Star.
London, England, 1808-03-16 00:00:00

-"---"TRIAL OF
GENERAL WHITELOCKE.

ft Did you know where General Whitelocke *as
to be found on the sth ? A. ft was not fpecified in
any orders. but I fhould have fent any communica
lion to White's houfe.
Admiral MURRAY Calla
Q Was any plan for a combined attack upon the
town of Buenos Ayres ever propofed to your ? A.
Nu regular plan was ever propoled, but the General
himfelf obferved that he meant to attack from the
weftward, land wiflsed for any affiftanca I could
give him to land there.
Q_ Was you ever confulted. or had you any
know edge of the plan of attack that aattally took
place ? A. None whatever.
Q Are you of opinion that a combined attack
would have been predicable or expedient ? A. Yes,
it would.
tZ If that an attack had been pmpofed, what
affittance could you have rendered from the boats of
'the fleet, (hipping, and gun boats ? A. I think the
gun boats, and loch other veffels as were of eafy
draught of water. would have been of effedual fer
vice in the attack, when co operating with the army.
IQ State what paffed from the arrival of the fleet
off Buenas Ayres, to the fignatnre of the treaty ?
A. The gun boats on the 4rh of July were brought
near the nver of Buenos Ayres, but not then near
enough to a&. Boats were direfted to found by day
and night, to endeavour to afcertain the depth of
water. Captain Thornton reported to me, that he
himfelf had founded, and found the channel very
intricate, and the founding' very irregular ; that he
had, when abreaft of the town of Buenos Ayres,
and on the fituation where vefrels fhould be placed to
aft againft the town, from 7 to t t feet water., and to'
twice the length of the boat, (even feet again, fo that
veffels drawing more water, could not be depended
upon to ad on the srh—he had with difficulty the
gun brigs and gun boats in that fituation above the.
town, to enable him to move down with the gun-
boats, and two of the armed fchooners to affift in
the attack, if neceffary. That he had been employed'
in landing proviftons and fpirits to that part of the
army commanded by Sir Samuel Auchmuty ; that
he had likewife landed mnflcet balls ; that the fitna•
tion of that part of the army, on their marching into
the town, prevented him at that time from making
ufe of the gun boats, left they &mild fire upon our
own people. That the next morning four of the
gun boats were placed and opened their fire on a Mt-
atton that appeared likely to have effed, andcontinued
firing until the truce was made. The boats were
kept there during the time the truce was made, and
until the preliminaries were figned. I received a
letter from General Whitelocke recipe:ling to fee me.

