Star.
London, England, 1830-05-03 00:00:00

Qaxl.)

MONDAY EVENING, MAY 3, ISM.

N°• 13,464.

ALGIERS.

NARRATIVE OF O'REILLY'S EXPEDITION, :'ROM THY.

JOURNAL OF A BRITISH OFFICER.

From the United Service Journal for May. Cot nun Y.

At no former period have the vast military and naval
resources of France been more rapidly developed, than in
the grand scale of the expedition destined for the attack
of Algiers. From Cherbourg to Toulon, nothing is heard
but the notes of warlike preparation. Superior as will
be this armament, both in numerical force and military
character, to every other which ever departed from the
shores of Europe, to chastise the insolence of the Barba-
, rian powers, there exist circumstances which render the
ulterior success of the expedition problematical. Imposing
as are the preparations of attack, it must 1* recollected
that the materials for defence are eqnally formidable.
Since our attack in 1815, the Dey has not been
The city, by Nature strong, has been rendered by the art
of foreign engineers nearly impregnable. A formidable
chain of batteries lines the coast, at all the vulnerable
points. Large bodies of troops, chiefly cavalry, are march-
ing from the interior to the coast, prepared to give the
invaders a warm reception : these, taken in conjunction
with the nature of the country, particularly favourable
for the operations of cavalry, and the sultriness of the cli-
mate, will present a combination of serious obstacles,
which even the consummate skill and well-tried gallantry
of a French army may find it impossible to overcome.—
Neither does the experience of the past warrant the ex-
pectation of success. Charles the Fifth, at the head of
a numerous and veteran army, retired front before the city
covered with disgrace. The little impression made by the
bombardment of the French in the reign of Louis XIV.
may be gathered from the answer of the Dey to the French
Admiral, who, on being told by the latter the number of
millions which the expedition had cost the Grand
narque, replied, " Had his Majesty only sent me half that
sum, I would myself have razed the city."
Towards the close of the last century, the Spanish Go-'
vernment fitted out a formidable armament against Algiers,
which at the time riveted the attention of all Europe, the
disastrous result of which cast a lasting stigma on the
Spanish arms. The following account of the expedition
is extracted from the Journal of a British Officer in the
Spanish service:

" Early in the month of June, 1776, my regiment, the oth of the
line, was ordered to march on Carthagena, where was assembling •
powerful armament, under the command of Admiral Don Pedro de
Castijon, on board of which were embarked a large body of troops,
commanded by General the Conde de:O'Reilly, with an immense
quantity of military stores, &c.
" On the 22d, there was a solemn ceremonial in the church of
San Francisco, in honour of La pstrissista Conception, patroness
of all Spain, attended by the principal officers, imploring ber pro-
tection, and success to his Majesty's arms ; which was followed by
&pompons oration from theCommander-in-Chlef, the CoodeO'Reilly.
"On the following day the fleet sailed ;and anchored in the Bay of
Algiers on the Ist of July. The expedition consisted of
Linemf-battle.ships 6 having on board 20,000 infantry.
Frigates l2 . t 800 cavalry.
Xebecs ..
Gall iota
Ureas
Bombs
Anned vessels

51 and 341 tranapta. 25,100

Artillery-90 24• pounders Artillery-12 12-inch mortars.
12 twelve do. 16 nine-inch do.
18 eighteen do. t 8 howitzers.
80 field pieces 4 do.
From behind a battery east of the river Xaracha, which lies to the
eastward of the city of Algiers, was seen a large encampment, from
which at sunset we were saluted with a few de joie from small arms.
—On the 2d, the principal officers were assembled on board the Ad-
miral's ship, when orders were issued for the troops to hold themselves
in readiness to disembark at daybreak the following morning; but as
the night proved squally, and a strong wind setting it upon shore,
the order was countermanded. From this day to the 6th, total in-
activity prevailed ; frequent councils were held, in which violent
contests arose, particularly between the Conde O'Reilly and Major
General Romani', a man of warm and impetuous temper, who on
every occasion sought to thwart the measures of his commander, and
drew down upon himself some severe reproofs. On the 6th, the
General issued a proclamation, having previously given the officers
their final instructions ; in this document, the objects of the expedi-
tion were commented upon at length. The Moors were represented
as only formidable in a desultory warfare. The troops were recom-
mended not to break their order, as nothing but united force could
ensure success against an enemy skilful in this mode of fighting—an
error which, however, they afterwards committed, and which proved
fatal to the expedition. Each battalion was ordered to provide itself
with 200 pioneers' tools, and 200 sand bags; and each brigade on
landing to form a company in front six deep, and the guards half a
company in front. The army on landing, wu ordered to carry some
heights, the possession of which it was supposed would ensure the
success of an attack on the city. The order of march was to be in
four columns, with the grenadiers and light infantry In advance and
on the Ranks, each column to have four field-pieces in front, to be
increased as exigency required. Two redoubts were ordered to be
thrown up at the point of disembarkation, and a strict communien.
tion to be kept up between the army, these fortifications, and the
fleet. In the afternoon, some "hips of war were ordered to stand in
and engage the batteries; but their efforts proved fruitless, as the
San Joseph, 74, only got within range about sunset; she hauled out,
without having dismounted a single gun of the enemy's.

