Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-06-01
FOREIGN.
NEw-YoRK, ,Iay 20
LATEST FROM PORTUGAL.

LATEST FROM PORTUGAL.
Yesterday arrived at this port, the ship
Ann-Williams. Capt. Dayton. in 81 DAYS
from Lisbon, which port he left on the
goth of April.
Capt. ID. jnformsus that the day he sailed,
it was reported that the siege OF CaCliz
was raised, and that Seville was evacuated
by the French.
The prisoners taken at Badajoz and sent
to Lisbon sailed from thence for England the
day Capt. ID. sailed.
Capt. ID. has furnished the Editors of the
Mercantile Advertiser with the following
detail of the operations of the British in their
attack on Badajos: ]
After the fall of Ciudad Rodrigo, which
happened on the 19tn of January, the tren-
ches and breaches were flied up, and the
army commenced its march to the south.
About the 18th March the whole combined
army arrived at Elvas and its vicinity. On
the 10th the army was put in motion, & the
investment of Badajos took place that even
ing. On the 18th the combined armies broke
ground. On the 25th the fort of Picorni was
! taken by storm, commanded by Gen. Kemp
| and the troops of the third division. This
fort is of great importance to the troops
working on the trenches The enemy had
$50 men in the, fort, and only 81 escaped
%
| vening ofthe 9th April, the English attacked
| Badajoz at three breaches
The light division attacked the small wall,
the fourth the principal ones, the fifth the
small breach; and the third division COM
manded by General Picton, were o. dered to
| make a false attack, which he did but not
being satisfied with this he scaled the walls
with his whole division at the very moment
the other divisions were employed in attack
| ing the breaches. The breaches were found
! to be nearly inaccessible, and the contest of
course, terrible on both sides but in this
great conflict gen. Picton had effected his
plan, his whole division having scaled the
| walls, and formed in rear betwixt the main
body and the citadel, which cut off their re-
treat fromit. On this citadel they had formed
several batteries; and had the tower been
taken they could have destroyed the city and
made great hayock among the soldiers
4 The manoeuvring of the third division, when
completed, formed up in battle array. and
commenced fire upon the enemy. This
put them in great confusion; SO much so,
that they gave way at the breaches, allowed
the English to enter, and began to retire upon
the citadel, but found it altogether impracti-
cable, by the third division cutting off their
retreat. They then were under the necessi-
ty of giving themselves up to the English
who took gen Phillippon, 117 officers, and
1880 men prisoners and sent them to Lisbon,
: where they arrived on the 10Th of April
, Prior TO the hostilities against Badajoz
: they consisted of 5000 men. From the man
ner in which the whole business was con-
ducred, it is supposed to have been one of the
. greatest achievements the annals of British
history can produce. The English lost up
wards of 1000. The following is AN account
/ r tha off IaI nd IL, Il.
/ RAicd.-Lieut. Col. Rudge, 5th regiment
: Col. Harcourt, 40th-Col. Helder-Major
O'Hara. Wounded-Lieut Gen. Picton
Lieut. Gen. Colville Major-general Kemp
iSrigadier-general Hewey ; Major-general
bowers; Major general Walker; Lieut.
! Col. MLeod, 43d regiment; Lieut.. Col
!. Gibbs, SD !; Lieut.. Col. Akin, 49th Col
Blackney, 74th; Lieut.. Col. French; Ma
tjors earle, Murphy, Mail, Brook, and o.
! lyed."
/, Anarriyalat New-York on the Esd MAY
= furnished Co the Editors of the Mercantile
: Advertiser London papers to the 21st Apri
The following is the most important article
e Conformation which they afford:
.LoNDoE, April 60.
: Flag ofs1ruce from France.--Ye sterda,
morning flag of truce arrived off Dover
!, with dispatches, which have since reached
London. The receipt of this intelligence
! this morning had visible effect upon tn,
! funds, which our readers will see by our lis
$ have somewhat advanced. From this it ma,
! be presumed, that the general impression
was, that the dispatches might be consider
ed as tending to lead to some proposal 70
+ pacitic negotiations; but Of the nature o
= their real contents not a single word ma
k beensufered to transpire from the govern
" ment Offices