'ions againft the enemy, who had fled fr.sm him in all
dirations, leaving him in poffeflion of the Refidencia,
with a great number of Draft guns, ammunition, &c.
with two sr three days provifions. This letter was
fent to General Whitelocke by Captain Whittingham
about two o'clock.]
" Captain Whittingharn offered to leave the 40
!grenadiers with me, but 1 declined it, as I thonght
it of snore importance that he lhould get fafely
back to General Whitelocke with the intelligence,
which he had been able to collect, of the lima-
tion of affairs in our quarter. In about half an hour
after his departure, the enemy collated again, and
threatened a fecond attack, but their own cannon
being difcharged upon them, they retired. About
four in the evening, General Gower fent me two lines
to inform me, that hoftilities had been forpended till
further orders. About (even o'clock, General Craw-
ford came with a fimilar notification. I wifhed
is
have fume private communication with General
Crawford as to our general fi nation, but General
Crawford thought it would be looked on as improper
by Colonel Eglin, the Spanifb officer who was with
him. I therefore remained in ignorance of the unfor-
tunate turn matters had taken. Next morning. the
7th. being deptived of the means I had hitherto ufed
of feeding the men by foraging. Major Tolly and my.
.(elf thought it advifable to make a demand from Ge-
neral Liniers. of the quantity of provifions we re.
cpsired ; as a realon for which, I told General Liniers
in the note I fent him. that it was. poffible, if I fent
out to procure provifions from the adjoining houfes,
the troops might come to bloodfhed again. I Rated
my numbers at one half more than I had, Goo inked
of too. 1 received is reply a promife that provifions
(hould he fent. None were received (except a (mall
proportion to the lick and wounded of both armies,)
until 7 o'clock in the evening, when a confiderable
(ripply of bread arrived under charge of Captain
Barker of the 9th dragoons. In the courfe of the day,
about three o'clock, I received a letter from Lieute-
nant Colonel Torrens, to halt on Inch ground as I
might then occupy, till farther orders. I had alfo
four communications to prevent irregularities Paid to
have been committed by our men near the Refiden.
cll. The officer who brought that letter from Lieute-
nant Colonel Torrens. brought one from General
Gower, and two from General Crawford. Having
only a double (entry on the outfide. I think it necef-
fary to contradia the affertlon made in thole letters.
Indeed the S,4anifh officer voluntarily confeffed to
me that eveni.:g, that the reports of the irregulariles
on our part were unfounded. This day we were em-
ployed in making up ball cartridges, which I had the
means of doing from the enemy's flares. On the
morning of the Bth, I received a verbal nseffage from
General Crawford, to evacuate the Refsdencia, and
join the main body of the army at the Retie°. As
this did not agree with the order of the preceding
day, I fent a note requefting an order in writin
and
d
;
alto alking what I thould do with my prifoners
cannon? General Crawford fent me a written reply.
which was fatisfa&ory, in confequence of which I
releafed the prifoners and joined she army with the
cannon about twelve o'clock.
Q. By the Court. Defcribe the petition and
lirength of the Refidencia. A. It occupies a fquare
of 150 yards one way and too the other. It contains
two very large churches. fome very large wards or
hofpitals. being a chat it able inflitution. One third of
the whole area, or nearly, has an open (pace or yard ;
the front and the weft presents a lofty dead wall to
the ftreet—the other half is furrounded by a fighter
one o
rbt ten feet high. It had fiont and rear gates
the oof was not commanded by any adjoining
buildings.
QzWas it !arable to open a communication with
the beech on having poffeflion of Refidencia ? A. Pet.
fealy Co, it blrders on the river, and there are not
any intervening buildings. It is about ago yard,
from the fhore.
Q What number of prifoners was taken by the
45tn regiment at the Refidencia, and thud
d
e adjoining
houfes ? A. We had 43 taken in arms, and iso tick
and wounded, whom we found in the hofpital. not in-
cluding about ao Spanifh Surgeons attending them.
Qz.Would not artillery have been of great fervice
in tatting the Refidencia, and in maintaining it when
occupied ? A. Certainly, and I could have ditlodged
Come of the parties who prelfed on General Crawford.
Q At what hour did Captain Whittingham arrive
at the Refidencia on the 6th ? A. About one o'clock,
and I had no previous communication from the com-
mander in chief.
Q.Would a reinforcement from the troops under
General Whitelocke, or from thole under Colonel
Mahon, have afforded you the means of co-rperating
with the other attacking colums ? A. It would cer-
tainly have enabled me to have communicated with
General Crawford, which, under circumftances of
imperious neceffity, I would have attempted with
and
an
appearance of fuccets, without any affittance,
which I could have done by occupying the large
intermediate houfes.
Q_Do you know of any Wholes arifing from the
ftreugth of the enemy, or other circumftances to have
prevented Inch a reinforcement from reaching you,
if orders had been given for that purpofe ? A. I
know of no feriotis obttactes. The diftance from the
Cora; di Miferari to the Refidencia, may be about a
mile and three quarters.
Queftion by the Court. •
Having raid in your letter that fome of your fol-
diets had made prifoners from motives of humanity,
had you received any orders which made fuch an
apology necetfary? A. Not by any means.
Q If you had known where the Commander of the
Forces was, would you not have tried to communi
cate with him on the s
aved ? A. Not in the moln thrninge
I could not have fp a force sufficient.
evening I would have attempted it, had I known
that Colonel Mahon was fo dole to me.

Do Readers know that this interesting Trial cont-
et(' on Thursday morning the 28th day of Jana,
Ir. As it was impossible that the day on which it
oula terminate could be known, we have, since the
onineteemcnt, beer printing it in separate sheets, of
ullookee are published along with this Paper,—
Thoseefecr Readers who file the STAR, or bind it
tip, „Alive the goodness to prefix to our present
sober these Supplementary Sheets, (as if they were
the inpplement of yesterday's Paper). The procee-
aAss which here follow, arc in continuation

TwVITY-rOURTH DAY (In continuation.)

