assistance they received from the officers of those departments attached to them, the greatest number of whom and of their personal staff are wounded. In a former dispatch, I reported to your lordship the difficulties with which I had to contend, in consequence of the failure of the civil authorities of the province of Alentego to perform their duty, and supply the army with means of transport; these difficulties have continued to exist; but I must do General Victoria, the governor of Elvas, the justice to report, that he and the troops under his command, have made every exertion, and have done every thing in their power to contribute to our success.

Marshal Soult left Seville on the 1st instant with all the troops which he could collect in Andalusia; and he was in communication with the troops which had retired from Estremadura, under General Drouet, on the 3d, and he arrived at Llerena on the 4th. I had intended to collect the enemy in proportion as Marshal Soult should advance; and I requested LieutenantGeneral Sir Thomas Graham to retire gradually, while Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill should do the same from Don Benito and the upper parts of the Guadiana.

I do not think it certain that Marshal Soult has made any decided movement from Llerena since the 4th, although he has patroled forward with small detachments of cavalry, and the advanced guard of his infantry have been at Usagre.

None of the army of Portugal have moved to join him.

According to the last reports which I have received to the 4th instant on the frontiers of Castile, it appears that Marshal Marmont had established a body of troops between the Agueda and the Coa, and he had reconnoitred Almeida on the 3d. Brigadier-General Trant's division of militia had arri

ved on the Coa, and Brigadier-General Wilson's division was following with the cavalry, and Lieutenant-General the Conde D'Amarante was on his march, with a part of the corps under his command, towards the Douro.

I have the honour to enclose returns of the killed and wounded from the 31st of March, and in the assault of Badajoz, and a return of the ordnance, small arms, and ammunition found in the place; I will send returns of provisions by the next dispatch.

This dispatch will be delivered to your lordship by my aid-de-camp, Captain Canning; whom I beg leave to recommend to your protection. He has likewise the colours of the garrison, and the colours of the Hesse D'Armstadt regiment, to be laid at the feet of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent. The French battalions in the garrison had no eagles.

(Signed) WELLINGTON.

Copy of a Dispatch from the Earl of Wellington, dated Camp at Badajoz, April 8.

My Lord,-It gives me great pleasure to inform your lordship that our numerous wounded officers and soldiers are doing well.

I have had great reason to be satised with the attention paid to them by Mr M'Gregor, the inspector-general of hospitals, and the medical gentlemen under his direction; and I trust that the loss to the service, upon this occasion, will not eventually be great. I have the honour to be, &c.

WELLINGTON.

The Earl of Liverpool, &c.

Return of killed, wounded, and missing, of the army under the command of his Excellency General Arthur Earl of Wellington, K. B. at the Siege of Badajoz.

British loss from 3d to 5th April,

1812-3 rank and file killed; 1 officer, 26 rank and file, wounded.

British loss from 6th to 7th April, 1812-51 officers, 40 serjeants, 557 rank and file killed; 212 officers, 153 serjeants, 12 drummers, 1945 rank and file, wounded; 1 serjeant, 21 rank and file, missing.

Total British loss-51 officers, 40 serjeants, 560 rank and file killed; 213 officers, 153 serjeants, 12 drummers, 1971 rank and file, wounded; 1 serjeant, 21 rank and file, missing.

Portuguese loss from 2d to 5th April, 1812--1 officer, 9 rank and file, killed; 3 officers, 1 drummer, 12 rank and file, wounded.

Portuguese loss from 6th to 7th April, 1812-8 officers, 6 serjeants, 1 drummer, 140 rank and file, killed; 45 officers, 32 serjeants, 2 drummers, 466 rank and file, wounded; 30 rank and file missing.

Total Portuguese loss-9 officers, 6 serjeants, I drummer, 149 rank and file, killed; 48 officers, 32 serjeants, 3 drummers, 478 rank and file, wounded; 30 rank and file missing.

British loss during the siege-60 officers, 45 serjeants, 715 rank and file, wounded; I serjeant, 32 rank and file, missing.

1

Portuguese loss during the siege 12 officers, 6 serjeants, 2 drummers, 195 rank and file, killed; 55 officers, 38 serjeants, 3 drummers, 684 rank and file, wounded; 30 rank and file missing.

Grand total from 18th March to 7th April, 1812, inclusive-72 officers, 51 serjeants, 2 drummers, 910 rank and file, killed; 308 officers, 216 serjeants, 17 drummers, 3248 rank and file, wounded; 1 serjeant, 62 rank and file, missing.

ACTIONS AT SEA.

London Gazette, Saturday, May 9.

Admiralty-Office, May 9.

