instant the troops quitted Ter Veere, on their way to Fort Ramekens, when we were constantly employed in the construction of works, and drawing heavy cannon, till it also capitulated on the 2nd at night. The detachment then proceeded to East Zouberg, and were employed day and night in cutting fascines, erecting batteries, and drawing heavy ordnance unto them. The artillery horses being found inadequate to perform that service, from the narrow roads, darkness of the night, and difficulty of driving clear of the ditches, into which they had thrown several 24-pounder guns and carriages. This important duty, from the heavy rains and soft muddy soil, was attended with the greatest difficulty and fatigue.

After having assisted in mounting all the batteries, and otherwise completing them on the 12th, general sir Eyre Coote honoured me with the command of a new work just lined out for six 24-pounders; we made every possible exertion to complete it under a galling fire from the enemy's ramparts, distant only 600 yards; during the day, four were killed and one wounded in the battery. At sun-rise on the 14th, we opened a most destructive fire on the rampart and town in front of us, and in two hours every gun we could bear upon was silent. Our fire was kept up incessantly until about seven o'clock in the evening, when I received an order to cease firing, as did all the other works. We immediately put the battery in a state for renewing the fire, if found necessary, and at nine we opened again by order, with still greater effect, and continued ur fire until two o'clock, when we eased to fire, by order, the French

general having agreed to capitulate on the basis of the garrison becoming prisoners of war. I have the honour to be, &c.

CHARLES RICHARDSON. Rear-Admiral Wm. A. Otway.

A return of the killed and wounded belonging to his majesty's ships, in passing the batteries of Flushing, on the 15th August, 1809.

Blake.-Killed. James Gatt, serjeant of marines; John Lowry, seaman.- -Wounded. Andrew Money, seaman, slightly; Thomas Coat, seaman, slightly; Robert M'Burnie, seaman, slightly; James Lee, seaman, slightly; James Goodby, private of marines, severely; William Stewart, corporal of marines, severely; John Macnamara, private of marines, slightly; William Manby, private of marines, slightly; William Firby, private of marines, slightly.

San Domingo.-Wounded. John Maynard, Charles M'Murray, Hugh Molloy, James Grady, Richard Plat, John Kirby, William Connor, Joseph Clearman, and William Owens, seamen.-Total, 2 killed, 18 wounded.

Total killed and wounded. Captain Cockburn's return-7 killed, 22 wounded. General return-2 killed, 18 wounded. Captain Richardson's return-7 wounded.Total, 9 killed, 47 wounded. (Signed)

R. J. STRACHAN.

A letter from rear-admiral sir Richard John Strachan to the hon. W. W. Pole, dated on board the St. Domingo, Flushing, 17th Aug. 1809, transmits one from sir Richard Goodwin Keats, inclosing the terms of capitulation for the surrender of the towns of Zeirickzee and Browershaven, with the whole of the islands of Schowen and Duiveland, which are of the usual

nature.

Military General Orders. The commander in chief has received the king's commands to notify to the army the splendid victory obtained by his troops in Spain, under the command of lieutenant general the right hon. sir Arthur Wellesley, on the 27th and 28th of last month, at the battle of Talavera de la Reyna.

His majesty is confident that his army will learn with becoming exultation, that the enemy, after escaping by a precipitate retreat from the well concerted attack with which sir Arthur Wellesley, in conjunction with the Spanish army, had threatened him on the 24th of July, concentrated his force, by calling to his aid the corps under the French gen. Sebastiani and the garrison of Madrid; and thus reinforced, again approached the allied army on the 27th of July; and, on this occasion, owing to the local circumstances of

its position, and to the deliberate purpose of the enemy to direct his whole efforts against the troops of his majesty, the British army sustained nearly the whole weight of this great contest, and has acquired the glory of having vanquished a French army double their numbers, not in a short and partial struggle, but in a battle obstinately contested on two successive days (not wholly discontinued even throughout the intervening night), and foughtunder circumstances which brought both armies into close and repeated

combat.

The king, in contemplating so glorious a display of the valour and prowess of his troops, has been graciously pleased to command that his royal approbation of the conduct of the army serving under the command of lieut.-general sir Arthur Wellesley shall be thus publicly declared in general orders.

The commander in chief has received the king's commands to signify, in the most marked and special manner, the sense his majesty entertains of lieut.-general sir Arthur Wellesley's personal services on this memorableoccasion, not less displayed in the result of the battle itself, than in the consummate ability, valour, and military resource, with which the many difficulties of this arduous and protracted contest were met and provided for by his experience and judgment.

The conduct of lieut..general Sherbrooke,second incommand,has entitled him to the king's marked approbation. His majesty has observed,with satisfaction, the manner in which he led on the troops to the charge with the bayonet, a spe

cies of combat, which on all occasions so well accords with the dauntless character of British soldiers,

His majesty has noticed with the same gracious approbation, the conduct of the several general and other officers. All have done their duty; most of them have had occasions of eminently distinguishing themselves, the instances of which have not escaped his majesty's attention.

