send a return the moment I can collect the This indication of his intention was imme. reports. I have the honour to be, &c. diately succeeded by the rapid and determined PAGIT, Lieut.-Gen. attack which he made upon your division To Lieut.-Gen. Sir 7. Moore, K.B. which occupied the right of your position. I have forwarded the prisoners to Baniza. The events which occurred during that period On the other side of the river the enemy of the action you are fully acquainted with. formed again, and at this instant three guns The first effort of the enemy was met by the of Capt. Donovan's troop arrived, which did Commander of the forces, and by yourself, at considerable execution. the head of the 42d regiment, and the brigade On the 24th of January, the Honourable under Major-General Lord William Bentinck. Captain. Hope arrived in Downing-street of obstinate contest. The village on your right became an object with a dispatch from Lieutenant General I lament to say, that soon after the severe Sir David Baird to Lord Viscount Castle. wound whicli deprived the army of your serreagh, one of his Majesty's Principal Se- vices, Lieut.-General Sir John Moore, who pretaries of State, of which the following had just directed the most able disposition, is a copy fell by a cannon-shot. The troops, though His Majesty's Ship Ville de Paris, at Sea, not unacquainted with the irreparable loss they January 18, 1809. had sustained, were not dismayed; but by the M, LORS_By the much lamented death most determined bravery not only repelled of Lieutenant General Sir John Moore, who every attempt of the enemy to gain ground, fell in action with the enemy on the 16th in- but actually forced him to retire, although stant, it has become my duty to acquaint your he had brought up fresh troops in support of Lordship, that the French army attacked the these originally engaged. Rritish troops in the position they occupied, in The enemy, finding himself foiled in every front of Corunna, at about two o'clock in the attempt to force the right of the position, enafternoon of that day. deavoured by numbers to turn it. A judicious A severe wound, which compelled me to and well-timed movement, which was made by quit the field a short time previous to the fall Major-General Paget, with the reserve, which of Sir John Moore, obliges me to refer your corps had moved out of its cantonments to supLordship for the particulars of the action, port the right of the army, by a vigorous at. which was long and obstinately contested, to tack, defeated this intention. The Majorthe inclosed report of Lieutenant General Hope General, having pushed forward the 95th (ri. who succeeded to the Command of the army, Ae corps) and 1st battalion 52d regiment, drove and to whose ability and exertions in direction the enemy before him, and in his rapid and judiof the ardent zeal and unconquerable valour of cious advance, threatened the left of the enehis Majesty's troops, is to be attributed, under my's position. This circumstance, with the Providence, the success of the day, which ter. position of lieutenant-General Fraser's divi. minated in the complete and entire repulse sion, (calculated to give still further security and defeat of the enemy at every point of at- to the right of the line) induced the enemy to tack. relax his efforts in that quarter. The Hon. Captain Gordon, my aid-de camp, They were, however, more forcibly diwill have the honour of delivering this dis. rected towards the centre, where they were patch, and will be able to give your Lordship again successfully resisted by the brigade unany further information which may be re- der Major-general Manningham, forming the quired. left of your division, and a part of that under I have the honour to be, &c. Major-general Leith, forming the right of D. BAIRD, Lieut. Gen. the division under my orders. Upon the left, Righe Hon. Lord Viscount Castlercagh. the enemy at first contented biniself with an His Majesty's sbip Audacicus, off Corunna, attack upon our picquets, which, however, in SIR, January 18, 1809. general maintained their ground. Finding, In compliance with the desire contained in however, his efforts unavailing on the right your communication of yesterday, I avail my and centre, he seemed determined to render self of the first moment I have been able to the attack upon the left more serious, and command, to detail to you the occurrences of had succeeded in obtaining possession of the the action which took place in front of Corun village through which the great road to Mana on the 16th instant. drid passes, and which was situated in front It will be in your recollection, that about of that part of the line. From this post, one in the afternoon of that day the enemy, however, he was soon expelled, with considewho had in the morning received reinforce- rable loss, by a gallant attack of some comments, and who had placed some guns in front panies of the second battalion of the 14th of the right and left of the line, was observed regiment, under Lieutenant-colonel Nicholls; to be moving troops towards his left flank, and before five in the evening, we had not only forming various columns of attack at that ex the position, but had gained ground in ale successfully repelled every attack made upon tremity of the strong and commanding position which on the morning of the 15th he had ta- line than at the commencement of the action, most all points, and