" On the7th between eight and nine thousand men were embarked
on board the launches, and advanced very near the shore, about a mile
to the westward of the river Xsracha, covered by the gallies and two
long boats, each mounting a long twelve-pounder ; but at seven in
the evening the boats returned on board the transports; not a shot
was fired throughout the whole day. The landing was not effected :
it was pretended, because there were not boats enough to hold a suf-
ficient numberof troops at once; but this was purposely given out in
order to conceal the serious misunderstanding that prevailed among
the principal officers. Orders were therefore issued to man the
transports' long boats at day-break the following morning ; but the
capita error had been committed in marking out to the enemy the
real point of attack. The Bth we. as the Spaniards emphatically
call it, " a dia de perdida y sositimento Para &pans." The ships
having taken up a position for battering the forts situated on the
right and left of the point of disembarkation, the troops to the nem-
bet of 9000 embarked in the launches formed in ales columns, at the
head of which were the grenadiers, preceded by the anned-Xibie.

I'm cr. 71).

quee, willlots, and other small craft that were to cover the landing.
The ships new opened their fire, and the troops moved forward to
the point of disembtrkation, about a leinruc and a half diorsnt from
the city, the right towards Algiers, and their left towards the cm.
bouchutt of the Xaracita when near the beach the vessels opened
their fire with considerable effect, and the troops landed in admirable
order In the Intervals between them, notwithstanding there were up-
wards of 110,000 Moors drawn up on the beach to oppose them,
two.thirdo of which were cavalry under Lie orders of the Bey of
Constastina. The Turkish garrison remained within the city for Its
defence. It is said that the Moorish force assembled on the coast
amountrd to 150,000 men, one hundred thousand of which were ca-
valry. .A.s soon as the troops bad made good their landing, they
formed she deep according to orders, and the armed vessels divided
to the right and left to cover their flanks, while the boats pushed off
for the ships to bring on shore the remainder of the troops. On the
lonalsg of the first division, a small body of the enemy made a de.
Monstrafilt in their front, but on our making an en avant move-
ment they immediately dispersed. From this instant may be dated

the misfortunes of this inglorious day; the troops pushed on having
in front the Volurtarios de Aragon y Cataluna, a kind of irregular
force. We continued moving till we were in a close country. which
the enemy had occupied in small parties, but most advantageously
posted in ditches and behind old walls, from which they kept up a
galling fire upon our advancing columns. The grenadiers and light
companies, which had been pushed forward in adfknee, were re-
pulsed with considerable loss. At this moment some detachments
from the second division joined us, and some heavy guns coming up
at the same time, we advanced against some enclosures, from which,
however, in spite of our heavy and destructive fire, we could not
dislodge the enemy. Our soldiers, who had hitherto behaved with
the greatest steadiness and gallantry, on seeing the havoc made in
their ranks by the well-sustained fire of the enemy, fell into eon.
fission in spite of all the exertion of the officers. In this conjunc.
ture, a drove of camels extended themselves on our left, with a de.
sign, no doubt, of diverting our fire; in an instant a sudden panic
seized the troops, a ay was heard that we were cut off; a complete
"debacle" followed, the whole army quitting the field in the greatest
confusion, and with the utmost precipitation, leaving an immense
number of killed and wounded. Some few of the latter were
brought off to the entrenchments, which were hastily thrown up
by the artificers and troops of the third division. This work
had been already fortified with two thirty-six pounders, to whose
well-directed tire, and that of some frigates that stood close in
shore, we owed the security of our retreat. Of seventeen engi-
neer officers who had been sent forward to reconnoitre, fourteen
were either killed or wounded ; the remainder not being sufficient
to direct the construction of the works, the entrenchments were
scarcely extensive enough to shelter the army. In this confined
position we were galled by the fire of two thirty-six pounders
which the enemy brought out from two batteries on our right,
while the Moors galloped up to our very entrenchments in spite of
our murderous fire, which killed great numbers of them. The
army remained In position till dark, when the regiments were or.
deed to re-embark, beginning with the youngest regiments top save
time; the disorder, tumult, and confusion with which it was exe-
cuted, showed the ignorance of the enemy, who might with ease
have cut off the major part of our army. Our loss amounted to
upwards of 5,000 killed and wounded; the Marquis de Romani
fell at the head of his brigade early in the :tenor.; the loss of the
Moors was estimated at 6,000 men : no quarter was given to our
wounded, the Government having offered ten sequins for the head
of every Spaniard ; fifteen pieces of cannon, three howitzers, and an
immense quantity of arms and ammunition, were abandoned to the
enemy.

