The Sun.
London, England, 1810-01-01 00:00:00

Admil-alty-Oftice, Dec. 30, t 6'o'9.

Copy of a letter from Sir Richard John Strachan, Bart. and
K.B. Rear-Admiral of the Red, &c. to John Wilson Croker,
Esq_ dated on board his Majesty's ship St. Domingo, in
the Downs, Dec. 28, tilos,.
:S I R,
It is with great pleasure I inform you of the ar-
rival of Commodore Oxen, in the Clyde, who
gives me the pleasing intelligence of the Divisions
under his command, and that under Captain Mason
having sailed from the East and West Scheldt, and
are by this time at the mouth of the Thames, if
not at the place of their respetstive destination ; I
enclose the Commodore's report of his proceedings.
It is my duty to draw their Lordship's attention to
the excellent condua of Commodore Owen, in the
discharge of the various and arduous duties he had
to perform : and I beg, in the most earnest manner,
to recommend to their Lordships' notice, the zeal,
br;.ivery, and perseverence of the CaptainS, Officers,
and seam,::, composing the Flotilla under the Corn-
modore's orders. The same good conduct has per-
vaded the Captains, Officers, and seamen of the Flo-
tilla under Captain Mason, of the Fisgard ; and when
I get that officer's report, I shall have great pleasure
in unroducing his merits to their Lordships' parti-
cular notice. _

I have the honour to be, Sec.
(Signedy It. J. SRACHAN.
His lylajesty's Ship Clyde, off the North

SIR, Foreland, Oiceinber 28, /80g.
In obedience to the direction of Rear-Admiral
Otway, I have the honour to lay before you (he
following detail of my proceedings in carrying_ into
execution the orders to evacuate that • part of the
Island of Walcheren, with the duties of which I
had the honour to be charged.
Of our previous state of preparation you have
been acquainted, and that all the stores, guns, and
ammunition not judged immediately 41e,ceosary to
our defence, had been withdrawn and put on board
and every arrangement made in the beginning of
December. _ _

I have likewise had the honour to report to you
that the enemy's anxiety to complete his work on
Wolversdyke and South Beveland, for the purpose
of clearing the Slou, and driving our advanced divi-
sions from the channels which lead to it, had obliged
me to commence a system of offensive operations,
and he result thereof has likewise been submitted
to you. --
I had further informed you of the necessity I felt
for shifting my pendant to the Cretan, that I might
be better situated-to direa our Ovements.
Our sotiiia held their forward. stations ,when,„
on the morning of the 23d, 'I received your letter,
acquainting me that you intended to quit Flushing
on that day, provided the wind would permit the
line-of-battle ships to pass the Duerloo. I ina,
tnediately made preparation likewise to withdraw.—
The. boats assembled, and embarked the ,Rear-Guard
of the army, under the direalion of, the Honour-
abld Captain Cadogan ; whilst the few remaining
guns of `'ere and Artnnyden Points were rendered
useless, and every other article of stores was
taken off.
In the mean time.our advanced Divisions fell back,
and colle6tect Alt their defensive stations, btit it was
two o'clock before those duties were completed,
and there was no chance,of clearing any consider 7
abie part of our force from the ‘'eer Gat before dark,
whilst the wind, which was very light,- bong so fir
to the westward, as to leave nee' : doubtfUl of yonr
succeeding with the line-of-battle-ships; I there-
fore ordered the Clyde only, whose draught of water
might embarrass us, to shift out to the Roonapot,
whilst I sent an intelligent person to Flushing
_fur
information of your movements.
COlonel Pack (with whom it had been my good
fortune to co-operate) was good enough to oiler
the Town-Major of Ter Veere for this duty, Cap-
tain Clements of the 71st Regiment, who returned
to me at five o'Clock, with the information that
. every thing was clear except two frigates, and a
two decked-ship, and the stay of these seemed -to
be the effe& of chance alone, and I concluded they
would follow in the morning. Captain Ciements
found the towns of Middleburg and Flushing oc-
cupied by Burgher Gaards, and at four on the fol-
lowing morning, the gates of Veere were likewise
given to the Burghers.
At daylight of the 24th, I made the signal for our
distant Ships to move, but the transports at the en-
trance of the Gat did not succeed in setting oat till
dark.
Captain Davis's division of the gun-boats how
ever reached the Roompot, and Were disarmed.
ft was whilst this movement was making, and
which was much retarded by the baffling winds, I
learnt of your arrival in the Roornpbt ; and it was
in tie pause the shift of wind and tide occasioned that
you did me the honour to join me in the Cretan, and
sanction my% pcoceedings..
On themaornina of the 25th, our guard boats were
recalled, 'tfiev'Palras got out to the Roompot, and a
movetnekst 'our whole flotilla made ; but as it then
came on to blow, you ordered it to take a position off
the Fort Den Haak.
Encouraged by our retreat, the enemy's advanced
division of gun-boats moved through the Wolvers-
dyke Channel to .the station beretofcre. occupied by
our advance, but on our anchoring, returned again to
Its former station. As however wo bad decidedly