INTERESTING INTELLIGENCE FROM THE LONDON GAZETTES. Admiralty-office, Oct. 2. This Gazette contains a Letter from Capt. Dashwood, of the Pyramus, mentioning the capture of the Danish three-masted schooner privateer Norsk Mod, of six guns, four swivels, and 28 men, off Arundel. Downing-street, Oct. 6. The following Dispatch was received at the Earl of Liverpool's Office, addressed to his Lordship, by Visc. Wellington, K. B. My LORD, Gouvea, Sept. 5. I inclose a letter from Col. Cox, late Governor of Almeida, to Marshal Beresford, containing a copy of the capitulation of Almeida, and an account of the circumstances which occasioned the early surrender of that place. It was impossible to expect that Colonel Cox should continue the defence of the place, after the unfortunate occurrence which he mentions; and I am happy to add, that all the accounts which I have received from officers and soldiers of the Militia, who have come into the interior under the capitulation, concur in applauding the conduct of the Governor throughout the siege, and in the unfortunate situation in which he was placed towards its close. It is certain that, till the explosion of the magazine of the place, the garrison had sustained but little loss, and were in the highest spirits, and, encouraged by the example of the Governor, and the confidence they had in him, were determined to hold out till the last moment.-I have the honour to inclose the copy of a letter, which I received from Marshal Beresford, in which he inclosed the letter from Col. Cox; to which I have to add, that the two Officers mentioned in that letter, the Tenente del Rey, and the Major of the Artillery, have entered the service, of France, and that the latter has been promoted to the rank of Colonel. I am also informed that when sent out the Governor into the Enemy's lines to negotiate the capitulation, and after he had informed the Enemy of the unfortunate situation of the garrison, he did not return to the place when hostilities re-commenced, but continued in the Enemy's lines. WELLINGTON. Extract of a letter from Marshal Beresford to Viscount Wellington, dated Moimento da Serra, Sept. 4. I have the honour to transmit to your Lordship a copy of a letter I have received from Col. Cox, late Governor of Almeida, and a copy of the Capitulation of that place. With whatever regret it was we witnessed the unexpected fall of that place, uninformed as we then were GENT, MAG. November, 1810. of the cause, I think the circumstance related in the Governor's letter of the unfortunate loss of his entire ammunition, and the injury sustained by the town and works, and loss to the garrison by the effects of the explosion, will prove sufficiently the impracticability of a protracted defence; and I regret to say, the conduct of the Lieut.-governor (Tenente Rey), Francisco Bernardo da Costa e Almeida, and of Major commanding the artillery, Fortunato Joye Barreros, increased the difficulties occasioned by the explosion. The former had, until the commencement of the Enemy's fire, acted with much zeal and propriety; but on that commencing shut himself up in bomb-proofs; and after the explosion, from personal fear and to avoid any further firing, took advantage of the consternation and confusion, which must be ever attendant in such a case, to counteract the Governor's attempt to hold out at least some short time longer. The Major of artillery, it appears, had acted well during the siege, but after the explosion appears to have added treachery to cowardice, and, to gain favour with the Enemy, commu nicated to him the real state of the garrison, and that it had no ammunition whatever left; which caused Marshal Massena to refuse the terms demanded by the Governor. Until the unfortunate accident of the explosion of the magazine, the garrison appears to have been in the highest spirits, and in the best possible disposition and resolution to defend the town, and which, they unanimously state, their Governor's conduct inspired them with, as every officer and man gives the highest applause to his unremitting zeal and activity, encouraging all by his own example. Your Lordship will see, that it was of very little consequence what capitulation the garrison had got; as it is obvious the Enemy would not have observed it, where it was his interest to break it, and which will be witnessed by his having detained by force, and contrary to the terms of the capitulation, seven officers and 200 men from each of the three regiments of Militia that were in the garrison, and this with the object of forming them into a pioneer corps. The officers and soldiers of the Militia regiments, to a man, continued to refuse to enter voluntarily into the service of the Enemy, and the seven officers and 200 men of each regiment were detained forcibly. Such are the circumstances which have come to my knowledge of the conduct of the garrison of Almeida, and which I