carried on the night of the 8th, with the Gallegos, 20th Jan. 1812. MY LORD-I informed your Lordship in my dispatch of the 9th, that I had attacked Ciudad Rodrigo, and in that of the 15th, of the progress of the operations to that period; and I have now the pleasure to acquaint your Lordship, that we took the place by storm yeterday evening after dark. We continued from the 15th to the 19th to complete the second parallel, and the communications with that work; and we had made some progress by sap towards the crest of the glacis. On the night of the 15th we likewise advanced from the left of the first parallel down the slope of the hill, towards the convent of St Francisco, to a situation from which the walls of the Fausse Braye and of the town were seen, on which a battery of seven guns was constructed, and they commenced their fire on the morning of the 18th. In the mean time, the batteries in the first parallel continued their fire; and yesterday evening their fire had not only considerably injured the defences of the place, but had made breaches in the Fausse Braye wall, and in the body of the place, which were considered practicable; while the battery on the slope of the hill, which had been commenced on the night of the 15th, and had opened on the 18th, had been equally efficient still further to the left, and opposite the suburb of St Francisco. I therefore determined to storm the place, notwithstanding that the approaches had not been brought to the crest of the glacis, and the counterscarp of the ditch was still entire. The attack was accordingly made yesterday evening in five separate columns, consisting of the troops of the 3d and Tight divisions, and of BrigadierGeneral Pack's brigade. columns conducted by Lieutenant-Colonel The two right O'Toole, of the 2d cacadores, and Major Ridge, of the 5th regiment, were destined to protect the advance of Major-General McKinnon's brigade forming the third, to the top of the breach in the Fausse Braye wall, and all these, being composed of troops of the third division, were under the direction of Lieutenant-General Picton. The fourth column, consisting of the 95th regiment, being of the light division 43d and 52d regiments, and part of the under the direction of Major General Craufurd, attacked the breaches on the left, in front of the suburb of St Francisco, and covered the left of the attack of the principal breach by the troops of the 3d division; and Brigadier-General Park was destined with his brigade, forming the 5th column, to make a false attack upon the southern face of the fort. Besides these five columns, the 94th regiment, belonging to the 3d division, descended into the ditch in two columns on the right of Major-Gen. M⭑Kinnon's brigade, with a view to protect the descent of that body into the ditch, and its attack of the breach the Fausse Braye, against the obstacles which it was supposed the enemy would construct to oppose their progress. All these attacks succeeded; and Brigadier-General Pack even surpassed my expectations, having converted his false attack into a real one, and his advanced guard, under the command of Major Lynch, having followed the enemy's troops from the advanced works into the Fausse Braye, where they made prisoners of all opposed to them. Major Ridge, of the 2d battalion of the 5th regiment, having escaladed the Fausse Braye wall, stormed the principal breach in the body of the place, together with the 94th regiment, commanded by LieutenantColonel Campbell, which had moved along the ditch at the same time, and had stormed the breach in the Fausse Braye, both in front of Major-General M'Kinnon's brigade. Thus these regiments not only effectually covered the advance from the trenches of Major-General M‘Kinnon's brigade, by their first movements and operations, but they preceded them in the attack. Major-General Craufurd and Major-Gelight division on the left, were likewise neral Vandeleur, and the troops of the very forward on that side; and in less than half an hour from the time the attack of, and formed on the ramparts of the commenced, our troops were in possession place, each body contiguous to the other. The enemy then submitted, having sustained a considerable loss in the contest. Our loss was also, I am concerned to add, severe, particularly in officers of high rank rank and estimation in this army. Major-General M⚫Kinnon was unfortunately blown up by the accidental explosion of one of the enemy's expence magazines, close to the breach, after he had gallantly and successfully led the troops under his command to the attack. Major-General Craufurd likewise received a severe wound while he was leading on the light division to the storm, and I am apprehensive that I shall be deprived for some time of his assistance. Major-General Vandeleur was likewise wounded in the same manner, but not so severely, and he was able to continue in the field. I have to add to this list, Lieutenant-Colonel Colborne of the 52d regiment, and Major George Napier, who