Star.
London, England, 1812-01-27 00:00:00

rxtract of a Letter from 1‘.240r-General Cooke to Viscount Wet-
lintcai, dated Cadiz, December 27, 1811.
I have the honour to transmit copies of dispatches
from Colonel, Skerret to the date of the 24th,

The enemy's troops, in addition to these employed
immedial• ly against Tarifa, extended across the
plain to Veger, where Marshal Victor had his quar-
ters with a strong corps. Ido not learn any thing of
General Ballesteros since my last.

'Tarifa, Dec. 24, 1811.
Stn—l have the honour to report that, on the 20th
inst, the enemy invested this town with from four to
$OOO infantry, and from two to 300 cavalry. As it
was not adviseable to fight so superior a force, I re-
sisted him for an hour with the cavalry and infantry,
Spanish and British piquets of the garrison, rein-
forced by a company of the 95th, and two six-poun-
der field guns of Captain Hughes's brigade. The
loss of the enemy was considerable. Oa the 2la,
Captain Wren, of the 11th, destroyed, with hi 4 corn-
' party, a small piquet' of the enemy. The 22d, I
made a sortie at the request of General Copons, and
in conjunction with his troops, with the intention .to
ascertain the numbers of the enemy, by inducing him
to shew his colunins. His light troops suffered con-
siderably from our :hello. The enemy is now
making his approaches at a long musket shot from
the town but the ground so completely commands
us, and is so favourable to him, that our small
guns have little or no effect upon
have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) J. B. SisEancr, Colonel.
ITo Major-General Cooke, &e..kc.

Cadir, 181 I.
MY Lonn-1 have received a dispatch from Colo-
nel Skerret, dated yesterday, of which I enclose a
copy. It appears that the enemy had brought up
lour 16-pounders and some howitzers, and had open-
ed their fire against the wall on the '29th. Tho
shipping had been driven away by the gales of wind.
I have the honour to be, &c.

(Sigurd) GEO. Cooi;E, Maj-r-Gencral.
The Earl of Liverpool, &c. &c. &c.

Tarifa, Dec. 30, IR: I.
Sat-In my list I had the honour to state, that
the enemy had invested this town on the 20th in-
stant ; since which period he has rapidly carried on a
regular parallel and approach against the wall of the
town, which I consider as doing much honour to the
gar: isen.
I have several times frond it necessary to drive
back the enemy's advance, and to interrupt his works,
in which we have met with a slight loss, and the ene-
my, from being exposed to the fire of the few small
guns we possess on the towers, has suffered consi-
derably. It was only on these occasions that we ma-
terially annoyed the enemy ; for the wall of the town
is so completely commanded, that, in a few hours
work, he has every where much better cover than
ourselves.

The enemy yesterday opened-his fire at half-part
ten, and continued to batter in breach at a distance of j
about 300 yards, with four French 16-pounders on i
the east wall, near the Retiro gate, and four howit-1
zers and other smaller pieces playing on the island
and causeway. He continued a constant fire until
night, the first and each shot passing through the
wall, and through some of the houses in the rear of
it. Before night a practicable breach was effectei.
He this day continued to widen the breach, and I
imagine will not attempt to assault it until it is ex-
tended to the tower on Such flank (a apace of about
40 yards,) I have traversed the streets, and taken the
only measure by which there is a chance of preserv-
ing the place, that of defending the houses. The
enemy's force employed in the siege is stated at teat
thousand ; probably this is in some degree exaggera -
ted. A cons:ant tire of musketry is interchanged. I
have particularly to regret the loss of the service of
Lieutenant Gaunter, Deputy Assistant Quarter Mas-
ter General, a very intelligent and brave officer, who
! is severely wounded.
Inclosed is a return of killed and wounded since
Imy last.—l have the honour to be, &c. (Signed)
J. B. SimutErr, Colonel.

Return of Killed, Wounded, and Missing of the Troops under
thy corntnavd of Coluntl Skerrett, in the Action of the 22d of

Pecenti,ts, tt;
2d /lam 47th Foot-1 Officer eligltiy wounded; 2 rank and Me

ounded.
'2tl Batt. Plth Foot-2 Rank and file wounded.

N. B. The Officer of the 47th Regiment returned wounded is
Captain O'Donoghur, Acting Aid de Carp.

Total Loss-1 Captain, 4 rank and file, wounded.
(Signed) T. Be N BURY, Brigade Major.
(True eney.)

EnsvABo CAs l'E, Acting Adj. Gen.
Keti!ru of Killed, Wounded, and Mio•sing, of the Troops under
' the command o! Colonel Skerrett.
Tarifa, 28th December, 1811.
ti flivsars King's G rrnan Legiou-2 Rank and file, 2 horses,

avolintled.
Detachment Royal Artillery Drivers-6 horses killed; 2 rank
a•id file, 6 horses, wt,titided.
2d lhat. 47th Fuot—•s rank and file wounded.

2d Batt. 87th Fuot-4 tank and file wounded, 1 rank and'file
missing.
2d Batt. 9:7r0l Font-1 rank and killed, 11 rank and file wounded.
N.B. Brigade Major's horse wounded.
Total loss-1 rank and file, 6 horse, killed ; rank and file, 5
hones, wounded; 1 tank and file
Return ..f killed, wounded, and missing of the Troops under the

command of Colonel ;kerretL

Tarifa, 29th December, 1811.
•
Royal Engineers-1 rank and file wounded.
2d Battalion, 87th Foot-2 rank and file wounded.
Officer wounded—Lieutenant Guatiter, Dtputy Assistant-Quar-
ter-.'Master-General, dangerously.
'local loss-1 Lieutenant, 1 rank and file, wounded.
Return of killed, woitriled, and mis.ing of the troops under the
command of Colonel Sacrrert.
Tarita, such December. 1811.
2d Batt. 47th Foot—Lieutenant De Burgh, slightly wounded
;
I rank and file wounded.
:.(1 Batt. 87th Foot—:: rank and file wounded.
Total loss-1 Lieutenant, 4 rank and file, wounded.
, DOWNING-STREET, JANUARY 25.

A dispatch, of which the following is an extract,
has been received trom Colonel Green, employed
upon a particular set vice in Catalonia:
Bergs, 27th Novembers 11;11.
I have the honour to repent to you the rogmssive
state of improvement of affairs in this province, which
is very great, considering the very few means there
are to assist k in addition to the very excellent incii-
naticns of the public,
The enemy has net augmented his force in this
principality, having only replaced the casualties tand
there is little difference in the operations, excepting
that there is a small flying corps of fifteen !unitised
nicri? which is idcrgAscd to 3 pr IQQO Mee? pr