occupied a more forward ken in our immediate front. whilst the enemy confined his operations to a cannonade, and the fire of his light troops, with a view to draw off his other corps. At six the firing entirely ceased. The different brigades were re-assembled on the ground they occupied in the morning, and the picquets and advanced posts resumed their original stations. Notwithstanding the decided and marked superiority which at this moment the gallantry of the troops had given them over an enemy, who, from their numbers and the commanding advantages of his position, no doubt expected an easy victory, I did not, on re. Viewing all circumstances, conceive that I should be warranted in departing from what I knew was the fixed and previous determination of the late commander of the forces to withdraw the army on the evening of the 16th, for the purpose of embarkation, the previous arrangements for which had already bren made by his order, and were in fact far advanced at the commencement of the action. The troops quitted their position about ten at night, with a degree of order that did them credit. The whole of the artillery that remained unembarked, having been withdrawn, the troops followed in the order preseribed, and marched to their respective points of embarkation in the town and neighbourhood of Corunna. The picquets remained at their posts until five on the morning of the 17th, when they were also withdrawn with similar orders, and without the enemy having discovered the movement. By the unremitted exertion of Captains the Hon. H. Curzon, Gosselin, Boys, Rainier, Serret, Hawkins, Digby, Carden, and Mac kenzie, of the Royal Navy, who, in pursuance of the orders of Rear Admiral de Courcy, were entrusted with the service of embarking the army; and in consequence of the arrangements made by Commissioner Bowen, Captains Bowen and Shepherd, and the other Agents for Transports, the whole of the army was embarked, with an expedition which has seldom been equalled. With the exception of the brigades under Major General Hill and Beresford, which were destined to remain on shore, until the movements of the enemy should become manifest, the whole was afloat before day-light. The Brigade of Major-General Beresford, which was alternately to form our rear guard, wccupied the land front of the town of Corunna; that under Major-General Hill was stationed in reserve on the promontory in rear of the town. The enemy pushed his light troops towards the town soon after eight o'clock in the morning of the 17th, and shortly after occupied the heights of St. Lucia, which command the harbour. But notwithstanding this circumstance, and the manifold defects of the place, there being no apprehension that the rear-guard could be forced, and the disposition of the Spaniards appearing to be good, the em barkation of Major-General Hill's brigade was commenced and completed by three in the afternoon; Major-General Beresford, with the zeal and ability which is so well known to yourself and the whole army, having fully explained, to the satisfaction of the Spanish Governor, the nature of our movement, and having made every previous arrangement, withdrew his corps from the land front of the town soon after dark, and was, with all the wounded that had not been previously moved, embarked before one this morning. Circumstances forbid us to indulge the hope, that the victory with which it has pleased Providence to crown the efforts of the army, can be attended with any very brilliant consequences to Great Britain. It is clouded by the loss of one of her best soldiers. It has been atchieved at the termination of a long and harrassing service. The superior numbers, and advantageous position of the enemy, not less than the actual situation of this ar my, did not admit of any advantage being reaped from success. It must be, however, to you, to the army, and to our country, the sweetest reflection, that the lustre of the British arms has been maintained, amidst many disadvantageous circumstances. The army which had entered Spain, amidst the fairest prospects, had no sooner completed its junction, than, owing to the multiplied disasters that dispersed the native armies around us, it was left to its own resources. The advance of the British troops from the Duero, afforded the best hope that the south of Spain might be relieved, but this generous effort to save the unfortunate people, also afforded the enemy the opportunity of directing every effort of his numerous troops, and concentrating all his principal resources, for the destruction of the only regular force in the north of Spain. You are well aware with what diligence this system has been pursued. These circumstances produced the necessity of rapid and harassing marches, which had diminished the numbers, exhausted the strength, and impaired the equipment of the army. Notwithstanding all these disadvantages, and those more immediately attached to a defensive position, which the imperious necessity of covering the harbour of Corunna for a time had rendered indispensable to assume, the native and undaunted valour of British troops was never more conspicuous, and must have exceeded what even your own experience of that invaluable quality, so inherent in them, may have taught you to expect. When every one that had an opportunity seemed to vie in improving it, it is difficult for me, in making this report, to select particular instances for