The Sun.
London, England, 1836-10-10 00:00:00

of the Legion. On some of these occasions the Ist Regiment
of Lancers had occasion to come into play, though the
ground was far from being favourable to cavalry operations ;
however, they made two or three brilliant charges, in
the execution of which they had two officers and eleven men
wounded, and lost thirteen horses. Where all fearlessly and
faithfully did their duty it would he difficult, if not invidious,
to point out particular officers, or particular regiments. It
cannot, however, be unfair or out of place to state that the
brigade commanded by General Fitzgerald, was constantly
engaged under fire, and firing from five in the morning until
noon, when, from the complete exhaustion of the men, and
their muskets having become foul from the incessant dis-
charges, it became necessary to relieve them by the brigade
under General Chichester. From noon until six o'clock p.m.,
the officers and men of General Chichester's brigade carried
on the business of the fray with the same cheerfulness, dis-
cipline, and courage, as those had evinced whom they relieved.
With regard to any substantially beneficial result to the Le-
gion from this long day's fighting, during which several hun-
dreds of shot, shells, and rockets, were expended, and pro-
bably near 300,000 rounds of ball cartridge on both sides
fired away, it is difficult to speak, for, in fact, the only satis-
factory result there appears to be is, that of furnishing an in-
contestible proof of the high degree of efficiency and soldier-
like conduct in the field to which the Legion has arrived
through so many obstacles, preventions, and discouraging cir-
cumstances. Of this, no better proof can be given than the
eagerness of the men, after being engaged in the field, and
under fire for thirteen hours, to charge up the steep sides of
the Ametzagana Hill, and storm the deep entrenchments and
high breast-works of the enemy on its ridge. This feeling
expressed itself almost in murmurs amongst some of the
regiments at being withheld from attempting this feat. As
to the positive loss occasioned to the Legion by the day's fight
it is easier to be precise. The deaths were about 40, in which
number three officers. The number of wounded was about
220. There were no missing nor prisoners. The loss of
the Spanish troops engaged was in killed and wounded
about 140, among which two officers killed, making in all
on the Anglo- Spanish side a total loss in killed and
wounded of 400. The casualties on the part of the Carlists
must have been much more considerable, besides the loss from
the bayonet, and the continued discharges of musketry, the
destruction by round shot, shell, and rocket must have been
very great, so many of these discharges having been directed
with such precision. If the reports of some peasantry who
have come in are to be believed, their loss amounted to be-
tween 700 and 800, of which nearly one half (a large propor-
tion) it is said were killed. On some of the outposts they
admit themselves of a loss of 300 wounded. To this is to be
added the shame of discomfiture, as they being the attacking
party were foiled in all their attempts, and flung back from
every position they attempted to occupy with loss and con-
fusion. But after all this fighting and turmoil, the enormous
expenditure of ammunition, the deplorable loss of human life,
and mutilation of limbs to which many of the wounded must
submit, the plain straight-forward sense of England will scarcely
fail to look forward for the cui bond, and ask how far has the
Queen's cause been advanced by the affair of Ist of October. To
such a question the only answer can be, that her cause has not
been advanced by it in the slightest degree. But where lies
the fault of this? Surely not in the soldiers, officers, or com-
mander of the legion, who have all nobly done their duty; but
it lies where so many other grievous faults lie, in the wretch-
edly inefficient system upon which the public affairs of this
country have been, and are, conducted, or rather misconducted,
—a system marked by the total insufficiency of the means to
the end, by a rash commencement of operations without the
slightest forethought or preparations for their continuance and
successful conclusion, by the absence of a prudent co-ordination
in their plans, and by the utter neglect of co-operation between
those charged with their execution. These are amongst the
principal causes that have hitherto paralysed the exertions of
the legion, and prevented it from becoming a powerful in-
strument, which it is now perfectly fitted to be, for bringing,
with even only a moderate degree of co-operation, this exe-
crable warfare to a speedy close. But instead of being thus em-
ployed, it is kept here " cabined, cribbed, confined," in the
petty space shut in bi the lines of St. Sebastian. That this
nullifying system would have been persevered in under
Cordova no one doubts, but better things were expected
from his successor Rodil. However, one almost of his first
official acts has been at variance with these expectations, for
he had but just entered upon his office as commander-in-
chief, when he sent down a peremptory order for two of the
best regiments belonging to the garrison, and mustering-
-2,000 men, to be withdrawn from it, and to join his army of
reserve. But peremptory as this order was, it could not be
executed for want of funds, and it was not until six days
after its receipt that the regiments in question were enabled
to embark, by General Evans making them an advance for
their most necessary expenses, from a sum just received for the
use of the Legion. Intelligence having been received that
San Pablo, with about 3,000 Carlists, had marched into the
Asturias, it was resolved to endeavour to get the start of and
intercept them, by sending these two Spanish regiments by
steamers to Gijon, a port in the Asturias. This clever and
very practical plan was, however, frustrated by the usual inco-
hesent and irregular manner in which public affairs arc carried
on in this country. The steamers conveying these troops,
having touched at Santander about the same time that Cartor
and a hundred Carlists were heard of at some leagues
distance in the neighbourhood, the money-scrapers of San-
tander becoming alarmed for their dollars, and General
Iriarte sympathizing in their fears, the two Spanish regiments,
ho might have done essential service to the general cause it'
allowed to proceed to their destination, were, on the contrary,
ordered back to the ca.3t4ard several leagues, and lauded at
Santona, there to await and secure the commerciantes of San-
wilder. from the very remote chance of any detriment happen-
ing- to the hard dollars or salt fish and flour. This is a speci-
men of the way that the affairs of the public weal are carried
on in this country. _ _ _