His Majesty's ship Victorious, Port St George, Lissa, March 3. Sir,-On the 16th ultimo, I arrived off the port of Venice; the weather was very foggy at the time, and continued so to the 21st, which prevented me reconnoitring the port. At half-past two o'clock p. m. on that day, a brig was seen E.Ñ.S.; at three o'clock, a large ship with two more brigs and two settees in the same direction; all sail was made in chase; at four o'clock I made the Weazle's signal to prepare for action; at this time I was convinced that the ship seen was one of the enemy's line-of-battle ships, proceeding from Venice to the port of Pola, in Istria. The enemy were sailing in a line of battle, with the two gun-boats, and one brig ahead, the other two brigs in a line a stern. At half past two o'clock a. m I perceived that one of the enemy's brigs dropped a-stern, and that the line-of-battle ship had shortened sail to allow her to close again. I hailed the Weazle, and ordered Captain Andrew to endeavour to pass the Victorious, and, if possible, to bring the brigs a-stern of the commodore to action, in hopes of inducing him to shorten sail, which had the desired effect. At a quarter past four o'clock, hit majesty's brig Weazle commenced the action with the two brigs. At halfpast four we commenced action at the distance of half pistol shot, with the line-of-battle ship, neither ship having fired a single shot until that time. At five we perceived a brig to blow up: at day-light I perceived the Weazle in chace of the brigs, the gun-boats not in sight. I recalled her, as she did not

appear to close with the chace. We were at this time in seven fathoms water off the Point of Grao, and I was fearful we might want assistance from her, in case either of the ships had got on shore on the bank. Captain Andrew, on being recalled, placed his brig very judiciously on the bow of the line-of battle ship, within pistol shot, and in that situation he gave her three broadsides. The enemy for nearly the last two hours had been rendered perfectly unmanageable, and had kept up a very slow fire, and that chiefly from two guns on the quarter-deck: her mizen-mast fell over her side about a quarter before nine o'clock. At nine they hailed us, and said they had struck; I sent on board Mr Peake, the first lieutenant, to take possession of her. I found the squadron we had engaged consisted of two gun-boats, the Mameluke brig of 10 guns, and Jena and Mercure of 18 guns each, with the Rivoli, of 74 guns, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Barré, the commander-in-chief of the enemy's forces in the Adriatic. From the length of the action, and the smoothness of the water, the loss of men and the damages on both sides, I am sorry to say, have been very great indeed, neither ship having been above half musket shot from each other during the whole of the action, which only ceased at intervals, when the ships were hid from each other by the fog and smoke, and were not even able to see the flashes of each other's guns.

I feel great satisfaction in saying that the conduct of Commodore Barré, during the whole of the action, convinced me I had to deal with a most gallant and brave man, and, in manoeuvring his ship, a most experienced and skilful officer. He did not surrender his ship till nearly two hours after she was rendered unmanageable, and had 400 killed or wounded; his

captain and most of his officers either killed or wounded. By the returns you will perceive, sir, that our loss, too, has been very severe. I have to regret, as well as the service, the loss of two very. fine young men, Lieutenants Thomas H. Griffiths and Robert S. Ashbridge, of the royal marines, who were mortally wounded early in the action, with many other brave and good men, both seamen and marines. The conduct of the officers has been throughout highly meritorious, both during the action, and also in securing the masts of the ship, in the very bad weather we met before we gained the port of Lissa. Having received a contusion from a splinter early in the action, for some days afterwards I have been deprived nearly of my eye-sight; all which time the exertions by Mr Peake, my senior lieutenant, prevented my inability from being of any detriment to his majesty's service. The Rivoli, in crossing the Gulph of Fiume, lost her fore and main-masts; but by the exertions of Lieutenants Whyte and Coffin, who had charge of her, she was brought safe into the port of Lissa under jury-masts. I feel particularly indebted to Captain Andrew, of the Weazle, for his exertions during the action, and also for the assistance he gave to the Rivoli afterwards. I have sent enclosed a copy of his letter, reporting to me his conduct, and that of his officers and crew, during the night of the action. He particularly mentions his senior lieutenant, whom he strongly recommends to the notice of the commander-in-chief. The numbers of wounded, and the severity of the wounds, have caused Mr Baird, the surgeon, and Mr O'Meara, the only assistant on board, very great fatigue. The conduct of Mr W. H. Gibbons and Mr John J. Keeling, master'smates, deserves notice. The conduct of Captain Stevens, of the royal ma

rines, I cannot avoid mentioning, and that of Mr Crawford the master was perfectly to my satisfaction. During the whole of this severe action not a single explosion took place on board, or a man hurt, either through carelessness or accident; both the officers and men, for their steady and cool conduct, deserve every credit. I have sent herewith the returns, as far as I have been able to procure, of the killed and wounded on board the Rivoli. I landed a great number of the wounded prisoners in Istria, having sent a flag of truce to the town of Pirang, to request the commandant of that port would send off boats to receive them, which accordingly he did. I have sent the remainder of them from this port by a schooner to Spalatro, in Dalmatia. When we commenced the action, the Victorious had only 506 persons actually on board, 60 of which were in the sick list, but most of the sick were able to assist in the action. The Rivoli had on board 863 persons at the commencement of the action.

I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed) JOHN TALBOT, Captain of the Victorious, and senior officer of the upper part of the Ad

riatic.

