The Sun.
London, England, 1812-02-20 00:00:00

!season.

On the 2gth the fire of. the battery in breach
commenced, and on the 30th a breach was effect-
ed, which appeared practicable; and the Governor
having refused to capitulate, it was attempted by
,two companies of voltigeurs, but it had been neg-
lected to sound a muddy ditch, which covered the
front attack, and the continual rains had so moisten-
ed the ground that it was impossible to surmount
theobstacle, and the troops retired in good order. It
was resolved to enlarge the breach, and the new
battery which had been constructed promised soon
to render it perfedly pra&icable; but the,rains hay=
ing continued in astonishing abundance, the roads
had •entirely disappeared, and the conveyance of
provisions was become impossible, it was therefore
necessary to retire, beyond the torrents, in order to
approach the means of subiistence and procure pro-
visions, of which there was an absolute failure.

General HILL quitted fur a moment the frontiers
of, Portusal to produce a di►ersion, by marching
upon Mei ids.

Captain_ NEVEL7, of the inth regiment of the
line, was reconnoitring at La nod with three com-
panies of Voltigeurs. On the 27th of December,
at'eleven in themotning,, he: was attacked at La
Nava by the English advanced guard, with 800
horse ,and four pieces of cannon; he, however,
maintained a good countenance, and immediately..
formed this square, placing in the centre some hus-
sars who accompanied him : the enemy could
never break it, not withstanding his superiority.
He I); avely supported five charges.of cavalry and the
t •
fire of the enerily's artillery without wavering, and
afterwards retreated upon Merida, without per-
mitting the enemy to approach him. •The firing
bad been heard at Merida; and General Dom-
-1561.75K1 brought ont the cavalry to receive Captain
NEV EU.

• The enemy immediately halted, and ceased to
annoy.. our brave soldiers, who entered Merida
amid the applauses of the garrison. The intrepid
NEvEu biOught, back with him. his.wort.-ded ; he
lost only three men.. The English cavalry suf-
fered c nsideiably by the tire of the square, which
they several times received.

REPIRT OF THE. DUKE or RAGUSA TO THF. Pitils:Cll
OF WAGRAM AND NEUFCHATEL, MAJOR—GENERAL
`‘ Vajladoiid, lan. i 6.

" Monseigneur,—l have the honour of inform-
your Excellency, that I yesterday evening re-
ceived accounts of the English haying suddenly
united, and on the filth passed the Agueda, after
having formed a bridge of boats two leagues above
the place, with the besieging artillery. On the
lOth the place was invested, and the siege immedt-
ately commenced.
" I lost not a moment in marching to the relief
of the place. I had collected four divisions, for the
purpose of re-viatialling Ciudad Rodrigo but these
forces were not now sufficient : I was therefore
obliged to call 'two divisions of the army of the
North, and Bonnet's division, which I ordered to
quit the Asturias. These, together, amount to ,
nearly sixty thousand men, with which I will march"
against the enemy. You may expel hippy and'
glorious events for the French arms., My ariny
will be united on the 2 ist. As I oldered General
Montbrun to return the latter end of January, I do
not expect he will join me before February. He
has under his orders three divisions, • and a part of
my cavalry.
(Signed) " Marshal Duke of RAGUSA."

SECOND REPORT.

" Salamanca, lan. 18.

" Monseigneur,—l have the honour of acquaint-
ing you, the -narnent I arrived here, that, accord-
ing to the accounts I have received, the suburbs of
Ciudad Rodrigo, as well as a redoubt I ordered to
be constructed, were on the foal inst. carried by
'surFrise. This is an unfortunate circumstance, as I
always considered these works would regime a siege,
and give us eight or-ten days.
" Oa the other %arid, I am informed, that the
first pieces of the besieging artillery only paised the
Agueda on the 14th. • In waiting the junction of
troops which are marching from different places, I
have pushed a strong advanced guard as near as pos-
sible to the town, in order to have- it undursoad we
are marching to its succour."

THIRD REPORT OF THE SAME TO THE SAME.

" On the loth, at night, the 'enemy appeared
before Ciudad Rodrigo, and took possession of the
Convents in the subm bs.

" On the ifith, the English batteries opened
their fire, at a great distance; and o❑ the t 94 h„ the
place was taken by assault, and fell into the power
of the enemy. „There is in this event something so
incomprehensible, that I will not permit myself to
make any observation on it. I have not yet receiv-
ed the necessary info'rmation.7

FOURTH, REPORT FROM THE SAME TO THE -SAME.

" Salamanca, lan. 24

I had concerted with General Dorsenne for the
jun&ion of our troops ; but the hopes I bad con-
ceivpd of seeing the enemy's army, proud of a first
success, remain beyond the Agueda, quickly va-
nished. The reconnoitering partial which I dis-
patched informed met that the enemy's corps which
had warchad upon lainames, and which they con-

siaeted as the united artily, had fallen back upon
the Agueda, crossed. that river, and re-entered Por-
tugal, after carrying away the bridges.
" The EnJisti have taken away part-of
,the
heavy artillery of the place, to transport it to Al-
meida. No. English troops have been left in Ciudad
Rodrigo."