It is his majesty's command, that his royal approbation and thanks, shall be given in the most distinct, and most particular manner, to the non-commissioned officers and private men. In no instance have they displayed with greater lustre their native valourand characteristic energy, nor have they on any former occasion more decidedly proved their superiority over the inveterate enemy of their country.

Brilliant, however, as is the victory obtained at Talavera, it is not solely on that occasion that lieutenant-general sir Arthur Wellesley, and the troops under his command, are entitled to his majesty's applause. The important service effected in an early part of the campaign by the same army, under the command of the same distinguished general, by the rapid march on the Duero, the passage of that river, the total discomfiture of the enemy, and his expulsion from the territory of one of his majesty's ancient and most faithful allies, are circumstances which have made a lasting impression on his majesty's mind; and have induced his majesty to direct, that the operations of this arduous and eventful campaign shall be thus recorded, as furnishing splendid examples of VOL. LI.

military skill, fortitude, perseverance, and of a spirit of enterprise, calculated to produce emulation in every part of his army, and largely to add to the renown, and to the military character of the British nation.

By order of the right honour

able the commander in chief. HARRY CALVERT, adjt..gen. Horse-Guards, 18th August, 1809.

From the London Gazette, Satur

day, September 9.

Dispatches, of which the following are copies and extracts, were this day received at the office of viscount Castlereagh, one of majesty's principal secretaries of state, from lieut.-gen. viscount Wellington, K. B.

Truxillo, August 30, 1809. My lord-I wrote some days ago a letter to the French commander-in-chief, which I sent to him by lieut.-col. Walters, to request his care and attention to the wounded officers and soldiers of the British army, who had fallen into his hands, in return for the care and attention which I had paid to the French officers and soldiers, who had fallen into my hands at different times; and that he would allow money to be sent to the offi cers; and that officers, who should not be deemed prisoners of war, might be sent to superintend and take care of the soldiers, till they should recover from their wounds, when the officers should be sent to join the British army.

I received a very civil answer from marshal Mortier, promising that every care should be taken, and every attention paid to the British officers and soldiers who were wounded;

2 K

wounded; but stating, that he could not answer upon the other demands contained in my letter, having been obliged to refer them to the commander in chief.

Since the receipt of this letter, Mr. Dillon, the assistant commissary, has arrived from Talavera, having been taken prisoner near Cevolla on the 27th of July, previous to the action, and having been allowed to come away. He reports that the British officers and soldiers, who are wounded, are doing remarkably well, and are well fed and taken care of; indeed, he says, preferably to the French troops.

I propose to send colonel Walters with another flag of truce, tomorrow morning, and a letter to the commander in chief of the French army, requesting that a sum of money which I shall send may be given to the officers; and I shall endeavour to establish a cartel of exchange, as soon as possible. I have the honour to be, &c.

ARTHUR WELLESLEY, Lord Viscount Castlereagh, &c. &c.

Truxillo, August 21, 1809. My lord-when I marched from Talavera on the 3rd instant, with a view to oppose the French corps which we had heard had passed through the Puerto de Banos, and had arrived at Placencia, sir Robert Wilson was detached upon the left of the army, towards Escalona; and before I marched on that morning, I put him in communication with the Spanish general Cuesta, who it had been settled was to remain at Talavera. I understood that general Cuesta put sir Robert in communication with

his advanced guard, which retired from Talavera on the night of the 4th.

Sir Robert Wilson, however, did not arrive at Valada till the night of the 4th, having made a long march through the mountains; and as he was then six leagues from the bridge of Arzo Bispo, and had to cross the high road from Oropesa to Talavera, of which the enemy was in possession, he conceived that he was too late to retire to Arzo Bispo, and he determined to move by Venta St. Julien and Centinello towards the Tietar,and across that river towards the mountains which separate Castille from Estremadura.

Some of sir Robert Wilson's dispatches having missed me, I am not aware by which of the passes he went through the mountains, but I believe by Tornavacas. He arrived, however, at Banos on the 11th, and on the 12th was attacked and defeated by the French corps of marshal Ney, which, with that of Soult, returned to Placencia on the 9th, 10th, and 11th, that of Ney having since gone on towards Salamanca.

I enclose sir Robert Wilson's account of the action. He has been very active, intelligent, and useful, in the command of the Portuguese and Spanish corps with which he was detached from this army.

Before the battle of the 28th of July, he had pushed his parties almost to the gates of Madrid, with which city he was in communication; and he would have been in Madrid, if I had not thought proper to call him in, in expectation of that general action which took place on the 28th of July. He afterwards alarmed the enemy on the