Star.
London, England, 1809-08-12 00:00:00

THE GRAND EXPEDITION.

To the accounts we gave yesterday of the opera-
tions of the British armament in Zealand, we are this
day enabled, by later arrivals, to add farther particu-
lars, down to the date of Thursday, at which time
Flushing still continued to hold out. -
The details in the subjoined sextracts and letters are
so ample as to require no_elucidatiom

LIST OF OFFICERS KILLED AND WOUNDED IN THE SORTIE

FROM FLUSHING ON MONDAY LAST.
KILLED.

Assistant-Surgeon Quin, 68th.

WOVNDEp.

26th Regiment, Lieutenant Maxwell, dangerously.
.68th, Major Thomson, ditto.—Lieutenant Mends, slightly.—En-
sign A. Thomson, ditto.
71st, Lieutenant Fletcher, ditto.

81st, Lieutenant Montgomery, ditto.
95th Lieutenant Clark, dangerously. Lieutenant Humbly,
slightiv.—Emign Addisor, ditto.
_ •

Staff.—Staff Litut. A. Taylor, ditto.
Royal Artillery.—Lieut. Grant, ditto.
sth Regiment.—B. Major Bird, mi.rsing—Capt. Hamilton, dim-
gerously--Livit. Col. Bird, slightly—Ensign Galbraith, ditto—
EnsiL7n Watson,ditto.

Germari Lrgion.—LEnsign Du Fay, ditto—Ensign Hsdsmon, dit:i .

The number of privates killed amounts to 20, and
• the Wounded to 12Q

Some of the private letters received yesterday state,
that previously to the bombardment of Flushing hav-
ing commenced, Lord CHATHAM sent a message to
the Governor by a flag of truce, but the vessel was
fired at, and not permitted to enter the harbour. The
Same accounts add, that the resistance of Flushing had
not retarded the ulterior operations of the Expedition,
as the divisions of the Marquis of HUNTLY and Ge-
neral GaosvENon had proceeded up the Scheldt to-
wards Antwerp, accompanied by the squadron com-
manded by Admiral KEATES, for the purpose of either
taking or destroying the enemy's naval force, which
was said to be moored in a formidable line under the
protection of the batteries of Fort Lillo. But this
statement differs from the accounts received. by Go-
vernment, which state, that " the weather had been
so tempestuous that our fleet had not been able to
move ; and that the divisiOns of the Marquis of
HUNTLEY and Lord Rossmtx had been landed in
South Beveland."

" CANTERBIikY, AUGUST 11.

" The Oa (a Deal boat) came into the Downs at
seven yesterday evening, having at three o'clock on
Tuesday afiernoon left Campvere.
" Flushing had, at the above period, been found so
strong as to require to be approached on the land side
in a regular manner, and our troops were actively
employed in constructing the various batteries, which,
when completed, would mount upwards of 100 pieces
of heavy ordnance, and it was expected would not
he ready to open on the works of the town till the
night of this day or to-morrow, preparatory to which
flciating batteries had been sent round by the Slough
to be in readiness to co-operate in attacking by sea-at
the same 'moment ; some days will therefore probably
elapse before the intelligence of its fall reaches us.
In the mean time the enemy are extremely active,
and make daily skirmishes with our troops. They
are said to have obtained reinforcements of men from
the opposite coast of Cadsand, it not being possible
for our shipping on account of the batteries to 'lie
sufficiently close in with the town to prevent it; Some
boats which approached to reconnoitre have been
literally beat to pieces by the enemy's shot. j
" In the night of Monday last, the enemy made a 1
sortie by the Middelburgh gate, and advanced in force
to the villages of cast and west Souberg, on the road
to Middleburgh, for the purpose of ascertaining the
position of our batteries—they were met by the sdr,
68th and 95th Rifle Corps, and completely beet back
with much loss in killed and wounded, and SOO taken
prisoners. In the pursuit Major Bow of the sth foto,
having advanced too hastily, was taken prisoner, and


" His Excellency, my Lord Chatham, Commander in Chief,
&c. being informed that many diserters belonging to the French
troops, some of whom are armed, are in the Island, orders that
the aforesaid deserters, armed or unarmed, be seized, and deli-
vered up to the nearest English detachment; and that no one pre-
same to receive such deserters into their houses, on pain, upon
conviction, of being punished according to Martial Law.