toenn, Ayres. Having previoufly occupied the
rads by which we were to enter the town, we
s,,,ea forward at day light, in two column', con.
Ming each of four companies, having the command
tithe right wing myfelt, whim the left was under
giinr Nichols. Having proceeded about three
wets of a mile, the columns came together, in
okqttence of the junaton of two roads, and I was
trader the neceffity, in conformity to my orders, to
made a cnnfiderable detour to the right, by which
meansi did not reach untilRelidencia, the poft I
1124 ordered to occupy, three or four minutes
alter the left wing, whom I found in the aft of
breaking open the doors of that building. My tors
M taking that petit was hot trifling, three men only
king killed. Perceiving fome tamales in the vicinity
and nearer the banks of the river, which I confitlered
t *Jae ible to occupy. 1 moved forward with my
sing, and feleaing three of them, left a company in
etch, and returned to the Refidencia with the gee.
Wier:. Hearing a confiderable fining on our left,
I&flied Maj,r Nichols to make the neceffary ar•
torments for the occupation of the Refidencia,
adacquainted him that I would take the grenadier
owpat.y with me and reconnoitre the potation
of
General Crawford's brigade, and retnin to him
teediattly. I accordingly let out by the Itreet by
which I had entered the town, and turning to my
tight, came into one that led direaly to the great
'rue. I proceeded about thirty or forty yards,
and I tame to a very large bottle which I thought it
meld be ptudent to occupy with my (mall detach.
vot, _I therefore proceeded to break open the
door, and finding it very difficult to effea, I fent
tack my Adjutant with a few files to the Refidencia
Ent the porpofe of obtaining the affilfance of tools.
He bad scarcely returned, when I was joined by a
picquet of the riflemen which had left me in the
morning and had entered the town with the light
battalion. The officer commanding them brought
tie General Crawford's orders to charge down the
beet with the grenadier company, fupported by this
ititcpier. I accordingly did fo, and met for fome
little time with no other oppofition than the dii.
charge of a heavy piece of ordnance twice, which
had been polled at the other end of the (beet. I
dranced, 'weever, towards the centre of the town,
red I found the tops of the houfes crowded with the
enemy, and they opened a fmart fire of mufketry
~gas on
we paged. When I had got about half a mile,
Wing the men confiderably out of breath, and the
peat difficulty of our moving forward from the in.
mid fire, I dreve off my met to a flreet on the
nett. Seeing Colonel Pack with lime of the light
lottalinn approaching towards the Church of St.
Demingo,.l crolftd the flreet on purport to confult
boo, as from his local knowledge he was perfealy
acquainted with our filtration as to the praaicability
of any further advance through the 'trees, leading
!needs the Square He told me that it would be
ttoprffible for me to reach the Square without the
lass of the greater part of my detachment ; 1 there.
fee returned back and found General Crawford
vi h fereral companies of light infantry and riflemen
together, with a field piece in the lame Itreet with
toy detachment. I remained tinder General Craw.
ford's orders during the veil of the day. !Iy inartic.
was to recopy the Refidencia were giVen me vet.
billy. I have no knowledge of the communication
befog made to any officer who commanded on my
Itft, that I was to occupy thi Refidencia. I reached
that plan atone (even o'clock in the morning. It
appeared to me to be a very ftrong building, but, as
ldid not enter it, I cannot give an accurate defcrip-
lissof it. I had no intention of joining General
Crawford until I received his orders to that /flea.
'named no inarations as to any future operations
'net I had occupied the Reftdencia ; I. conceived I
Ins to maintain that poft.

..........

(tertian by General Wu r "c a.
DA you recolleet my alking your opinion on the
. ‘lll to the truth of the fiatemcnt, refpeSing the
tatperated !late of the inhabitants and the fatal
*ft% to the prifoners hail the town been bombarded ?
General Whitelocke did aik my opinion, and I
glint, that the prifoners would have been in a Very
dangerous fituation, and I put this in writing at
Cornets% Whitelocke's requell•

Lieutenant Colonel Ntennts called.

"I commanded the left wit% of the 45th regiment
its the day .1 the attack, being then a Major in that
"Patent. The wings of the regiment never joined,
slier leaving our ground, until the arrival of both at
the Relidencia. Of the operations, until the middle
Odle following day, being the 6:h, my public letter
le General Whitelicke will give an account.
(This letter was then read. It gave a very flatter-
tntl Arc( unt of the fucccfs of Maier Nichols' opera-

1.1.11111111=0.1•121111 , . . 1.,...p
~,„ pr....:.; ; ,t• , "),,:e'l.:1•c;7;•4
_ . . . .
. . . 1,.• . ,*.--,: le.:7y--I..ii .. i
• .
. t 7. ; • ;,,S1;:p r r 5.:,,, • De 41:4: , '
•
11 •
"1 ) -IPN.• Ok .
'....9.111./.: •16 1 vri,,,. ---
i 8 • 4? :ir .."
.:•--- ,-- • ,
..,j)
) .
~ . •
~..‘
' lli ir
•
. .
[l)RicE Slx-Pr•.NC
_ __ _______. •,. -- -. I' & 11 !11l • I.? 1 Orte

.

