London Gazette.

to march. As I had ordered a boat to Salon, with twenty barrels of powder for the army, and as I was anxious to render what assistance might be in my power, I made an attempt to regain my ship, accompanied by an orderly dragoon, but, after proceeding about three miles, we were chased back by a party of French cavalry, which we met with at the crossing of the road.

Upon my return I found the troops advancing on the road to Tarragona, in order to cut the enemy's line of march, the Barou d'Eroles putting himself at the head of about seventy cuirassiers, to reconnoitre their strength and position, while General Lacy directed the movements of the respective corps, in readiness for the intcaded attack. We had scarcely reached the road from Cambrillas to Tarragona, when the Baron brought in prisoners two French cuirassiers, who stated that their General (Lafond) had reached the latter place in safety, accompanied by some dragoons, leaving the infantry, amounting to about eight hundred, just by in Villa Suca. General Lary ordered the regiment of Buca to attack them immediately, and directed other corps to surround the town, and prevent their escape. The enemy being advantageously posted behind the walls of the village, and that single regiment being much inferior to them in numbers, after a considerable loss in killed and wounded, including among the latter, and very severely, their gallaut Colonel, Reding, they were obliged to retire; but the regiment intended for their support coming up, forced the French, who had advanced in a compact body, to retire in their turu, and being attacked in their rear by the Baron, they could never effectually rally, notwithstanding the effort they made, accompanied by a general cheer; despair was now visible in their conduct, and one or two discharges from a field-piece, which just then reached the ground, occasioned the surrender of all who remained alive, amounting to above six hundred.—I judge the number of the enemy, dead and dying, which I saw in the field, to amount to two hundred, that of the Spanish hearing no proportion whatever. It seems, that having information from some spy of our landing, at the time one of the party of the dragoons chased me, another proceeded to Salon, where they made prisoners of Captains Pringle and Flin, who were walking near the beach, and of Lieutenant Cattle, belonging to this ship, who was waiting on shore with the powder, the boats and boats' crews having effected their escape. These officers, who were guarded close in the rear of the French during the whole of the battle, after having been plundered of even part of their clothes," bear witness to their extreme pusillauimity on the approach of disaster, and to their severe loss, both in the field and in the houses in which they sought refuge, owing to the superior dexterity of the Spanish fire. I have given you this little affair in detail, because it evinces considerable improvement in the discipline and or. ganization of the Catalan army; and I can vouch for the cheerfulness with which they proceeded to the attack, under the belief of the enemy's force being mucle nearer their equivalent numbers. The arrangements made by General Lacy uppeared to me well calculated to keep up the mutual support requisite on such an occasion; and the whole conduct of the Baron d'Eroles particulary ani nating and exemplary; nor shall I readily forget the delight he expressed upon liberating my brother officers from the grasp of our mutual enemy.

Notwithstanding the fatigue of our troops, the General still expressed his intention of attacking Tarragona on that night, and we were therefore escorted to our ships about five o'clock, and weighed immediately. I stationed the Sparrowhawk off the Mole to keep up the communication with the army on that side, and the Merope to the eastward, for the same purpose, whilst the Biake was to occupy the attention of the enemy opposite the Melagro. We had scarcely reached the town, and opened our fire, when the wind increased to a gale at N. W. and prevented all communication by boats with the shore. We persevered, however, under a press of sail, standing off and on, so as to keep up the bombardment' until day-light; but the assault was not made, nor could we see any of the Spanish troops in the neighbourhood in the morning. Anxious to afford every encouragement in an enterprize which, besides being of material service to the general cunse, would, if successful, have produced me, individually, such particular satisfaction, we continued to work up under as much sail as we could carry the next day, in order to communicate, if possible, with the army, until at length, by the main-sail blowing entirely out of the bolt-rope, other sails splitting, and the barge sinking, before we could get the carronade and ammunition out of her, I was driven to the necessity of anchoring for shelter just without range of shot to the eastward of the town. I am still uninformed of the particular cause which prevented the attack being made, either on the 19th or the following night, having had no direct communication with any of the chiefs, but by short requests for assistance, circuitously conveyed, in consequence of the arrival of various divisions of the enemy in those parts, amount ing to 7000 men.

