Star.
London, England, 1807-11-21 00:00:00

NUMBER VIII.

The 36th Regiment entered in two vAunlns the
two next Rreets to the left. The right wing headed
by Lieutenant Colonel BURNS, had penetrated
nearly to the river fide without oppofition, when they
found thamfelves expored to the fire of two field-
piece., which fuddenly opened on their right, from
near the end of the ftreet. A few of the enemy alto
fired on them from the houfe tops : and the right of
the column began to fuffer greatly from the cannon
in front.

Brigadier General the Hon. W. Lure'.lv, who
accompanied this wing, having granted his permit-
fion to Colonel BOISE to advance, that undaunted
Officer led the right of the column directly towards
the cannon, which the enemy continued to ferVe
with grape, until the rapid approach of the grena-
diers, headed by Colonel Bueas, put them to flight.
The guns having fallen into our hands, they were
(piked by the Colonel, who now concluded the column
to the end of the Rreet next the river, without far-
ther oppofition. Here, however, they immediately
became expofed to a heavy fire from the Citadel,
which enfiladed the bank of the river ; as well as all
the contiguous boufes ; they were alfo annoyed by
the fire of cannon in their rear.

Colonel BORNE having been inflrulted to gain the
river fide, now endeavoured to maintain his pofition
by poffelling himfelf of Come of the neaten and lean-1
expofed houfes—but the fire from the Citadel en•
creating, and becoming very dearative to the houfes
and alto fatal to the column, he commenced his re.
treat towards his left, in confequence of orders to
that effeB, which, it is thought, had been conveyed
to him from the Hon. Brigadier General LUMLEY.
The left wing of the 36th was under the order:
of Captain CROSS, and confined of only three com• 1
panics, the other company being attached to the
right. This fmall column entered with little or no
oppofition, and loon after, gaining the river fide, by
inclining to their right, formed a junaion with the
column under Colonel BORNE, which was in a po-
litica a little higher up the river, as we have already
Rated. The 36th then filed to their left, and ex
poled to a heavy enfilading fire of cannon from the
Citadel, retreated along the bank of the river to El
Betiro, which they found already in pcffeflion of the
38th and 87th regiments, which, as we (hall mention
prefently, had made themfelves mallets of it feveral
bouts before, under Sir S. Auc NM UTY•
The gth Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-
Colonel Dam entered by wings the two nreets to the
left of the 36th, and had alfo orders to effeet a lodge.
ment in the neighbourhood of the river. In their
paffage thither they were joined by the left wing
under the Hon. Major KING, at the end of the
fired, and gained the river tide with fcarcely any
oppofition. As loon as the enemy difcovered the
pofition of the regiment, they opened a fire from the
Citadel, upon the houfes behind which the gth had
flickered themfelves—but the fire was too distant to
have any great effect in diflodging them. The enemy
now brought down two guns from the great frpare
to the liver fide, and advanced them along the (band
with the intention of bearing mere effeetually on the'
pofition of the regiment. A heavy fire now com-1
menced upon them from the guns, as well as from
the Citadel, which proved very denruelive. They
now broke into a church in their rear, which they
kept poffeflion of till the regiment, in about two'
hours, commenced its retreat, in confequence of
orders to that effea, and reached Elßetiro about three
o'clock. Their lrfs in killed was fourteen, and in
wounded feventy eight, including one officer, the
Hon. Mr. KING.

The right wing of the 87th Regiment, accompa.
nied by the gallant Sir SAMUEL Aucnmunr, and
commanded by Sir EDWARD BUTLER, penetrated
the fireet, which led immediately to the important
poll, called El Aetiro, or otherwife Plaza de Toros,
from its containing an amphitheatre for bull fighting.
They had advanced but a little way on the road,
when they became expofed to the fire of the enemy
from their gardens and walls. A heavy fire of grape,
langridge, &c. alfo opened upon them, as they ap•
proached the neighbourhood of El Retiro, from five
ral pieces of cannon planted in a large open (pace of
ground in front of that building, to which they were
perfeely expofed as they advanced. But under this
defirative and dilheartening fire, the regiment
was gallantly led on by Sir 'SAMUEL AUCHMUTY,
who, along with the brave Sir EDWARD BUTLER,
headed the regiment the whole time. Abortt this ,
period the left wing* cf the regirolnt, under Major
MILLER, after Mitering very fevcrely in :11:ir march
through the road on the left, now joir.ed Sir ED-
WARD. As the regiment approached, the enemy, who
appeared in vati numlifers, nct only in El Retiro,
but on the tops of all the houfes near it, kept np an
iccatut fire of mulkctry, which produced dreadful
effefts on the column. The are was returned with
great fpirit by the Ft7th, and the enemy were oom•
pelled to abandon force of their 7,..m5, and retire into
El Retiro with confidcrable lcfs, nearly about the
fame time that the 38th regiment had affsiled that
poll in smother quarter, and by their joint .17:-.rts it
131(Pc'eclily reduced. This rts;iment fuffered very

teverely, their lofo in killed and wounded being 170
including officers.
The 38th, under the orders of Major Nuo arm, had
been detached to the left, in order to attack El Re-
tiro on that f►de next the River. In advancing
towards the fpot, along a fireet which led direly
thither, the enemy opened a heavy fire from the top
of a high flat roofed building, fituated on a Reep
bank, dole to the River fide, and alfo from another
houfe, at a (hors dißance, which was infiantly retur-
ned by fame of the 38th, while another p,lrt of the
regiment gallantly advanced, and took pofteffion of
the buildings, which the enemy now endeavoured to
evacuate with all poffible expedition. Some of them,
in the utmost confiernation, threw Ihemfelves from
the top of the high building, and others made their
efcape by the rear ; but fuch was the impetuofity
of the Britith foldierF, that between 150 and zoo of
the enemy fell by the point of the bayonet, in the
fhort fpace of a few minutes. Some of thole who
effeCted their efcape, retired immediately into the
town ; the remainder entered El Retiro, which was
diftant about 150 yards.

At this time the enemy brought forward a gun,
which they directed againft one of the buildings in
poffefflon of the 38th, while they alfo kept up a fire
of mufketry from the Plaza de Toros. This was
anfwered by the 38th, while Major NUGINT, de-
taching three companies of the regiment, toot a cir-
cuitous direction round a garden wall, with a view
to cut off the guns ; but the Spaniards no footle,
difcovered his intention, than they immediately re.
tired, leaving the gun in the Majot's poffeffion.
Some ammunition having beea difcovered in one
of the buildings, the gun was opened with great
effect againft El Retiro, the only place feen in the
poffeflion of the enemy, while the regiment con-
tinued a warm fire of rnufketry..
In a few minutes the Spaniards were teen to quit
the outer parts of that building, and, dreading per-
haps a fimilar fate to what had befallen their com-
rades in the adjacent building, of which they had
been unwilling fpalators, their furrender was an-
nounced by the difplay of a flag of truce from the
top of the edifice.

Terms were granted to the prifoners, but the Ba-
in foldiers were under the neceffity of being re-
(trained from putting many of them to the bayonet.
A great number of the enemy alfo made their efcape
into the town. Twbenty five pieces of cannon, two
mortars, and a large quantity of military (tones,
were taken on this occalion.

Sir S. Auctistury having, according to his in-
ilralions, taken rffeffion of this important poR
about ten in the morning, Rationed his force in the
moil judicious manner, in order to enfure poffeffion
of it, and alllktlfly continued in readinefs to aft,
as loon as he should receive farther orders from
General WHITELCCKI, which he had been led to
believe might be expetied every minute.
(To be continued.)