think it it necessary to communicate to your Lordship. Sir, Aldea del Obispo, Aug. 30. ́The painful task has fallen to my lot, of acquainting your Excellency, that I was reduced to the necessity of surrendering the fortress of Almeida, which I had the honour to command, on the 27th inst. at ten o'clock at night, in consequence of the unfortunate explosion of the great magazine of powder in the castle, and the small magazines contiguous to it, by which dreadful accident I was deprived of the whole of my artillery and musket-ammunition, with the exception of a few made-up cartridges which remained in some of the expence magazines on the ramparts, and 39 barrels of powder which were deposited in the laboratory. Upwards of half of the detachment of artillery, and a great number of infantry soldiers, besides several of the inhabitants, were destroyed by the effect of this terrible explosion. Many of the guns were dismounted upon the ramparts, the works were materially injured, and a general dismay spread amongst the troops and inhabitants of the place. In this distressing situation, I received a letter from the Commander-in-chief of the French army of Portugal, proposing to me that I should surrender the place to the French army under his command upon honourable terms, which, he said, he was ready to grant : I answered, that I wished to know the terms which he proposed; upon which the articles, of which I have the honour to send your Excellency a copy, were transmitted to me, and which, after using every effort in my power to obtain more favourable terms, I accepted, with an exception in favour of the Militia Regiments. I hope my conduct on this trying occasion will meet your Excellency's approbation, and that I shall remain justified by the circumstances in the eyes of my country. The Prince of Essling has been good enough to allow me to return to England on my parole, accompanied by Major Hewit and Capt. Foley, of the 24th Regiment; and we are now on our way to France, to embark from thence for a British port. W. Cox. (Translation,) Capitulation for the Surrender of Almeida. Art. I. The garrison shall be prisoners of war, with the honours of war, that is to say, they shall march out with their arms, which they shall deposit on the glacis of the place: Answer, Accepted; except that the militia, being only few, shall return to their homes after having deposited their arms; they are not to serve during the present war against France or her allies.-Art. II. The officers of every description, and the soldiers, shall retain, the former their swords and baggage, and the latter their baggage only.-Art. III. The inhabitants shall retain their property, and shall not be disturbed for their opinions.-Art. IV. The military stores and artillery shall remain at the disposal of the French army, and shall be given up to the Commander of Artillery.-Art. V. The ma gazines, chests, &c. shall be given up to French Commissaries appointed for that effect.-Art. VI. The plans and memorials of the fortress shall be given up to the Commandant of Engineers of the French army.-Art. VII. The sick of the English and of the Portuguese army shall be taken care of and maintained at the expence of the French army, and on their recovery shall follow the destination of the garrison. MASSENA, Prince of Essling, &c. W, Cox, Governor of Almeida. Camp before Almeida, Aug. 27. [This Gazette likewise contains a copy of a letter from Capt. Selby, of the Owen Glendower, dated off the Lizard, the 1st inst. mentioning the capture of the Indomptable French privateer of 18 guns and 120 men, belonging to Roscoff. The Enemy, it appears, got among the Owen Glendower's convoy coming down channel in a fog, and took one; but, it clearing up shortly after, he struck his colours, after having his sails shot away and several men wounded.] Admiralty-office, October 4. This Gazette contains Copies of three Letters from Capt. Nugent, of the Strenuous gun-brig, announcing the capture by that vessel of two Danish cutter privateers, Aalbergh and Popham, of eight and three guns, off the Naze, on the 10th and 13th ult.; as also of the Danish brig Troforte, laden with rye, on the 26th. Aumiralty-office, Oct. 13. Letter to Lord Gambier, dated Caledonia, Basque Roads, Sept, 28. My Lord, Since my letter of the 12th instant, detailing the capture and destruction of three of the Enemy's brigs on the East coast of this road, the small yessels with the boats of the Caledonia and Valiant have been successfully employed in stopping the coasting trade between Rochelle and the Isle of Aix, but more particularly in blockading three of the Enemy's brigs that had sought protection under the battery upon Point du Che, and forming part of a convoy to which the former vessels belonged, the whole of them laden with timber and provisison on account of the Government. I have now the honour to inform your Lordship that, the tide being