List of Killed and Wounded of the British Auxiliary Legion
in the Action of the 2d of October, 1 L 36, on the Lines be.
fore St. Sebastian :
Artillery—l officer killed, Capt. Backhouse; 1 man killed
11 men wounded.

Ist Lancers-2 officers wounded, Lieut. Middleton danger-
ously, Partington severely; 11 men wounded.
Ist Regiment Foot-3 officers wounded, Colonel Kirby se-
verely, Major Stewart and Captain Linton slightly ; 5 men
killed, and 33 wounded.
3d Reg.-1 officer killed, Lieutenant Jackson, 2 wounded,
Captain O'Connor severely, Lieutenant Morris slightly ; 9
men killed, 27 wounded.

4th Reg.-2 officers wounded, Captain Asgill severely,
Lieutenant Foreman slightly ; 4 men killed, 15 wounded.
6th Reg.-3 men killed, 14 wounded.
7th Reg.--No casualty, as their position was on the extreme
right, where the attack was only a faint one.
Bth Reg.-2 officers wounded, Captain Robertson severely ;
Lieutenant Cook slightly; 2 men killed, 9 wounded.
9th Reg.-1 officer wounded, Major Cotter slightly; 1 man
killed, 23 wounded.

10th Reg.-1 officer killed, Lieutenant Gartlazd ; 3 men
killed, 41 wounded.

Rifles-4 officers wounded, Major Duerie slightly, Captains
Atkins, Jeffries, and Lieutenant M'Lean, severely ; 7 men
killed, 48 wounded.
Total, 38 killed ; 228 wounded.

