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

olace N brigade in that direction. Colonel Mahon's
brigade was malered to 4:e right ; but as the enemy
did not come out in the way General Gower feemed
to expect. tl,e advanced palls were ordered to be re.
fumed. I went to the right of Colonel Mahon's bii.
gide in order to fee how they were placed, and re
corning ft, m thence about five o'clock I called at
General Gower's quarters, and he (hewed ,me a plan
for to attack upon the town, which he appeared to
have ju!l finifhed, and which was completely detailed
in all its parts, and was the fame which was given
•ut next day in faders, vii h fome trifling alteration..
I proceeded to look at the advanced polls of the cen-
tre and 14'o-while General Gower went, as I under.,
raid, to head quarters with his plan. I ;leached
head quarters after dark, and, in the coutfe of the
evening. General Whiielocke silted my opinion of
the plan of attack, which was to take place next day.
at t a o'clock. I Hated ohjellions 'to one claufe.
which laid that no prifoners were to be made, as r
conceived, that in an attack of that fort upon an open
town, it w std he impoffible to prevent a great deal
of butchering. I laid 1 thought the plan would rue-
cred, but it appeared completely a new cafe, as I
never heard of a limilar order of attack before. The
General laid he would leave out the objeEtionable
clante, an l that be would common the town next
morning before he attacked. He admitted that the
plan was novel, but Hated that hi was compelled by
cir cumilances to adopt it. I underßood that an order
was fent to Reduelion to Col. Mahon this evening, to
order him to move next morning tjwards the bridge
over the Chuello, and there to wait for orders ; but
as that order was not written by me, I cannot fiwear
to it politively ; but he Teemed determined to corn-
mence the attack on the town, whether his arrival
on his ground limpi3 be reported or not. On the
morning of the 4th, the Brigadier Generals and
fome commauding Officers of regiments attauded at
head crafters, where Major General Gower read
and explained to them' the order of attack, and
{hewed the plan of tbe town. Shortly afterwards,
the Adjutant Generals, and all but the Brigadier
Generals, wete fent out of the room ; I fuppofed
their opinions were going to be taken on the plan of
attack ; Otis crufereace loon broke up, and the at
tack was ordered to take place at half pall fix the
next /not:l4.g. I received no orders, either from
General Whitelocke or General Gower onohe Tub
jetl of this attack, but I went out on hrefeback for
the pat pole cf endeavuuring to reeonnoitre Come part
of the groond over which the different columns were
to move forward to the attack. I found that the
advanced polls were engaged, and .that the fame
plan was adopting for the put pole of driving the
enemy out of the town that had been praftifed with.
out fuccefs the day before. It was about three
o'clock in the afternoon that the advanced perils were
refurned, and I had but jolt time before dark, to
fhew die Btigadier Generals the roads through which
the wings of the regiments comp. flog their brigades,
were to match into the town. Is this I was affilled
by one of the guides, who fhe wed toe the llreets that
led ta the North Ean baltion of the fart, and the
point of departure. I found confiderable variance
between the plan and the ground, and I reported to
Ge;:eral Gower, that I believed the columns would
u.t all be placed in the way he teemed to with. I
thought it alio my duty to (late, that if the attacking
columns proceeded in the way he had truckled, the
enemy would probably retire into the ftreets, run-
n'ng at right angles ; and by afterwards doling
upon our columns, would probably cut off all com-
munication between thole within the town and thofe
without. General Gower made light of thefe oh-
jeflione. ID the con' fe of the day, the Commander
of the Engineer; brought me a return of all the in.
liniments he had been able to colic& for breaking
open the doors, and I cleared him to give thole
which appeared to be the mull effative to the light
battalion and the rifle. corps, whom I underflood
were to enter two of the principal churches. Late in
• the evening I met General Gower returning from
bead quartets, who afked me where I thought Gene-
ral Wai,e!ocke had better place Itimfelf in the mor-
ning ? I (tete I, I thought it better to proceed to the
left of the 38ilt regiment, as there were two brigades
to" attack ,he town upon that fide, and that he, Ge-
nes al Goe-er, (ho'ild be Rationed upon the tight, as
the centre %Las intended to be but a talfe attack. He'
io4ormeri me that General W. had ordered him to
with him, and therefore he had named .the
eas the proper Ration, and that it had been
ted upon accordingly. Ido not remember any
,ter thing cf confeqttence this day. I believe one
ar two ordets were fent to Colonel Mahon ; but I
cannot fay to what effect.
Examined by the Court.
Whea yod v.tent to Colonia, were you dire/led
th enquire what rreaftues had been taken to provide
finites fur the cavalry ? A. Ido not remember that
I was ;.1 elieve at that time the Colonia horfes were
in very had condition.
Was y, uat Colonia after this ? A. Yes; I
was tent with Major Gen. Gower on the e4thof June.
Q._ What number of holies did you find provided
theie at that time for the ufe of the expedition I A.
I do not believe that any horfes were provided there
for the expedition ; thete had been a fquadrun of
dragoons Rationed there a confiderable time before.
Q._ What number cf honks were there at that
time ? A. I cannot exactly nate, becatife I had no
seturns ; tor I believe there were about 150.
Q Do you know whether they had been properly
trained for army let vices ? A. I cannot lay.
How many tranfports were then provided for
the conveyaoce of the honks ? A. I think there were
four for at tiilet y horfes and Mules, three for cavalry,
and two for the Taff, betides the (hp allotted for the
Service of the Commiffary General.
Qs_ Were any, and what meafures, taken for cal.
lecttog (mall craft in the River Plata ? A. Idu not
think there was any titian craft in the River, except
in the hat baors of Monte Video and Buenos Ayres.
O. In the fury ey which ou have defctibed to.
isave been made of the bank of the River, with a
view to afcertain the moll proper place to land, did
• thete appear to he any tatter objection to the point of
Oailmes, than that the troops could not land there
under cover of the (hips of war ? A. I came as thole.
to the point, in the Encounter gonbi ig; as the (hal-
lownels of the water would permit. I believe I waa
about a mile and a half from the as re. I was infor-
med that a battery had been ereeled at the village of
Redualon, fo as to command the pali-ge thlutio

