed some old walls appareptitaban-
dolled, and an approach of no great .difficulty be-
hind the battery on the south bill. This was re-
ported at head-quarters in the other camp : Major
Welsh proposed to take advantage of the discovery,
and requ%sted about 2uo Europeans to be added to
his own regiment, for the purpose of making the
attempt. Colonel St. Leger was favourable to the
plan ; but before be would finally decide, be sent
Welsh and Lambion to a neighbouring hill,
to i_xamine more particularly the works, the nature
ot the approach, &-c-.

the morning of the 9th, at sun-rise, Colonel
St.' Leger, Lieutenant-Colonel M'Leod, Majots
Welsh and Lambtoo, repaired, to the observatory,
and had a full view of every thing, and returned
fully convinced of the practicability of the 'A
deep jungle was discovered at the foot of the hill,.
but -every thing else as had been previously sup-
posed: -A sketch and plan of attack was made out
•by Major Welsh, and submitted to Colonel St.
Leger, Lieutenant Colonel M'Leod, and Major
Latneton, by Vt. OM it was agreed that Major
Welsh should Ctie two companies of the- picquet,
amotlnting to 150 men, his own corps, the five
companies Ist baaal.o., of 31 regiment of these he
• lett three companies of each oattalion with the Na-
tive pieqta-qs, and • two guns ar the advanced post,
under- Captain .Stevenson, (who having recently.
broke his leg, was incapable of climbing) ; the
stormink.r, party therefcre consisted of 550 Euro-
pean's,- both Regithent, under Captain SyinS ; seven
-Volunteer Artillery ; two companies of grenadiers
and light infantry, under Captain Pepper; seven
ditto, infantry, and Captain Lucas ; 150 pioneers,
under Lieutenant Bertram ; with tour short scaling
ladders; and a great quantity of ommunition.
Hiving formed a finiorn hope of one serjeant, one
corporal, and twelve privates, they marched off, on
the road formerly cut by the pioneers to the lefts or
southward, and proceeded without obstruction until
they reached the foot of the hill, where they rested
• for half an hour to form up and lie:down, to allow
the blue lights to burn out (these are burnt along
their lines to.prevent surpi Ise). They again started
and entered a dreadfully deep jungle, occasionally
Crossing ravines, ten, twelve, and fourteen feet deep,
full of thorns and bushes, through which it was ne-
cessary to creep on their hands and feet. At this
itinCture Major Welsh took the command of the
forlorn hope in-person, making a provision for a safe
retreat, assigning to every man his post, and dire-
ing that it should be effected in slow time; and by
alternate sections of the European party, firing and
fling to the rear. Having surmounted many diffi-
culties, and scrambled over many precipices, Major
Welsh missed every body but the forlorn hope,
Lieutenant Bertram and his pioneer bugle, with
about four pioneers. The night was dark ; this
small party whistled to no purpose, and were then
very near the works. After waiting in vain a quar-
ter of an hour, the men were direOted by their leader
to fix their bayonets, cautioned not to fire, but to
carry every thing by the bayonet. They assured.
-Major Welah of their determination to conquer or
die with him, and crept under the walls, when
(having no ladders) it was proposed they should
climb upon one anothers shoulders, the Major offer-
ing to be the first man—this the men would not
allow. Two men got in first, when the Major fol-
lowed, who finding the two men greatly exhausted,
lie himself drew up Lieutenant Bertram and six men
by main strength, and -then gave place to others.
Thus we formed a party of about e2O. It was ex-
. anlly four A. M. They sat down, waiting in anx-
inns suspense for some more of the party, who hav-
ing taken a different route in the dark, entered with
equal silence and success, with ladders, about
.200
"yards below, to the right. They immediately on
being for Med, set to work with a loud peal of mus-
ketry, which was answered by the enemy with guns,
blue lights, &c. The small leading party was some-
What confounded, but this was no time for hesitation.
The bugle was sounded, and they gave, three loud
butzas, which Were answered frOm one end of the
hill-to the otherOin a downward direction, when the
firing, increased. Uuacquainted with the success
below, and determined not to quit the hill alive,
Major Welsh and his small party pushed- up'to the
summit, still shouting and blowing.
At this period, Major Welsh, by his exertions, -
and.many severe falls in his efforts, was completely,
deprived of the use of his limbs, and he fainted se-
yeral times. Being joined by the light company Ist
battalion 3d regiment, he was afterwards carried by
nis own desire to :tie scene of action. As they ap-
proached, the day broke, and discovered the whole
hill in the possession of the British. The colours of
the 2d battalion were - hoisted on a conspicuous
rock, and the guns of. the enemy were -turned on
iheir ;Meg, which were completely enfilade&t. They
:nntinued, however, to fire with some guns, until a
party dashed down tlie rock, and d:ove them- com-
pletely away. Irons. the lines, killing several,
And taking all their arms, &e. During this opera-
tion, the whole force was moving down rapidly to
fire support of the storming party ; a company of
,"ee 6&th, and three companies Ist battalion igth
cg4nerit joined them on the hill by the same
rlVAing route.
:11'118, by a successful coup-de-main, fell the strong
anAl fatrwof lines of Travancore, the extent of which
would require at least 10,000 men to defend them,
and by nine o'clock there was not a man in sight,
even from the upper posts. The North hill, which
IS very strong, but about three quarters of a mile.
from the nearest part of the lines, was abandoned in
such confusion, that the enemy 'left about 0 stand
nt arms at the gate, preferring a naked state to
it:sure their flight. A great quantity of cannon
(some very beautiful brass ones) have been taken, to-
gether with muskets, pikes, and ammunition of all
sorts, &c. The troops are busily employed in blow-
ing up the lines, and bursting all iron guns, &c.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM CAMP, TWO MILES
WITHIN THE ARLIMBOOLY GATE, DATED 10TH
rt.:BRUARY, 1b(19.
I now must endeavourtofinish this by informing
You of our wonderful success. Major Welsh last
night volunteered to take. the heights on the left,
and take up a position so as to command the lines ;
we set out last night with two (200) of his Mai :sty's

