The Sun.
London, England, 1829-02-02 00:00:00

UNITED SERVICE JOURNAL.

The idea of this periodical is very felicitous,
and we doubt not will meet with corresponding
success. It is addressed almost exclusively to
the members of' the Army and Navy, with whom
it has already, we understand, become a prodi-
gious favourite. With regard to its present
chapter of contents, they are in the highest de-
gree amusing, comprising incident, anecdote,
information serious and humorous, put forward
in a pleasing unassuming manner. The first
paper is entitled " The War in the East," and
gives an intelligent account of the Emperor of
Russia's late doubtful campaign against Turkey.
The materials have evidently been gathered
together by one who is well versed in the facts
which he undertakes to describe, and have
the merit of being penned in a simple, concise,
and unaffected style. " The late Lieut.-Colonel
Denham," is a spirited biography—the work
clearly of a friend—of this late enterprising tra-
veller, whose recently published discoveries in
Africa are so unusually captivating. " The
storming of Badajos is a hasty animated sketch
of one of the most terrific scenes imaginable ; to
wit, the siege of a strongly fortified and brave
garrison. We subjoin an extract :
" Philipon, the Governor, a Frenchman, and our
enem v, gave the full particulars of this affair to a friend of
mine travelling in England ; he said that he thought the
great expiegion would have finished the business, but he
was astonished at the resolution of the British troops, and
that they were fine fellows, and deserved a better fate.
" The single musket shot, fired just as the forlorn hope
descended the ditch, was a signal of their approach, which
shows how determined the French were to have a good
blow up, far not a ball- was fired before the explosion.
'he efforts of the garrison to preserve the place does them
meets honour. Philipon was determined not to do as the
Chwerner of Ciudad Rodrigo lead done, Had not the Duke
of Wellington wisely planned the two extreme attacks by
escalade, on the Castle by the third division, and on the
south side of the town by part of the fifth division, and on
Fort Pardoleros by the Portuguese, the result might have
been very serious. Soudt was within a few leagues, and
opposite General Sir R. Hill. Mermont had pushed his
advanced dragoons as far as the ilridge of Boats at Villa
Venue- ,and at length got entangled in the labyrinths of
Portage', anal the river Guadiana was in our
_rear. I
have heard end read of setting down before a town, open-
ing trenches; &lowing up the counterscarp, and nil ac-
cording to rule ; but permit me to assure you that it
was a crisis,' and dime was precious.
When the French eoldiers found that the town was
fauin by escalade on the south side, and that the Castle,
situated ..en a high hill, was lust to them, they made an at-
tempt to re-take the latter by an old gage, leading towards
the town ; ihett gate was pierced by their musketry in
nemberless pla?e,'• I never saw a target beau. rovered
with holes. The
third division had in return twice dis-
which made two large holes,
t.
charged e gun through ,it,
An 01 b ,ndspike was pefeed uuder its breech to depress it,
and remained precisely in the e...'me way three days after-
wards. When I saw it I wondered what the third divi-
sion was about, to permit a small body of Frenchmen to
make ste h an attempt, or at least to persist in it SO long
en they t rust have done from the appearance of the gate;
anti
_I sh sold like to know farther particulars of the ee-ea-
lade or: ;hese terrifically high walls;—the scaling ledderv,
were well pacerl, five quite close together, against an old
round tower. Many slain soldiers had evidently, been
pushed f.om off ti:e parapet, ants rolled nearly fifty yards
down tl e kill ; some lay with heals battered to pieces,
whilst o :hers were doubled up, looking scarcely lieu:Gee,
and thei broken limbs twisted in all directions.
" It was generally understood their first effort failed ;
and that many of the enemy, contrary to Gen. Philipon's
orders, evacuated the Castle, and went to asist at the
breaches At this moment the Commanding Orrice: of the
sth Reg went called on an Officer of his corps, ' There,
you mount one ladder, and I will lead up the other. Come
on sth, I am sure you will follow your Commanding Of-
ficer.' lie was killed, but the place was carried !
" Let ms pause and reflect that this act of heroism was
executed after a long and fearful struggle, high walls and
defeat staring them in the face. The third division then
filled the Castle, and there remained until skylight. On
the south side of the town, a brigade of the sth division,
hearing the rolling fire at the breaches, became impatient,
Led with a simultaneous rush gained, by escalade, the top
.f yhe walls, and even formed on the ramparts On seeing
a 'lot, the cry of a mine was set up, and a eland panic en-
suing, t;:e enemy at the time charging forward at a run
with fixer: bayonets and loud yells, these troops wee
forced to give' ground. An Officer informed me that he
had thrown him self over the ramparts to save the colours
of his corps, whit: nearly surrounded by Wrench grena-
diers. This bold fel:ew had the choice of either being
pinned to the wall, or the risk of breaking his neck.; he
..hose the latter. However,
.fortunately the rear regiment
stood firm. Many of the eliie.my then precipitately aban-
doned the town, accompanied •by the Governor, armed
the bridge, and shut themselves up in Fort St. Christeerali
on the other side of the Guadiana, and She next morning
surrendered themselves prisoners of war. This brigade
continued to be hotl,t engaged in the streets kßring the
IC hole night. Some even asserted that many of the Spa-
niards fired from their windows on our troops, and held
nut lights to guide the French ; knowing that their pro-
perty would fall a sacrifice should the town be taken. The
• place was eventually completely sacked by our troops;
every atom of furniture broke; beds ripped open in search
of tferisure; and one street literally strewed with algid*
Twee deep. A convent was in flames, and the poor was
in dishabille, striving in vain to burrow thenassiess into
some place of security ;• however, that weseimpossible ; xbe
town was alive, and every house filled . with road soldiers,
from the cellar to the one solitartgentlii:
" When I examined the three tireaeheshy day, and wit-
nessed the defences the enemy had made far their protec-
tion, I was fully satisfied that they were impregneble to
men ; acid 1 do declare, most positi4ly, that I could rant
tine cur mounted the chsvaux-delf;-ise, seen unopposed, in
the day-time."
The " Details of the Battle of Navin" are

_g-gild spirited, but the substance of
fir.. ~;:tz-0 little variation, Las, if we retnem-
-4;‘l# I'll"-''—' -Apeared before in the columns of
4 Itl6 d a ‘,.. ..7 ; taken as a whole, the present
As amber of thi..**iazine does credit both to 4s
."..c.-F....itof -41:its Publisher, the former of whom
\cci A
.i.; ;enlisted among hie contributors,
...-,