means of intelligence, and led to the loss of a detachment of the 21st regiment, which had been sent, at the solicitation of the inhabitants of the town of Palmi, for their protection. General Murat directed a flag of truce to me after our arrival here, to offer to treat for the exchange of the officers, non-commission. ed officers, and eighty men of this party, who were stated to be prisoners, and on their march to Naples.-I had scarcely agreed to the measure, when, in a seeming fit of humour, occasioned by a dissatisfaction at the terms of capitula. tion of this island, he sent another flag again to me, withdrawing the former offer, and declining any further correspondence or communication with me whatever.

1 have the honour to be, &c.
J. STUART, Lieut.-General.

Return of casualties in the division of the army under the orders of Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, 27th regiment, during the siege of Scylla Castle, and at Palmi, from the 13th to the 28th of June 1809.

Royal Artillery-1 mule killed, 2 rank and file wounded, 4 horses and 11 mules missing.

10th Foot-2 rank and file missing. 21st Foot-1 Captain, 1 rank and file, killed; 7 rank and file wounded; 2 Captains, 2 subalterns, 4 serjeants, 2 drummers, 76 rank and file, prisoners; 7 rank and file missing.

Chasseurs Britanniques-13 rank and file missing.

Dillon's Regiment-2 rank and file missing.

Total Captain, I rank and file, 1 mule, killed; 9 rank and file wounded; 2 Captains, 2 subalterns, 4 serjeants, 2 drummers, 76 rank and file, prisoners; 24 rank and file, 4 horses, 11 mules, missing.

Names of the Officers killed and taken Pri

soners.

21st Foot-Captain Hunter killed, Captains Mackay and Conran, Lieuts. M'Nab and Mackay, taken prisoners. J. CAMPBELL Maj. Gen.

SPAIN. Important intelligence has been received from the British army in Spain. On the ad 28th of July, two very severe batfought, in which the French

MY LORD,

Placentia, July 15. 1809°

After I had written to your Lordship on the 1st. inst. Joseph Bonaparte crossed the Tagus again, and joined Sebastiani with the troops he had brought from Madrid, and with a detachment from Marshal Victor's corps, making the corps of Sebastiani about twenty-eight thousand men, with an intention of attacking Venegas's corps. Venegas, however, retired into the mountains of the Sierra Morena, and Col. Larry, with his advanced guard, attacked a French advanced corps in the night, and destroyed many of them.

The French troops then returned again to the Tagus, which river Joseph had cros sed with the reinforcement which he had taken to Sebastiani's corps; and this last corps, consisting of ten thousand men only was on the left bank of the Tagus, about Madnelejos, in front of Venegas, who was again advancing. The last accounts from this quarter were of the 8th The French army under Victor, joined by the detachments brought by Joseph from Sebastiani's corps, and amounting in the whole to about thirty-five thousand men, are concentrated in the neighbourhood of Talavera, and on the Alberche; General Cuesta's army has been in the position which I had informed your Lordship that it had taken up since I addressed you on the 1st inst.

The advanced guard of the British army arrived here on the 8th, and the troops which were with me on the Tagus arrived by the 10th; the 23d light dragoons and the 48th arrived yesterday; the 61st regiment will arirve to-morrow.

I went to General Cuesta's quarters a Almarez, on the 10th, and stayed there till the 13th, and I have arranged with that General, a plan of operations upon the French army, which we are to begin to carry into execution on the 18th, if the French should remain so long in their po

sition.

The Spanish army, under General Cuesta, consists of about 38,000 men (exclusive of Venegas's corps), of which 7000 are cavalry. About 14,000 men are detached to the bridge of Arzobispo, and the remainder are in the camp under the Puerte de Mirabete.

I have the pleasure to inform your
Lord-

Lordship, that the seven battalions of infantry from Ireland and the islands, and the troops of horse artillery from Great Britain, arrived at Lisbon in the beginning of the month. General Crauford's Brigade is on its march to join the army, but will not arrive till the 24th or 25th.

I have the honour to be, &c.

ARTHUR WELLESLEY.

Talavera de la Reyna, July 24. 1809.

MY LORD,

According to the arrangement which I had settled with General Cuesta, the army broke up from Placentia on the 17th and 18th inst. and reached Oropesa on the 20th, when it formed a junction with the Spanish army under his command.

Sir Robert Wilson had marched from the Venta de Bazagon, on the Tietar, with the Lusitanian legion, a battalion of Portuguese chasseurs, and two Spanish battalions, on the 15th; he arrived at Arenas on the 19th, and on the Alberche, at Escalona, on the 23d.

General Venegas had also been directed to break up from Madrilejos on the 18th and 19th, and to march up by Trenbleque and Ocana to Puenteduenas on the Tagus, where the river is crossed by a ford, and thence to Arganda, where he was to arrive on the 22d and 23d.