SIXTH DAY.

the marfh, in which ntatfil General Beresford hid
neatly 101 l all his artillet y : I know of no other ob.
Ili stet ion. •
What number of flatbottomed beats accomra
Hied the army, to enable it to land, when ire
(hallow/nes r f the water did not• admit sf tranf
ports ? A. Previous to leaving Monte ' Video, I
received a return from the tranfport Agent, cf the'
number of ,flat boats—there were but (even or eight
in the River ; they were given to the Commanding
Officer of the Artillery.
Q:_lf the ohjellions you have Rated were removed,
is it your opinion that the landing above the town
was the proper place! A. As far as I underfland,
the ule of flatbottomed boats is to convey the troops
from the tranfports to the 'bore : the difficulties here
were the getting up of the tranfports.
QHow high up the River did it appear tranfpnrts
could reach ? A: I cannot exailly fay : I believe
they could not proceed with fafety even fo high as
the town.
What di Rance is Colonia from the opponte fide
of the River ? A. Seven or eight leagues.
What number of Spattifh guns were there
which you was ordered to (pike? A. Four or five
fix pounders, and they were (piked accordingly.
Q._ What quantity of provllions were Intl in croff-
ing the morafs.? A. I cannot (peak with certainty:
I believe only a few bags of bifcutt, which the bodes
threw off.
Qz_Do you know if all the pros,' as were
;
taken from the bark of the River to the TO? A. I
cannot exactly tell.
QWhat number of guides were taken from Monte
Video on board the tranfp tits, and how were they
difiributed ? A. There were two perfons appoir..ed
exprefsly for the purport of guides, and they were
of rest (ervice ; there was one of them with each
divilion.

