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

STORMING of CIUDAD RODRIGO

TO THE 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 6th 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."
This 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 mater 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, N‘he 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 Rempt ; and these are selected
from 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 be restricted and applied to one of the two, it
must, by preference, belong to the one which Major Mackie
Ivolunteered.
Having given the advantage of your wide circuliant.iuozsitictoe
I what, however unintentionally, is undoubte Myth an I
' to the memory of my late brother,
g
bli 't to this
to your known impartiality to eI
eagpapaealpuwieicoynfidence
explanation.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,
C. MACKIE.

Querley Rectory, Hants, Jan. 12, 1846.
" I certify that Captain William Mackie, then Lieutenant
of the 88th Regiment, volunteered and led the advance of
the storming party at the capture of Ciudad Rodrigo, in
Spain, under my command. " RUSSELL MANNERS.
Lieut.-Colonel and Major of 74th Regiment.
The "transmitted to the
h e
original t o n e ,0f
thded Mila ebs
oe
vxe, Fe
eerbt
filcla,telBWlaB6.
Horse Guards in June, 1816.
6, I certify that Captain Mackie, of the 88th 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-
ance 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 breach which the 3d
division carried, and that he particularly distinguished him-
self on that occasion. _ _ -

" JAMES KEMPT, Major-General.
" London, March 26,1820."

STATE OF TRADE.

—— -
MANCHESTER, JAN. 13.—Since Tuesday last the increasing
pressure for money in the metropolis appears to have exer-
cised an unfavourable influence on the market for manufac-
tured goods, and the demand has been limited, though with-
out any sensible change in prices. For yarn, however, the
demand continues tolerably good, and a fair amount of busi-
ness has been done at the full rates of last week.
ROCHDALE, JAN. 12.—This is what is called the first, or
new market. There has been a decided improvement in the
demand for goods, which has induced manufacturers to ask
higher prices, but they have not succeeded in obtaining them.
Another manufacturer has stopped payment, whose liabilities
are stated to amount to 15,0001. Others are talked of, but
not yet made public. Wool is rather stiffer to-day, and
somewhat better prices have been realised.
LEEDS, JAN. 13.—Our markets in the new year do not
present any new features. Light goods, such as tweeds, re-
main in pretty good demand; but the heavier descriptions of
woollens, owing to the continued unusual mildness of the
season, do not sell so briskly as they should do at this period
of the year. Upon the whole, however, a rather better feel-
ing may be said to exist, from the fact that more has been
doing in foreign wools these last fourteen days than for some
months past ; and there is no doubt that this feeling .would
be much strengthened by the setting in of more winterly
weather.
HUDDERSFIELD, JAN. 13.—Our market this deaeyk paarftaliyr
maintains the improved character of that of last w
amount of goods having changed hands
1 The business in the warehouses is rather limited,
ia. theCloatliethloluaglhL
Ithere are buyers in town from an of the most important
houses in London and Glasgow.--lifchester Guardian.