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from the 23d, under col. Vassal, who advanced against Maldonado, which seemed to be occupied by about 600 regulars and militia, mostly mounted, with one howitzer, and one 4-pounder field-piece. Though our troops were without any artillery, they soon dispersed the enemy, with the loss of their guns, and about 50 men killed and wounded. The loss on our side was two killed and four wounded, of the 38th regiment.

Colonel Backhouse adds,-" To the cool intrepidity of our little column on this occasion, much praise is due, as it advanced with the utmost steadiness and alacrity, and without firing a shot, until sufficiently near to make a certainty of carrying both the guns and the town, which was principally done by the bayonet, notwithstanding the advance was made under heary discharges of grape and musketry. -To the well-known gallantry and ability of col. Vassal, I feel my. self much indebted; and the conduct of every other officer in the field has commanded my thanks.”

The next day the heavy batteries on the beach of the harbour, and the peninsula, surrendered at discretion to sir H. Popham. The marines and armed seamen sent on shore by sir H. were of the great est assistance in the capture' of Maldonado. Col. Backhouse closes his dispatches with mentioning the great services he received from major Trotter of the 83d, and major Tucker of the 72d.

Return of Ordnance, Ammunition, and Stores, &c. taken from the Enemy in the Town and Vicinity of Maldonado.

Brass Ordnance. 1 Six-inch

howitzer, with 10 rounds of ammunition; 1 six-pounder, with 10 rounds of ditto.

Iron Ordnance. 12 twenty-sixpounders on sea-batteries; 20 twenty-four-pounders, on the island of Goretti; 700 muskets, 200 pistols, 300 swords, 180 barrels of powder.

Then follow copies of two let. ters from sir H. Popham to W. Marsden, esq. The first is dated on board the Diadem, in Rio de la Plata, August 25th, and describes the circumstances which progressively led to the surrender of the settlement of Buenos Ayres.

"Pueridon, (says sir H.) one of the municipality, appears to have been the greatest organ of the revolution. He applied himself with great art and address in preparing the people for a general insurrection. The arms in the town were secreted, ready for the moment of action; the discontented assembled every night, and attended to his instructions, and he raised all the rabblo of the country by the ample supplies of money with which he was furnished on the north side of the river. Col. Liniers, a French officer in the Spanish service, and on his parole, successfully employed himself in collecting people at Colo. nia. Terror was established, and every person who refused to con tribute his assistance to this conspiracy was threatened with immediate death. I have traced this from very unquestionable authority; and so rapid was the progress of the revolution, when it first shewed if self, that it was not till the 31st of July that I learnt, by a dispatch from the general, which reached me at Ensenada, on my return from Monte Video, that he was appre hensive, from the information he S$ 3 had

received, an insurrection would shortly be made. I heard at the same time from capt. Thompson, that seventeen of the enemy's vessels had just arrived at Colonia; and, as it was reported that force was still to be increased from Monte Video, I sent orders for the Dio. mede to be brought to Ensenada, and for capt. King, of the Diadem, to come up with the remaining few marines, the two companies of Blues, and as many other men as could in any degree be spared from the ships, for the purpose of arming some vessels to attack the enemy at Colonia, as it was impossible to prevent his crossing from the north shore whenever the wind was fair.

،، On the ist of August, in the afternoon, the Leda anchored off Buenos Ayres, about twelve miles distant; and on my landing on the 2d, which I did as soon as the weather would admit of a boat getting on shore, I found the general had just made a very successful attack

on

about 1500 Spaniards under Pueridon, five leagues from the town, with 500 men; in which he took all the enemy's cannon, (I think nine pieces,) and several prisoners.-On the 3d I attempted to return to the Leda, in the Encounter, which captain Honeyman brought within a few miles of the shore for this purpose, as it blew very strong; but the wind fresh ened so considerably from the eastward, that we could not get to windward. On the 4th, in the morning, it was very thick weather, and the gale increased so much, that it was impossible to weigh.-About noon, captain King arrived in a ga. livat with 150 ren from the Diadem, for the purpose of arming the few small vessels we had collected

in the harbour, but he was not able to get there till the following day. On the 5th, in the morning, it mo derated, and I reached the Leda; when I received a report from captain Thompson, that in the gale of the preceding day the enemy crossed from Colonia totally unobserved by any of our ships, except the schooner under the command of lieutenant Herrick; but the easterly wind had thrown so much water in the river, that the enemy were enabled to cross over any part of the Patmas bank without the neces sity of making a greater détour by going higher up the river.-On the 6th and 7th it blew a hurricane; the Leda was lying in four fathoms, with two anchors down, and her yards and topmasts struck.