your approba tion. The corps chiefly engaged were the brigades under Major Generals Lord William Bentinck, and Manningham and Leith; and the brigade of guards under Major General Warde. To these officers, and the troops under their immediate that you will speedily be restored to the service of your country, and to lament the unfortunate circumstance that removed you from your station in the field, and threw the momentary command into far less able hands. I have the honour to be, &c. c. immediate orders, the greatest praise is due. Major General Hill and Colonel Catlin Cranford, with their brigades on the left of the position, ably supported their advanced posts. The brunt of the action fell upon the 4th, 42d, 50th, and 81st regiments, with parts of the brigade of guards, and the 26th regiment. JOHN HOPE, Lieut.-Gen. From Lieut.-Colonel Murray, Quarter Master To Lieutenant-General Sir David Baird, General, and the officers of the General Staff, I received the most marked assistance. I had the Hon. Michael De Courcy, Rear-AdThe following copy of a letter from reason to regret, that the illness of Brigadier miral of the White, to the Hon. William General Clinton, Adjutant General, deprived Wellesley Pole, dated on board his Majesty's ship the Tonnant, at Corunna, the 17th and 18th instant, was received at the Adiniralty-office, Jan. 24, 1809. me of his aid. I was indebted to Brigadier Generat Slade during the action, for a zealous of fer of his personal services, although the cavalry were embarked. The greater part of the fleet having gone to sea yesterday evening, the whole being under weigh, and the corps in the embarkation necessarily much mixed on board, it is impossible at present to lay before you a return of our casualties. I hope the loss in numbers is not so considerable as might have been expected. If I was obliged to form an estimate I should say, that I believe it did not exceed in killed and wounded from seven to eight hundred; that of the enemy must remain unknown, but many circumstances induce me to rate it at nearly double the above number. We have some prisoners, but I have not been able to obtain an account of the number; it is not, however, considerable. Several Officers of rank have fallen or been wounded, among whom I am only at present enabled to state the names of Lieutenant-Colonel Napier, 92d regiment, Majors Napier and Stanhope, 50th regiment, killed; Lieutenant-Colonel Winch, 4th regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Maxwell, 26th regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Fane, 59th regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Griffith, Guards, Majors Miller and Williams, 81st regiment, wounded. January 17, 1809. SIR-Having it in design to detach the Cossack to England as soon as her boats shall cease to be essential to the embarkation of troops, I seize a moment to acquaint you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that the ships of war, as per margin*, and transports, under the orders of Rear Admiral Sir Samuel Hood and Commissioner Bowen, arrived at this anchorage from Vigo on the 14th and 15th inst. The Alfred and Hindostan, with some transports, were left at Vigo to receive a brigade of three thousand five hundred men, that had taken that route under the Generals Alten and Crawford. In the vicinity of Corunna the enemy have pressed upon the British in great force. The embarkation of the sick, the cavalry, and the stores went on. The night of the 16th was appointed for the general embarkation of the infantry; and, mean time, the enemy prepared for attack. At three P.M an action commenced; the enemy, which had been, posted on a lofty hill, endeavouring to force the British on another hill of inferior height, and nearer the town. The enemy were driven back with great slaughter; but very sorry am I to add, that the British though triumphant, have suffered severe losses. I am unable to communicate further particulars, than that Sir John Moore received a mortal wound, of which he died at night; that Sir David Baird lost an arm; that several officers and many men have been killed and wounded; and that the ships of war have received all such of the latter as they could accommodate, the remainder being sent to transports.. To you, who are well acquainted with the excellent qualities of Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore, I need not expatiate on the loss the army and his country have sustained by his death. His fall has deprived me of a valuable friend, to whom long experience of his worth had sincerely attached me. But it is chiefly on public grounds that I must lament the blow. It will be the consolation of every one who loved or respected his manly character, that, after conducting the army through an arduous retreat with consummate firmness, he bas terminated a career of distinguished honour by a death that has given the enemy additional reason to respect the name of a British soldier. Like the immortal Wolfe, he is snatched from his country at an early period of a life spent in her service; like Wolfe, his last mo. ments were gilded by the prospect of success, and cheared by the acclamation of victory; like Wolfe also, his memory will for ever re- * Ville de Paris, Victory, Barfleur, Zeamain sacred in that country which he sincerely lous, Implacable, Elizabeth, Norge, Plantaloved, and which he had so faithfully served. genet, Resolution, Audacious, Endymion, It