Star.
London, England, 1808-01-28 00:00:00

TWELFTH DAY.

Sir SAM U FL AUCH M UTy again called ,in.
Q Is there any partioilar rainy rearm' in that pact
of South America where yip iirved, of does it rain
with little intermiffion through the whale year A.
It rains vtith (honer or longer intervals throughout
the whole year ; in the winter the rains afe of longer
duration.
(Z_ Were there any difficulties to impede the march
a hoby of infantry or cavaloy from Colonia to
Monte Video, and what is the dillance of thefe places
from each other ? A. There are many rivers on the
road, the dillance is about 130 rnilec. I flyluld think
the march is impraZlicable at that feafon of the year,
on account of the heavy rains which had fallen.

(What proportion of cavalry was mounted, and
to what regiment did they belong when General
Whitelocke took the command ? A. At Monte Video
part of the 17:h light dragoons were mounted, I
think in general about po ; about too belonging to
the tyh dragoons were mounted at C lonia. When I
gave up the command, there were about 400 horfes
in go-d order—there were ab )ut tOOO more grazing.
()_:•If a movement in force bad been made to Coln.
rt'sa about the .nd of May or beginning of June, would
it not have furnifhA the means of fupplying the army
with the best horfes ? A. There were few good horfes
left in that part of the country, nor 4o I think it
likely that more could have been procured. When
General Liniers croffed over to relieve Monte Video
his march was delayed foi want of fintfes.
Q Can you account for the frequent halts in the
course of the march ? A. I cannot. My Elation was
generally in the rear : there were very feldom occa-
finned by the rear belttg at any difiance fromthe main
body, 1-. me halts were necelfary in crofling the livers.
(Z When the main body halted on the ad of July,
could they then have given fupport to the advanced
guard in cafe of peed ? A. When 1 gave it as my
opinion, that it was avifable to halt, I was firmly

periiiarted in mj owe Mirk!' that we scold not tufsPort
the advanced guard.
Q._ When the firings Was beard on that day, did
General Whitelocke rake any fleps to afctrtain from
whence it proceeded ? A. I do not kno* that he did
Q Do yrol kw w of the older given to Col ael
Mahon to halt At keduAion, and what Were the reA
lons for doing lb ? A. I recollect the General laving
that he thought it advifable to order Colonel Mahon
to halt. tictil we knew where we were ourfelves.
oCnuld not the artillery and troops left with
Colonel Mahon at Rerittaion, have been Or,,ttght up
to Buenos Ayres by the evening of the 4 h ? A. Ccr
tainly.
Q. Were any attemirs made in reynnoitre the
bridge after General Whitelocke'. arrival as Mile
rati ? A. I cannot tell. _

Was your opinion alked or given on the plan
of attack of the town ? A. My pinion was never
:diced, nor did I give any account as 11 the lime.
Q_Was the fittiati,n of things fuch on the 6th rtf
July as rendered the attack of the sth abfolutely °c-
ern:try by a coup de main ? A. Not being confulte.i
on the equipment of the army, I do not what
were the Gineral's refources, but by a movement to
the left a communication might certain ly have been
opened with the Navy ah-ve tire town.
(t_Was the enemy in filch force without the town
as to render the art ack by a coup de main necefrar
A. Not that I know tf. _ _

Q Do you know whether the Comm-intler of the
forces ever recnntwitted the ,town previous tic the
attack ? A. He did not. ..
Q If Maj •r General G.w..er hall, after cr, (flog
the Chuelln, advanced to she IniOge and diflidged
the enemy, w old not ft eit retreat have opencel a
free paff.sge to the army ? A. I vas nor acq sai ited
with the face of the country near the bridge Ge
neral G:wer certainly was thong enough to dill dge
the enemy, but he mull have ricked the bringing on
of a general affirm. He certainly could have ad-
vanced to the brid!,e if the country had been siren.
Q._ Would it not have been more advifeahle to
have brought on a general action than to hare at
tacked the enemy in the town.
[This cpiellion was put by General Nottroa, but
withdrawn after fome convcrfation.]
Q. If a communication had been opened 'sr i h the
fleet by a movement to the lefr, would there have
been any necellity for attacking the town by a coup
de main ? A. Certainly these could have been no
immediate necefliry if fupplies had been obtaiaed
from the (hips.
Q Had General Whitelorke proceeded to the
b'idge, would he tiot have been able to fupport his
Advanced clrpt., if General Gower's attack had
brought on a general action ? A. I am not ftiffi
cienrly acquainted with the cnuntry to anfwer the
!quellinn.
1 [Here Sir Simnel Auchmuty withdrew.]
Captain Ettazsa, of the Artillery, called in and

fwnt n.

The witnefs gave into Conrt the official returns •
nf ohlt part of the expedition in his department, the
reading of which occupied forne time. Upon bi••
examination afterwards, he Rated, that although the
difficulties of the marches we'e great ftorn the
fwamps and rivulets, yet that all the artillery via'
have been brouglA up in good time if it had been
General Vs'ilitelocke's pleafore. The witnefs admitted
that dive had been a great falling (If in the pityli
cal llrength of the holies employed for the convey-
ance of the guns and ammunition, but thiy, was
amply compenfated by the energy of the detachment
of feamen who dragged the guns, and whole fpirits
were equal to any lervice. 'fnete was noth ng in the
witnek's department to. skli:ch the failure of the
operations could be attributed. His detail of the
marches, &c. was nearly. a repetition of the evidence
already given, but he Iptilte to fereralcusi us traits
in General White:ix ke's character. On one t ccafi
the witnefs had gone forward to General Gower's
column to difcharge what he conceived to be an
important's:hay to the fervice: upon hi. teturn Ge.
neral Whitelocke became extremely warm, and atked
him what he meant by ati.iching Limfelf In much to
General G bwet?iGencral Wilitelocke then proceeded
to charge the witnefs and Captain Hawker, of the
artillery, with paying inlie yelped' to General
Gower than to the Commander in Chief, and c n
chided by Willing that in future they fh mld never
leave his pet fon without exprefs permiffion. •