Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-08-08

dCtdchs NC tiooPS W 70
mendous discharge of shot and shells from
the out works, notwithstanding which
thew advanced with the greatest mtrepi-
dity. and in the best order, to the bottom
of the ditch. Having arrived at the breach
thew found that the enemy had removed
the rubbish from the bottom OF the scarp'
and in spite of the application OF their
scaling ladders, they found the breach I'M
practicable, and were obliged to retreat
with some loss.
The fire from our batteries was kept up
against fort St. Christopher aud the town
without intermission, on the 9TH, Sth anu
9th, on which last day, the breach in the
wall of the fort appeared to be considera-
ble. and + determined to make another
attempt to carry it. Major Gen. Houston
ordered another detachment under the
command of Major General McGeeehy'
of the 18th Portuguese regiment, for this
service. This officer with the others en-
Moved on this occasion, had been recon-
NOTHING the breach, and the different ap-
proaches, they advanced to the assault at
P. NJ. with the greatest order and ntrc-
piditv, under a similar tremendous fire
that was experienced on the 9th. On
their arrival at the breach, it was found
impracticabIe, the enemy having again
cleared the rubbish from the bottom OF the
scarp. The detachment suffered consi-
derably. and Major McGeechy was unior-
tunately killed, with some other officers,
Notwithstanding which the troops kept
their ground, until a retreat was ordered
by Major General Houston.
After the battle Of Albuara, [ under
took the siege of Badajoz, believing that
the means at my disposal would enable me
to reduce the place before the end OF the
second week in June, at which time eX-
peeted the achievements from the from
tiers of CASTLE, for Marshal Soult would
arrive but in the calculation of these
means have been deceived.
1t was now evident from the report Of
the engineers, and my own observation.
that the place would not be reduced but
by the erection of works, which would re-
quire much time and labor in their con
struction. An assault upon the works be-
fore the town, if it had succeeded, would
not have availed, unless we could obtain
possession of Fort Saint Christopher, for
want of room to form the troops, to at
tack the intrenchments within.
On the morning of the 10th 1 received
an intercepted dispatch from the Duke Of
Dalmatia (Soult) to the Duke of Ragusa,
(Marmont) of which | send you copy
This letter clearly shews that the enemy's
design was to concentrate all his forces in
Estremadura, and had reason to believe
that the corps under Gen. Drouet, which
had marched from Toledo on the 2Sth
and e9th of May, and which was expect
ed at Cordova on the 5th and 9th instant.
would on the 10th form junction with
Soult, towards which it was marching ac-
cording to all my adyices. The move
ment Of this corps would alone have made
it necessary to have raised the siege of
Badaioz. In addition; on the same morn
ing / received information from the from
tiers of CASTLE which left no doubt on my
mind of the destination of the army Of
Portugal date Massena's) which was ra
pidly moving south, and was expected to
arrive at Merida on the 18th Instant
Under all these circumstances, L deter
mined to raise the seige. Here Lord VEL
lington notices the conduct Of the officers
and soldiers during the seige, and IN the
assaults, and then proceeds.
Inclosed l transmit to your excellency
the returns of the killed and wounded, by
which you will observe that with the ex-
eeption of what was sustained in the two
attacks upon Fort Saint Christopher, our
loss has been very trifling. The blockade
of Badaios is still continued closely:*
Ihave not understood that the enemy
has moved from his position in Llerena I
suppose the arrival Of the 9th corps has
been delayed beyond what was expected,
and it is probable that Soult will not move
from that place, until he is we'll informed
ofthe motions of the AMY Of PORTUGAL
That army left Tonnes on the Sd, and its
advanced guard reached Ciudad Rodrigo,
-. Al, ,,n,;,s ~ the eth IN tho foI