TWENTY-FIFTH DAY.
Admiral Murray Rated that having received a
letter from General Whitelocke on the evening of
the 6th of July, he went on fhnre on the morning of
the 7th, where he met General Whitelocke and the
other General Officers. General Whitelocke then
informed the witnefs of the calamities the army had
I-offered, and defcribed the terms offered by Liniers
as extremely advantageoue. The General then alked
me if he could expell any cn-operation from me ?
I told him yes : but he anfwered that it would ferve
no purpofe to gn on with any operations in South
America, as we had not a tingle ftiend in the coun-
try. I then alked him if he had confulted with the
general officers ? and Paid I thought we could do
fomething more. He told me he was affured that
the prifoners would be cut to pieces if we proceeded
to further operations agairdt the town. I certainly
nbferved upon this, that I could not agree to theft
terms, without fiat confulting the next officer in
command to me then at Buenos Ayres, as Admiral
Stirling was at Monte Video, with the line of battle
thips. 1 immediately communicated with Captain
Bayntnn, who was then on the top of the fame houfe
with me. Captain Bayntos told me he thought I
could not do otherwife than fign them, for that the
General mull be the bell judge of what the army
croild do. I then found I mutt take all the refpon.
Ability on myfelf for any thing that might happen
afterwards, although I knew I thould only have to
anfwer for the naval department. General Gower
then explained to me more fully our fit nation, and
afTured me that better terms could not be pro.
cured, and that as to Monte Video, it was with great
rebalance the Spaniards had allowed us to keep it fo
long as two months, inftead of one which they had
firth propofed : under all eircumltances, I concurred
in oinion that we &fluid not be able to keep that
country againft the force then in it, and I tigned the
treaty.
Upon his examination by the Judge Advocate,
Admiral Murray Rated, that fix gun boats and two
fchooners of eafy draught of water, carrying 24
pounders, might have been employed againtt the
town ; two of thefe gun boats were left at !tarragon
by General Whitelocke's orders, but the other four,
with the two fchooners, bore down upon Buenos
Ayres on the 6th, and cannonaded it for tome time.
The fchooners carried two 24 pounders as bow
guns, and fix earronadec each. Tneboats and launches,
of the men of war might have been fitted up with
guns, and employed againit the town, but only in
fine weather, and not at that feafon of the year—
Admiral Murray never knew any river in which the
fea ran fo high as it did in the Plata at that feafon,
and even the gun boats were in danger of being
fwamped. The witaefs Rated it to be his belief that
General Whitelocke had not the molt diltant idea of
any affißance from the navy in the attack of Buenos
Ayres, after landing at Barragnn, except in fupply
ing the army with provifions, if in want cf them, and
he never entertained any doubt but that the army
would have taken Buenos Ayres without any dif-
ficulty.
Examined by General Warrs coc arr.
In anfwer m the fit R quellion pin—Admiral Mnr-
ray admitted that two of three clasfporta were left