..g4t`n regitneni; mid thi corn-
patties of the is/ and 2d of the 3d regiment; and
theist; 3d, 4th; 6th, and Bth company 2d hatta.-
lion 3d regiment, about eight o'clock P. M. and
after a march of eight hours in the jungle (tbe roads
being- cut by two companies of pioneers; - under
Bertram), we had 'the pleasure of placing the sca-
- ling ladders on the Walls, and got the light infantry
of the 69th over, when we began the firing by taking
possession of the heights, and Capt. Cunningham, of
the 69th, rushed forward on a small battery that
commands the lines, and took possession of it; he
there, poor fellow, received a mortal wound in
his belly, but is still alive ; we then kept up a brisk
fire of musketry on the lines, and about six o'clock
Captains Lucas, Pepper, Carfrae, and I, 'proceeded
to scour the ramparts with about 100 men, consist-
ing of a few from the 69th, and our regiment ; Car-
frae and I rushed on in front, and when we arrived
at the gate, we had only eight or ten men with us,
the rest, from fatigue, were lagging a little behind.
I blew open the gate with one of the enemy's six-
pounders, and admitted the rest of our small detach-
ment, while Carfrae scoured the ground command-
ing the inside of the gate. It isa most providential
victory; and that such a place should be taken with
`2OO Europeans, and about boo Sepoys ; for our
and Bth companies, and-two sections of the 4th com-
pany, lost their way in the jungle, and were obliged
to return to camp ; I believe we have not a man
killed, as far as I could see, only Captain Cun-
ningham, two privates of the 6gth, and three-Sepoys
wounded, but all dangerously. When we began to
scour the ramparts, there were two regular batta-
lions advanced upon us, beating the Grenadiers'
March ; they twice endeavoured to regain the first
bastions, and were as often repulsed; and when
they ran off the last time, it was then that we fol-
lowed them so close, that they had not flint to
rally. They say that they had two regular battalions
and 5000 men on the ramparts 1.1;f en we attacked
them, and it seems quite wonderful that we suc.r
seeded ; and I am sure, that none excepting our
astonishing and brave Major could attempt it ; we
all thought him mad in perevering, after we saw
what we had to do ! Not one of us ever expel ed to
return ~and one of the 69th privates said in my hearing,
". that that terrible Major surely thought he com-
mands motikies, to endeavour to get up suet) a
mountain." The Officers were Captain Synts, Cap-
tain Cunningham, Captain Lindsay, and Lieute-
nants Baley, Carry, and Read, of the 68th; cap-
tain Lucas and Lieutenant Walker, of our grena-
diers;
.Carfrae and Lieutenant Dawson, of the light
company ; Captain Pepper and Ensign Meredith,
of the Ist of the 3d grenadiers ; Lieutenant Gore,
of the light company; Lieut. Gable, of the 3d;
Lieut. Robinson, of the 4th ; and your most obedi.,
ent, of the first company, were those who carried
the day.