led the storming party of the light division, and was wounded on the top of the breach. I have great pleasure in reporting to your Lordship, the uniform good conduct, spirit of enterprise, and patience and perseverance in the performance of great labour, by which the general officers, officers, and troops of the 1st, 3d, 4th, and light divisions, and Brigadier-General Pack's brigade, by whom the siege was carried on, have been distinguished during the late operations. Lieutenant-General Graham assisted me in superintending the conduct of the details of the siege, besides performing the duties of the general officer commanding the first division; and I am much indebted to the suggestions and assistance I received from him for the success of this enterprise. The conduct of all parts of the 3d division, in the operations which they performed with so much gallantry and exactness en the evening of the 19th, in the dark, aford the strongest proof of the abilities af Lieutenant-General Picton and MajorGeneral M Kinnon, by whom they were directed and led; but I beg particularly to draw your Lordship's attention to the conduct of Lieutenant-Colonel O'Toole of the 2d cacadores, of Major Ridge of the 20 battalion 5th foot, of Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell of the 94th regiment, of Major Manners of the 74th, and of Major Grey of the 2d battalion 5th foot, who has been twice wounded during this siege. It is but justice also to the 3d division to report that the men who performed the sap belonged to the 45th, 74th, and 88th regiments, under the command of Captain M'Leod, of the royal engineers, and Captain Thomson of the 74th; Lieutenant Beresford of the 88th and Lieutenant Met calf of the 45th; and they distinguished themselves not less in the storm of the place, than they had in the performance of their laborious duty during the siege. I have already reported in my letter of the 9th instant, my sense of the conduct of Major-General Craufurd, and of Lieutenant-Colonel Colborne, and of the troops of the light division in the storm of the redoubt of St Francisco, on the evening of the 8th instant. The conduct of these troops was equally distinguished throughout the siege and in the storm; nothing could exceed the gallantry with which these brave officers and troops advanced, and accomplished the difficult operation allotted to them, notwithstanding that all their leaders had fallen. I particularly request your Lordship's attention to the conduct of Major-General Craufurd, Major-General Vandeleur, Lieutenant-Colonel Barnard of the 95th, Lieutenant Colonel Colborne, Major Gibbs, and Major Napier of the 52d, and Licutenant Colonel M'Leod of the 43d. The conduct of Captain Duffey of the 43d, and that of Lieutenant Gurwood of the 52d regiment, who was wounded, have likewise been particularly reported to me; Lieutenant-Colonel Elder and the 3d cacadores were likewise distinguished upon this occasion. The 1st Portuguese regiment, under Lieut. Colonel Hill, and the 16th, under Colonel Campbell, being Brigadier-General Pack's brigade, were likewise distinguished in the storm, under the command of the Brigadier General, who particularly mentions Major Lynch. In my dispatch of the 15th, I reported to your Lordship the attack of the Convent of Santa Cruz, by the troops of the 1st division, under the direction of Lieutenant-General Graham; and that of the Convent of Saint Francisco, on the 14th inst. under the direction of Major-General the Hon. C. Colville. The first mentioned enterprize was performed by Captain Laroche de Stackenfels, of the 1st line battalion King's German Legion; the last by Lieutenant-Colonel Harcourt, with the 40th regiment. This regiment remained from that time in the suburb of Saint Fran cisco, and materially assisted our attack on that side of the place. Although it did not fall to the lot of the troops of the 1st and 4th divisions to bring these operations to their successful close, they distinguished themselves throughout their progress, by the patience and perseverance with which they performed the labours of the siege. The brigade brigade of guards under Major-General H. Campbell, was particularly distinguished in this respect. I likewise request your Lordship's at tention to the conduct of Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher, the chief engineer, and of Brigade-Major Jones, and the officers and men of the royal engineers. The ability with which these operations were carried on exceeds all praise; and I beg leave to recommend those officers to your Lordship most particularly. Major Dickson, of the royal artillery attached to the Portuguese artillery, has for some time had the direction of the heavy train attached to this army, and has conducted the intricate details of the late operation, as he did those of the late sieges of Badajoz, much to my satisfaction. The rapid execution produced by the well directed fire kept up from our batteries, af fords the best proof of the merits of the officers and men of the royal artillery, and of the Portuguese artillery employed on the occasion. But I must particularly mention Brigade Major May, and Captains Holcombe, Power, Dyneley, and Dundas, of the royal artillery, and Captains Da Cunha and Da Corta, and Lieutenant Silva, of the 1st regiment of Portuguese artillery. I have likewise particularly to report to your Lordship, the conduct of Major Sturgeon, of the royal staff corps. He constructed and placed for us the bridge over the Agueda, without which the enterprise could not have been attempted, and he afterwards materially assisted Lieut.