"!burg, August 8.
PROCLAMATION.

" By order of his E;:ceUency my Lord ChathEr , :3 or-
dered, that all French persons, or individuals in the setvce of
the French Government, shall repair in person to the Comman-
dant of the Garrison of Middelburg within obree days, in Draw.
receive further commands. respecting them; in default of then
complying with this order, they shall be constidered. as
,prlsoners
of war.
" Middelburg, Aug. 4, 1809."
PRIVATE LETI'LRS.
" MIDDLEBURGH, AUGUST- 8.
g, Flushing has not yet surrendered, nor has the
bombardment begun. The enemy has received rein-
forcements from the Flemish coast, and makes' fre-
quent sorties, which have occasioned some.loss on
both sides, probably about 1000 men. The opinion
prevails, that in consequence of the peace between.
Austria and France, the English will drop their plan
of further operations against'llolland, and higher up
the Scheldt. The besieging army before Flushing
consists of about 25,009 men."
. "M I DDEL BU RG, THURSDAY, AUGUST 10.
". Though the whole of the Island of Waicheren,,
with the exception of Flushing, has been for above
ten days in possession of the British Army, that for-
trisi . still continues to hold out, and is expected to
make a protracted and obstinate resistance.

e' •

"' The garrison, which on the first appearance of
our expedition off this coast was comparatively weak,
has since.been considerably reinforced, and at present
tonsista, of between .5 and 6000 men. The dnverpor
General Monnet is determined to maintain himself in
the town to the last extremity ; and, it in the end he
shouldhe compelled to capitulate, to make the ac-
quisition of the place cost the British army a vast
expense of time and blood.
" By some unexplained departure from the origil
nal plan upon which the Expedition was to be con-
' ducted, a demonstration only was made againstCad-
sand, the capture of which was of so much. iMp.ort-
lance to the ulterior progress of the British armament,
that one of the divisions of the army, that under the.
Marquis of Huntley, was destined for its reduction;i
!But after every arrangement had been apparently`
made for the landing of the troops, the whole were
I unexpectedly drawn off to the North, and directed to.
the East Scheldt, where they were landed upon North:
Beveland, in support of the division under the hurtle.
diate command of Sir John Hope.
44 There may have been, and no doubt there were
solid grounds for -this deviation from the original
i course proposed ; but it is matter of deep regret that
any circumstance should have rendered it necessary
I to leave ini the potsession of tbe enemy the only posi-
ttion Atom -which -they could . throw succours into
Flohinsl or materially harass the naval part of the

