much-loved though distant King and country.

The defence of the Essex, taking into consideration our superiority of force, the very discouraging circumstance of her having lost her maintop mast, and being twice on fire, did honour to her brave defenders, and most fully evinced the courage of Captain Porter, and those under his command. Her colours were not struck until the loss in killed and wounded was so awfully great, her shattered condition so seriously bad, as to render further resistance unavailing.

I was much hurt on hearing that her men had been encouraged, when the result of the action was evidently decided, some to take to their boats, and others to swim on shore: many were drowned in the attempt; 16 were saved by the exertions of my people, and others, I believe between 30 and 40, effected their landing. I informed Capt. Porter, that I considered the latter, in point of honour, as my prisoners; he said the encouragement was given when the ship was in danger from fire, and I have not pressed the point. The Essex is completely stored and provisioned for at least six months, and although much injured in her upper works, masts, and rigging, is not in such a state as to give the slightest cause of alarm, respecting her being able to perform a voyage to Europe with perfect safety. Our main and mizen masts and mainyard are rather seriously wounded: these, with a few shot holes between wind and water, which we can get at without lightening, and a loss of canvas and cordage, which we can partly replace from

our well-stored prize, are the extent of the injuries his Majesty's ship has sustained.

I feel it a pleasant duty to recommend to their Lordships' notice, my now Senior Lieutenant, Pearson, and Messrs. Allan, Gardner, Porter, and Daw, midshipmen; I should do very great injustice to Mr. Geo. O'Brien, the Mate of the Emily merchantman, who joined a boat's crew of mine in the harbour, and pushed for the ship the moment he saw her likely to come to action, were I to omit recominending him to their Lordships; his conduct, with that of Mr. N. Murphy, Master of the English brig Good Friends, were such as to entitle them both to my lasting regard, and prove that they were ever ready to hazard their lives in their country's honourable cause. They came on board when the attempt was attended with great risk, and both their boats were swamped. I have before informed their Lordships, that Mr. O'Brien was once Lieutenant in his Majesty's service (may now add, that youthful indiscretions appear to have given place to great correctness of conduct), and as he has proved his laudable zeal for its honour, I think, if restored, he would be found one of its greatest ornaments. I enclose returns of killed and wounded and if conceived to have trespassed on their Lordships' time by this very long letter, hope it will be kindly ascribed to the right cause-an earnest wish that merit may meet its due reward.

a

I have the honour to be, &c. JAMES HILLYAR.

P. S. There has not been found a

ship's book, or paper of any description (charts excepted), on board the Essex, or any document relative to the number serving in her previous to the action. Captain Porter informs me, that he had upwards of 260 victualled; our prisoners, including 42 wounded, amount to 161; 23 were found dead on her decks, 3 wounded were taken away by Captain Downes of the Essex, jun. a few minutes before the colours were struck, and I believe 20 or 30 reached the shore; the remainder were killed or drowned. [Here follows a list of 4 killed and 7 wounded on board the Phoebe, including First Lieutenant William Ingram among the former. On board the Cherub were 1 killed and S wounded, including Captain Tucker, severely. Total, 5 killed and 10 wounded.]

of Lieutenant General Don Manuel Freyre, and the head quarter crossed the Garonne.

We immediately moved forward to the neighbourhood of the town; and the 18th hussars, under the immediate command of Col. Vivian, had an opportunity of making a most gallant atack upon a superior body of the enemy's cavalry, which they drove through the village of Croix d'Orade, and took about 100 prisoners, and gave us possession of an important bridge over the river Ers, by which it was necessary to pass, in order to attack the enemy's position. Colonel Vivian was unfortunately wounded upon this occasion, and I am afraid I shall lose the benefit of his assistance for some time.

The town of Toulouse is surrounded on three sides by the canal of Languedoc and the Garonne.On the left of that river, the suburb which the enemy had fortified with strong field works in front of the ancient wall, formed a good tête de pont.