OCTOBER 5, 1836.—The Pluto steamer not having been
yet able to start, owing to the unfavourable state of the
weather that has prevailed here for the last two or three
days, I am enabled to add some further particulars to those
given in my preceding letter. It appears, if concurring ac-
counts from various quarters are to be relied un, that the loss
of the Carlists in the affair of the Ist instant, was still more
considerable than what I first mentioned. Letters received
from Bayonne put it down at 1,000 killed and wounded ;
and a communication from the Governor of Behobie, makes
it amount to 1,500. However beyond the truth these
numbers may be, no doubt can remain of the destruction
having been very considerable, for we have positive infor-
mation here, that the number of wounded was so great,
that it became necessary, from the want of accommodation
and surgical assistance, to transport a large portion of them
to Tolosa. It is also known that amongst the killed there is
one of their cleverest chiefs, Arana, and several other officers.
It appears that great numbers of the shot and shells which
went clear over the ridge of the Ametzagana, told with most
destructive effect amidst the reserve corps stationed in the
valley on the other side of that hill. A report prevails here
to-day that the Carlist Chief, Cabrera, has been taken in
Aragon, after the partial destiuctien and total dispersion of
his band ; also that 19,000,000 of reals have arrived at La-
grono for the payment of the Spanish troops.
The day before yesterday the last sad honours were paid to
the remains of Captain Backhouse and Lieutenant Jackson,
who fell in the field on the lit instant. The coffins bearing
their arms covered with crape, and that of Captain Backhouse
being overlaid with the union Jack, he having been formerly
in the navy, were followed by General Evans and his staff,
all the principal officers of the Legion, and as many of the others
as were not on duty. After traversing the Plaza and some of
the principal streets, the procession moved slowly up the steep
path that winds round the sea-side of the castle hill, until it
had attained within a few hundred feet of the summit, upon
which sits " in cloud-capp'd majesty" the castle itself.
There, upon a little plateau fronting the wide expanse of the
Bay of Biscay, were prepared " the lone couches of the sol-
diers' everlasting sleep." The scene at this moment was in
the highest degree impressive. The sombre and military
_illsignia of the coffins, borne by soldiers, ;the varied and bril-
liant uniforms of the officers, the funeral guard with trailed
rendered infinitely
times an imposing spectacle, was on this occasion
infinitely more so by the sublime aspect of the
mountain and ocean scenery around, whilst its touching
effeelcatnscwhoalsyrsetnrdaehrised still more deeply felt by the beautiful and
m
g a fr
otumhneud;mPr Portuguese Hymnobcye
atnhe wavesrtooc k tshtle,
aatVn
broke
rrgoikne,
which were floating
ac-
companied by the wild
at their base. The funeral service was read with deep and
manly feeling by Colonel Colquhoun, and the responses given
by Colonel Shaw, both poor Backhouse's superior officers.
As the graves were filled up, and the last farewell volley fired
over the remains of their former comrades, there may have
been dry eyes, but there was not, certainly, a heart that did
not deeply and sincerely breathe a prayer for rest to the souls
of the warriors. The remains of Lieutenant Gartland were
attended Ly the officers and soldiers of his own regiment to the
Spanish cemetery, in v. hieli, lie having been
Catholic, they
were allowed to repose.
Amongst the singular incidents that marked the affair of the
Ist instant, one of not the least extraordinary was the manner
in which a 24-pound shot from the Carlist gun on the
Ametzagana took effect upon an ill-fated horse. This animal,
on which was mounted, at the moment, Adjutant Foreman,
of the 4th Regiment, was struck by the ball in
the head, which it shattered into a thousand pieces; it
then entered the chest, and made its way right through
the intestines, and out at the other extremity of the body,
after which it took clean off a Chapelgorie's thigh,

and wounded severely, but not dangerously, an Irish-
woman, who was in the family way, and had another
child in her aims. The most strange part of the fact is,
that the rider escaped unscathed, receiving no other injury
beyond rather a smart shock to his nervous system. A
few minutes after this strange event I rode up to the spot,
and never before beheld so hideous an object as that exhibited
by the mashed and mutilated remains of the horse. There
was not the slightest trace of its head and neck, but instead, a
wide and gory aperture in the chest, with a corresponding one
at the other extremity. Verily, the rider may challenge all
England, and the world to boot, to equal him in such a feat of
horsemanship. Even the bold Osbaldiston himself would, I
think, refuse to bestride a horse through whose body, whilst he
was on it, a 24-pounder was to be sent, turning almost, literally
speaking, the animal's inside out.

The contents of the French Journals of Friday and
Saturday are interesting, rather than important.
Extracts from them will be found uuder the head
" Foreign Intelligence." The CITIZEN KING has
at last bethought him of trying the effect of a political
amnesty on a small scale. Sixty-two political offen-
ders are to experience the first fruits of the Royal cle-
mency. This act is not to be understood as a "con-
cession to the exigency of parties"—as M. PERSIL
diplomatically phrases it. No, no—" such a mea-
sure would be celebrated by factions as the disavowal
of the acts of that courageous magistracy which has
displayed so much greatness amidst civil discord." Nay,
start not. We are really quoting the language of the Mi-
nister of Justice. Can there be anything, we ask, more
courageous in a popular magistracy than the act of filling
a country with spies and informers ; and the prisons
with individuals not charged with, but suspected of
treason ? Can there be a more convincing proof that a
" Government derives its strength from national sym-
pathy," than such a mo:le of governing a free people ?
We wish not to detract from any merit which may be
due to the KING for the tardy performance of an act of
Justice ; we only desire that his Ministers would learn
not to insult the common sense of the people in the an-
nouncement of his MAJESTY'S gracious intentions.
We do not find the names of the prisoners at Ham in
the lists of those to whom the Royal clemency is about
to be extended ; but we are assured nevertheless that
they will be included in the act of amnesty. The KING,
we are told, sympathizes deeply with Prince de Po-
LIGNAC ; and would have long since released him
and his fellow-prisoners had he not apprehended
danger from the clamours of the Republican party.
We can readily give full credence to this state-
ment. His MAJESTY must be well aware that
the incarceration of the Ministers of CHARLES X.
is not a jot more justifiable than would the impri-
sonment of Count MOLE, M. MARTIN (du Nord),
and M. PERSIL within the same fortress. POLIGNAC
attempted to extinguish the liberty of the press ; he
failed, and—is a criminal, supplicating Europe to as-
sist in striking off his fetters : MM. PERSIL and
MARTIN (du Nord) repeated the daring outrage of
the PRINCE against the freedom of the same organ
of public opinion ; they succeeded, and are—Ministers
of State. The sole difference, in a moral point of
view, between the dispensers and the objects of the
Royal clemency, must be sought for in the failure of
the one, and the success of the other.

