The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-06-18 00:00:00

grATEgMAN._

Rie had attained his object on the 19tit, and bad re- they had in the operation and the zeal which they
turned to Truxillo, and was beyond all risk of being displayed, entitles them to my warmest commends -
attacked by a superior force on the 21st. The ens- tion, and I cannot avoid to mention the steadiness
my's troops have retired into Cordova. and good discipline of the 6th Portuguese infantry,
Since the accounts have been received of Lieuteo and two companies of the 60th regiment, under Co-
asant-Generid Sir Roe land Hill's expedition, the lonel Ashworth, which formed the reserve to this at.
enemy's troops have likewise bean put iu motion in . tads.. ,
Old acid New Castile; the Ist division, under Ge- I do operations in this quarter were mach favour-
nem] For, and a division of the Army of the Centie ed 'by' a diversion made by Lieutenant-General
under General D'Armagnac, crossed the Tagus by Chown., with the troops under his orders, against
the bridge of Arzobispo on the 21st, and have the castle of Mirabete, which succeeded in inducing
moved by the road of Detwytosa, to relieve or with- the enemy to believe that we should not attack the
draw the post which still remained in the tower of ; forts near the bridge, until we had forced the pass ,
Mirabete. and thus have made way for our artillery. The
The whole of the army of Portugal have likewise Lieutenant-General conducted this operation, as
made a movement to their left; the 2d division being well as hie former advance, entirely to my satisfac-
on the Tagus, and Marshal Marmont's head-quarters tiou. I regret much that, the peculiar situation of
have been removed from Salamanca to Foatieros. I Mirabete should have prevented my allowing the
By a letter from Sir Howard Douglas, of the 24th gallant corps under his orders to follow up an opera-
instant, I learn that the troops under General Bon- tion which they had commenced with much spirit,and
net, after having made twb plundering excursions were so anxious to compleat.
towards the frontiers of Gallicia, had again entered I cannot too strongly express how much lam sa-
the Asturias, and was on the 17th in possession of ' tisfied with the conduct of Major-General Howard
Oviedo, Gijon, and Grade. I through the whole of this operation, the most ar-
In the meantime the troops under General Men- iduous part of which has fallen to his share ; and par-
dizabel are in possession of the town of Burgos, the ; ticalarly of the manner in which he led his brigade to
enemy still keeping the castle; and in all parts of ! the assault. He was ably assisted by his Stall, Bri-
the country the boldness and activity of the Chiefs ; gade-Major Wemyss, of the 50th, and Lieutenant
of Guerillas are increasing; and their -operations Battersby, of the 23d Light Dragoons.
against the enemy are becoming daily more important. To Major-General Long lam also Indebted for his
I forward this dispatch by Major Currie, Aid-de- assistance, although his column was not immediately
Camp to Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill, engaged.
whom I beg leave to recommend to your Lordship's Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart and Major Harrison,
notice and proteetiou. of the 50th, and Major Cother, of the 71st, com-
manded the three attacks, and led them in a most
gallant and spirited manner.
I have received the greatest assistance from Lieut.-
Colonel Dickson, of the Royal Artillery, whom,
kith a brigade of ' twenty-four-pounders, a company
of British and one of Portuguese artillery, your
Lordship was pleased to put under my orders ; cir-
cumstances did not permit his guns being brought into
play; but his exertions, and those of his Officers and
men during the attack and clestroction of the place,
were unwearied. In the latter service Lieut. Thiele,
of the Royal German Artillery, was blown up; and
we have to regret in him a most gallant Officer; he
had particularly distinguished himself in the assault.
Lieut. Wright, of the Royal Engineers, has also
rendered me Very essential service; he is a most in-
telligent, gallant, and meritorious Officer; and I
must not omit also to mention Lieut. Hillier, of the
29th regiment, whose knowledge of this part of the
country proved of great assistance.
Your Lordship will observe, from the return of
ordnance and stores which I have the honour to en-
close, that Almaraz has been considered by the ene-
my in the light of a most important station; and I
am happy to state that its destruction has been most
complete. The towers of masonry which were in
Forts Napoleon and Ragusa have been entirely le-
velled; the ramparts of both in great measure de-.
stroyed; and thew hole apparatus of the bridge, to-
gether with the work-shops, magazines, and every
piece of- timber which could be found, entirely de-
stroyed.
A colour, belonging to the fourth battalion of the
corps Estranger, was taken by the 71st regiment,
and I shall have the hunour of forwarding it to your
Lordship.
Our loss has not been severe, considering the cir-
cumstances under which the attack was made. I en-
close a list of the killed and wounded. Captain
Candler, of the 50th regiment (the only officer killed
in the assault), has, I am sorry to say, left a large
family to deplore hii loss. lie was one of the first
to mount the ladder, and fell upon the parapet, after
giving a distinguished example to his men.
I have had frequent occasions to mention to your
Lordship in terms of the highest praise the conduct
of Lieutenant-Colonel Hooke, Assistant Adjutant-
General. During the whole period I have had a
separate command in this country, that officer has
been with me, and rendered most essential' service to
my corps; on the present exp4tion he has eminently
distinguished himself, and I beg leave particularly to
notice his conduct. Your Lordship is also aware of
the merits of Lieutenant-Colonel Offeney, my As-
sistant Quarter-Master-General, of whose valuable
aid I have been deprived during the latter part of
this expedition. Thangh labouring under severe ill-
ness, he accompanied. me, to the serious detriment of
his health, and until it was totally impracticable for
him to proceed. Captain Thorn, Deputy-Assistant
Quarter-Master-General, succeeded to his duties;
and I am indebted to him for his assistance, and alio
to Major Ilill and my personal staff.
The Marquis de Almeida, Member of the Junta
of Estremadura, has done me the honour to accom-
pany me, since I have heed in the province: I have i
received from him, as well as from the people the j
most ready and effectual assistance which it was in
their power to bestow. •
Major Currie, my Aid-deXamp, will deliver to
your Lordship this dispatch, and tke colour taken
from the enemy, and will be able to give you any
further paticulars: I beg fo recommend him- toy
your Lordship. I have the honour to be, Sec..
(Signed) R. HILL, Lieut.-Gen.
I enclose a return of prisoners, in number two
hundred and fifty-nine, including the Governor, one
Lieutenant:Colonel, and fifteen Officers. I also
transmit a return of provisions in the forts near the
bridge, taken from one signed by the Chief of the
French Commissariat, on the 18th of May.

