Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-05-20
ILa,d UelEnsfsn's Letter e0neiuded.

enemy since they commenced their fetIea'
must also ooIninunieate tc your e1ceiiei-
cv that | have received the most able ana cor
dial assistance in every operation mentioned
in this despatch. from lieut. gen. Sir brent
Spencer. and from. ~ sLal Sir W. Bercsiord,
whom had requested to pass the iagus' anu
VINO has been with me- since the / ith nhs'aii' :
from Major Generals Sir w. ErShine' lamp
bell, Pictoa, Cole. Slade. and from MAJOR .'e-
neral the hon. George Colvlise' as wen as
from all the generals and officers commanding
the respective biigades under the oroefs OF
the generals named. am particularly IN
debted for services Of the hlglest utility TO
Quarter Master General Colonel Murray, to
the Deputy Adiutant General The hon. Col.
Pakenha-n, and to the officers In the Quarter
Master Generals department, and likewise to
the officers Of my staff, from whom have re-
ceiycd all the aid and assistance which they
could afford ne.
feel much, regret at having to inform your
excellency that the town OF badaJoz surren'
dered on the 18th instant 20 the enemy have
not yet learned the paiticui RS Of that event !:
but have no doubt with respect to the fact
From the moment thatthe enemy entered Is
trenadlura, and directed their views s efforts
towards that place, nay attention has been dl'
rected to the means OF saving 1t.
Before the unfortunate battle ct the 10Th OF
February, I had determined 70 reinforce the
Spanish army, and that for the purpose OF O.
biiging the enemy to raise the selge OF that
place; that determination was to have been
carried into effect IS soon as should receive
and be ioned By the reinforcements which
expected would arrive in the TaSus by the
end 81 the meath If January.
The battle of ,ne 10Th February DESTROYED
the Spanish troops, upon whose AID and CO.
operation relied: it then became Impossible
to detach sufficient number Of troops, to ct-
feet the object that had in view ; AID this
WIS the case even after the arrival o. the rem
fcrcemeDts, unless the enemy mad removed
from the position they occupied upon the la
gus. then determined to Il tack the enemy
in his positions, as soon as should DE ,olnea
BY the relolorccmcnts, in case OF the weather
being such as to make the roads passabie.
The rcinforcemcnts arrived in the first days
CT the month of March, but had not vet Joined
the army and on the night of the 5th the e.
nemy retired from the positions that they occu-
pied. On the 9th inst directed General
Leitc, Governor OF Elyas, to communicate to
the governor Of Badaoz by means OF signals,
or in any other way that he thinks best, that
Massena had commenced his retreat, and that
ne might be assured that [ would send him
assistance as soon as possible, and that in the
mean time | relied that the governor would
hold out 10 the last extremity.
l accordingly made every necessary ar
rangement to detach body oftroops, as soon
as the enemy should leave the Tagus, and the
Zezere and in fact troops marched from
Thomar for that purpose on the morning OF
the 9th, as well as from the other points; and
at tho same time that part of the corps com
mandcd by Marshal Beresford, which had re-
NAMED on the other side of the Tagus, was
put in motion, and its van arrived at the dis
lance Of three marches from Elvas.
received at Thomar in the morning OF
the 9th inst. accounts from Badaioz Of the
most favourable nature, by which was Undue
ed to believe, not only that the place was not
in danger, but also that is Notifications were
in good order, that its fire was much superior
70 that of the enemy, That the loss which II
had sustained by the death Of governor Me-
nacho was the only one it had suffered; that
it was IN no want Of provisions nor amnuniti-
on, and that in short it was in good condition,
and would probably hold out month.
General Imam, person Of reputation equal
to that Of a.e deceased governor, succeeded
him In the command, and the greatest comb
dence was reposed in him but he surrender
ed to the enemy OH the day following that On
which he received my assurances that he
should be relieved; at the very time when he
was requested to hold out to the last extre-
nifty.
1t would be useless to add any remark up
on the facts above narrated. The Spanish ma
ton has lost in the course OF two months the
places of Tortosa, Olivenza and Badajoz, with
out sufficient causes existing for their surren-
der; and in the same period marshal Soult,
with body of troops which was never sup
posed to exceed 10000, has, besides taking
the two latter places, captured and destroyed
above $4,000 of the Spanish troops.
have the honor to remain, with sentiments
of esteem and consideration,
Your EXcellency's
Most obedient and humble servant,
WELLINGTON.
Ea,d Ouarters AZ the town of SEGA.