To Charles Rowley, Esq. Captain of the Eagle, and senior officer in the Adriatic.

His Majesty's sloop Weazle, Feb. 22, Cape Salvore, S.E. by E. distant 12 or 14 miles. Sir,-In pursuance of your directions this morning at half past two, ordering me to a-head and bring the enemy's brigs to action, I have the honour to inform you, that at a quarter past four A. M. I came up with two French brigs, one within half pistolshot, which we immediately engaged, and after an action of 40 minutes, she blew up without doing us any damage. I am sorry we saved only three men from her, and those much bruised and

wounded. She proves to have been the French brig Le Mercure, of 18 24-pounder carronades, commanded by a Lieutenant de Vaisseau. During the greater part of this time the other brig engaged us on our bow, but seeing the fate of her companion, and from the darkness of the morning, and our rigging being much cut, she made her escape. At day-light we observed this brig and another, the first about three miles a-head. At six o' clock made all sail in chace; answered the signal of recall; bore up. At eight o'clock came across the Rivoli's bows, within musket-shot, and gave her a broadside, wore, and tacked as necessary to continue raking her; at nine she fired a gun to leeward, when we ceased firing. The whole of the afore-mentioned service, I am extremely happy to say, was performed without the loss of a man on my part, from the steady, determined, and cool behaviour of every officer and man on board; and I most earnestly request you will be pleased to recommend to the commander-in-chief, Mr George Elliott, my first lieutenant, and every other officer and man on board his majesty's sloop, which I have the honour to command. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed)

JOHN ANDREW, Commander. To John Talbot, Esq. Captain of his Majesty's ship Victorious.

Northumberland, off the Penmarks, wind S.S.W. light breeze, and fine weather, May 24.

Sir, I have the honour to inform you, the object of the orders I received from you on the 12th instant, to proceed off L'Orient for the purpose of intercepting two French frigates and a brig lately seen at sea, has been accomplished, by their total destruction, at the entrance of that port, by his majesty's ship under my command, (the Growler gun-brig being in com

pany) under the circumstances I beg leave to relate to you. On Friday the 22d instant, at a quarter past ten A.M. the N.W. point of the Isle Groa bear ing from the Northumberland north by compass, ten miles distant, and the wind very light from W. by W. they were discovered in the N.W. crowding all sail before it for L'Orient. My first wish was to endeavour to cut them off to windward of the island, and a signal was made to the Growler (seven miles off in the S.W.) to chace; but finding I could not effect it, the Northumberland was pushed by every exertion round the S.E. end of Groa, and, by hauling to the wind as close as I could to leeward of it, I had the satisfaction of fetching to windward of the harbour's mouth, before the enemy's ships reached it. Their commander seeing himself thus cut off, made a signal to his consorts, and hauled to the wind on the larboard tack to windward of Point Taleet, and they appeared to speak each other. I continued beating to windward between Groa and the continent to close with them, exposed to the batteries on both sides when I stood within their reach, which was unavoidable. The wind had by this time freshened considerably, and was about W.N.W.: at 49 minutes after two P. M. the enemy (in force as above described) bore up in close line a-head; and under every sail that could be set, favoured by the fresh wind, made a bold and determined attempt to run between me and the shore, under cover of the numerous batteries with which it is lined in that part. I placed the Northumberland to meet them as close as I could to the Point de Pierre Laye; with her head to the shore, and the main-topsail shivering, and made dispositions for laying them alongside; but they hauled so very close round the point, following the direction of the coast to the eastward of it, that, in my ignorance of the

depth of water so near the shore, I did not think it practicable, consistent with the safety of his majesty's ship (drawing near 25 feet water) to prosecute that plan, I therefore bore up, and steered parallel to them at the distance of about two cables' length, and opened the broadside on them, which was returned by a very animated and welldirected fire of round, grape, and other descriptions of shot, supported by three batteries, for the space of twenty-one minutes, and was very destructive to our sails and rigging. My object during that time was to prevent their hauling outside the dry dock named Le Graul; but in steering sufficiently close to it to leave them no room to pass between me and it, and at the same time to avoid running on it myself, the utmost difficulty and anxiety was produced by the cloud of smoke which drifted a-head of the ship and totally obscured it. However, by the care and attention of Mr Hugh Stewart, the master, the ship was carried within the distance of her own length on the south-west side, in quarter-less seven fathoms, and the enemy were in consequence obliged, as their only alternative, to attempt passing within it, where there was not water enough, and they all grounded, under every sail, on the rocks between it and the shore. The sails and rigging of the Northumberland were so much damaged, that I was obliged to leave the enemy to the effects of the falling tide, it being only one quarter ebb, while I repaired the rigging, and shifted the foretopsail, which was rendered entirely useless; working to windward during that time under what sail I could set, to prevent falling to leeward; in which interval, at five o'clock, the Growler joined, and fired on the enemy occasionally. At twenty-eight minutes after five, I anchored the Northumberland in six and a half fathoms water, Point de Pierre Laye bearing N.W.