Truzirlas May SI, 1814.

Mr LORD,—I have the satisfaction to acquaint
your Lordship, that your instructions relative to the
capture and destruction of the enemy's works at Al-
maraz, have been most fully carried into effect by a
detachment of troops under my orders, which match-
ed from Almendralejo, on the 12th instant.
The bridge was, as your Lordship knows, pro-
tected by strong works thrown up by the French on
both sides of the river, and further covered on the
southern side by the castle and redoubts of Nlirabete
about a league off, commanding the pass of that
name, through which runs the road to Madrid, being
the only one passable for, carriages of any de-
scription by which the bridge can be approached.
The works on the left bank of the river were a
the-du-pont, built of masonry, and strongly en-
trenched, and on the high ground above it, a large
and well-constructed fort, called Napoleon, with
an interior intrenchment, and loophooled tower in
its centre." This fort contained nine pieces of cannon
with a garrison of between four and five hundrej
men. There being also on the opposite side of the
river, on a height immediately above the bridge, a
very complete fort recently constructed, which flank-
ed and added much to its defence.

On the morning of the 16th, the troops reached
Jaraicejo, and the same evening marched in three co-
lumns; the left column, commanded by Lieutenant-
General Chow ne (28th and 31th regiments, under
Colonel Wilson, and the Gth Portuguese Cacadores),
towards the castle of Mirabete; the right column,
under Major-General Howard (50th, 71st, and 92d
regiments), which I accompanied myself, to a pus
iu the mountains, through which a most difficult and
circuitous foot-path leads by the village of Reman-
gordo to the bridge; the centre column, under Ma-
jor-General Long (6th and 18th Portuguese infantry,
under Colonel Ashworth, and 13th light dragoons,
with the artillery), advanced upon the high road to
the pass of Mirabete.
The two flank columns were provided with lad-
ders, and it was intended that either of them should
proceed to escalade the forts against which they were
directed, had circumstances proved favourable; the
difficulties, however, which each had to encounter
on its march were such, that it was impossible for
them to reach their respective point; before day-
break; 1 judged it best, therefore, as there was no
longer a possibility of surprise, to defer the attack,
until, we should be better acquainted with the. nature
and position of the works, and the troops bivouacked
on the Leine.