sufficiently high, and the nights dark, I judged it practicable to effect either the capture or destruction of these vessels; but, as the Enemy had strengthened his position with four field-pieces, and their artillery men posted upon the beach, and on a low point situated under the battery, with a strong detachment of foot and horse in the adjoining village of Angolin, it was obvious we could only succeed, with the means we possessed, in effecting this object but by a coup de main, and with a force adequate to the resistance that was likely to be immediately opposed to us. In consequence of this persuasion, I directed 130 marines from the Caledonia and Valiant to be embarked in the boats of their respective ships, under the direction of Capt. Sherman, of the Royal Marines of this ship, for the purpose of landing under Point du Che, to carry the battery and field-pieces by assault, and to spike the guns; allotting to the other boats of the squadron the capture or destruction of the brigs. I have the satisfaction to acquaint your Lordships, that this force proceeded last night, agreeably to the arrangement I had previously made, under the command of Lieut. Hamilton, of this ship, with the other Lieutenants of the squadron, who also volunteered their services in the command of the different boats upon this occasion; the whole acting with that degree of zeal, regularity, and attention I had every reason to expect, and which so much, contributes to the success of an undertaking. The marines were landed at the place appointed, about half-past two o'clock in the morning; but, notwithstanding the near approach of the boats before they were discovered, the alarm was given froin the brigs, and an ineffectual fire was immediately opened upon them from the Enemy's guns. Lieut. Little of the Royal Marine Artillery, immediately on landing, pushed forward with the bayonet to the assault, supported by Capt. M'Lauchlin's division, with Lieut. Colter, both of the Royal Marines of the Valiant, and Lieut. Gouche of this ship, with a separate detachment, and succeeded in carrying the battery and spiking all the guns. Lieut. Little, in a personal contention with one of the Enemy, when in the act of wresting his musket from him, received the contents in his hand, which was so much shattered in consequence as to render amputation necessary. Capt. Sherman, at the same time, took post with his division upon the road by the sea side, with his front to the village, and an 18-pound carronade on his right in one of the launches. In a few minutes a considerable body of men advanced from the village, and were instantly checked in their approach by a warm fire from the marines and the boat; at this period the Enemy had succeeded, under cover of the night, in bringing a field-piece to flank the line, which the picquet immediately charged with the bayonet, and took from him, putting the men to flight. The object of this service being now executed by the capture of two of the brigs, and the destruction of the other by the fire, the marines were immediately embarked in the most perfect order without any loss, and only one person, a private belonging to the Valiant, wounded. The Enemy had fourteen men killed in defence of the battery upon Point du Che; what loss he sustained by the fire from Capt. Sherman's division, and from the launch, it is impossible to say, but he must have suffered considerably, as his line was much exposed, and completely kept in check. I have felt it to be my duty to be thus particular in the detail of circumstances upon this occasion; for, although the service performed is in itself of little importance, yet it required the promptitude and exertion of the officers and men employed upon it, that frequently is not so necessary in undertakings of greater magnitude; and I am solicitous to do justice to the merits of all the officers and men employed upon this service. I must beg in particular to call your attention to the conduct of Lieut. Little, who was most materially engaged upon this occasion, and whose loss of his right hand will be severely felt, in the hope that the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty will take into consideration the injury he has sustained. H. NEALE. Admiralty-office, Oct. 20. Letter from Lieut. Bentham, of the Roebuck, acting in the command of the Briseis Sloop, to Lord Gardner. Briseis, Yarmouth Roads, Oct. 16. My Lord, I have the satisfaction to state to you, that his Majesty's sloop you did me the honour to place under my command, fell-in with an Enemy's schooner at noon on the 14th inst. eighty miles W. by S. of Horn Reef, and, after an anxious chace of eight hours, we succeeded in bringing her to action, which she maintained with determined desperation for an hour, most part of the time the vessels touching; indeed, the severe loss on both sides speaks for itself; the Enemy before he surrendered having eight