Colonel BURKS'S Examination was returned.
On his crofs examination by feveral Members of
tl,e Court Martial, the following was the ptincipal
facts detailed in his evidence :—There was no local
impediment whatever to the army marching in one
column, from the heights above Enfenada to the
village of Reduction. The terms upon which the
_town was to be fummoned were communicated
verbally by General Whitelocke to the witnefr, and
by him conveyed to General Gower in the fame
manner. The witnefs never gave General Gower
pofitive reafon to believe that General Whitelocke
would comfort him with the whole army : although
he may have fuggefted that it was likely he might
do fo. There was no attempt whatever made by
General Whitelocke to communicate with the ad-
vanced guard under General Gower, by patroles, or
otherwife ; and the witnefs knew of no impediment
whatever to fuch an arrangement. The only intel-
ligence received refpecting the bridge over the
Chuello, was from General Gr.wer. When the main
divilion halted on the ad, two hours and a half of
day light remained. The order fent to Colonel Ma-
hi,n to halt at Reduction with the rcferse, was trans-
mittel through means of a mounted countryman,
who had no efcort. He repeated that no orders
whatever were iffued for reconnoitering the town of
Buenos Ayres, or the bridge over the Chuello.
Crofs.examined by General WrisTELocxv.
The witnefs admitted that every poffible exertion
was made by the General while at Monte Video to
obtain intormatjon as to the roads, &c. and that all
means were tried to procnre horfes for mounting the
cavalry. A 1114 load t.f males defined for the Cape
of God Hope was purchafed at Monte Video by
order rf General Whitelocke thefe animals were
defined for the tranfport of the Pores and artillery.
The difficulties in procuring horfes were very great,
and what they did procure were loon unfit for any
work; fome even were knocked up the fir ft day they
were tried. It was under flood and expeaed that a
fufficient fupply of fheep and bullock* would be
' procured in crown; the country, and they accord-
ingly found a fuffictentfupply of both. He thought,
from his own obfervationt, that the Enfenada was
the moil proper place at which to land. With re-
gard to obtaining fupplies from the fleet, he thought
this was praaicable, if proper arrangements had
been made by the Navy. He did not think that it
was poffible to have formed any plan of attack while
at Monte Video, fo fcanty was the infotmatton there
received ; and, in his opinion, the meafures pus fued
relative rw the attack, were the only ones that could
be adopted in loch circumliances. From the infix-
"nation obtained at Monte Video, could not
have taken upon him, as Q2arter Matter General,
to have arranged the marches and places of halting
dining the fervice.. Meafures :night have been ar-
ranged for the paffage of the Chuello ; but nothing
more, except making Reduction a fecond point of
halting, and where fUither meafures might have
been concerted—namely, by actually reconnoitring
the country. On the march, there was very little
intelligence of any importance received from the
people of the country.
He did not think that any places could have been
more convenient for cooking, &c. than the three
farm houfes at which they halted on the sd of July;
and upon the pofition of there farm hoofer, the
moverhents of the army certainly in a great meafure
depended. General Whitelocke repeatedly expelled
his anxiety, while on the match, to get the men un-
der cover in cafe of bad weather letting in, and to
keep up a communication with the Navy. It rained
very hard at two o'clock in the morning of the ad,
when General Whitelocke fent for the witnefs, and
an old inhabitant of the country had informed Ge-
neral Whitelocke that heavy rains generally Pet in
about the if of J•rly, and rendered the marches im-
paifable. General Whitelocke, upon his return to
Reduction, expreffed great anxiety to march forward,
and even to leave behind fomecattle which were cut-
ting up for Sir Samuel Auchmuty's brigade. There
were no other farm ironies in fight on the sd, except
the three at which the army halted there was a
fourth at the ditlance of fix miles, but it mutt have
been dark before they came up with it. It occupied
three r-r tour flows in the crotling of the Chuello on
the 3d ; the drfficul; y and delay arofe (rim theiwollen
Rate of the river, and not from the ignorance of the
guide. The horfes of the country were unfervicea-
ble from having been acctritorred to eat graft only ;
the mules he hart heard were a hardier race. He
dries not know any thing cf the road between Point
Qttilimm and lit:audios, tut he has beard that while