remains for me only to express my hope, Mediator. The weather is now tempestuous; and the difficulties of embarkation are great. All except the rear guard are embarked; consisting perhaps at the present moment of two thousand six hundred men. The enemy having brought cannon to a hill overhanging the beach, beach, have forced a majority of the transports to cut or slip. Embarkation being no longer practicable at the town, the boats have been ordered to a sandy beach near the lighthouse; and it is hoped that the greater part, if not all, will still be embarked, the ships of war having dropped out to facilitate embark ation. January 18. The embarkation of the troops having oc. cupied greater part of last night, it has not been in my power to detach the Cossack before this day; and it is with satisfaction I am able to add, that, in consequence of the good order maintained by the troops, and the unwearied exertions of Commissioner Bowen, the Captains and other officers of the Navy, the agents, as well as the boats' crews, many of whom were for two days without food and without repose, the army have been embarked to the last man, and the ships are now in the offing, preparatory to steering for England. The great body of the transports, having lost their anchors, ran to sea without the troops they were ordered to receive, in consequence of which there are some thousands on board the ships of war. Several transports through mismanagement, ran on shore. The sea men appeared to have abandoned them, two being brought out by the boats' crews of the men of war, two were burnt, and five were bilged. I cannot conclude this hasty statement without expressing my great obligation to RearAdmiral Sir Samuel Hood, whose eye was every where, and whose exertions were unremitted. I have the honour to be, &c. On Thursday, January 19, the House of Lords met pursuant to prorogation, when the Lord Chancellor, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Camden, and the Duke of Montrose took their seats, in their robes upon the woolsack, as his Majesty's Commissioners; and the Speaker and the Members of the House of Commons being in attendance,theChancellor delivered the following Speech from his Majesty : My Lords and Gentlemen, We have it in command from his Majesty, to stare to you, that his Majesty has called you together, in perfect confidence that you are prepared cordially to support his Majesty in the prosecution of a war, which there is no hope of terminating safely and honourably, except through vigorous and persevering exer tion. We are to acquaint you, that his Majesty has directed to be laid before you, Copies of the Proposals for opening a Negociation, which were transmitted to his Majesty from Erfurth; and of the Correspondence which thereupon took place with the Government of Russia and of France; together with the Declaration issued by his Majesty's command on the termination of that Correspondence. His Majesty is persuaded, that you will participate in the feelings which were expressed by his Majesty, when it was required that his Majesty should consent to commence the Negociation, by abandoning the cause of Spain, which he had so recently and solemny espoused. We are commanded to inform you, that his Majesty continues to receive from the Spanish Government the Strongest assurances of their determined perseverance in the cause of the legitimate Monarchy, and of the national independence of Spain; and to assure you, that so long as the people of Spain shall remain true to themselves, his Majesty will continue to them his most strenuous assistance and support. His Majesty has renewed to the Spanish Nation, in the moment of its difficulties and reverses, the engagements which he voluntarily contracted at the outset of its struggle against the usurpation and tyranny of France; and we are commanded to acquaint you, that these engagements have been reduced into the form of a Treaty of Alliance; which Treaty, so soon as the ratifications shall have been exchanged, his Majesty will cause to be laid before you. His Majesty commands us to state to you, that while his Majesty contemplated with the liveliest satisfaction the atchievements of his forces in the commencement of the campaign in Portugal, and the deliverance of the kingdom of his Ally from the presence and oppressions of the French army, his Majesty most deeply regretted the termination of that campaign by an Armistice and Convention, of some of the Articles of which his Majesty has felt himself obliged formally to declare his disap probation. We are to express to you his Majesty's reliance on your disposition to enable his Majesty to continue the aid afforded by his Majesty to the King of Sweden. That Monarch derives a peculiar claim to his Majesty's support in the present exigency of his affairs, from having concurred with his Majesty in the propriety of rejecting any proposal for Negociation to which the Government of Spain was not to he admitted as a party. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, We are commanded by his Majesty to inform you, that he has directed the estimates of the current year to be laid before you. His Majesty relies upon your zeal and affection to make such further provisions of supply as the vigorous prosecution of the War may render necessary; and he trusts that you may be enabied to find the means of providing such Supply without any great or immediate increase of the existing burt hens upon his people. His Majesty feels assured it will be highly satisfactory to you to learn, that, notwith standing the measures resorted to by the ene my my for the purpose of destroying the commerce and resources of his Kingdom, the public revenue has continued in a course of progressive improvement. My Lords and Gentlemen, We are directed to inform you that the measure adopted by Parliament in the last Session, for establishing a Local Militia, has been already attended with the happiest success, and promises to be extensively and permanently beneficial to the Country. We have received his Majesty's commands most especially to recommend to you, that, duly weighing the immense interests which are at stake in the war now carrying on, you should proceed with as little delay as possible to consider of the most effectual measures for the augmentation of the regular army, in order that his Majesty may be better enabled, without impairing the means of defence at home, to avail himself of the military power of his dominions in the great contest in which he is engaged; and to conduct that contest, under the blessing of Divine Providence, to a conclusion compatible with the honour of his Majesty's Crown, and with the interest of his Allies, of Europe, and of the world. Correspondence between the British, Russian, and French Governments; in consequence, of the Overtures received from Erfurth; presented by his Majesty's command to both Houses of Parliament. Letter from Count NICOLAS DE ROMAN zor, to Mr. Secretary CANNING, dated Erfurth, 30th September (12th October), 1808. Received October 21. SIR-I send to your Excellency a letter which the Emperors of Russia and France wrote to his Majesty the King of England. The Emperor of Russia flatters himself that England will feel the grandeur and the sincerity of this step. She will there find the most natural and the most simple answer to the overture which has been made by Admiral Saumarez. The union of the two empires is beyond the reach of all change, and the two Emperors have formed it for peace as well as for war. His majesty has commanded me to make known to your excellency that he has nominated plenipotentiaries, who will repair to Paris, where they will await the answer which your excellency may be pleased to make to me. 1 request you to address it to the Russian ambassador at Paris. The Plenipotentiaries named by the Emperor of Russia will repair to that city on the continent, to which the plenitentiaries of his Britannic majesty and his allies have been sent. In respect to the bases of the negotiation, their Imperial majesty's see no difficulty in adopting all those formerly proposed by England, namely, the uti possideris, and every other basis founded upon the reciprocity and equality which ought to prevail between all great nations. Count NICOLAS DE ROMANZOFF. Letter from his Majesty the Emperor of all the RUSSIAS, and BONAPARTE, to his MAJESTY, dated Erfurth, 12th October, 1808. Received October 21. STRE Les circonstances actuelles de l'Europe nous ont réunis à Erfurt. Notre première penxée est de céder au vœu et aus besoins de tous les peuples, et de chercher par une prompte pacification avec votre majesté, le remède le plus efficace aux malheurs qui toutes les nations. Nous en pèsent sur faisons connpitre notre sincère désir à votre majesté par cette présente lettre.-La guerre longue et sanglante qui a déchiré le Continent est terminée, sans qu'elle puisse se renouveller. Beaucoup de changemens ont eu lieu en Europe; beaucoups d'etats ont été bouleversés. Le cause en est dans l'etat d'agitation et de malheur où la cessation du commerce maritime a placé fes plus grands peuples. De plus grands changemens encore peuvent avoir lieu, et tous contraires à la politique de la nation Angloise. La paix est donc à la fois dans l'intérêt des peuples du Continent, comme da l'intérêt des peuples de la Grande Bretagne.-Nous nous réunissons pour prier votre majesté d'écouter la voix de l'humanité, en faisant taire celle des passions, de chercher avec l'intention d'y parvenir, à concilier tous les intérets, et par la garantir toutes les puissances qui existent, et assurer le bonheur de l'Europe et de cette génération à la tête de laquelle la Providence nous a place. (Signe) ALEXANDRE.) NAPOLEON. TRANSLATION. SIRE The present circumstances of Eu. rope have brought us together at Erfurth. Our first thought is to yield to the wish and the wants of every people, and to seek, in a speedy pacification with your majesty, the most efficacious remedy for the miseries which oppress all nations. We make known to your majesty our sincere desire in this respect by the present letter. The long and bloody war which has torn the Continent is at an end, without the possibility of being renewed. Many changes have taken place in Europe; many states have been overthrown. The cause is to be found in the state of agitation and misery in which the stagnation of maritime commerce has placed the greatest nations. Still greater changes may yet take place, and all of them contrary to the policy of the English nation. Peace, then, is at once the interest of the Continent, as it is the interest of the people of Great Britain. We unite in entreating your majesty to listen to the voice of humanity, silencing that of the passions; to seek, with the intention of arriving at that object, to concie liate |