-General Graham and myself, in our reconnoissance of the place, on which the plan of the attack was founded; and he finally conducted the 2d battalion 5th regiment, as well as the 2d cacadores, to their points of at taek. The Adjutant-General, and the Deputy Quarter-Master-General, and the officers of their several departments, gave me every assistance throughout this service, as well as those of my personal staff; and I have great pleasure in adding, that, notwithstanding the season of the year, and the increased difficulties of procuring supplics for the troops, the whole army have been well supplied, and every branch of the service provided for during the late operations, by the indefatigable exertions of Mr Commissary-General Bisset, and the officers belonging to his department. The Marshal del Campo, Don Carlos d'Espana, and Don Julian Sanchez, observed the enemy's movements beyond the Tormes, during the operations of the siege; and I am much obliged to them, and to the people of Castile in general, for the assistance I received from them. The latter have invariably shewn their detestation of the French tyranny, and their desire to contri bute, by every means in their power, to remove it. I will hereafter transmit to your Lordship a detailed account of what we have found in the place; but I believe there are 153 pieces of ordnance, including the heavy train belonging to the French army, and great quantities of ammunition and stores, We have the Governor, General Banier, about 78 officers, and 1700 men, prisoners. I transmit this dispatch by my Aid-deCamp, the Honourable Major Gordon, who will give your Lordship any further details you may require; and I beg leave to recommend him to your protection. I have the honour to be, &c. number of 20,000 men, became prisoners of war. The following is an extract from the report of the Marshal Suchet, announcing that important event :— "On the 5th, I commenced the bombardment, and on the 6th, offered a capitulation, which being refused, I redoubled our fire, and in three days and three nights 2700 bombs were thrown into the city, causing explosions and several vast fires. The artillery, by a praiseworthy emulation, succeeded in erecting two batteries, mounted with ten 24-pounders each, ready to make a breach in the interior defences.The engineers, with their usual activity, had effected a lodgement in the last houses of the suburbs, and placed mines under two of the principal gates of the town, when General Blake, fearing the terrible and near approaches of an assault, capitated; which places in the power of the Emperor, the city of Valencia, 374 pieces of artillery, 180,000 lbs. of powder 3,000,000 of cartridges, 16,131 prisoners of the line, according to the accompanying statement delivered by the General in Chief of the Spanish Staff, and 190 sick in the hospitals of Valencia and Valdegoras, 1800 cavalry and artillery horses, 21 stands of colours, 893 Officers, 22 Generals or Brigadiers, among which are Zayas and Lardizabel, commanding the expeditionary division; Miranda, Marco del Ponte, Commander of the Valencia army; Sea Commander of the cavalry; the Marquis of Rocca, &e. ke.; four Lieutenant-Generals, six Field Marshals, and a great number of Colonels; the General in Chief O'Donnel, and Cap tain General Blake. "On this occasion the insurgents have experienced an irreparable loss; they lost 50 good artillery officers, formed in the school of Segovia; 383 miners and sappers; and 1400 old artillerymen, among which are four fine companies of horse artillery." In consideration of the above, and other important services, the French Emperor has created Count Suchet Duke of Albufera, The French force which had been for some months before Tariffa, having made what they deemed a practicable breach in the walls, advanced to the assault on the 31st January; but met with such a warm and gallant reception from the garrison under Colonel Skerrit, that they retired, after being exposed, for half an hour, to a most destructive fire, leaving behind them about 300 men killed and wounded. Hav falled in this attempt to take the place, and being harrassed for want of supplies. they soon after raised the siege, abandoning all their intrenchments and cannon. Information has been received from Cadiz, that the Cortes have appointed a new Regency which is to consist of the following members :— For Spain. The Duc del Infantado, General H. O'Donnel, Admiral Villavi cenzio. -Rivas, For the ColoniesMonsquera. Don Vicente de Durango, Secretary of the Embassy, will perform the duties of Ambassador to the British Court till the appointment of a successor to the Duc del Infantado.