The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-04-14
BRITISH ACCOUNTS OF EVENTS IN
SPAIN.

BRITISH ACCOUNTS OF EVENTS IN
SPAIN. ~
Battle of Coyunnd-L London Gasette Extrxordind-
~, dited Dosrnirs Street, Jon. -, 1909.
The hon. captain Hope arrived late last night
with dispatch from lieut. gen. sir David Baird,
te lord viscount Castlereagh, ore Of his maesty's
principal secretaries of state, of which the fol-
lowing is a copy:
His maiesty's ship Vile de Paris, at sea, Jan.
ID, 1809-My Lord, BY the much lamented
death of lieutenant general sir John Moore, who
fell in action with the euemy the 10th ins tant,
II has become my duty to acquaint your lordship
that the French army attacSe d the British troops
in the position they occupied in front of Corun-
ma, about o'clock in the afternoon of that day.
a severe wound, which compelled me to quit the
held short time previous to the fall of Sir John
Moore, obliges me to refer your lordship for the
particulars of the action, which was long and
obstinately contested, to the inclosed report of
lieutenant general Hope, who succeeded to the
command of the army, and to whose ability and
exertions in direction of the ardent zeal and TN
conquerable valor of his majesty's troops, is to
be attributed, under Providence, the success OF
the day, which terminated i'm the complete and
entire rcpulse and defeat of the enemy at every
point Of attack The honorable captain Gordon,
my abide. camp, win have the honor of deliver
ing this dispatch, and will be able to give your
lortlship any further information which may be
I&quired.
have the honor to be, &c.
d. BAIRD, Lieur. Gen.
His maesty's ship Audacious, off Corunna'
Jan. ID, l809-Sir, In compliance with the de-
sire contained in yeur communication of yester-
day, / avail myself Of the first moment have been
able to command, to detail to YOU the occurren-
ces of the action which took place in front of CO.
runna, on the 10th instant. 1t will be in your
collection, that about in the afternoon of that
slay, the enemy, who had in the morning receiv-
ed renforcements, and who had placed some
guns front of the right and left of his line,
observed to be moving troops towards his left
flank, and forming various columns OF attack at
that extremity ofthe strong and CONN, sndng po-
sition, which, on the morning of the 18th, he had
taken in our immediate trent This indication of
his intention was Immediately succeeded by the
rapid and determined attack which he made up
on your division, which occupied the right of our
position. The events which occurred during that
period ofthe action you are fully acquainted with
The first effort of the enemy was met by the
commander of the forces, and by yourself, at
the head of the Add regiment, and the brigade
under major general lord William Bentinck.-
The village on your right became an object of
obstinate contest. lament to say, that soon af-
ter the severe wound which deprived the army
of your services, lieutenant general Sir John
Moore, who had just directed the most able dis
positions, fell by acannon shot. The troops, tho
not unacquaihted with the irrcparable loss they
had sustained, were not dsmayed, but by the
attempt of the enemy to gain ground, but actual
jy forced him to retire, although he had brought
up fresh troops in support of those originally en-
gagged. The enemy, finding himself foiled in
every attempt to force the right of the position,
endeavtsed by numbers to turn it. A judcious
and well timed movement, which was made by
major general Paget, with the reserve, which
corps had moved out ofts environments to support
abe right of the army, by vigorous attack, de-
feated this intention. The major general having
pushed forward the 95th (rihe corps) and LIST bat
talon SD regiments, drove the enemy before
him, and in his rapid and iudicious advance,
threatened the left of the enemy's position. This
circumstance, with the position of lieutenant ge-
neral Fraser's division, Calculated to give still
further security to the right OF the line) induced
The enemy to relax his efforts in that QUARTER
They were, however, more forcibly directed to.
wards the centre, where they were again sue
cessfully resisted by the brigade under major ge
neral Manningham, forming the left OF your divi
sion, and apart ofthat under maj general Lsith
forming the right ofthe division under my orders.
Upon the left the enemy at first contented him
self with an attack upon our pcquets, which how
ever, in general, maintained their ground. Find
ing, hswever his efforts unavailing Oh the ri ght
aAd centre, he seemed determined to render the
attack upon the left more serious, and had suc-
ceeded in obtaining possession of the viii age
thrsugh which the great road TO Madrid pas SEES,
and which was situated in front of that part of
the line. From this post. however, he was ,;con
expelled, with considerable loss, by gallan. at
tack Of some companies of the Cd battalion 18th
regiment, under lieutenant colonel Nichols /: be-
fore five in the evening, VIC had not only success
fully repealed every attack made upon the positi-
on, buthad gained ground in almost all poin is, &
occupied more forward line than at the COM
mencement of the action, whilst tho enemy con-
fined his operations to cannonade, and fire Of
his light troops, with view TO draw off his o.
ther corps, AT six, the firing entirely ceased---
The different brigades were re-assembled on the
ground they occupied in the morning, and the
picqu<rs and advanced posts resumed their ori ii
nal stations. Notwithstanding the decided n nd
marked superiority which at this moment Il re
galiantry Of the troops had given them n
enemy, who from bis number and the command :
ing advantages ofhis position, doubt, expect
ed an easy victory, did not, on reviewing MI cir
cumstances, conceive that should be warranteo |
in departing from what knew was the fixed s
previous determination of the late commander OF
the forces, to withdraw the army on the eyeninp.
of the 10th, for the purpose of cmbarkaton, the
previous engagements for which had already been
made by his order, and were, in fact, far advan-
ced at the commencement of the action. The
sroops quilted their position at about ten at night,
with degree of order that did them credit. The
whole of the artillery that remained urembarkcd
having been withdrawn, the troops followed in
the order prescribed, and marched to their res