carried with them in tilt it retreat into The 'ran son. txpedasan, •in the event orttaheing engaged in t
—The Mar pis of Hturst.T's divisible, also Go- combined attack upon that fortress.
"nerkal Gnosvimon's, and Loid loesimes, with the 64 Some ctiiitisfaction is known to exist upon the
fleet under Sir R. Kovra, were proceeding through point ; and it is generally understood that the matte,
the Slough 'in the Eastern branch of the Scheldt on ' will, at no distant period, be made' the subject of toil;
Monday-to join Sir JOHN Hoes in South Beveland, tarp i..vestigation. tt was not till the beginning of thi,
*hose occupation of the important port of Bath at week that are communication beiween Cadsand and
theeastermest pOint of the Island, and not more than Flushing was completely cut off i and ai the present
113 miles distant, by the course of the river, frdm Ant- moment the gaiTisOn of the latter place has nothint
were, will materially facilitate the future opera-lions, to rely upon but-its 'Oven efforts, which, though tiler
and it is important, that whatever is intended in that 'may retard, cannot prevent its final reduction by the
quarter, should be' immediately accomplished, as very superior .orce with which it is invested.
nothing but velocity of movement can ensure success. r* ." The division of the British army now lying b.
" We ate informed, and haven 6 reason to doubt fare Flushing consists "of nearly 17,000 men, under
the accuracy of our information; that the French the immediate command of Sir Eyre Coote." There
force in the vicinity of Antwerp is very great, and is but one weak battaliOn stationed here, the 2f.itt
that the fortifications of the place, strong by nature, Regiment; atici as there ate, only a few inconside:-.
have been rendered doubly so by art. able parties dispersed in the other parts of the island,
84 It is reported, we know not on what authority, nearly the whole of the 17,000 men employed in tf::
that ARTHUR O'CowNon has a command in Flush- 'lsland of Walcheren occupy the lines with which p;:-
ing, and that several of the prisoners which have been sling is invested, irr a semicircular form, frorA- th;
taken are Irishmen. • North West to the gouth East of that town. Thm
" In reconnoitering the enemy's works at Flushing," trenches are already completed ; but as only tw,,
a few days since, Major-General GRAHAM had a batteries of 6'guns each have been yet thrown 112,
horse killed under him.". ' the bombardrnent of the fortress must be defers l
FROM THE MIDDLEBURG COURAI4T. until the beginning, or _perhaps the middle of Ilan
" MIDDF.LBURG, AUGUST ,8. week.: '.'Besides, a's the co-operation of the fleet is c.c.
sentiatly necessary to the success of •that operition,i,
, " On the morning of the 29th ult. appeared before
Would tinavoidiblk be deferred, if even all the prepa.
our coast a fleet of his Britannick Maje:ty. From
ratioris on shore were complete, until thelleet could
time to time the number of ships was seen to increase ;.
and the following day at noon, the troops were landed,
comaiioto.iii station for that purpose.
". Sir Riehardltrichan, with a great proportion of
on the Brea, which immediately took possession of is,
pe .
great part of the island.; and on the Ist instant.they the gavot force that accompanied the Ei diticl
'..
entered this town, which was surrendered by capitu-
from England, has gone into the East Scheldt to a
lation.
, silt the operations of Sir John Hope's division in till..
• quarter. The service before Flushing therefore, sit.
-6‘ On. the 2d inst. the town of Veere, after having
defended itself, surrendered.by capitulation. . volvds upon the squadron under Lord Gardner, from
which six ships have been ordered against Flushing
Of Flushing, we know nothing with certainty,
but that to-day the castle of Ramtnekens was aken They were lying off the East Scheldt; and though
possession of by the British troops. This expedition they got under weigh yesterday morning to come in,
'is commanded by Lieutenant-General Lord Chatham. have been hitherto prevented by the wind which ha:,
~" AUGUST 9.—The following Proclamations have
shifted round to the Eastward.
:been published here :
" Captnin Bolton, of the Fisgar
."
By-order of his Excellency Lieut.-General Lord Chatham, d frigate, who lias
been here for several weeks previous to the arrival.,l
every inhabitant of the town of Mlddelburg is ordered to give in
or deliver to the Police, a list of all persons lodging in their houses the Expedition, stationing Cutters as buoys for it;
This list, which4s to be delivered h. without delay, is to include guidance; went out on Tuesday night to conduct Lore:
all F.rigilsh Officers ; all Englishmen without distinction, not befog Gardner's fleet to its station. .
:,...c
Militaiy, furnished with billets or otherwise; all foreigners, of, it Thus', though she preparations on both sides
wkatiever country, not being citizens of this place, or inhabitants
continued with unabated activity, mi decisive cpcm.
of the, Island of Walcheren. The Police of the several wards are
Lion can take place'till the moment of a' general attacic.
to deliver in their lists to the Military Commandant.
PROCIAMATIpN. The enemy suffer no opportunity to escape Of.ann7-

ing their besiegers,. and keep up a constant but irre.
gular fire upon the different•parts dfOni lines, Where
any prospeCt may be presented of making an irnpies:
sion. So:*igihint are they in thii respect, that if
even an individual Officer:were•to make his appear..''
ance within the lines, and in reach of the shot from the

garrison they would not fail to fifc:hpoii him.
Lest night, a Captain, who was reconnoiter,

