Star.
London, England, 1812-05-11 00:00:00

FROM SATURDAY NIGHT'S GAZETTE.

ADMIRALTY-OFFICE, MAY 9.
Copy of a letter from Vice Admiral Eh- award Pellew, Bart,
Commander in Chief of his Majesty's ships and vessels in the
Mediterranean, to John Wilson Croker, Esq. dated on board
the Caledonia, at Port Mahon, the 29th Maxis.
Si •Hav' 1r la•' of thy

_AR—Having by my last report A the state of thei great fatigue. The conduct of Mr. William H. - Ime to determine, but am happy to state
service has been performed without even a ',maw
enemy's ships, apprised their Lordships that the Ri- ' bons and Mr. John J. Keeling, Master's Mates, de-
our part, though at the commencement of the e•
and -all
yell of 74 guns, recently launched at Venice, was in 1 serves notice: The conduct of Captain Stevens, of
readiness to put to sea ; I have now great satisfaction the Royal Marines. I cannot avoid mentioning, and the Apelles was full of troops, and the detence
in Announcing her capture by his Majesty's ship Vic.: that of Mr. Crawford, the Master, was perfectly toobstinately MAllltillie... . IFUSt,
I the shore ' • A 1
,torions, after a severe contest of five hours, on the my satisfaction. .cumstance will not only bespeak our eau-
ertre
11st ultimo, and I have the honour to enclose a let-1 During the whole of this severe action not a single- fortune, but prove more strongly the; I c
ter from Captain Talbot, detailing the particulars of . explosion wok place on board, or a man either hurt, that the plan of attack was well laid,
this very gallant affair. through carelessness or accident ;both the officers
I executed by tire Officers and men under ni
,
The great disparity of force sufficiently The boats gave the soldiers so hull
1
bespeaks ; and men, for their steady and cool conduct, deserve '
the merits of the captors, the Rivoli. having 862 men every credit. escape, that four were left. on board, calling
at the commencement of the action, while the crew of , I have sent herewith the returns, as far as I have selves /sari of the King of Rome's bodygnaio,
the Victorious was reduced to MX, of whom sixty : been able to procure, of the killed and wounded on bearing the insignia of their corps. We (mat
were in the sick list.' - , • . ,
1 board the Rivoli. i Apelles much cut up from our fire, and she •
The loss has beenvery severe on both sides, up- ! I landed a great number of the wounded prisoners wards sustained great damage from the enefey
wards of 400 having been killed and wounded on the in Istria, having sent a flag of truce to the town of has seven guns, and most of her stores and
part of the enemy, and 42 men killed, and 99 wound-' Pirang, to request the Commandant of that port sions remaining on pond. The Skylark was,
ed on the part of the Victorious. I would send off boats to receive them, which, actor- pletely destroyed, lying some distance to the en
Their Lordships will observe that the Weazle had dingly, he did. I have sent the remainder of them ward, still smoking. I have great satisfacti is
a share i,t this brilliant action, engaging a French from this port by a schooner to Spalaon, in Dalmatia. stating, that the crews of both vessels e sterol' -
brig of war until she blew up alongside; the conduct I When we commenced the actien the Victorious their boats, with the osception of Captaintloinai" i 4
of Captain Andrew and his men has been extremely of the Apelles, and nineteen of his people.
had only five hundred and six persons actually on
4str.
creditable, . board, sixty of which were on the sick list, but milit i I have the honour tjto,t7
t e
rsette
c;; (Signed)o,
I congratulate their Lordships on this achieve- of the sick were able to assist in the action. The i,
ment, and from the zeal and vigilance which I have Rivoli had on board eight hundred and sixty-two : Thomas 'Foley, Esq. Rear-Admiral
•
the satisfaction to perceive throughout the fleet under persons at the commencement of the action. I ..have' of* Red, Dews,.
my command, I trust it may be.the prelude to other the honour to be, &c. (Signed) lure TALROTP • I
important successes.---I have the honour to be, etc. 1 Captain of his Majesty's Ain Victorious, and Senior