" Thus terminated an expedition which, from the length of time
taken up in the preparation and the delay in the execution, gave the
enemy en opportunity of preparing for its reception. The generals
were ignorant not only of the force of the Algerines and the scite
of the coast, but even after reaching the Bay of Algiers, the point
of disembarkation continued to be among them a matter of dispute.
Bow far at lest it was well judged is not determined, but even ad-
mitting it to have been so, the great error consisted in pushing for.
ward the first division immediately on landing ; they should have
entrenched themselves, and have waited till the whole army had
landed, and then have moved forward ; but the idea of penetrating
into an enclosed country, with a single division, in which the enemy
in immense force were advantageously posted, was infatuation bor.
dering on madness. There unfortunately existed neither talent nor
resource after the retreat to remedy the misfortune. On the army's
reaching the entrenchment, a warm altercation arose as to what line
of conduct was to be pursued r with one solitary exception (Gen.
Vaughan, a British officer) it was unanimously agreed to embark
the troops, and abandon the enterprise. Gen. Vaughan warmly op.
posed this measure, stating that the army should remain In posi-
tion, and renew the attack on the following morning ; but he was
over-ruled.

" Large sums of money had been expended in the equipment
of this expedition, the public mind was raised to a high pitch
of expectation, when the news of the defeat spread consterna-
tion and disgrace throughout Spain. The court endeavoured
to palliate the disgrace, but it was exaggerated by the people.—
O'Reilly was universally execrated, and marked out u a vic-
tim. So general was the outcry, that mobs assembled on the
roads to Alicant, and stripped every carriage that passed,
with the intention of wreaking their vengeance on that Commander.
The clamour was heard at the very gates of the palace ; the Ring
was obliged to remove him from the Government of Madrid, and
appointed him Captain-General of Andalusia. As a proof of the
universal detestation of the Spanish nation towards him, Gen. Re.
eardos, who commanded the cavalry of the expedition, and the inti-
mate friend of O'Reilly, on landing at Cadiz, entered a café, which
was filled with officers of the different regiments of the garrison,
who, on seeing him, to a man quitted the place and left him to ru-
minate alone. A Spanish grenadier in giving an account of the
expedition to some (of his comrades, said, Nos Mandoron a
sierra cow ei Uterus better wife eon la Moos.—" They sent us
ashore as if we were going to drink coffee with the Moors."

According to the last accounts from Mexico, the law
for raising the duties on goods imported in ships belong-
ing to nations that have no accredited agents residing in
that republic has been again discussed.

According to statistical statements published in Por-
tugal, the gross amount of the revenue, in 1827, was
30 millions of francs (1,200,0001.) sterling; in 1828,
it was 21 millions (875,0001.) ; in 1829, it was but 16
millions of francs (or 666,6661.) The public debt
amounted to 324 millions of franca (13,500,0001. ster-
ling). According to the accounts of the first quarter of
1830, settled to the 30th of March, seven months' pay
is due to the troops of the line on active service ; 34
months' pay is due to retired officers: to the widows of

officers 2$ -months : to the royal court 18 months: to the
services of the old domestics of the late Queen and Late
Princess, 15 months.