The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-10-05 00:00:00

Pop TUC:UESE PAPERS. '
[ARRIVLD THIS DAY.]

copy OF AN OFFICIAL CoMSIUNICATION FROM
Lugo vlscouNT wELL; NGTON TO HIS EXCELLENCY

41.)3 MIGULL YEltEilti lOW AZ.

" most LXCELLI;NT SIR,
" Theenemy upel.ed his fire against Almeida in the night
between Saturday and Sondny, the 2tith of this month ; and it
s;ives Pile pain to be obliged to add, that the enemy got posses-
sion of the place iu the night of the 27th of this present month.
" I night not to conceal from your Excellency that the said
unfortunate event has proved to me very painful, because I
kod no reasonto expect it, considering how well the garrison
was furolsked with an the objects necessary for its defence, the
ri-spectahle state of its fortifications, and the high opinion I
had re.aion to entertain of the high spirit and courage of the
Governiti•and the good disposition of the garrison.
" O. an.these. grounds, I entertained hopes that the place
would hold out to the last extremity, as I hail no opportunity
to succnur it ; or that, at all events, it %%amid have detained the
enemy till a very remote period or the season.
" I am not in possession of any intelligence which can enable
me to firm a correct opinion of the cause of the surrender.—
Some prisouers, who nett. )esterday taken, state, that the
powder magazine in the castle (which no., however, bomb-
proof) blew up on Sunday night ; that in the curse of Monday,
the Governor desired to capitulate,on condition, that the place ft:
• urrendered to the enemy, but that the garrison and inhabitants
of the place should be permitted In join this arm ; which pro•
posal having been rejected, and the fire recostimeeced, the Go-
vernor heti out as lung as he had ally ammunition, and oily
surrendered when his stores were completely exhausted. They
add, that the enemy afterwards off!reil to the soldiers of the
garrison, either to ewer the Emperor's service, or he sent to
France as prisoners of war, which last oiler WIIS accepted by
the garrison.
" This account deserves credit, as coating from an enemy,
and is confirmed by the eircuin•aanre, that hostilities were sus-
pendedfrom one o'clock in the morning till nine nt night, when
the lire re-commenced, but entirely ceased about two o'clock
the next morning.
" A strong explosion was heard at our advanced posts, and
I observed on Monday, that the belfry of the church of At-
m.:id:a was destroyed, and many houses were unroofed. I hope
that the above account will prove correct in all its material
parts; and it will give me the greatest satisfaction to find that
the lose of Alineida, and the acquisition of the .nilitary stores
and provisions which the place contained, by the enemy, has not
been occasioned by any misconduct of the Governor, or Garrison.
" I had some telegraphic communication with the Governor,
but unfortunately the state of the weather did not perinit us to
use that expedient on Sunday, or during the greatest part of
Monday ; and when the weather cleared up in the course of
toe latter day, the Governor was perceived to have opened a
communication with the enemy. Cousidering I had advanced
the army so near to the place, it i 3 much to be regretted that I
hail not any opportunity of ascertaining its real state, after the
powder magazine blew up. The enemy attacked our picket
twice this day, yet in a very feeble manner, he was both times
repulsed ; hi the evening, however, they forced Gen. Stapleton
to fall back. The second corps, commanded by General lit at.,
not made any considerable movement since my last. No
op-rati n of any importance has occurred in Estremadura since
RV last communication.
'" to the North of Spain the enemy marched, on the 2Jth
'instant, a smell corps of infantry and horse to Alcanizar, but
kieneral Silveiras having put himself iu motion, in the direction
of the ;shove place, the enemy's corps immediately retired.
" WELLINGTON.
( Lisbon Gazette, Sept. 5.)

" Alverca, Aug. 29, 1310.

LIiSON, SLPT. 6.--The Government has publish..
cd a notice relative to the disaster at Almeida, w
though much to bu lamented, is not to be considered
-as of esseatti.sl importance to the great cause of the
safety of the country.
The sanec notice promises to the families of those
-who fell in the siege of Almeida, the same pay
which their husbands, fathers, and brothers re-
ceived when alive, and engaged in the service of the

country.
In consequence of the part acted by the Marquis
Alorn4, at the surrender of A:tneida, in endeavour.
li
jug to seduce the Portuguese soldiers luta the service
of France, and distributing among them disloyal
proclamations, the Governor has declared the said
Marquis a traitor, deprived of all his titles, ho-
nours, and dignities. Ile is to be considered as ba.
Wished, any person may kill him with impunity,
and a reward of 1000 moidores is offered to who.
ever may take him dead or alive.
Banaauz, Auc. 31.—They write from Zafra, off'
the date of thu 29th inst. that the vanguard of our
army has just set out for Lerina. It appears that
'the headquarters, and the Portuguese cavalry, arc
expected there. -s
Cantz, AUG. 30.—The Marquis Romani, Ge.
naal in Chief of the army of the left, under date
from the head-quarters at Salvatiena, of the 15:h of
this manth, acquaints the Minister of War, thst on
the sth he marched from Badajoz, in the direction of

Olivenza, and surcessively to Ba,ancha, Sakalion,
atot.S.tivatierra, where he found the divisions of
.Gells and La Carriers) under the orders of General

On the 9:h, knowing in Stivatierra that on the
preceding day the enemy evacuated Zlfra, he
immediately marched to Zafra, ordering Generals
Licattcra and Ballisterus, with the whole of the ca.
•N4lry and some infantry, to reconnoitre Lerina.
our troops were executing these movements on
the 11 tit, they met the enemy on the heights of
Itgarua, who also occupied those of Cant.►ilgallo,
kparatcd from the first by a valLy in which their
artillery was placed. The Guerrillas kept up their
bic till the enemy had for►raed his attack on our
left, whet►, having executed the reconnoitring or.
tiered by the General, they effected their retrea
covered by the cavalry.

The Marquis ILoutana is tint able to give the dc•
tail. of this action, not having rcecived the parti-
culars front the Generals ; but many acts of
victual valour were performed.
Our flying battery, compustil of ts,o cannons

i

and a hawitz..r, was opposed by tlouvie their num.
ber, awl dismounted one of our gulls, which it was
requisite to abauduu, after spiking it. The same

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