L (Signed) EDWARD PEL EW. 1 Officer in the Upper i'art of the Adriatic.
His Majesty's ship Virorious, Pon Sr. Gc irge, ITo Charles Rowley, Esq. Captain of his Majesty's ship
Lissa, March
•
Eagle, and Senior Ulcer in the Adrinic.
3.
His Maks tr 's 'loop Weazle, .10d day of Feb. ivory, ISM, Cape
Stn—On the 16th ultimo I arrived off the Port of
' halvore South-east by East, distance 12 or 14 utiles.
Venice ; the weather was very foggy at that time , i
and continued so till the 21st, which prevented me . Sin—ln pursuance of your directions, :this norm
reconnoitring the port. ing, at half-past two, ordering me to go a-head and
bring the enemy's brigs to minion, I have the honour
At half-past two o'clock. P. sr. on that day, a brig
to inform you, that at a quarter past four a. wt. I
was seen E.N.E.; at three o'clock, a large ship with
came up with two French brgs, oil& wi,hin half pis-
two more brigs and two settees in the same di-
rectiona all sail was made in chace ; at four o'clock tog-shot, which we immediately engaged, and alter
an action of 4.0 minutes she blew up without doing
I made the Weazle's signal to prepare for action 1 at
this time I was convinced that the ship seen was ctne us any damage.
I am sorry we saved only three men from her }lad
tithe enemy's. line of battle ships, proceeding fiom
Venice to the port of Pole, in Istria. . those much lA-nixed and wounded. She provet-toe
been the French brig le Mercure, of 18 21-pounder
The enemy were sailing in a line of battle, with the
carroiiades, commanded by a Lieutenant de Vaisseau.
two gun-boats and one brig a head, the other- two
brigs in a line a-stern. During the greater part of this time the other brig
engaged us on our bow, }Mt seeing the fate of bee
At halepast two o'clock nat. I perceived that cue
companion, and from the darkness of the morning,
of the enemy's brigs dropped a-stern, and that the
and our rigging being much cut, she made her escape.
line of battle ship had shortened sail to allow her to
close again. At day-light we observel this brig and another, the
fir St about three miles aishead. At six o'clock made
1 I hailed the Weazle, and ordered Captain Andrew
1 - all sail in•chace ; answered the signal of recall ;bore
y:, endeavour to pass the Victorious, and if possible
up. At eight o'clock came across the Rivoli 's bows,
to bring the brigs a-stern of the Commodore to ac-
within musket-shot, and gave her a broadside, wore
Lion, in hopes it would induce him to shorten sail,
which bad the desired effect. and tacked as necessary to continue raking her ; at
nine she fired a gun to leeward, when we ceased
quarter past four o'clock, his Majesty's brig
The-whole of the before-mentioned smite,
W.earle commenced the action with the two brigs.— firing'
Admit -past four we commenced action at the dig-
I am exo emel7 happy to say, was performed with. I
out the loss and man on my pert, from the steady,
twice of half pistol shot, wier the line of battle ship,
determined, cool behavion r of every officer and
neither ship having fired a single shot until that time.
man on board. And I most earn estly request you
At five we perceived a ()lig to blow •up ; at • day-
will be pleased to recommend to the Commander-in-
lig:it I perceive dtheWeazle in Chace of the brigs, the
Chief Mr. George Elliott, my First Lieutenant, and
Commander-in-
gun-boats not in sight. I recalled her as she did not
every other officer and man on board his Majesty's
appear to close with the Chace. We were at this time
in 7 fathoms water off the point of Gran, and I was sloop which I have the honour to command.
fearful we might want assistance from her, in case I have the honour to be, (Signed)
Captain
Esq.-:lntiN
H. MW ANDREW, Commander..
S. Victorious -
either of the ships had got on shore on the bank. - '
. Captain Andrew on being recalled, placed his brig To John Talbot,
from Rear-Admiral Toley, Commander.in.thief
very judiciously on the how of the line off battle ship, Coipnythefe latteran.wns .
to
John Wilson Cruker, Esq. dated the Ctli inst.
within pistol-shot, and in that situation he gave her Sin—i t ernng to my letter el the 4th inst. giving
, three broadsides. 1 an acconnt of the loss of his Majesty's sloops Apelles