They had likewise formed a tête de pont at each bridge of the canal, which was besides defended by the fire in some places of musketry, and in all of artillery from the ancient wall of the town. Beyond the canal to the eastward, and be tween that and the river Ers, is a height which extends as far as Montaudrau, and over which pass all the roads to the canal and town from the eastward, which it defends; and the enemy, in addition to the tête de pont on the bridges of the canal, bad fortified the height with five redoubts, connected by lines of entrenchments, and had, with extraordinary diligence, made every preparation for defence.

They had likewise broken all the bridges over the Ers within our reach, by which the right of their position could be approached. The roads, however, from the Ariege to Toulouse being impracticable for cavalry or artillery, and nearly so for infantry, as reported to your Lordship in my dispatch of the 1st inst. I had no alternative, excepting to attack the enemy in this formidable position.

It was necessary to move the pontoon bridge higher up the Garonne, in order to shorten the communication with Lieut. General Sir Rowland Hill's corps, as soon as the Spanish corps had passed; and this operation was not effected till so late an hour on the 9th, as to induce me to defer the attack till the following morning.

The plan according to which I determined to attack the enemy, was for Marshal Sir W. Beresford, who was on the right of the Ers with the 4th and 6th divisions, to cross that river at the bridge of Croix d'Orade, to gain possession of Mont Blanc, and to march up the left of the Ers to turn the enemy's right, while Lieutenant Gen. Don Manuel Freyre, with the Spanish corps under his command, supported by the British cavalry, should attack the front. Lieut. General Sir S. Cotton was to follow the Marshal's movement, with Major General Lord E. Somerset's brigade of hussars; and Colonel Vivian's brigade, under the command of Colonel Arentschild, was to observe the movement of the enemy's cavalry on both banks of the Ers beyond our left.

The 3rd and light divisions, under the command of Lieutenant General Sir T. Picton and Major

General Charles Baron Alten, and the brigade of German cavalry, were to observe the enemy on the lower part of the canal, and to draw their attention to that quarter by threatening the tête de pont, while Lieut. General Sir R. Hill was to do the same on the suburb on the left of the Garonne.

Marshal Sir W. Beresford crossed the Ers, and formed his corps in three columns of lines in the village of Croix d'Orade, the 4th division leading, with which he immediately carried Mont Blanc.He then moved up the Ers in the same order, over more difficult ground, in a direction parallel to the enemy's fortified position; and as soon as he reached the point at which he turned it, he formed his lines and moved to the attack.During these operations Lieutenant General Don Manuel Freyre moved along the left of the Ers to the front of Croix d'Orade, where he formed his corps in two lines with a reserve on a height in front of the left of the enemy's position, on which height the Portuguese artillery was placed; and Major Gen. Ponsonby's brigade of cavalry in reserve in the rear.

As soon as formed, and that it was seen that Marshal Sir William Beresford was ready, Lieutenant General Don Manuel Freyre moved forward to the attack. The troops marched in good order under a heavy fire of musketry and artillery, and showed great spirit, the General and all his staff being at their head; and the two lines were soon lodged under some banks immediately under the enemy's entrenchments; the reserve and Portuguese artillery, and British cavalry, continuing on the heights

on which the troops had first formed. The enemy, however, repulsed the movement of the right of General Freyre's line round their left flank, and having followed up their success, and turned our right by both sides of the high road leading from Toulouse to Croix d'Orade, they soon compelled the whole corps to retire. It gave me great satisfaction to see, that although they suffered considerably in retiring, the troops rallied again as soon as the light division, which was immediately on their right, moved up; and I cannot sufficiently applaud the exertions of Lieut. Gen. Don Manuel Freyre, the Officers of the Staff of. the 4th Spanish army, and of the Officers of the General Staff, to rally and form them again.

Lieut. General Mendizabal, who was in the field as a volunteer, General Espellata, and several Officers of the Staff, and chiefs of corps, were wounded upon this occasion; but General Mendizabal continued in the field. The regiments De Tirad and De Cantabria, under the command of Colonel Sicilio, kept their position under the enemy's entrenchments, until I ordered them to retire.'

In the mean time Marshal Sir W. Beresford, with the 4th division, under the command of Lieut. General Sir L. Cole, and the 6th division, under the command of Lieutenant Gen. Sir H. Clinton, attacked and carried the heights on the enemy's right, and the redoubt which covered and protected that flank; and he lodged those troops on the same heights with the enemy, who were, however, still in possession of four redoubts and the entrenchments and fortified houses.