On the 8th I heard from captain King, that five of our gun-boats had foundered at their anchors; that the Walker had lost her rudder, and that the launches and large cutters of the Diadem and Leda were lost.The torrents of rain that fell during the 6th, 7th, and sth, had rendered the roads totally imprac ticable for any thing but cavalry; and consequently general Beres. ford was most seriously disappointed in his determination to attack the enemy at a distance from the town; in which, had it taken place, I entertained no doubt that his army would have added another trait of its invincible spirit under his dispositions.-The enemy, how. ever, by his inexhaustible supply of horses, suffered little inconvenience from the state of the roads, and he was therefore enabled to approach the town by several directions, without giving the British army any opportunity to attack him.-On the 10th, in the evening,

the Castle was summoned; and on the following day I landed, while our remaining vessels were firing on the Spanish posts, and I learnt, that, exclusive of the Spanish army, which was divided into many columas, occupying the various ave. nues of the town, the inhabitants were all armed, and sheltered on the tops of the houses and churches, with a design of carrying on a war of ambush.-Under these circumstances, and the manifest disposition of the enemy to prevent an engagement, it was determined to embark the wounded that night, and cross the Rio Chello, for the purpose of moving towards Ensenada; but this measure was in a great degree frustrated by the weather, which became very violent during the night, and consequently retarded the progress of embarkation, though the enemy added a considerable number of men to the houses and churches near the Castle, and advanced by all the streets not under the influence of its fire; in short, sir, his object was to avoid by every means a general action, and to place his men in such a situation that they could fire at our troops while they remained in perfect security themselves. On the 12th, at day-light, I understand a smart fire began from the enemy's advanced posts, but was soon returned with great effect from our artillery, which was planted toward the principal streets leading to the great square; for a short time the enemy, by his immense numbers, shewed a greater degree of firmness than on any other occasion, and pushed forward with three pieces of artillery, which colonel Pack, of the 71st, soon charged and took from him. During this time, how.

ever, reinforcements crowded the tops of all the houses commanding the great square from the backstreets, and our troops were soon considerably annoyed by people they could not get at. The enemy com. manded the Castle in the same way, with the additional advantage of a gun on the top of one of the churches, which I consider an indelible stigma against the character of the bishop, not only from his situation, but the professions he made. -I can easily conceive how the feelings of general Beresford must, at this moment, have been on the rack. Disappointed in his last efforts to induce the enemy to a gene. ral engagement in the great square, his gallant little army falling fast by shots from invisible persons, and the only alternative which could present itself to save the useless ef fusion of so much valuable blood, was a flag of truce, which was hoisted at the Castle about one o'clock. In an instant there were near 10,000 men in the great square, pressing forward in the most outrageous manner to get into the fort, and even firing at our men on the ramparts; so much so, that it was with extreme difficulty the British troops were prevented revenging this insult; indeed the general was obliged to tell the Spanish officers, if their men did not retire in the course of one minute, he must, as the only measure of safety, haul down the flag of truce, and recommence hostilities: this firmness had the desired effect, and he then sent his conditions to the Spanish general, and they were instantly acceded to."

From the subsequent part of this letter, it appears that our loss on the above occasion amounts to 2 officers, 2 serjeants, 1 drummer,

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and

and 43 rank and file, killed; and 6 officers, 7 serjeants, 92 rank and file, wounded; and 9 missing; making a total of 165; and scarce any of those misfortunes were occasion. ed except from the inhabitants, on the tops of the houses and the churches. The enemy confesses to have lost about 700 killed and wounded, in the short couflict in the streets; and if it had not been for the inhabitants, I have little doubt, (says sir H.) that the Spanish troops would have been completely defeated, although seven times the number of the British forces.-Nothing is more difficult than to give their lordships an idea of the number of men in arms; but from the best accounts we can obtain, it is thought Pueridon, and the other principal people engaged in this plot, had collected from 8 to 10,000 men in the country; that Liniers may have brought over from 800 to 1000; and the town furnished, though armed in various ways, about 10,000, under the secret arrangement of the magistrates.", -Lieutenants Groves, Herrick, and Swaile, of the navy, receive great praise from sir. II. for their conduct in bringing out several vessels from the harbour.