I The enemy for nearly the last two, hours had been and Skylark, I feel great satisfaction in transmitting
rendered perfectly unmanageable, and -had kept up A to you, for the infarmation t f their Lordships. an
very slow fire, and that chiefly from two guns nn the account of the recapture of the former by Captain
quarter deck, her mizeternast fell over her side about Cunningham of the Bermuda, who succeeded in cut-
stquarter before nine o'clock. At nine they hailed 0
ing out that sloop, whilst in possession of the enemy,
us and said they bad struck; I sent on board Mr. from under a battery to the eastward of Etaplea and
Peake, the First Lieutenant, to take possession of her. under the fire as well t f teat battery us the field-
I found the squadron we had engaged consisted of. pieces nn shore.
.-
two gun.troats, the Mameluke brig of ten guns, and I beg leave only to add, that Captain Conning-
Jena and Mercuretif 18 guns each, with the Rivoli, ham bas always ,hems himself a brave, zealous, and
of 74 guns, bearing the broad peadant of Commo-
active officer, and I trust that his conduct on this tie-
dore Barre, the Commander in Chief of the enemy's casion will testify the same to their Lordships.
forces in the Adriatic. - 1 I have the honour to be, &c.
From the length of the action, and the smoothness ! (Signed) Trios. Fouts', Rear-Admit-AL
of the water, the loss of men .and the damages on I
both sides, lam sorry to say, has been very great in- ' ' His Ntajeggy's 'loop Ihrrmnda, at Se.,, May 4.
I deed, neither ship having been above half musket-' SIR— I have great satisfaction in detailing the cir-
thot distance from each other during the whole of cumstances attending the recapture of his hlejesty'S
zAtPeelleigersa• phic communication from the Castili, a
the action, which only ceased at iutervals, when the .. , •
ships were isi..l from each other by the fog and smoke,
on the afternoon of the 3d, at Dungeness, I learned
and were not even able to see the flashes of each
that his Majesty's sloops Skylark and Apelles ' were
othte's guns. • sloop Apelles.
lied great s
Barr 6, dm ing the whole of the action, satisfaction in saying that the conduct nn shore to the westward of Boologne, ana as the
of Comme;
fate of the Apelles was in particular extremely micer-
dore
lain, I weii,hed, with the Rinaldo in company, steer-
convinced me I had to-deal with A most gallant and
brave man, and, in the manceuvring Its ship, a most
ing towards the French coast, -in the hope of render-
experienced and skilful officer. He did riot surren- ing her some assistance. ,
of day we observed the Rinaldo in chase
der his ship till nearly tn.) hours after she was ren.l breakKt
: of the Apelles, which had been got afloat about five
dered unmanageable, and had 400 killed or wounded;
his Captain and most of Iris officers either killed or
miles to the eastward of Etaples, and under jury sails,-
woonticd. By the returns you will perceive, Sir the enemy navigating her al, nig shore. About 9c.. hr.
that our lass too has been very severe. i . we both came up, VI d drove her on shore with a few
1 broadsides, under a battery •a no ~..it three miles to the
1 two very fine young men, Liiutenants Thomas H. I have to regret, as well as tho seivioe, the loss of ,
eastward of Etaples . As. the tide was falling, I dig-
Griffiths and Robert S. Ashbridge, of the Royal ma_ continued the atsack, in consequence of the advantage'
titles, who were mortally wounded early in the ac. the enemy would have in planting the field-pieces and
small.arm men dose to her at low-water mark. I
eon, with many other brave and good men, both sea-
The Castilian and Phipps joined before the tide 1
men and marines. i
.
served to recommence our operations, and with this 1
1 The cenduct of the officers has been throughout
addition to our force, at. about hallpaet 2 is. tn. I
,highly meritorious, both during the action, and also
.renewed the attack, leading in close under. the bat.'
in securing the masts of the ship, in the very bad wea-
ther,we met before we gained the port of Lissa,- eery, with the wind N.E. by N. the other sloops fel-
klarips received a contoina from a splinter earl; irving,Aud ae they came up Vying their broadsides,

