The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-21 00:00:00

SPAIN AND MOROCCO.

(From the Times' Special Correspondent)
ALGESIRAS, DEC. 10.
I have just come over here from Gibraltar and
find, to my great annoyance, that there is no getting
across the Straits to-day. I shall cross to-morrow
by the mail boat, and hope to send you by the
following post details of some fighting which
took place yesterday in front of Ceuta. The
Moors, it appears, notwithstanding the bad weather,
beat up the Spaniard's quarters early yesterday
morning, and a combat ensued which lasted the
greater part of the day—at least, I am assured by
persons who left Ceuta yesterday at 3 p.m. that
firing was still going on at that hour. In official
quarters I learn that the Moors were ulti-
mately completely repulsed. Authentic particu-
Lars of the affair arc still wanting, and it
is unsafe to attach credit to the rumours and
Loose statements that reach us from various
sources, and many of which have certainly no foun-
dation save in the imagination of the narrators.
Moreover, within 24 hours, or little more, I hope to
send you particulars gathered upon the spot in the
most reliable quarters. The affair is said to have
begun at half-past 5 in the morning, before day-
b:reak-, that is to say, by the Moors surrounding and
nearly annihilating a Spanish outlying picket. Con-
, cc rning the progress of the conflict we have no con-
Tie cted account, but we are told that a movement was
made by which some hundred Moors were cut off,
wl.io remained upon the field. A person who left
CE uta at 3 p.m. yesterday affirms that at that hour
an other body of the enemy was hemmed in between
th e sea and a strong Spanish force, and must ulti-
mately have surrendered, been slain, or driven into
th e water. This, however, requires confirmation. A
ne phew of General O'Donnell is said to have been
badly wounded, some accounts say killed, when
c'l..arging with some cavalry, and two Lieutenant-
C olonels are reported to have been killed or
ao ounded. Iby no means vouch for the accuracy of
kese details, which I give subject to correction in
nu next letter. The atmosphere of the Straits of
ibraltar has a strongly magnifying power, and
CI kings that are very small at Ceuta assume moun-
t idnous proportions by the time they reach the
S:panish coast or Gibraltar Rock. Thus, on my ar-
x4val at the latter place three days ago I was told
most positively of a very serious fight that had oc-

mired on the 2d inst. My past letters will have
s'E town you that nothing of the kind took place. I
n i ay find to-morrow morning, at Ceuta, that yester-
d Ety's affair was much more trifling than it has been
represented. The story here goes that 10,000 Moors
a• t tacked. The Moors in Gibraltar were in great
g lee this morning, and had a notion that the
S poniards had been thrashed, but the news of the
M 3 tting off of the pickets was all that seemed to
h Ave reached them. lam impatient to learn how
tlie Spaniards behaved in the first confusion of a
n ight attack:• If they showed coolness and avoided
panic, it is a great thing on the part of troops
so new to this kind of warfare. But, meanwhile,

this is not making progress. The Spaniards
seam rather in the position of a besieged force.
Tbluy can certainly move out when they
please, and drive back the enemy, if they
choose to sacrifice men for a moment of barren

tri, (mph, but theii they return to their lines, and
the' Moors, when they choose, can pounce upon their
advanced post and put the whole camp under arms.
I: find upon inquiry that there was exaggeration
in rihe reports current at Gibraltar, and which I
me ntioned as on dits in my last letter, respecting
the damage experienced by the French squadron
in tale attack on Fort Martino. It appears to have
beem very trifling, and the casualties were confined,

Ia (a assured to one man wounded. On the other
ham d, the distance at which the ships were com-
pelled to remain, owing to the shallowness of the
water, induces a doubt whether much damage was
don's to the Moors.

From a French and trustworthy source I learn
that, the loss by cholera of the French expedition
aga inst the Morocco tribes, now terminated, amoun-
ted to no less than 4,000 men. This is of evil omen
for the Spaniards. It is stated, however, that the
cholera is making great ravages among the Moors.
If it. has broken out among them, their Want of
proper medical attendance will be likely to render
it fa.tal in a large proportion of cases.
AI the last moment, before closing this hasty
lettar, I receive information from an officer who
came from Ceuta last night, which confirms my
suspticion that the fight of yesterday has been much
exaggerated. The attack of the Moors seers to
have: been made against the principal redoubt, tho
posy ession of which they evidently greatly covet.
It is' said that only one division of the Spaniards
was engaged belonging to the Second Corps, which
lately relieved the First Corps on the advanced

line.. The Spanish loss "in killed and wounded is
estimated at less than 250, including, however, a
larg e propprtion of officers.

A letter from the seat of war says —"A second
lettecr has reached me concerning the battle of the
30th, which it seems- was still more bloody thah
that
sof the 25th. The Moors, as usual, ati.acked
the !ipanish troops. General Pchague hEiving been
wou;:dded in the previous engagement, General
Gasskt took his place. lie advanced at the head of
the ;divisions 'composing the vanguard, and sus-
tain.ad during two hours the rush of the Moors.
These were at last repulsed with a heavy loss. It
appears that the Moors think it more disgraceful
to Bm-render than to run away. When they per-
ceivo that it is useless to fight any longer they re-
treat withgreat precipitation ; but should they be
absOutely • unable to make 'a retreat they either
perilh by the Spanish bayonets or stab each other.
It is fruitless for the Spanish officers to ask them
repc:a.tedly to give up their arms and remain still;
they obstinately refuse such proposals. It is gene-
rally- thought among the Spaniards that the reason
of sv.,ch behaviour is their firm belief that their ene-
rniew 'will not spare them in any case, and that they