-The new arrangement having been made under the recommendation of Mr Wellesley, there is reason to conclude that it will remove all grounds of difference between the allied govern ments. UNITED STATES. From the proceedings of Congress, reported in the American papers, it appears that a bill for allowing the arming of mei❤ chant vessel has been rejected; and another for raising an additional force of 25,000 men, which had passed the House of Representatives, with several amendments, had been receded from in the other House; and it is intimated in some of the American papers, that the bill would probably be thrown out by a disagreement between the two Houses. In the mean time, a bill has been brought in for permitting the importation of all British goods, purchased or contracted for in Great Britain or her colonies, previous to the 2d February 1811. The effect of this bill, if passed into a law, must be felt as a great relief to the oppressed trade of the two countries; as there is no doubt that great quantities of British goods would be poured into the American market under colour of this law. SOUTH AMERICA. By accounts from the river Plate, dated the 5th November, we learn that a treaty has been concluded between the governments of Buenos Ayres and Monte Video, which acknowledges the authority of Ferdinand VII., and the mother country, and which places the commercial intercourse between the two territories on the same footing as before the disturbances took place, NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. The losses by shipwreck, in men and vessels, within the last three months, it is calculated, exceed the aggregate loss sustained by our navy, in all the battles fought, and victories won, during the last twenty years. To the melancholy catalogue already on record, we have to add his Majesty's frigates Laurel and Manilla. The Laurel was lost, on the 31st January, through the ignorance of the pilots, on a sunken rock, in Quiberon Bay. The crew were saved; but 70 seamen, besides two Lieutenants and the Surgeon, purchased their lives at the expence of their liberty, having been made prisoners by the enemy; who, to their everlasting reproach, continued, for some time, regardless of her defenceless state, to fire upon the Laurel ; and, when the boats with the 70 men made the shore, the commander of a fort on the coast would not permit them to re turn to the rescue of their companions. But, to them, fortunately, was reserved a better fate; for, the Rota frigate being in company, her commander, gallantly risking his own safety and that of his sailors, anchored his vessel among the rocks, and, after great exertion, succeeded in bringing off the remaining part of the Laurel's crew. The Manilla was driven on the Haack sands, during a violent storm, on the 28th January; and it appears that the Dutch sailors and pilots displayed the greatest humanity and courage in behalf of the crew, and, after two days indefatigable exertion, succeeded in bringing them safe on shore, with the exception of six men, who were unfortunately drowned, and another who, after he had been got from the wreck, died through excessive cold and fatigue. LIST OF ENEMY'S VESSELS CAPTURED OR Nov. 1.-His Majesty's ships Thames and Imperieuse, having on board a detachment of 250 soldiers, made an attack on an enemy's convoy, in a port near Naples; and, though protected by a battery of 10 guns and 800 men, a detachment of 450 men, including marines and seamen, stormed the battery, drove out the enemy with great loss, spiked the guns, and, after a severe contest, took possession of 40 sail of vessels, valuably laden, which they brought away in triumph. Nov. 5.-L'Invincible French privateer, of two guns and 33 men, off Malaga, by the Sparrowhawk sloop of war, Nov. 15. The Edward French privateer of 14 guns and 123 men, off Cape Mola, by the Apollo frigate. Jan. 17.-The Confiance French privateer, of 14 guns and 68 men, by the Dasher sloop of war. DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE. POPULATION.-The following is a summary of the comparative statement of the population of Great Britain in the years 1801 and 1811, ordered by the House of Commons to be printed, Jan. 17. 1812 : 66 On the 27th January, the trial of Thomas Kirwan, one of the Catholic Delegates, came on in the Court of King's Bench, Dublin. The trial lasted four days, at the end of which, the Jury returned a verdict of Guilty ;" and, on a subsequent day, Mr Kirwan was sentenced to pay a fine of one merk, and then be discharged. The Attorney General gave notice, that, as the question of law had thus been settled, it was his intention to forego all further proceedings in regard to the other Delegates under prosecution. SCOTTISH |