SUPPLEMENT To SATURDAY'S GAZETTE,

WAR DEPARTMENT.
pOWNING-STRE4T, MAY N

I. •

A Despatch, of which the following 14 all Ewen, kriableativ
ceived by Lord Liverpool, addrvssed to Ins Lerdditrleria
Esil of NVellington, dated Itiiis, led April, lett.
Marshal Soult collected his army at liilla fano,
in Estremadura, on the Stn inst. and having ilia*
heard of the tall of lt•ijadoz, he retired before day.
light on the tali towards the Irontiers ( f Andalusia.
Lieutenant-General-Sir Thomas Graham directed 1
i)itzt.renant-General Sir Stapleton Cotton to.ioll it i
t ' rear with the cavalry ; and ho attacked and de. '
feared the French cavalry at Villa Garcia with M.
jor-General Le Marchant's and Major• General An.
son's brgades, the latter under the command of
Lieutenant-Colonel :he- Hon. F. Ponsoriby, on the
morning of the llth inst. I have the honour tom.
close Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Grahanesiet•
ter; inciosing Lieutenant• General Sir Stlietoa
Co.ton's report, and the return of the killed and
wounded on this occasion ; and I have only to*
my commendations of th ecneluct of Lintel .
General Sir Stapleton Cotton, MajcesGeneral 14
Mardian, and the Officers aid troops under their.
command.
The enemy retired on that dAy from Lleteni, and,
since, entirely front the province of Estremadura.
. I h ive nut !maid whether Genera) fiallasteros hail
uttered Seville. The Conde de Penne Vitlentur, with
' a elct ichment of the sth Army, which had Wok
from EstremAdura into the Coadado de Niebia, AN
approached that town by the tight of •the (4
quiver, and was engaged with the enemy's gs
ut Saville, and of the (unified convent on that
of the river, on the Ilth inst. and had obliged thefts
retire within their works:
The Conde de Penne Villcrnur retreated on dm
10th', according to a tu2,gestion wind' was made vi
hin by me in consequence of the lall of Badajnx,aat
the certainty that I had that Marshal Soult u(:nlei see
turn immediately into Aoslalusia, without risiin as
action, to which it was tint it my power to ill:I:ant
ancl•l trust that the Conde de Penne Valenta: said
have communicated to General Baliasteros the 1116.
ligence and suggestion which I*(les:red :nth' b
conveyed to hint.
Since I wrote to your Lordship on the ith int=
I have received reports at transactions in Lyle
bourliou'd of Ciudad Rodrigo only to the 9th am*:
The enemy still kept the place blackaded, b
made no attack upon it, nor had repeated their
to Almeida, having suffered some loss in the reoool
noissance of that ()Lice on the 3.1 instant. Itlppe.ai
that on the 7th, the greatest number of the troop is
the neighbourhood tar Ciudad Rodrigo °rake tip, id
marched towards Sabugal, where I believe that tdeP,
slial Marmoat came himself. Major-Getsmal Vase
Altea, ii horn I had kept in front of Ciudad Rod*
with the Ist Hussars, tit' the cud of March. wsll4'
lowed (although at a distance) through Lowerßetale
by Marshal Maritimes advanced guard; and haft
quitted Castello Branco on the bth instant, Oct
moved on, and the advancedluard, coniasting el
2569 men, of which six squad' out of cavalry toull4
Castello Bianco us- the evening ut the 12th,
Bier-General Le Cur, with Lis brigade d
having been obliged to retire upon Saraallsi
lie. saw the enemy advance. s
In the mean time, having liebrd that General
had retired across the Tagus' I ordered bill, lxl
that river again, which he did on the 12th, and.
enemy retired from Castello Branco before daylol
on the morning of the 14th, and Brigadier-
Le Cor and Major-General Alten entered
.thr Pam •
The enemy have as usual, to this expedition, ra' ''
bed and murdered the inhabitants of the cosurtrY I
But the injury which they have dune, as tar ss I
learn, has been confined to these acts of atrocity ;
the stores in our magazines at Castello Branco, ,
our hospital there having been removed telbis7.l
of the 'nest's.
I cannot sufficiently appleudihefirMness*Va.
conduct of Brigadier-Getteral Le Cor. He . . ..
in Castello DraLICO, till he s..av a superior ca!
•

1