The storming of the lines of Travancore, which
was accomplished by Major Welsh on the 10th of
February last, has been attended wnh circutnstances
highly honourable to the skill and gallantry of that
brave Officer. The following are the General Or-
ders issued on that occasion

GENERAL ORDERS.

Parole, WaLszt —Countersign, Succass.
Camp two miles interior of A rumbooly Gate,
February to, 1809.

Lieutenant-Colonel the Honourable A. St. Leger
has much satisfaction in conveying to the troops un-
der his command the Most sincere congratulations
on the brilliant achievement of this morning. The
Lieutenant-Colonel deems it a duty he owes to jus-
tice, thus publicly to mark the high consideration he
entertains of the perseverance, judgment, and ability
displayed by Major Welsh, commanding the 3d
Regiment of Native Infantry, in the assault of this
morning, wherein the greatness of the enterprise
could only be equalled by the success which attend-
ed it. The Lieutenant-Colonel r-caests. Major
Welsh will convey to the Officers and men who
composed the detachment for escalade under his
command the most unqualified approbation of- their
gallant exertions in accomplishing an object which
must ever be considered as entitled to an high place
in military records.

Copy of Lieutenant-Colonel St. Leger's Letter, dated Feb.

to, :Sag, to the Chief Secretary to Government.

" SIR-I had the honour this morning to convey
to you, by express; a small note in pencil for the in-
formation of the Honourable the Governor in Coun-
cil, by which you were made acquainted with the
satisfa&ory intelligence of the British flag being fly-
ing on every quarter of the Arumbooly lines, as
well as the commanding redoubts to the north and
south.

" It is impossible for me to de,,:ribe in language
sufficiently strong the obligations 1 feel under to the
personal exertions of Major Welsh, commanding the
3(1 Regiment of Native Infantry, and the detach-
ment for assault under his command...

•• The southern redoubt, which presented a com-
plete enfilade of the whole of the main lines as tar
as the gate, was the /ohjed of Major Welsh's enter-
prise, an undertaking which, from the natural
strength of the approach, appeared to be only prac-
ticable to the exertions and determined bravery of.
British troops, led on to glory by Major Welsh. It
was ascended under cover of the night, and our
troops had a6tUally escaladed the wail ere their ap-
proach was suspeded, and the ascent of such great
difficulty as to require six hours aelual scrambling to
reach the foot of the walk.

" In consideration of the brilliancy of this achieve-
ment, I feel a pleasurable duty in detailing, for the
information of the Honourable Governor in Coun-
cil, the names of those Officers who accompanied
; the detachtnent for escalade, which consisted of two
companies of the picquet of his Majesty'Stlgth Regi-
mem, commanded by Captain Syrtis, the tour flank
companies and five battalion companies of the 3d Re-
giment, under Captain Lucas, and it did not require
. that confirmation (.which Major Welsh has conveyed
in the most handsome manner) to convince we that
to have accomplished such an objeti every man must
have_done his duty. ' In the list of gallant fellows
which accompani,d this dispatch, I hate to lament
the fate of Captain Cunningham, tA hose wound
-fear is mortal, which deprives his country of a brave
and valuable Officer.
" When Major Welsh had once effeaed his se-
curity in this commanding position, I dispatched t 9
his assistance, by the same arduous route, a com-
pany of his Majesty's tigth Regiment, aad three

ConlitsnleA first liattalon 13t1}
Captain Hodgson, to reinforce Abel add confidence
to his party; as soon as this additiod was perceived,
a detachment from his party stormed the Main lines;
And by dint of persevering bravery carried them e&•
th'ely, and the northern redoubt was abandoned bY
the panic-struck enemy, who fled in all possib!e
fu ,ion in every direttiOn, leaving me in possession of
their strongest lines, and I am now encamped on a
convenient possession, two miles interior of the
Arutnbooly Gate.

" I feel it a duty I owe, from the report of .111a=
jor Welsh, of the services and exertions of the pio-
neers who accompanied him, to express my entire
apprJbation of their conduit, and that of Lieute-
nant Bertram who accompanied them. In short, I
feel highly satisfied with the condu& of the Officers
and men who compose the detachment under my
command. As soon as 7 receive details of the loss
sustained, I shall have the honour of forwarding a
corre& list of killed and wounded, which, consicer-
ing the object that has been realized, is very incon-
siderable. I arri in possession of the arsenal, which
appears- well stored %vitt). arms, ammunition, and
many stores ; with a quantity of valuable ordnance
on the works, which has not yet beenascertained."