I

Colonel Mahan was at the latter Haire be received
fupplies from the navy, with which a communication
had been opened. He thought that on the 29th of
June, when the army reached the heights of Enfena-
da, a plan mighOrave been formed for the future
march of the army With tolerable precifion, etnd he
AIN thought there was no obstacle to the whole army
moving in one column, which was the fimpleft way.
•
SEVENTH DAY.
Examination of Colonel Buses continue/
IZ (By the Court.) Were any, and what mea
lures taken on the evening of the ad to fecure the
pafFage of the Chirac, next day, by reconnoitering or
othet wife ? None that I know of.
Q (By General Dundas.) Was there any rep t'
made on the evening of the 2d by the officers comman-
ding the rear divitione, which made it meeffary to
halt that evening ? A. I never heard of any, ex
cept the convesfation with Sic Samuel Auchmuty,
already Rated.'. ,•
On his further' examination by the Court, the wit-
nefs Crated that he thought there were no difficulties
on the march which could have prevented the whole
army from marching four or five miles beyond Re-
dation, on the fecond day after leaving the heights
above Enfenatia ; that General Whitelocke, in the
orders lie iffued, was guided by the information he
received from the guides ; and that after they left
Redation there was no communication between the
two divitions t)1 the army which could have enabled
General Whitelocke to inform General G rwer that
he had altered his line of march. That the witnefs
never mentioned to General Whitelocke that he
thought by fo doing he would tender it impoffible for
lint to fupport General Gower, bccaufe he (the
witnef,) did not think General Gower needed
any fupport. That there was no attempt what-
ever by General Whitelocke to reconnoitre, whe-
ther the bridge over the Chuello was standing or
not,.or to afeert.tin what force the enemy had on its
banks ; that he did not think the information recliv?
ed could warrant the conclufion that General Gower
would require no fupport in difputing his way acrofs
the Chuello, and that if the enemy bad bees fo firong
as to make the paffage dangerous, General Whitt-
locke would not have fupportect his advanced
guard ; that no officers of the (toff were fent out to
reconnoitre the apptoaches to Buenas Ayres on the
4'h of Joly previous r.-) the attack, and that although
the witnefs himfelf did reconnoitre them, it was not
in confequence of any ordets whatever, but from a
&rue to benefit the fervice ; that fix pontoons and
their carriages there embarked at Monte Video to
make a bridge over the Chuello, but they werenever
landed at Eufenada, and the reafon of this he cannot
tell.
QTellions by Lord CATHCART.
Q. When the main body halted on the zd, did you
fte the -regimects come up to the ground, and was
there a long rear ? A. I law them c, me up to their
ground, arid the troops appeared quite frelh.
Q._ What precautions wete taken for the fecurity
of the army by piques on the 3d, when you halted ?
A. I du not know ; but about four o'clock, when
going round, I law the left wing not fo well covered
as it ought to be, and reinforcements were fent to it
when the piqucts teemed to be what the cafe re-
quired.
Q_Were innruelions given to the piquets to attend
to any firing, and to report all extraordinari-s ? A.
I do not remember any fuch initiations ; nor were
.any extraordinat ie s reported.
Q_What diaance did the main body march on the
? A. About nine miles.
Q„, When the firing was heard en the ad, were any
meatures taken by General Whitelocke to afcertain
the famition of his advanced corps at that time !
I A. I do not recollat any.

