Star.
London, England, 1811-02-11 00:00:00

nth instant, the Cambrian hove in sight, which im-
mediately determined me to attenspt the destruction
of the tonvoy at Palamns. I had great reliance in
Captain Fane's knowledge of the place, and as the
reinforcement the French .had received in Ca alonai
gave me no hope of assistance from General O'Don-
nell, who had full occupation for his troops, I telt
that I should be deficient in my) duty if I did not em-
ploy the means in my power.with energy, to effect
the important service of depriving Barcelona and t':e
French army of the supplies which this convoy would
convey to them. I gave it, Sir, every conideration,
with the anxiety natural to responsibility, and the
more I reflected the more my mind was fortified with
hopes of success.
I therefore formed my plan, and Captain Fane did
me the favour to volunteer the command of 350 sea.
men, 250 marines, and two field pieces, selected frivis
the ships under my orders, and well appointed for this
desirable' service. The enemy's vessels lair in the
mole, and consisted of a very fine new national ketch,
mounting fourteen guns, with sixty men, two xebecs
of three guns 'each, and thirty men, and there were
eight Merchant vessels under their.convoy, all lad'n
with provisions for Barcelona ; they. were protected
by two tweotylour pounders,nne in a battery which
stood very high over the mole, and the other with
thirteen inch mortar in a-battery on a very corn/stan-
ding height ; there were also, from the information
I received, about two hundred and fifty soldiers in
the town.
From light winds it was near one o'clock in the
afternoon of the 13th before the ships could get far
enough into the Bay to put the men on shore, and
they were soon after landed on the beach in the finest
order under cover of the Sparrowhawke and Minstrel
sloops, without harm, the enemy having posted them-
selves in the town, supposing we should be injudi.
cious enough to go into the mole without dislodging
them ; soon after our men moved forward to take
the town and batteries in the rear • the enemy with.
drew to a windmill on a hill, whete. they remained
almost quiet spectators of our people taking poisession
of the batteries and the vessels in the mole ' • the mor-
tar was spiked and the cannon thrown down the
heights into the sea ; the magazine blown up ; the
whole of the.vessels burnt and totally destroyed, save
two which were brought oat'; in short the object had
sncceededto admiration, end at this time with the loss
of no more than four or five men from occasional
skirmishing ; but I am sorry to relate, that in with-
drawing our post from a hill which we occupied to
keep the enemy in check until the batteries and yes-
seas were destroyed, I fear that our people retired
with some disorder, which encourage/ the enemy,
who had-received a reinforcement from St. Felice, to
advance upon them, and, by some unhappy fatality,
instead of directing their retreat to the beach where
the Cambrian, Sparrowhawke, and Minstrel lay to
cover their embarkation, the brave but thoughtless
and unfortunate men came through the town down
to the mole ; the enemy immediately occupied the
walls and houses, from which they kept up a severe
fire upon the boats crowded with men, and dastardly
fired upon and killed several who had been left on
the mole, and were endeavouring to swim to the
boats. Nothing could exceed the good conduct of
Captain Pringle, of the Sparrowhawke, Capt. Camp-
bell, of the Minstrel, and Lieutenant Conolly, First
of the Cambrian (who commanded that ship in the
absence of Captain Fane), both in the landing and
withdrawing the men, and the officers in the launches
with carronades, and the taro mortars boats of the
Cambrian ; indeed the officers and men of all the
boats distinguished themselves beyond all praise in
going to the mole to bring off the men who had been
left behind. In performing this arduous service they
suffered much, but I had the satisfaction to perceive
the fire of their carronades and mortars upon the
enemy very destructive.
I feel a delicacy in noticing the exertions and gal-
lantry of an individual where most appear to have an
equal claim, but it is due to Mr. George Godfrey,
my first Lieutenant, whose exertions both on shore
and in the boats bi inging off the men were conspi-
cuous.
Unfortunately Captain Fane, as I am informed,
was at the Mole giving directions to destroy the ves-
sels when our men were withdrawn from the post on
the hill ; he remained there with firmness to the last,
and is among the missing, but T have received a sa-
- account that he is well.

tisfactory
I feel, Sir, with unfeigned grief, that our lox bas
'seen severe, as you will see by the inclosed return ;
but had it not been for the indiscretion of the people
straggling from their post and coming into the town,
contrary to my caution, the enemy would not have
dared to approach them, and the loss would have
been very inconsiderable, compared with the impor-
tance of the set vice performed. The French had en-
tered Catalonia with an army of ten thousand men
with little means of subsistence, and as I was ordered
to this coast for the express purpose of depriving the
enemy of their expected supplies, I considered that
some energy and enterprise was necessary to accom-
plish it ; the farce I employed was fully adequate to
this service, aed I confided the execution of it to an
Officer of repntation, I thererefore cannot reproach
myself, as my conduct would have been censured if
I had not undertaken it, although I mast ever deeply
regret.the severe loss.-;--1 have, &c.
(Signed) THOMAS ROGERS.
Admiral Sir Charles Cotton, Bart. Commander
in Chief, Etc. fitc..ficc.
Abstract of the Returns of Officers, Seamen, and Marines, be-
longing to his Majesty's ships Kent, Ajax, Cambrian, Spar.
rowhawke, and Minstrel, killed, wounded,' and missing, in
destroying the enemy's conYpy at Palamos, lath December,
1810 :
Xent-8 Seamen, 7 Marines, killed; 7 Officers, 12 Seamen, 19
Marines, wounded ; 1 Officer, 11 Seamen, 21 M.riLes, miss.
ing ; 1 Seaman, deserted.
Ajat-11 Seamen, 4 Marines, killed; s Officers, 12 Seamen,
6 Marines, wounded; 19 Seamen, is Marines, missing.
CObbrian —4ollcers, S Seamen, 1 Marine, killed; s Officers,
12 Seamen, 7 Marines, wounded; 1 Officer, l i seamen, 4
Marines, missing.
Speer° whawke —1 Seaman, killed; 1 Officer; 2 Seamen, wounded.
Iliinstrel--1 Seaman killed; 1 Officer, 4 Seamen; wounded.
Total--SS killed, 89 wounded, 86 missing, t deserted.
(SigeI)THONLAS ROGERS.
ADMIRA.TY.OFFICE, FEBRUARY 9.
Arniral Lord GAMSIER has transmitted to Joni
WILSON Caonxe, Esq. a letter from Captain BEMOAN
Captain of the feet under his Lordship's command,
reporting the capture, by his Majesty's ship Runt,
of the Brocanteur French letter of marine, of 16 pins
and 54 men. Vows nets
•