London Gazette.

A few lines from General Lacy, which I received on the 23d, induced me to push for Mataro, which I had nearly reached on the 24th, when a very severe gale from the N.E. necessarily reduced me to storin stay-sails; and whilst persevering off Barcelona, in an endeavour to hold our own, by keeping the ship's head to the eastward, she was struck by a sea, which has started all the timbers and rail of the head, ledges and earlings, bent the iron rail close into the bowsprit, drew the shock in the stern which receives the bolt for the bumpkin shroud, carried away the roundhouse and head-door, and filled the main-deck with water, so that the officers were up to their knees in the ward-room, although both our spars and ropes stood this severe trial without injury. I bore up for shelter at Villa Nueva, where we were about to anchor at four P. M. on the 25th, in company with the Sparrowhawk and Merope, which I had left to assist the Baron d'Eroles, when the latter, which had just weighed, made the signal for the enemy upon the road to the westward, and shortly afterwards opened her fire on them. The gale being over, and the wind light, we made all sail, and soon commenced firing also. We observed three waggons disabled and abandoned, and considerable discomfiture amongst the troops, notwithstanding the difficulty we were under from a heavy swell, which setting directly on shore. Arriving opposite Vendrell, we perceived another party coming from the westward, with cavalry, artillery, &c. amounting to some thousand men, which directed their course in-land upon our approach. We were, however, enabled, by giving the guns the greatest elevation, to discharge two or three broad sides before dark, which, I trust, did them material damage. Since this they have never appeared upon any part of that coast; and I know nothing more of the movements of either army than from the reports of desperate battles having taken place, the result of which is so variously stated, that it is impossible to venture an opinion witheut more authentic intelligence.-I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed) E. CODRINGTON, Blake, off Mataro, Feb. 2, 1812.

SIR, Passing Barcelona on the night of the 26th, Captain Guion brought me communications from Captain Tower, respecting the services of the Curaçoa, Rainbow, and Papillion, in barrassing a division of the enemy which was marching along the coast from the eastward, and in finally obliging them to retire, and proceed towards Barcelona by a more circuitous route. And I beg to assure you, that their unremitting exertions on all occasions, in aiding our ally on the one part, and checking the progress of the enemy on the other, fully entitle them to your approbation.

On the 29th, whilst watering at Arens, I received information that the whole French force, which had lately traversed this principality, amounting to 7,000 meu, 4,000 of which were collected from the Ampurdam, and the other 3,000 from the garrison of Barcelona), were about to make a inovement along the coast, I therefore directed Captain Tower, instead of immediately returning to the Medas, which he had lately supplied with provisions and water, and which could not well be in any other danger whilst the whole of the army was in this quarter, to proceed with the Merope to Mataro, and concert with the Governor, Colonel O'Ryan, the most advisable means for its defence. Ou the morning of the 30th, the Curaçoa, making the signal that the enemy were advancing, the Rainbow opened her fire upon them near the Vilasar, as did the Curaçoa and the Merope upon their approach to Mataro. I weighed im mediately and worked up to that place, accompanied by the Papillion, which just then joined me, having been driven, in company with the Triton transport, off the coast in the late gale.

The French appearing determined to occupy the town, and the inhabitants having had notice of their approach on the preceding evening, and consequently sufficient time to remove their most valuable effects, I felt myself called upon to comply with the desire of the Captain-General, repcated by Colonel O'Ryan, and opened the fire of the squadron upon such parts of the town as appeared to be most occupied by the enemy, and which was suffering by indiscriminate plunder. The tops of the mountains were covered as usual by the irregular Spanish forces acting in Guer rilla; and I was in hopes that our united efforts had inclined the enemy to quit the place. They returned, however, at night, and have continued to occupy the town partially ever since, as I judge by their movements, giving each part of the army an opportunity to plunder in its turn. It being impossible to continue the great expence of ammunition, by persevering according to the tenor of Colonel O'Ryan's jetter, our fire has only been repeated at intervals, so as to keep the enemy in constant trouble and alarm.