•
the term honfes which, if boiled, would b
an excellent fubeitote for bread, of which ,:*1
regniar fupplY, we had no means of ,nik. 'll4
chicle. refource, : another circurntlance, eem.:,°
tont, but rather, I think, from the Want ilf I .'4l
arrangements then from an otigioat de,:ft'''',9l
equipment, was, that although the troep,l4,"i,
bread only for three days, viz. 28:h,2,•1;,‘
June, ntek,et h3edr,e
whenw as no
efaror tulntmedre,iatfru,c)eirt,i)cf:e
iebreadiriigiia!'"l4
one of the houfes behind our poll i to ;,,,';4311
,if the ed. I think this might have heen a,„l''il
halting at Reclalion long enough 13 melee
.""1
Arrangements with the fleet at Q2i!rnc,. ' t Pkil
It alto appeared to
derable part of the army, I mean ;he det4 Let
v he had been under my comman,l, h,d L"'"4
many months embarked, it was very ellen:jai-1'
!calk in the firth period of their operations:ll-2
fhould have been allowed their ration 4 1.,,,„: 1
which they had been acctivomei. My brig4e:4
filled of two (quadrats of 6th Dragnets Guards::
36th, 45th, and 881 Regiments, Eve C amai,...:s
the 95th, and two Cerps of Artilie7y; ‘,eiZi
at Enfenada on the Mot ning of the 28th withon7„,
appearance cf an enemy, in a rtnatien which:
peared to me in many iefpects well dam eill
believe it was the heft that could hav: been fe4-4
After eroding a broad rw imp which ext..tels a „,
derable diliance along the banks of the ii,,e,`"
brigade took a portion upon the heigh s• r ' II
. .nme 4*
tegiments tormed upon our right, I breire.:,,,,,
and 38. h. ' Oil the 29th we marched oil bey., ''
upon the read or track leading lowAttls 1,4,4H"11
Ayres, by the way of ReduCtion. Ab eo a rnatio
half betweea it and Buenos Ayres, we took cat
fitien on the evening of the IR. From the ialil
at Enfenade on the zBth of June, to our arriviii,
fore Buenos Ayres 3d July, my brigade, with then
aption of the four Companies I have menti..nel i
be detached from it and General Lumley's br;erd
confilling of the 36th and 88th regiment', frar4
corps under the immediate command of Major co
neral Gower. General Lumley's brigade („o,
Barragon heights to the poti.ion at ladaftaA
was always at the dillance of four or its ski
is the rear of mine. I nndertlood from Cgterii
Gower that this arrangement was adopted to the
purpofe of facilitating the procuring fuel, ~Licht
extremely fcarce in that country, and only ink
found in the neighbourhood rf the few 4,
fararhoufes. I think the dillance at which wee
camped was extremely imr rodent, if then 14
been any danger. The whole of the march (14
brigade was attended by 'Mall parties of irregeh
honk, who occaflonally exchanged a few fir oyil
the tine corps—they were armed wi:h vay 14
mut.:ets. Until our arrival at IteduClion nothistre
curt ed either of oppofition from the enemy, orat
ficulties of any other fort. The c emtry wasp
Wily open, and, although the route was soya
quently interrupted by (mall dreams tuning the
R.,ggy bottom!, yet, until we had p-efled Ilcdonie
there were or ne of them fedi as to form any eel
derable impediment--the only embarrafTnieef slid
the advanced guard experienced proceeded limit
want of a good guide, the inhabiteres Willi
their dwellings, except one, a Mr. Dural!. Aos
approached it eduCtion, we law truc'l mere Coel
derable bodies of h')rfemen than we bad befaeol
fetved ; but they appeared to have no otherlep
than of reconnoitring our march.
On the evening of the in of July, my briga
took a poplin on the extremity of the big
ground at about a mile and a half nearer tante
Ayres than the village of ReduCien, at the en
mencement oldie valley thorough u Lich ran the tie
Monett and Chuello, from this we law plaid/ d
appearance of an army behind the Chtnllo; wed
()Nerved a fire, which Lieutenant Colonel Mr
who at this time commanded the light hattia
informed me was, as he believed, in the direeisf
the bridge. Early in the morning of the ad, l'
ceivcd an order from General Gove:r, who I
Veiled the night with General Lumley', brigai
be in readinefs to march at nine o'clock. A
before this General Griever came to me, and I
good deal of cenverfation with him refpeat.,
objeCt and direflions of the march. I owlet,
from him, that in confequence of the Matadi
received, that the enemy had cenflrreted Intlt!il
for tha, defence on the lower ground in (Ilea
bouthnod of the bridge, it was determined to I
that portion, by palling the liver higher op,lal
think it material to Hate, that Major Gen. G
at this time, certainly had not fettled with the
mender in Chief, or in his own mind, where to.
tempt the paffige, whether at the pars called
pats-, or at one laid to be about a league high
the river. We law the enemy's army on the
rite fide of the river : and after we had me
about two or three hours, we dillinnly f ay G
Whirelocke's divition in march ; erd, irons
cnnfideration, both of general real. nine- and
cular citcumflances, I was certainly during. the,
of that day, implefred nit]) the belief that they
following us. Some time after this General
(hewed me a letter from General Whitelerla,
which letter, to the bell cf my tee IleCtion,
Gower was folly authorifed to crcfs the titer;
erablilli 'timid' in the firburbs of the tows, 04
was clear to me from the pofnion of the two
would not be effeeled without an aCti :n.
..
It was Irmetime after this before I underflotql
General Gower that he meant to pals at the PI
ford. The direetions in which we marched IFT
is we fupPored, have ferved equally well fort, ell
After we had paffol 'he river Manfeil, we '1
he diflance of about-a calm( n Ihot, in our he"
body of about OD hole. They attcmptedne
_.,
and, from the dire lion in which they afielf
went off, I fhotild foppofe they eroded tits
—We at length arrived at the road to de
Chico, General Gower then determined to l!k!
direetron, and ordered me to proceed al IS si
cotild to the Paffo Chico, aid either to fora
ell:41)14h mylJf on the banks. We had conbor;ip
difficulty in finding the paffage, but when"! 1
there was no appearance of an enemy neat /11.1
the time my btigade.had palled, General Cia.w.ll.i
rived at tke head of General Lunaley's .tli