'ng
the worts of the town, but at some distance Within
the lines, had his leg shot away; and a hand bally
wounded. The shells from-the town often fill withio
the lines, though without dning-murli mischief. This
icr,..•,,,uhr fire is sometimes mama front the linef;
thoug;) not generally. * • .• • '
the first landing of the British troops in
the neighb:lttrhood of Flushing, the has beer
confined within its walls. The brigade of General
Graham, composed principally of the Royals, the
sth, and 36th Regiments, have been 'most engaged
with the-enemy, and has been greatly distinguished
in every instance in which it came. in contact with
them. ammediately after the landing, the flank com-
panies of this brigade had _smart but brilliant affair
with some of. the enemy's light infantry, advanta.
g•eotisly-p:sted along the rand-hills. Though at'firy
severely galled by the enemy's fire, they advanced
with the- characteristic intrepidity of Bsitish troops,
and' drove their *opponents before them to the very
walls of.the town, under which* *About 30 English
seamen were made prisoners, in consequence of the
inconsiderate impetuosity with which they continued
the pursuit, till it was no longer possible for them to

return to their comrades in safety. It was on tha..
occasion, that, after driving the enemy from the sand
hills, the advanced party of this brigade, whilst en-
gaged in the pursuit, most gallantly carried by assault
a battery, within a small' distance of the' town, where
they have sake' Opened trenches upon the' glac;s, se-
cure from the effect, thongh within the reach of shells
-from the-town, the inclined sUrface of ithe glacis al-
lowing daeshells to foll.awa? before they explode.
44 The"garrison hai recourse to sorties, in
order tts impede the progress of. the besiegers, btif
without sUcces. On Monday last they made a grand
-effort of thi's description; ' Above `.lloo' men came
fOrth from thetown, and formed undei- its' Walls, with
a view t attack and 'dislodge' froM its position, the
advanced party of General Graham's brigade, con-
sisting ofabout five hundred men. The enemy ad-
vances:Nul fine stile, and- Wire most ably disposed
and led on by their officers ; but notwithstanding
their vast ;ouperictrity of numbers; '} the powerful
stimulus of ardent. Spirits, a double perlien of .which
had been.distributedito-theor before they .00rnmenced
the attacki‘they -w.ere shaniefuliy* repulsed -with, an- '
mense.lOss.to their very walls hr thirbandcui of brave
men. Ilire;attack.commeuced-at four, :atrd the tie, -
feat of :tlsi,lesitemy seas complete by'ais
VolotaL l: the-.
afternoon..', The whole of the..troopr
had be*, iptst-inlo motion s on. the ,fira t
Wisv444l.lthetrirf trititiVaiddlithrd'ce

0

reeht brieede, .beroeee any other- corps could:be..
bretebtnp to sustain it. the enemy was ap-
-I„retere -.vith ail the precision of a tnovernent
is
crew. the British troops allowed them to advance
stcd, confieing themselves within their trenches,
even recurring the fire with which they
ve, if:ens:m:ly assailed ; but when they had come
Teem; blank range, a most destructive fire
mutic-ery and field-pieces was opered upOia
aed then- c ,ns tq' tent cenfusion presented a fine
9reueity for the employment of that truly Bi itish
5,-e. the beyonet. The troops instantly advencedj
tee tie trenches, and proceeding with a huzza to
:72e, in an initent put the enemy to the rout.
jey •b.'lg that could be done by the exercise of nu-
:h„ cr the influence or example to relly them,
2- rest, re order, was attempted in vain by the French
'l'te dispersion was so complete, and the per_slit I
qi 'active, that the broken ranks of the enenie
,cull net derive protection from their own batteries,
which they fled, as, if a fire had been opened from
r. walls, i: must have been as destructive to the
akin, as to the pursuing corps. When they first began
to give way, one of their brave officers, in the hope
s re militating their courage, snatched up a standard,
and rushing forward in the midst of a heavy fire from
err troops, planted it in the front of the British line,
end called upon his flying companions to rally roup-el,
it. But the panic with which they had been seized;
was not to be removed by such an heroic example.
They fled In all directions with the loss of 500 hi
}led, wounded, :led prisoners. The loss on our
part was also considerable ; is amounted to 48 killed,
and 187 wounded. A few more such sortiee.
would decide the fate of Flushing, withoot a born-
b trdment or a general assault. A most affecting oc-
currence too!: place about the cotnmencement of this.
splendid action. Two soldiers belonging to one olj
the British regiments engaged, who had been made
prisoners in Spain, and forced into the service of
France, were amongst the troops of the enemy, and
when coming to the charge, joined their old corn-.
rge in their huzza, and directed their fire aetainse
ge common enemy of both. Since this sortie, the
enemy have been quiet. Yesterday about 500 • fihem
;hewed tileenelves without•their walls about three
o'clock but the. 7 did not venture to come further.
This day retie of them have again sheten themselves
eine arid at this moment an intermitted cannonade is
heard ; bet it is supposed here to proceed from the
the fortr•ess, against some part of the British
, lines.