men killed and nineteen wounded, and, I lament lament to say, four men have been killed, and eleven badly wounded, on board the Briseis. It is the pleasantest part of my duty to state to your Lordship, that the whole of the Officers and sloop's company behaved in such a manner as to merit my warmest approbation. The prize which has arrived in these Roads with me proves to be the French privateer schooner Sans Souci, of ten twelvepounders and four two-pounders, commanded by Jules Jacobs, with a comple ment of fifty-five men; she sailed from Amsterdam previous to my falling-in with her, in company with another vessel of the same class, for the purpose of oruizing on the Dogger Bank against our trade. Inclosed herewith, for your Lordship's information, is a list of killed and wounded. G. BENTHAM, Acting Commander. [This Gazette also contains accounts of the following captures: La Comtesse de Montalivet, French brig privateer, pierced for 16, but mounting only 14 guns, and 57 men, by Rhin ship, Capt. Malcolm; La Temeraire French schooner privateer, pierced for 10 guns and six swivels, with 35 men, by the Fawn sloop, Hon. Capt. Crofton; and La Vengeur lugger, of 16 guns and 78 men, by the Revenge, Hon. Capt. Paget.] This Ga Admiralty-office, Oct. 23. zette contains Copies of the following Letters the first from Capt. Loring, of the Niobe frigate, reporting the capture, on the 20th inst. off Cape Barfleur, of L'Hirondelle French lugger privateer, of four guns and 30 men, commanded by Aimable Le Roy.-The second from Capt. Upton, of the Sybille, mentioning the capture of the French privateer Edouard, of 14 guns and 90 men, 210 tons, commanded by M. G. Moreau, out eight days from Abrevarake.-The third from Capt. Oliver, of the Apelles sloop, announcing the capture of the Somnambule French privateer, of 18 guns and 56 men, which, from the damage she had received, he was afterwards compelled to scuttle. The fourth from Capt. Cumberland, of the Saturn, stating the cap ture of a Danish cutter privateer, of one gun and four swivels, by the boats of the above ship, under the direction of Lieut. Drewitt, of Ebeltoft, in Jutland, in presence of six other vessels of the same description. The fifth from Capt. Ryves of the Africa, mentioning the destruction of a Danish privateer, on Falstubo Reef, by a boat's crew, under the orders of Lieut. Finnisnere. And the sixth from * The list contains the names of four killed and 11 wounded. Capt. Mainwaring, of the Tartarus sloop, gving an account of his having sunk two French privateers off Pillau. LONDON GAZEtte ExtraorDINARY. Downing-street, Oct. 25. The following dispatch was last night received by the Earl of Liverpool, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State. Extract of a Letter from Lieut.-col. Keating, dated Bourbon, 21st July. I have much pleasure in forwarding to your Lordship a copy of my dispatch, under this date, to the Right Hon. the Governor-General of India; and I hope the conduct of the forces confided to my command may meet with the gracious approbation of his Majesty. To N. B. Edmonstone, Esq. Chief Secre tary to Government, Calcutta. Sir, I have the honour to report that the force, consisting of 1800 European and 1850 Native troops, which the Right Hon. the Governor General of India, in Council, has been pleased to confide to my orders and directions, for the conquest of the Island of Bourbon, arrived at Roderigues on the 20th June, at which time I was absent on the important duty which has already been detailed, for the information of his Lordship, in my letter of the 16th of the same month. The intelligence which I then obtained enabled me at once to decide upon a plan of attack. On the 24th June, Commodore Rowley, commanding the blockading squadron before the Isles of France and Buonaparte, anchored in his Majesty's ship Boadicea off Fort Duncan, in the Island of Roderigues. No time was lost in making the necessary arrangements for the reduction of this Island, as well as for carrying into effect the ulterior object of the expedition. From the unfavourable state of the weather we were delayed at Roderigues until the morning of the 3d inst. when we weighed anchor, and proceeded to the point of rendezvous, fifty miles to windward of the Island of Buonaparte, which point we reached at four o'clock on the evening of the 6th, when, in consequence of the judicious arrangements made by Commodore Rowley, and the indefatigable zeal and exertions of Capts. Pym of the Sirius, Lambert of the Iphigenia, Curtis of the Magicienne, Willoughby of the Nereide, and Lieut. Robb, First of the Boadicea, the whole of the troops were removed from the transports, and embarked in the frigates, which immediately stood-in for the points of debarkation. It will appear by the disposition made in the plan of attack, for striking the first blow at the Enemy's capital, that posed. It now became necessary, if possible, to communicate with Lieut.