Q.:. if the main body had marched early on the
morning of the ad, might they not have reached the
fuburbs of Buenas Ayres on the fame day ? A.
There could have been no difficulty, becaufe the
dillance Was only t 6 miles altogether.
Were the guides ever brought together and
confronted refpeaing the roads they defcribed, in'
order to render the line of march mere fccure I A.
They never were.
(Here Colonel Burke was informed that his evi-
dence en this branch of the trial was concluded, and
he withdrew accordingly.)
Brigadier General Crawford called in and exa-
mined.
Q._ What Ratko had you, Brigadier General
Crawford, in the expediticm under General White-
locke, at Buenos Ayres? A. I commanded the
Light Brigade, which formed the advanced guard of
the army.

'MT
t•_ _

...Q.: Relate every particular which came under
your obfervation. from the moment you put yourfelf
under General Whi.elocke's command.
A. The day afier I arrived at Monte Video, Ge•
neral Whitelocke propofed to me to walk round the
works with him ; and in returning through the town,
he defired me to notice the peculiar construction of
the houfes, their flat roofs, furrounded by parapet•
walls, and other circumstances which, as he obferved,
rendered them peculiatly favourable for defence ;
and added, that he certainly would not cap fe his
troops to fo unequal a contefi as that in which they
would be engaged if led into a lirgitown like Buenos
Ayres, all the inhabitants of which were prepared
for its defence, and the-houfes of which were Similarly
contiructed to thefe he then pointed out. In the
obvious propriety of the General's remarks I molt
heartily concurred. The brigade which General
Whitelocke placed under my command confined,
according to the original arrangement, of eight
companies of Light infantry, a detachment of 7o
recruits of the 7id Regiment, and eight companies
of the Rifle Corps ; but fit m the day ot cur landing
until the junetion of the two divitiuns I f the army
before Buenos Ayres, four companies of the 95th
were taken away from my b.igaile and attached to
that division of the army led by the Commander in
Chief in pelf :n. With telpeC't to the equipment of
the brigade, it certainly was deficient in fume very
material articles : in the firfl place, we had no Lai
foemen lot catching bullocks attached to each 'bd.
gade, the confequcrice of which was, we had no
means of catching the cattle by which we were fur.
rounded. Another very material deficiency in the
equipment of the troops, and for which there did not I
appear to Me to be any Sufficient rearm, was, that
I behind, in confe mp ft quence
which, although we kund abundance of wheat in LONDON: Printed and published by LEVEL KEn.
the ca kettles were le
o_ terbury-place. Lambeth; At the STARA)? FICS, !NO. ii
sues% Published at the STAR-Orrice, TelnPle.

•

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f p 1
; 3
th 4

w da
Iron

kr
tR t 1
tb

am:
do
ei