behind at Monte Video on account of drawing to
much water.
O Do yrn not underßand that my not fixing upon
itaiYtoi
nto.Pneoc,
n afitnchde
:plan,ei;
wI
itwasrd toffrrotehmfen
townwan.ta ontdfa kt ghe :nud i
to a: fop:nor
municate with you as to further operations ? A. I
certainly underftood from the General that he would
better feel his way when he got up to the place, and
that it was his intention to attack on the weft fide
of the town; but I did sot underßand from hint
that he exptaed any Affiance from the navy, more
than I before Rased, for he knew that the (hips of
war could not crime doter than they did. He re-
quelled when at Barragnn. that I would fend the
tranfpnrts up towards the town, in order to make it
appear to the enemy that he meant to attack in
another place ; but as as T before Rated, I do not
think that General Whitelocke cape/led any At-
tame from the armed veffels ih any attack of the
place, but merely to cover the !hove on landing pro.
'Mons or the troops it fill, for he had frequently
eapreffed that he only wanted me to laud the army,
and he would anfwer for the tell.
Q._ Could the fehonners have come near enough
rto tile their carronades ravioli the town ? A. I
think during a part of the flood tide they might, but
they could not remain there the whole of the time.
for if driven rin (hate, they could not be got of
again.--The carronades were 9 pounders.
Q2eftions from Sir Joni. Money.
Could you not have furnifhed implements from
the (hips of great ufe in forcing the barricadoes of
the town, and were you ever applied to• for this put.
pofc ? A. Certainly iron crows might have been
furnifhed if required from the (hipping. Nn appli-
cation, however, was made on that fubkft, nor did I
know were wanted.
What dißance were the men of war and gnu-
boats from Buenos Ayres on the 4th, s,th, and 6th
of July ?—A. The (hips of war were never nearer
than five or. fix miles, and they were then in 16 feet
water. The gun brigs were above the town, and I
believe they were fometimes a mile and a half, and
fometimes two miles from the town or more ;
mean by the town, the fhnre above the Toros. On
the yth they were Rill nearer, and on the morning of
the 6th they were within pint black. (rot of the cita-
del—the fchooners were likewife moving down at
the time the truce was made. and one of them had.
by her (hot, difperfed a confiderable body of the
enemy from a church.
Captain Davenport., of the 6th Dragoon CluttPds;
He Rated, that he was the fenior forviving officer
of that regiment. They marched to the attack at
the appointed hour, but did not enter the city until
(even o'clock, in entifequence of toting their way.--
They then met two difmnunted troops of the 9th
Dragoons with two field pieces, nod Col. Kington
took the whole under his command. They advanced
to the fecond fqtrare, amidit the tuna profound
filence, but the firing then opened upon them. and
all attempts to penetrate further were in vain, al-
though Colonel Kington and Captain Burrows gal-
lantly placed themfelves at the head of the men,
during which ferric* Colonel Kington was killed
They then retreated after fuitaining a very confider-
able lois, and occupied a large hoofs in the rear,
where captain Folter, General Whitelocke's Aid de
Camp, joined them, and reconnoitred the town from
the top of it. After this, a (mall detachment took
polteflion of a church, ahaut yo yards in advance,
and they continued in theft politions until the treaty
was figned. The difmounted dragoons were armed
at the attack with carbines and ammunition, but they
had no fworits or bayonets.
Captain FRASSIto of the Artillery.
He Rated, that by General Whitelocke's defire,
he remained by his perfon the %thole day. That the
IGeneral was at the Coral the whole of the sth, except
Huthen he went to White's houfe for about half an
hour. It was impoefible, from the fpot on which
General Whitelocke walked, to fee any thing of the
town, or its entrances. Being aficed how General
Whitelocke was employed on the day of the attack ?
the witnefs Rated, that the General employed himfelf
in giving orders to the few mounted dragoons that
were around him, to gallop after a few miferable
individuals, who were flying out of the town to et.
cape the affault. The wand's exprefily (wore, that
with the exception of the few fcattered (hots, °tea-
fioned by the execution of thefe orders, there was
nothing like an alarm in the poll occupied by General.
Whitelocke and his referve that day. On General
Whitelocke's proceeding to White's houfe. about
dufk, he gave orders for a arong guard to be polled
on the roof and around the houfe, in order to pro-
tea his perfon, and then went to sleep. The witnefa
thought General Whitelocke was very filent and re-
ferred, and with the exception of the above orders.
and thofe iffued when at the Coral, the witnefs knew
nothing of what paffed that day.

TWENTY-SIXTH DAY.
Captain Faasaa of the Artillery called.
Q State if you examined the guns on the Plaza,
And their slumber and other particulars ? A. Imme-
diately on my arrival at the Plaza del Toro., I went
to reconnoitre the lituation of fuch places as might
be proper for ereitinf batteries againit the Citadel of
Buenos Ayres. I did not therefore rstytelf examine
the guns, hut a report of their (tate was made to me,
and there were eleven pieces, of ordnance. from 39
down to 8 pounders, which were immediately let-
' viceable, and captured at the Retiro. There were
b fides, at the Coral, three pieces ferviceable—there
were alfa of ordnance (piked, but which might have
been.rendered ferviceable, to ; and of ordnance I
em-
barked at Monte Video, and which I prefume might
have been landed in the cootie of a few hours, ix
pieces ; maltit,g a total of 36 pieces of ordnance, from
,; 3510 8 Aires having examined the tipanifh ads.
;' nal, I reported to Genes al Whitelocke that they