-col. Macleod, the senior Officer with the detachment on shore, which, in landing, had the whole of their ammunition damaged, and had lost a considerable number of their arms. Lieut. Foulstone, of the 69th Regiment, in the most handsome manner, volunteering to swim through the surf, his services were immediately accepted, and that Officer accordingly conveyed my orders to the Lieut.-colonel to take possession of, and occupy St. Marie for the night. This service was performed by Lieut.-col, Macleod, in a masterly and officer-like manner. I felt much anxiety for this detachment during the night; and as the practicability of disembarking more troops to windward, appeared to Commodore Rowley, as well as myself, very uncertain, the Magicienne, having on board the 2d Brigade, was dispatched about ten p.m. to Grand Chaloupe, to which place it was determined that the Boadicea, with such transports as had military stores on board, should follow in the morning. According to this arrangement, Capt. Lambert, of the Iphigenia, being left with directions from Commodore Rowley to seize the first moment of moderate weather to debark that part of the 3d brigade then on board of his ship, I proceeded with the Commodore in the Boadicea, on the morning of the 8th, with the remainder of the 3d and 4th brigades, and effected a landing to leeward, at Grand Chaloupe, about 11 o'clock a. m. With this force under my immediate command, I instantly moved forward by the mountains; at two o'clock a.m. passing over the heights, I reconnoitered the Enemy's that there were two objects in view; first, to prevent a protracted warfare in the interior of a country almost inaccessible to an invading army; and secondly, to ensure the final reduction of the Island in the shortest time possible, by securing the principal garrison and the Governor, and the Commander in Chief, whom I knew to be at St. Denis. The first brigade composed of his Majesty's 86th regiment, the first battalion 6th regiment of Madras native infantry, and a small detail of artillery and pioneers commanded by Lieut.-col. Fraser, was ordered to land at Grand Chaloupe, and to proceed by the mountains direct against the West side of the Enemy's capital; whilst the second, third, and fourth brigades were to land at Riviere des Pluies, and to force the lines of defence extending from the Butor redoubt on the North or sea side, to the redoubt No. 11, on the South, and from thence to cross the rear of the town to the River St. Denis. About two o'clock p.m. on the 7th, the several ships having reached their stations, the beach from St. Marie, to within gun-shot of the Imperial Battery, was reconnoitered by Capt. Willoughby of the Royal Navy, and Lieut.-col. Campbell of his Majesty's 33d regiment, commanding the 4th brigade, or the advance. The weather being then moderate, and the Enemy not appearing in strength, it was determined to debark the troops. Accordingly, Lieut.-col. Campbell, with 150 light troops of his brigade, and Capt. Willoughby of the Royal Navy, commanding a party of seamen, and appointed to superintend the landing, immediately pushed off, and landed their men about four o'clock. Lieut.-col. Macleod, of his Majesty's 69th Regiment, command-position, and by four o'clock had formed ing the 3d brigade, with one hundred and fifty men, effected a landing nearly at the same time. But, at this moment, the wind increasing with much violence, raised the surf to an unexpected height, and several boats being stove on the beach, the landing of more troops that evening became impracticable. This important object was not, however, given up, until an experiment, concerted with Commodore Rowley, was put in execution. A small transport (the Udney) was run upon the beach, in hopes that the troops might be enabled to land over her stern or under her lee. This service was performed by Lieut. Lloyd, 2d of the Boadicea, with the usual intrepidity which distinguishes our, Navy; but the violence of the weather, and natural difficulties of the situation, were such as to frustrate the intention pro the necessary arrangements for the attack upon his capital. Major Austen, at the head of the 12th and 33d Grenadiers, and 12th Native Infantry, had received his final instructions to assail the town in the rear. Lieut.-colonels Macleod of the 69th, and Campbell of the 33d, had already passed the Enemy's strong position on the East of the town, from the Butor to No. 5 redoubt. Lieut. col. Clarges was well advanced towards the West of the town with five companies of the 69th regiment, to force the batteries on the sea face; and Lieut. col. Drummond, commanding the 2d brigade, had reinforced with the Royal Marines of his brigade, the position so gallantly maintained by the 1st brigade, on the west of the river St. Denis. Through the exertions of Major Taynton, commanding the Artillery, and of Capt. Macintosh |