The badness of the roads had induced the Marshal to leave his artillery in the village of Mont Blanc; and some time elapsed before it could be brought to him, and before Lieutenant General Don Manuel Freyre's corps could be reformed and brought back to the attack; as soon as this was effected, the Marshal continued his movement along the ridge, and carried, with General Pack's brigade of the 6th division, the two principal redoubts and fortified houses in the centre. The enemy made a desperate effort from the canal to regain these redoubts, but they were repulsed with considerable loss; and the 6th division continuing its movement along the ridge of the height, and the Spanish troops continuing a corresponding movement upon the front, the enemy were driven from the two redoubts and entrenchments on the left, and the whole range of heights were in our possession. We did not gain this advantage, however, without severe loss, particularly in the brave 6th division. Lieut. Col. Coghlan, of the 61st, an officer of great merit and promise, was unfortunately killed in the attack of the heights. Major General Pack was wounded, but was enabled to remain in the field; and Colonel Douglas, of the 8th Portuguese regiment, lost his leg; and I am afraid I shall be deprived for a considerable time of his assistance.

The 36th, 42nd, 79th, and 61st regiments, lost considerable numbers, and were highly distinguished throughout the day.

I cannot sufficiently applaud the ability and conduct of Marshal Sir W. Beresford throughout the operatious of the day; nor that of

Lieut. Generals Sir L. Cole, and Sir H. Clinton; Major Generals Pack and Lambert, and the troops under their command. Marshal Sir W. Beresford particularly reports the good conduct of Brigadier General D'Urban, the Quarter Master General, and Gen. Brito Mozinho, the Adjutant General of the Portuguese army.

The 4th division, although exposed on their march along the enemy's front to a galling fire, were not so much engaged as the 6th division, and did not suffer so much; but they conducted themselves with their usual gallantry.

I had also every reason to be satisfied with the conduct of Lieut. General Don Manuel Freyre, Lieut. General Don Gabriel Mendizabal, Marescal de Campo Don Pedro de la Barcena, Brigadier Gen. Don J. De Espelata, Marescal de Campo Don A. Garces de Marcilla, and Chief of the Staff Don E. S. Salvador, and the Officers of the Staff of the 4th army. The officers and troops conducted themselves well in all the attacks which they made subsequent to their being re-formed.

The ground not having admitted of the operations of the cavalry, they had no opportunity of charging.

While the operations above detailed were going forward on the left of the army, Lieutenant Gen. Sir Rowland Hill drove the enemy from their exterior works in the suburbs, on the left of the Garonne, within the ancient wall. Lieut. General Sir Thomas Picton like wise, with the 3rd division, drove the enemy within the tête de pont on the bridge of the canal nearest to the Garonne; but the troops

having made an effort to carry it, they were repulsed, and some loss was sustained. Major General Brisbane was wounded, but I hope not so as to deprive me for any length of time of his assistance; and Lieutenant Colonel Forbes, of the 45th, an officer of great merit, was killed.

The army being thus established on three sides of Toulouse, I immediately detached our light cavalry to cut off the communication by the only road practicable for carriages which remained to the enemy, till I should be enabled to make arrangements to establish the troops between the canal and the Garonne.

The enemy, however, retired last night, leaving in our hands General D'Harispe, General Burrot, General St. Hilaire, and 1,600 prisoners. One piece of cannon was taken on the field of battle; and others, and large quantities of stores of all descriptions, in the

town.

Since I sent my last report, I have received an account from Rear Admiral Penrose, of the successes in the Gironde of the boats of the squadron under his command.

Lieut. General the Earl of Dalhousie crossed the Garonne, nearly about the time that Admiral Penrose entered the river, and pushed the enemy's parties under General L'Huillier, beyond the Dordogne, He then crossed the Dordogne on the 4th, near St. Andre de Cubzac, with a detachment of the troops under his command, with a view to the attack of the fort of Bloye. His Lordship found Gen. L'Huillier and Gen. Des Barreaux posted near Etauliers, and made his