We have reports from Arens of their having lost 600 men: and the evident effects of our shot upon the houses in the parts to which they have been directed, induces me to give credit to that assertion.

London Gazette.

I sent the Caracoa and Papillon to Arens, iu consequence of a report that another French division was about to enter that town, intending the former should return to the Medas the moment her services could be dispensed with, and I have sent Captain Tower 11,500 cartridges, to supply the demands lately made on me by the patriots, and have directed him to furnish them with such proportion of biscuit as they have required, to enable them to maintain the position they occupy upon the mountains at the back of this town. Yesterday evening the Curaçoa telegraphed—“ the enemy entering Catilla, St. Paul, and Canet;" but want of wind has prevented that ship and the Papillon hitherto from attacking them, except by their boats.

This narrative, added to my preceding letter, will afford you the best means I can procure, to enable you to judge of the critical state of affairs in this principality.

It appears to me, however, that the Spanish army has increased its exertions in proportion to the difficulties it has had to contend against; and I therefore supplicate that you will be pleased to send me all the means you can spare for clearing the coast of the enemy, and furnishing it with such supplies as may be necessary for keeping up the energy and resolution by which it is at present characterised. General Sarsfield, I am told, was actually taken prisoner, a few days ago, but was rescued by a Swiss grenadier of the regiment of Bosa, who killed the Frenchman that had got possession of him, and recovered even the sash, which he had just stripped from him; aud amongst the losses which they have suffered in the late battles, I am sorry to find the names of some of those rising young men, most distinguished for their gallantry; besides Colonel Reding severely wounded on the 19th, Colonels VilJamil and De Creuft, also of the division of Eroles, were wounded in the hard fought battle of the 24th, in which the French are said to have left 600 dead on the held; and Colonel Jalon, who has so often distinguished himself with the cuirassiers, and was left at Mataro to recover from an accidental wound he received as Belpuig, was killed at the head of a Guerrilla party on the 31st.

I have now to inform you that the enemy broke up from Mataro this morning before day-light, and seeing this ship weigh for the purpose of watching their movements, they took a line through the vine-yards, out of gun-shot, which made their march so very tedious and fatiguing, that they did not reach Arens de Mar until three o'clock, after being somewhat harrassed upon their approach to that place by the Spanish irregular troops upon the mountains. Seeing them halt upon the hills, I anchored here, and jointly with the Curaçoa, Papillon, and boats, threw a few shot over this town to deter them from entering it. But as we observed a few of them approach the place just before dark, I have ordered the boats to scour the street which runs down to the sea, to check their plundering the houses, during the night, as much as possibe.-I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed)

E. CODRINGTON.

DOWNING STREET, APRIL 2, 1812.

Dispatches, of which the following are Extracts, have been received from the Earl of Wellington, addressed to the Earl of Liverpool.

Elvas, March 13, 1812.

I moved the head-quarters from Frenada on the 6th, and arrived here on the 11th instant.

There are none of the enemy's troops in the field in Estramadura, excepting that part of the 5th corps not in the garrison of Badajoz, the head-quarters of which are at Villa Franca, and a detachment, consisting of about a division, under General Darican, whose head-quarters are at La Serena.

The enemy have made no movement, and I have heard of no operation of importance since I addressed your Lordship last. According to the last accounts, Marshal Soult was in the lines before Cadiz.

Camp before Badajoz, March 20, 1812.

According to the intention which I announced to your Lordship, I broke up the cantouments of the army on the 15th and 16th instant, and invested Badajoz, on the left of the river Guadiana, on the 16th, with the 34, 4th, and light divisions of infantry, and with a brigade of Lieutenant-General Hamilton's division on the right. These troops are under the command of Marshal Sir William Beresford and Lieutenant-General Picton. We broke ground on the following day, and have establisbed a parallel within two hundred yards of the outwork called the Picurina, which embraces the whole of the south-east angle of the fort. The work has continued ever since with great celerity, notwithstanding the very bad weather we have had since the 17th.