On the 22d, the combined armies moved from Oropesa, and the advanced guard attacked the enemy's out-posts at Talavera. Their right was turned by the 1st hussars and the 23d light dragoons, under General Anson, directed by Lieutenant General Payne, and by the division of infantry un-' der the command of Major-General Mackenzie, and they were driven in by the Spanish advanced guards, under the command of General Sarjas and Duc d'Albu querque.

We lost eleven horses by the fire of cannon from the enemy's position on the Alberche, and the Spaniards had some men wounded.

The columns were formed for the attack of this position yesterday; but the attack was postponed till this morning, by desire of General Cuesta, when the different corps destined for the attack were put in motion, but the enemy had retired, at about one in the morning, to Santa Olalla, and thence towards Torrijos, I conclude to form a junction with the corps under General Sebastiani.

I have not been able to follow the enemy as I could wish, on account of the great deficiency of means of transport in Spain. I enclose the copy of a letter, which I thought it proper to address upon this subject to Major-General O'Donoghue, the Adjutant

General of the Spanish army, as soon as I found that this country would furnish no means of this description.

General Cuesta has urged the Central Junta to adopt vigorous measures to relieve our wants; till I am supplied, I do not think it proper, and indeed i cannot, continue my operations. I have great hopes, however, that, before long, I shall be supplied from Andalusia and La Mancha with the means which I require, and I shall then resume the active operations which I have been compelled to relinquish.

I have the honour to be, &c.
ARTHUR WELLESLEY.

Talavera de la Reyna, July 29. 1809.
MY LORD,

General Cuesta followed the enemy's march, with his army, from the Alberche, on the morning of the 24th, as far as Santa Olalla, and pushed forward his advanced guard as far as Torrijos.

For the reasons stated to your Lordship in my dispatch of the 24th, moved only two divisions of infantry and a brigade of cavalry across the Alberche, to Cassalegos, under the command of Lieut-Gen. Sherbrooke, with a view to keep up the communication between General Cuesta and me, and with Sir Robert Wilson's corps at Escalona.

It appears that General Venegas had not carried into execution that part of the plan of operations which related to his corps, and that he was still at Damiel, in La Mancha; and the enemy, in the course of the 24th, 25th, and 26th, collected all his forces in this part of Spain, between Torrijos and Toledo, leaving but a small corps, of 2000 men, in that place.

His united army thus consisted of the corps of Marshal Victor, of that of General Sebastiani, and of 7000 or 8000 men, the guards of Joseph Bonaparte and the garrison of Madrid, and it was commanded by Joseph Bonaparte in person, aided by Marshals Jourdan and Victor, and General Sebastiani.

On the 26th General Cuesta's advanced guard was attacked near Torrijos, and obliged to fall back; and the General retired with his army, on that day, to the left bank of the Alberche. Gen. Sherbrooke continuing at Cassalegos, and the enemy at Santa Olalla.

It was then obvious that the enemy intended to try the result of a general action, for which the best position appeared to be in the neighbourhood of Talavera; and General Cuesta having consented to take up this position on the morning of the 27th, I ordered General Sherbrooke to retire with his corps to its station in the line, leaving

There was a valley between this height, and a range of mountains still further upon the left, which valley was not at first occupied, as it was commanded by the height before-mentioned, and the range of mountains appeared too distant to have any influence upon the expected action.

The right, consisting of Spanish troops, extended immediately in front of the town of Talavera, down to the Tagus. This part of the ground was covered by olive trees, and much intersected by banks and ditches. The high road, leading from the bridge over the Alberche, was defended by a heavy battery in front of a church, which was occupied by Spanish infantry. All the avenues to the town were defended in a similar manner, the town was occupied ; and the remainder of the Spanish infantry was formed in two lines behind the banks, on the roads which led from the town, on the right, to the left of our position.

In the centre, between the two armies, there was a commanding spot of ground, on which we had commenced to construct a redoubt, with some open ground in its

rear.

Brigadier-General Alexander Campbell was posted on this spot, with a division of infantry, supported in his rear by General Cotton's brigade of dragoons and some Spanish cavalry.

At about two o'clock, on the 27th, the enemy appeared in strength on the left bank of the Alberche, and manifested an intention to attack Gen. Mackenzie's division.

The attack was made before they could be withdrawn, but the troops, consisting of

General Mackenzie's and Colonel Donkin's brigades, and General Anson's brigade of cavalry, and supported by General Payne, with the other four regiments of cavalry, in the plain between Talavera and the wood, withdrew in good order, but with some loss, particularly by the 2d battalion 37th regiment, and 2d battalion 31st regi

ment, in the wood.

Upon this occasion, the steadiness and discipline of the 45th regiment, and of the 5th battalion 60th regiment, were conspicuous, and I had particular reason for be

ing satisfied with the manner in which Major-Gen. Mackenzie withdrew his advanced guard.

As the day advanced, the enemy ap. peared in larger numbers on the right of the Alberche, and it was obvious that he was advancing to a general attack upon the combined army.