's The impini ince rd' Cadsand, with a view to an
!flack on by sea, may be estimated, from a
very 1:riI1;.: affair which took place in the Channel
between cash upon the th'rd of this month. When
it was observed that the French were throwing in re-
iv:ova:news daily into flushing from Cadsand, it was
tour; neassary t result to sortie means of intercept-
ing this camMunitation, Several gun-boats were
tonsecien.l:7 sent by the Channel between them, in
order y) take soundings, as a direction for statirining
ve::.^ls to prevent all eornthunkation between Flush
ing aaJ C dsand. These gun-boats were to be pro-
cetted by the Raven sloop of war, Captain Hanchett.
The .61:teries soon opened on the gun-boats, when
erptain lianchett most spiritedly ran his vessel np
between the gun-boats and the fire of the enemy, which
was instantly transferred to his ship. He was fired
at from five batteries on Cadsand, from the whole sea-
front of Flushing, and from thirty-nine gun-boats.
For four hours he bravely sustained the unequal con-
test, and bentight off the gun:boats safe, after having
silenced the bathe", of Breskens, in Cadsand, though
not before he had three of his own guns dismounted,
lis vend dish-lasted, and several times set on fire, and

above a thousand shot discharged against him. from
all sides This gallant exploit deserves to rank with
the most brilliaut in the naval recoris.of the country,
and -was no less an object of admiration to the navai
than to the military part of those who were Witnesse
of the atchieveriieni. Captain. Hanchett has since re.
oeived the distinguished thanks of his Commander in
Chief. Sir Richard Stra-har, and the most flattering
assuraras of the high approbation of every General
'Aar, who was a spectator of his gallantry and de-
. the service. It must enhance the Out of
it has beers atchL:ecl without
•"rare:i loss, only the galla,lt Captain and
iti tii ; ',rave crew having wouaded, none of
them badly, and not a single man ha7ing bean iciiied
dar;n! such a long-contested action, against such
odds. If ships of the line should be brought
;,:t against flushing, As they can lie within pistol-
fif the batteries, the carnage must be dreadful on
h sides. The contest however will be short, but
:Nast be decisive; perhaps the work of a few hours.
links!, aided by h.. co-operation of the Beet, at such
zaexpence of blood as most unavoidably be shed in a
contest of such a nature, and under such circumstais-
czs, the reduction of the fDrtress by the army may
be a protracted business:
" But though the progress of active hostiliti seems
to be suspended for the Sfarntlit in Ifticheten, opera-
!ions are on the point of being prosecuted Withltigour
in other quarters. Sir John Hope has ptoceeded'frotn
North to South Beveland, with the division under his
command. On tuesday he was at /3aths, on the pouth
~.astern extremity of South Boteland.being more than
- way to Altwerp, with 22,000 sten. Geseral
tne Ma.-vois Huntly crossed with his 4111visine from
South Be eland on Wedaescisibiorthe put.

•~~,..