London Gazette.-Dispatches from Lord Wellington.

The enemy made a sortie yesterday from the gate called La Trinadad, on the right of our attack, with about two thousand men. They were almost immediately driven in without effecting any object, with considerable loss, by Major-General Bowes, who commanded the guard in the trenches. We lost upon this occasion a very promising officer, Captain Cuthbert, Aid-de-Camp to Lieutenant-General Picton, killed; and Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher was slightly wounded, but I hope that he will soon be able to resun his duties. I have not yet got the returns, but I believe that our loss, since the commencement of these operations, amounts to one hundred and twenty men in killed and wounded.

On the same day that Badajoz was invested, Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Graham crossed the Guadiana with the 1st, 6th, and 7th, divisions of infantry, and General Slade's and General Le Marchant's brigades of cavalry, and directed his march upon Valverde and Santa Martha, and thence towards Llerena; while Lieutenant General Sir Rowland Hill, with the 2d and Lieutenant-General Hamil. ton's divisions, and Major-General Long's cavalry, marched from his cantonments near Albuquerque upon Merida, and thence upon Almendralejo. These movement. induced General Drouet to retire from Villa Franca upon Hornamos, in order, I conclude, to be in communication with General Darican's division, which was about La Serena.

I have heard from Sir Thomas Graham and Sir Rowland Hill to the 19th inst. The former was at Los Santos and Zafra, with General Slade's cavalry at Villa Franca; and the latter at Almendralejo. Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill took three officers and a few hussars prisoners at Merida.

I have reports from the neighbourhood of Ciudad Rodrigo of the 17th instant. The enemy had sent a small detachment to Bejar, principally with a view to plunder; but there was no appearance of any immediate movement, The 6th division had moved from Talavera, through the Puerto del Pico, on the 8th and 9th instant; and the fourth division, on the same days, from Toledo through the Guadarrama; and the first division ouly remained on the Tagus, near Talavera.

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE.

DOWNING STREET, APRIL 14, 1812.

A Dispatch, of which the following is an Extract, has been this day received at the Earl of Liverpool's Office, addressed to his Lordship by General the Earl of Wellington, dated Camp before Badajoz, March 27, 1812.

The operations of the siege of Badajoz have continued since I addressed you on the 20th, notwithstanding the badness of the weather, till the 25th instant. On that day we opened our fire from 28 pieces of ordnance in six batteries, in the first parallel; two of which were intended to fire upon the out-work called La Picurina, and the other four to enfilade or destroy the defences of the fort on the side attacked. I directed Major-General Kempt, who commanded in the trenches on that afternoon, to attack La Picurina by storm, after it was dark that night, which service be effected in the most judicious and gallant manner.

The attack was made by 500 men of the ad division, formed into three detachments; the right under the command of Major Shaw, of the 74th; the centre under the Hon. Captain Powys, of the 83d; and the left under Major Rudd, of the 77th regiment. The communication between the out-work and the body of the place was entered on its right and left by the right and left detachments, each consisting of 200 men; half of each of which detachments protected the attack from sallies from the fort, while others attacked the work in its gorge.

It was first entered, however, by the centre detachment of 100 men, under the command of the Hon. Captain Powys, of the 83d regiment, who escaladed the work at the salient augle, at a point at which the pallisades had been injured by our fire. The detachment which attacked the work by the gorge had the most serious diffi. culties to contend with, as it was closed by not less than three rows of strong pallisades, defended by musketry, and a place of arms for the garrison, musket-proof, and loop-holed throughout. When the attack upon the salient angle, however, succeeded, the whole got into the work.

The enemy's garrison in the out-work consisted of 250 men, with seven pieces of artillery, under the command of Colonel Gaspard Thiery, of the Etat-Major of the Army of the South; but very few, if any, escaped. The Colonel, three other offcers, and 86 men, have been taken prisoners, and the remainder were either killed by the fire of our troops, or drowned in the inundation of the river Rivellas. The enemy made a sortie from the ravelin called St. Roque, either with a view to recover

London Gazette.-Dispatches from Lord Wellington.