General Mackenzie continued to fall back gradually, upon the left of the position of the combined armies, where he was placed in the second line, in the rear of the Guards, Colonel Donkin being placed in the same situation, further upon the left, in the rear of the King's German legion.

The enemy immediately commenced his attack in the dusk of the evening, by a cannonade upon the left of our position, and by an attempt with his cavalry, to overthrow the Spanish infantry, posted, as I have before stated, on the right. This attempt failed entirely.

Early in the night, he pushed a division along the valley on the left of the height occupied by General Hill, of which he gained a momentary possession ; but Major-General Hill attacked it instantly with the bayonet, and regained it.

This attack was repeated in the night, but failed; and again, at day-light in the morning of the 28th, by two divisions of infantry, and was repulsed by Major-General Hill.

Major-General Hill has reported to me, in a particular manner, the conduct of the 29th regiment, and of the 1st battalion 48th regiment, in these different affairs, as well as that of Major General Tilson, and Brigadier-General Richard Stewart.

We have lost many brave officers and soldiers in the defence of this imporfant point in our position; among others, I cannot avoid to mention BrigadeMajor Fordyce, and Brig. Major Gardner; and Major-General Hill was himself wounded, but, I am happy to say, but slightly.

The defeat of this attempt was follow. ed, about noon, by a general attack, with the enemy's whole force, upon the pied by the British army. whole of that part of the position occu

In consequence of the repeated attempts upon the height on our left, by the valley, I had placed two brigades of British cavalry in that valley, support

ed

ed in the rear by the Duc d'Albuquerque's division of Spanish cavalry.

The enemy then placed light infantry on the range of mountains on the left of the valley, which were opposed by a division of Spanish infantry under Lieutenant General De Bassecourt.

The general attack began by the march of several columns of infantry into the valley, with a view to attack the height occupied by Major General Hill. These columns were immediate ly charged by the 1st German light dragoons and 23d dragoons, under the command of General Anson, directed by Lieut. General Payne, and supported by General Fane's brigade of heavy cavalry; and although the 23d dragoons suffered considerable loss, the charge had the effect of preventing the execution of that part of the enemy's plan.

At the same time he directed an attack upon Brig. Gen. Alexander Campbell's position, in the centre of the combined armies, and on the right of the British.

This attack was most successfully repulsed by Brig.-Gen. Campbell, support. ed by the King's regiment of Spanish cavalry, and two battalions of Spanish infantry; and Brig.-Gen. Campbell took the enemy's cannon.

The Brig.-General mentions particularly the conduct of the 97th, the 2d battalion of the 7th, and of the 2d battalion of the 53d regiments; and I was highly satisfied with the manner in which this part of the position was defended.

as I observed the advance of the Guards, and it was formed in the plain, and advanced upon the enemy, and covered the formation of Lieut.-General Sherbrooke's division.

Shortly after the repulse of this ge neral attack, in which apparently alb the enemy's troops were employed, he commenced his retreat across the Alberche, which was conducted in the most regular order, and effected during the night, leaving in our hands twenty pieces of cannon, ammunition, tumbrils, and some prisoners.

Your Lordship will observe by the enclosed return, the great loss which we have sustained of valuable officers and soldiers, in this long and hard-fought action, with more than double our num

bers.

That of the enemy has been much greater. I am informed that entire brigades of infantry have been de stroyed; and, indeed, the battalions that retreated were much reduced in numbers. By all accounts, their loss is 10,000 men; Generals Lapisse and Morlot are killed; Generals Sebastiani and Boulet wounded.

I have particularly to lament the loss of Major-General Mackenzie, who had distinguished himself on the 27th; and of Brigadier-General Langworth, of the King's German legion, and of BrigadeMajor Becket of the Guards.

Your Lordship will observe, that the attacks of the enemy were principally, if not entirely, directed against the Brie tish troops. The Spanish Commander in Chief, his officers and troops, manifested every disposition to render us as

This attack was most gallantly repulsed by a charge of bayonets, by the whole division; but the brigade of Guards, which were on the right, having advanced too far, they were exposed on their left flank to the fire of the enemy's battery, and of their retiring columns; and the division was obliged to retire towards its original position, under cover of the 2d line of General Cotton's brigade of cavalry, which I had moved from the centre, and of the 1st battalion 48th regiment,

I had moved this regiment from its original position on the heights, as soon Sept. 1809.

engaged did their duty; but the ground which they occupied was so important, and yet so difficult, that I did not think it proper to urge them to make any movement on the left of the enemy, while he was engaged with us.

I have reason to be satisfied with the conduct of all the officers and troops. I am much indebted to Lieut.-General Sherbrooke, for the assistance I recei ved from him, and the manner in which he led on his division to the charge with bayonets.

To Lieutenant-General Payne, and the cavalry, particularly General Anson's brigade, to Major-Generals Hill and Tilson, Brigadier Generals Alexander Campbell, Richard Stewart, and

Ca