The Swiss question is likely to be left to the arbi-
tration of the British Gbvernment. Whether this
proposal for the final adjustment of a very absurd
quarrel on the part of France, originated with
Louis PHILIPPE, or the Republic, we are at a loss
to determine ; but we find the statement in a Swiss
Journal, followed by a declaration that if France re-
nounce all interference, the Swiss Cantons will repel
force by force. This is strong language. We depre-
cate its use by a people desirous of peace, and stand-
ing in the high moral position in which the paltry
policy of MONTEBELLO has placed the Swiss Con-
federation.

It appears that the present Cabinet is bent upon
the removal of Marshal CLAUSEL from the chief com-
mand in Africa. The Marshal is a man of energy
and courage, but his opinions are not in harmony with
those of the President of the Council. He is consi-
dered to be too liberal ; and will ere long be succeeded
by General DAUVRENIONT, who is about to sail for
Africa, on osten3ibly a negociatory mission, but in
reality to replace CLAUSEL, should the Government
be so fortunate as to succeed in goading him to a for-
mal resignation of the command cf the army.
The accounts from Spain, published in the French
Papers, are unimportant. According to the Debats,
MENDIZABAL had failed in the negotiation of Ha-
vannah Bills, and Treasury Bonds, with the Paris
Bankers.

Madrid papers to the 2nd inst. have been received.
It appears from them that GOMEZ has actually passed
the Sierra Morena, and has entered Andalusia. The
conduct of the QUEEN'S Generals in leaving the narrow
pass of Despenaperos unoccupied is severely censured
in several private letters from the capital. This celebra-
ted pass is so narrow that 200 men could easily defend
it against the approach of as many thousands. The
inaction of AL AIX, after his reported defeat of GomEz,
has excited murmurs among the friends of the Govern-
ment. The QUE'EN'S General defends his delay of
four days at Villarobledo by alleging that it was im-
possible for him to pursue the enemy without losing
2,500 of the flower of GOMEZ'S division, whom he
had made prisoners. To leave a sufficient guatd to
protect them would have so diminished his force that
he could not act against the enemy ; and humanity
forbade the idea of putting an unarmed multitude to the
sword. He had therefore no alternative.

The inhabitants of Estremadura are preparing to
oppose vigorously all movements of the Carlists in
that quarter. On the 28th ult. 4,700 infantry, and
1,400 cavalry, with four pieces of cannon, were sta-
tioned at Tuxillo for the purpose of cutting off GOMEZ'S
retreat in that quarter. Penas de San Pedro was also
strongly fortified ; but, unfortunately, as we before
stated, the pass of Despenaperos was totally overlooked
by the QUEEN'S Generals. All was tranquil in the
capital.

Lord BROUGHAM has declined the invitation to a
public dinner, sent to him by the Reformers of Edin-
burgh, alleging the state of his health, which, though
now restored, yet will not allow him to run the risk of
a relapse. It is satisfactory, however, to state that he is
as sincere and enthusiastic in the cause of Reform as
ever, and is particularly urgent in recommending una-
nimity among all Liberals. "In the reference," says
his Lordship, " which you apparently make to the ne-
cessity of mutual forbearance among the Reformers,
when they happen to differ, I entirely agree. I know
we are of one mind upon the sacred and imprescriptible
right of the people in all parts of the empire, of whate-
ver classes or colours or creeds, to the benefit of equal
laws, and none of us can doubt the necessity of not
merely repairing, but amending, and thus preserving
and perpetuating our institutions by every safe mea-
sure of improvement, and with all reasonable dispatch.
Nor do I in the least despair of seeing differences of
opinion as to particulars lessen as we proceed, when
the fatal consequences of disunion become more evident
every day." This explicit language will inflict a
grievous blow on the Conservatives, who, through
one of their most -influential organs, the Morning
Post, have been very busy of late in heaping
hyperbolical compliments on Lord BROUGHAM,
arid pretty broadly intimating their opinion that he is
strongly disposed in favour of Conservatism. The
Post this morning appears quite to have made up
its mind on this point, and is in ecstacies at the idea
of his Lordship's recovery, because he will no doubt