The articles of capitulation agreed that the British troops should march out with the honours of war, and be embarked for England as prisoners; and that the Spanish troops made prisoners by us on the capture of the place, should be exchanged for the British officers ta ken at the recapture. This capitulation, after being signed, was bro. ken by the Spaniards, who march ed our troops up the country.

The officers killed, were capt. Kennett, of the R. engineers, and

lieut. W. Mitchell, of the 71st regiment.-Officers wounded, captain Mackenzie, R. M. lieut. Sampson, St. Helena regiment; capt. Ogilvie, R. artillery; licut. M'Do. nald, ditto; lieut. col. Pack, lieut. Murray, ensigns Connel and Lucas, (since dead,) all of the 71st regiment.

Statement of property captured at Buenos Ayres, but not removed, and which was recaptured on the 12th of August.

Goods of the Philippine
Company
Debts due to disto
4000 Arab. B. Tobacco,

at 6 dollars, sold for 14 2000 ditto Parly ditto

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50,000 Reams Paper (2
dollars)
5000 Quintals of Quick-
Playing Cards

ilver (40 dollars) 40,000lbs. Spanish Snuff (2 dollars)

20,000lb. Havannah ditto. (2 dollars)

Dollars.

100,000 1,011,537

24,000

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12,000

100,000

50,000

200,000

80,000

40,000

37.500lbs. Bark,(1 dollars) 56,250.

1,673,797 Vessels and Floating Property 1,500,000

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The second letter, from sir H. Popham, dated on-board the Diadem, relates merely to the capture of the town and harbour of Maldo. nado, as described by col. Backhouse.-A third letter, dated Oct. 31, states the capture of the island of Goretti, by sir H. Popham.-Goretti is a very strong position, defended by 20 twenty-four pounders, in four batteries, so placed as to command the roadstead, the eastern passage between it and the peninsula, and the only two practical beaches for landing.

The

The Gazette of Feb. 14. contains an order of the commander-inchief, that, in addition to the permission recently granted to the 76th regiment of foot, for placing the word Hindoostan in their colours and appointments, the regiment shall be allowed to place the Ele. phant in their colours and on their appointments, inscribing the word "Hindoostan" around it; as a distinguished testimony of their good co duct and exemplary valour du. ring their service in India.

Capture of Curacoa.

to admire the decision of captain Brisbane, in attempting the har.. bour, and the determined bravery and conduct displayed by himself, the other three captains, and all the officers and men under his command; and is another strong instance of the cool and determined bravery of British seamen.

Captain Brisbane being, from his situation, obliged to act as governor, I have, as an acknowledge. ment and high approbation of his conduct, continued him in that situ. ation until his majesty's pleasure shall be known; and request, in the strongest manner, that their lordships will be pleased to recommend him for that appointment.

Captain Lydiard (who will have the honour of delivering this, and who fully partook of the conquest, and has before distinguished himself off the Havannah,) I beg to refer their lordships to for any information. 1 shall put an act

Admiralty-office, Feb. 21. Captain Lydiard, of his majesty's ship the Anson, arrived here this morning, with dispatches from vice-admiral Dacres, commander. in-chief of his majesty's ships and ressels at Jamaica, to William Marsden, est. of which the following captain in the Anson until his ing are copies :

Shark, Port Royal, Jan. 1, 1807.
SIR;

I have much satisfaction in congratulating my lords commisioners of the admiralty on the capture of the island of Curaçoa, on Newyear's day, in the morning, by the four frigates named in the margin*, under the orders of captain Brisbane, of the Arethusa: a copy of whose letter I inclose for their lordships' information.

Whilst I contemplate the immense strength of the harbour of Amsterdam, and the superior force contained in its different batteries opposed to the entrance of the frigates, I know not how sufliciently

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return, or I receive directions there

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Arethusa, Latona, Anson, and Fisgard.

the

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