Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-15
Extract Of letter from gentleman IN Lis.
bon, to another in PhiLodelhhiQ. duted
/" LISBON, April IS. Il

. LISBON, April %. 1872
" / enclose you the Gazette account of tn.
capture Of Badaoz, Which has only Just been
published here. The pecpls are good deal
vexed that Lord Wellington has done so little
justice in his dispatch to the merits ofths ex.
plot ; but this has been invariably the case in
al the accounts he has given Of bis operations
He never cares to enter Into ary detail and
II this defect were not in part supplied from
private advices, the world would hardly know
how to appreciate the gallant exertions of on,
army. The more we hear of the affair at Ba.
daIoz, the more our admiration Of the con.
quest of that place Increases, after so short an
investment as three weeks, from the time Of
breaking ground. The French governor made
one OF the most obstinate and bloody resista1.
ces ever recorded /; and as Lord Wellington
himself confesses, the place never could have
been taken by the breach, which was fortified
by every possible means of defence and annoy
.,nce--a dSep ditch lay lin front and the remains
1f the wall from the earth to the top Of the
breach was still ls feet high--the breach It.
self was fenced in by cheyaux de frize, made Of
swords and bayonets sharpened as much as
possible, and fastened in great numbers into
beams IF wood-behind the breach again vas
another deep fortified ditch, and beyond this
we're ranged the best troops Of the garrison,
With FIVE loaded muSketS 10 each man. The
assault was made in the most perfect silence
until cur men attained the top Of the breach;
vet did our brave fellows make three different
attacks on this impregnable post, and fourth
was preparing, when it was announced that
Gen Pcton with part of his division had en-.
tered this place by esca' ade. The wall OF tie
Citadel which they assembled, appears, accord
ing TO the lowest calculation to have been
tbiry-6ve feet high, some say forty. The go.
vernon, admirable as his dcferce has been IN
every respect, left only guard, they say, OF
$50 men IN this place and as he afterwards
acknowledged this unnecessary, suppos'ng
that no attack would be made on d place that
he thought impossible for any man 70 ascend
The party who had thus obtained entrance by
escalade, was but smalI they went cheering
through the streets The French became pa
mic struck, deserted the breach, threw away
their arms, and the governor with the whole
garrison retreatcd across the river and tock
refuge in Fort ST. Christoval. Here it is sad,
he made some overture to negotiate capltq
lation with Lord Wellington, in answer d
which his lordship replied, that if he did nt4
receive his sword in ten minutes time, hs
would blow the whole Of them up You WI!
perceive our loss has been very severe, para!
calarly in officers but when It's recollectea
that Sout was near approaching with ioic1
Of 10000 men, and that in consequence, haa
the enemy preserved Bada joz two days at mos
longer, we should have been compeliedF
raise the siege. The speedy reduction Of u,
place, therefore, could hardly be obtained
too dear sacrifice. Lord Wellington, at'S,
remaining in BaIajoz only two hours, Pn;hsg,
on with as much Of his army as could be spa'
ed, to meet Soult, to whom be offered batt'',
which was declined, and the French Genera
retired
The fruits Of this important conquest 90 P@
appear as yet to be fully attained-onr aF159
have since been much harrasscd.-As "
whole of the northern frontiers (sipce the i
perations oftbis campaign have been rc'nov,1I
to the south) remained open, Marmont W.. S
so 600 men made an ipcursion and adyaIe'N