The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-15 00:00:00

TO TIIE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—However reluctant to obtrude upon your valuable
time and space, and in regard to a subject which a recent
melancholy event has rendered one of peculiar delicacy, I
appeal to your sense of justice to be allowed to correct an
erroneous expression in the letter from the brother of the
late Colonel Gurwood, which appeared in your paper of
the Gth instant.
In this the writer states that the wound, under the effects
of which his late relative had unfortunately continued to
labour, was received at the storming of Ciudad Rodrigo,
" where," he adds, " it is known he volunteered the forlorn
hope."
:his would leave your readers to infer that there was but
one breach effected, and only one forlorn hope, or that the
one led by Colonel Gurwood was the principal attack.
Allow me then to state, as is well known to all who were
present at the assault, that the party led by Colonel Gurwood
was against the lesser breach. The main breach, to the
defence of which, as a matter of course, we may conclude the
attention and force of the besieged were chiefly directed, it is
equally well known, was stormed by the party led on suc-
cessfully by my late brother, Major Mackie, of the 88th
Regiment, who volunteered on the occasion, although, as
being senior lieutenant of his regiment, he was the first for
regular promotion at the time. •
I beg herewith to transmit two documents—one of which
is from Colonel Russell Manners, who commanded the whole
of the party which stormed the main breach, and who fol-
lowed the advance led on by my brother. The other is from
Lieutenant-General Sir James tempt; and these ale selected
fro,a a number of others equally confirmative of the state-
ment I have made.
Under the circumstances, I am justified in asserting that,
if the term " the forlorn hope at the storming of Ciudad
Rodrigo" is to he restricted and applied to one of the two, it
must, by preference, belong to the one which Major Mackie
volunteered.
justice
Having given the advantage of your wide circulation to
what, however unintentionally, is undoubtedly
to the memory of my late brother,
impartiality give equal publicity to this
to your known impartiality to
explanation.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,
I appeal wit.lani.co:tidence
C. MACKIE.

Quarley Rectory, Hants, Jan. 12, 1846.
I certify that Captain William Mackie, then
eg
i Nm Lieutenantte nR
of the 88th Regiment, volunteered and led the advance of
the storming party at the capture of Ciudad lodrigo, in
Spain, under my command. " RUSSELL
cFa and Major
fi Ica,tolBl ofyl6a
s.7„t4rt
transmitted
istmitted to the
`The
original
alebis:envxte,l
Horse Guards in June, 1816.
.. I certify that Captain Mackie, of the BSth Regiment,
served in the brigade under my command in the campaign of
1812, and particularly distinguished himself by the great zeal,
activity, and intelligence which he displayed in the perform-
-1 ante of his various duties.

" I also certify that, upon my joining the 3d division,
immediately after the capture of Ciudad Rodrigo, Lieut.-
General Sir Thomas Picton, then commanding the division,
pointed out Captain Mackie to me as the officer who led the
forlorn hope in the assault of the main breech which the 3d
division carried, and that he particularly distinguished him-
self on that occasion.
" JAMES KEDIPT, Major-General.
" London, March 26, 1820."