La Picurina, or to protect the retreat of the garrison, but they were immediately driven in by the detachment stationed in the communication to protect the attack. Major-General Kempt mentions in high terms, in his report, the cool and persevering gallantry of the officers and troops; of which indeed the strength of the work, which they carried, affords the best proof. He particularly mentions Lieutenant-Colonel Hardinge, of the staff of the Portuguese army, who attended him on this occasion, Captain Benuett, his Aid-de-Camp, and Brigade-Major Wilde, who was unfortunately killed by a cannon-shot after the work was in our possession; likewise Captain Holloway, Lieutenants Gipps and Stanway, of the Royal Engineers, who conducted the several detachments to the points of attack, and Majors Shaw and Rudd, and the Hon. Captain Powys, who commanded the several detachments. These three officers were wounded, the latter on the parapet of the work, which he had been the first to mount by ladders.

I have to add to this account the bigh sense I entertain of the judicious manner and gallantry with which Major-General Kempt carried into execution the service Which I had entrusted to him.

We thus established ourselves in La Picurina on the night of the 25th, and opened the second parallel within 300 yards of the body of the place in which two batteries were commenced last night.

It is impossible that I can do justice to the zeal, activity, and indefatigable labour of the officers and soldiers with which these operations have been carried on in the most unfavourable weather.

The Guadiana swelled so considerably, that, notwithstanding all precautions, our bridge of pontoons was carried away on the 22d instaut, and the flying bridges were so much injured, as almost to become useless; but still the operations have been carried on without interruption.

Since I addressed your Lordship on the 20th, General Drouet has had his troops on the line between Medellin on the Guadiana, and Zalamea de la Serena, and Llerena, apparently with the view of keeping the communication open between the Army of the South, and the divisions of the Army of Portugal, stationed on the Tagus.

Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Graham made a movement to Llerena on the 25th at night; but the enemy, consisting of three battalions of infantry and two regiments of cavalry, having heard of his march, retired into the mountains during the night.

Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill has likewise sent a detachment to La Guarena, and proposed to march himself this morning upon Medellin, in order to cooperate with Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Graham I enclose the return of the killed, wounded, and missing, from the 18th instant.

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, from the 18th to the 22d of March, 1812, inclusive.

Head Quarters, Camp before Badajoz, March 23, 1812. Royal Engineers-] Lieutenant-Colonel, 1 Lieutenant, 1 rank and file wounded. General Staff-1 General Staff wounded.

14th Light Dragoons-2 rank and file wounded.

5th Foot, 2d Batt-6 rank and file killed, 17 rank and file wounded.

7th Foot, 1st Batt.-2 rank and file killed, 6 rank and file wounded.

23d Foot, 1st Batt.—2 rank and file killed; 1 Major, 17 rank and file wounded. 27th Foot, 3d Batt.—1 serjeant, 5 rank and file killed; 1 serjeant, 34 rank and file wounded.

40th Foot, 1st Batt -3 rank and file killed, 24 rank and file wounded, 1 rank and file missing.

43d Foot, 1st Batt.-1 serjeant, 1 rank and file killed; 1 Captain, 10 rank and file wounded.

45th Foot, 1st Batt-2 rank and file killed, 19 rank and file wounded.

52d Foot, 1st Batt.-1 rank and file killed; 1 Ensign, I serjeant, 4 rank and file wounded.

60th Foot, 5th Batt.-3 rank and file killed, 3 rank and file wounded.

74th Foot-1 rank and file killed; 1 Lieutenaut, serjeant, 26 rank and file wounded

77th Foot-1 rank and file killed, 5 rank and file wounded.

83d Foot, 2d Batt.-] rank and file killed; 2 serjeants, 1 drummer, 21 rank and file wounded; 2 rank and file missing.

68th Foot, 1st Batt-5 rank and file killed; 2 Lieutenants, 24 rauk and file wounded; 1 rank and file missing.

94th Foot-1 rank and file killed; 1 serjeant, 8 rank and file wounded.