I determined on endeavouring to penetrate to the
bridge by the mountain path leading through the
village of Romangordo, although, by that means, I
should be deprived of the use of my artillery.
On the evening of the Igth, I moved with Major.
General Howard's brigade, and the 6th Portuguese
egiment, for the operation, provided with scaling
ladders, &c. Although the distance marched did not
exceed five or six miles, the difficulties of the road
were such, that with the united exertions of officers
attd men, the column could not be formed for the at-
tack before daylight. Confiding, however, in the
valour of the troops, I ordered the immediate, assaultl
of Fort Napoleon. My confidence was fully justified
by the event.
The Ist battalion of the 50th, and one wing of
the 71st regiment, regardless of the enemy's artil-
lery and musketry, escaladed the work is three &flees,
nearly at the same titre. The enemy seemed at first
determined, and his fire was destructive, but the ara
dour of our troops was irresistible, and the garrisOu
was driven at the point of the bayonet, through the
several intrenchments of the fort and tale-du-punt,
across the bridge, which having been cut by those
on the opposite side of the river, many leaped iuto the

river and thus perished. .
The impression made upon the enensfs troops
was such, that panic soon communicated itself to
those on the right bank of the river, and Fort Ra-
gusa was instantly abandoned, the garrison flying
in the greatest confusion towards Naval Moral.
I cannot stifficiently praise the conduct of the
150th and 7lst regiments, to witom the assault fell.
—The cool and steady manner in which they formed
and advanced, and the intrepidity with which they
mounted the ladders, and carried the place, was
wotthy of those distinguished corps, and the officers
who led them.
Could the attack have been made before day, the
ced regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Cameron,
and the remainder of the 71st regiment, under the
Honourable Lieutenant-Colonel Crulogan, were to
have escaladed the tote-da-pont, and effected the
destruction of the bridge; at the same time that the
attack was made ou Fort Napoleon. The impossi-
bility of aillsnocingileprived them of.this opportunity
'of dististollibtni geemselvest but the share whisit
= .

..,

Return of Killed and Wounded of the Army undeltheCommand
of his Knealleney General the Earl of Wellington, K. It.
wider the immediate Orders of Lieateanut-General Sir Row-
land Bill, K. B. at the Storm and Capture of Fort Napoleon,
and the Eaerny's other Works. Is the Neighbourhood of Al-
swag, -on the Monolog of the 19th of May, 1812.
Royal Artillery-3 rank and file wounded.
Rural Engineers-1 Lieutenant wounded.
King's German Artillery-1 Lientenant killed... • .
hit Hatt. 28th Reg.-5 rank and ,k woepded. •
lstaßathht.3solltuesteesawfteg.-1 27 rani
serkinesidstafi,ltt;,7kejelned:k ;a44ll.slfriap-i
wanaded.
s,,t •
lit Batt. 71st Reg. , rant and file..! eel I Cap
tale. Liemenshb, 4 serjeanU, 1 dru 29 rank
and tile, wounded.
let Batt. R 7-211M4 Sad diet wounded.
Total British our—. Captain,l Lieutettant.l serjeant, 30 rank
and Ills kilted; 4 Carotins, 6, Lieutenant., 4 Enslgns, 113
arsienat-. 1 tirawnser, 117 rank and file, wounded.
Portages. Artillery-2 rank and file, wounded.
611 Caciabret —I Ensign, I rank and file, killed.
Total P,uslanmese Ensign, 3 rank and Ale, wounded.
Grarral Tetal-1. Certain, 1 Lienteaunt, 1 serjeant, SO rank
and 111 e, killed; 5 Captains, 6 Lieutenant, 5 Ensigns, it,
reirJeass, 1 ittnaisser, 1./b rank and file, wounded.
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