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bridges, which they scrambled over by the side; not being able to force the main gate, they escaladed by the breach (the state of which your Grace had observed) in the morning, and before which, although the ditch was said to have twelve feet water, a footing on dry ground was found, by wading through a narrow port in the angle of the gate, within the rampart. I have every reason to be satisfied with the light infantry of the division, who by their fire covered the attacks of the parties, of sixty men each, which preceded the column.

The three brigades of artillery of Lieutenant Colonel Webber Smith, and Majors Knott and Browne, under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel Hawker, made particularly good practice, and immediately silenced the fire of the enemy's artillery, except from two guns on each flank of the citadel, which could not be got at, and two field pieces on the ramparts of the town, above the Valenciennes gate, and which played upon the troops as they debouched from the cover they had been posted in. Twenty prisoners were made at the horn work of the Paris gate, and about one hundred and thirty altogether in the town. Their fire was very slack, and even that, I foresaw, they were forced to, by the garrison of the citadel. I left the 23d and 91st regiments in town, with two guns, and a troop of Ensdorff hussars, and am much indebted to Sir William Douglas and Colonel Dalmer, for their assistance in preserving order. Some depredations were committed, but of no consequence,

when the circumstances we entered by are considered.

From the division, as well as my personal staff, I received every assistance in the course of the three days operations.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

CHARLES COLVILLE.

Total Loss at Cambray―1 lieut. 7 rank and file, killed; 2 lieutenants, 1 ensign, 1 serjeant, 28 rank and file, wounded.

WAR DEPARTMENT.

Downing-street, July 11.

A dispatch, of which the following is a copy, was this day received from Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington, K. G. addressed to Earl Bathurst, his Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the War Department :

Paris, July 8, 1815.

My Lord,-In consequence of the convention with the enemy, of which I transmitted your Lordship the copy in my dispatch of the 4th, the troops under my command, and that of Field Marshal Prince Blucher, occupied the barriers of Paris on the 6th, and entered the city yesterday, which has ever since been perfectly quiet.

The King of France entered Paris this day.

I have the honour to be, &c.
WELLINGTON.

Earl Bathurst, &c.

Admiralty

Admiralty-office, July 25. Extract of a letter from Captain Maitland, of his Majesty's ship Bellerophon, to John Wilson Croker, Esq. dated in Basque-roads, the 14th instant.

For the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, I have to acquaint you that the Count Las Casses and General Allemand, this day came on board his Majesty's ship under my command, with a proposal for me to receive on board Napoleon Buonaparte, for the purpose of throwing himself on the generosity of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent.

Conceiving myself authorized by their Lordships' secret order, I have acceded to the proposal, and he is to embark on board this ship to-morrow morning.

That no misunderstanding might arise, I have explicitly and clearly explained to the Count Las Casses, that I have no authority whatever for granting terms of any sort ; but that all I can do is, to convey him and his suite to England, to be received in such manner as his Royal Highness may deem expedient.

Falmouth, arrived last night from
the Gironde, bringing the satis-
factory intelligence of that river
having been successfully entered
without loss on the 13th inst. by the
Pactolus, Hebrus, and Falmouth.
I enclose, for their Lordship's
information, a copy of the Hon.
Captain Aylmer's letter, reporting
his proceedings in the execution
of this service, in which both
Captain Palmer and he have shewn
a commendable zeal.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed)

KEITH, Admiral.

J. W. Croker, Esq.

P. S. I also enclose a copy of a letter from Captain Palmer, of the Hebrus.

His Majesty's ship Pactolus, in the Gironde, July 14. My Lord-I arrived off this port on the 3d inst. and, in compliance with the wishes of General Donnadieu, sent in a flag of truce, with an aide-de-camp of the General's, for the purpose of communicating with the General, Clausel, commanding at Bourdeaux; but as two days more elapsed without any answer or news of the aide-de-camp, I sent another flag into a corvette lying in the river; and I learnt from her commander that he had received the most positive orders from Gen. Clausel not to hold any kind of communication with us. In addition to this we received a proclamation, signed by that General, declaring Bourdeaux and its whole vicinity in a state of siege, and threatening with military execution any who manifested signs Sir,--Captain Knight, of the of disaffection to his government.

Admiralty-office, July 25, 1815.

Copy of a Letter from Admiral
Viscount Keith, to John Wilson
Croker, Esq. dated on board his
Majesty's ship the Ville de Paris,
in Hamoaze, the 21st inst.

Ville de Paris, in Hamoaze,
July 21, 1815.

The

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While this negociation was attempting, the Hebrus arrived with the charge of a small expedition, with arms and supplies for the Royalists, and when it became evident that no good could arise out of any attempt to conciliate General Clausel, Captain Palmer made me a very strong representation upon the necessity which he conceived there was for his attempting to enter the Gironde and open a direct communication with the Royalist party. After weighing the circumstances, I thought it my duty to accede to the proposal, and I united the ships for the prosecution of the service.

The General Donnadieu, being anxious to pursue his mission on the coast, I dispatched the Larne with him to Passages.

On the 11th the squadron weighed from an outer anchorage we had taken, and formed for the purpose of entering the river; but, as we stood in, the enemy's corvette was perceived to weigh and manœuvre in the north entrance, while five sail pushed out through the southern passage to sea. Under these circumstances, it became necessary for the intercepting those vessels that the squadron should separate for the time; and in consequence the forcing the river was obliged to be given up for that day; during the night, the squadron united again, after having examined the vessels which it appeared had sailed in so suspicious a manner, which circumstance was developed by the embargo having been that

morning discontinued in

river.

Yesterday, the wind being favourable, the squadron again weighed, and formed in a close line for entering the Gironde ; the Pactolus led, the Hebrus followed, and the Falmouth brought up the rear; the two former had transports in tow as we proceeded, a person came off with a message from the people of the town of Royan, saying that they would not fire at us, provided we did not assail them. We passed on with the royal colours of France at the mast head; the tri-coloured flag flew along the batteries, which were all in preparation, but no act of hostility occurred until we reached the heavy battery at Verdun, which opened its fire upon us, and continued it until the ships reached the anchorage. No injury, however, was sustained, and the squadron did not return a gun, for I was unwilling to disturb the feeling which appeared so generally and so happily to prevail. Directly the ships were secured, a commu nication was sent up with a flag of truce to General Clausel by the Count de Lasteur, deputed by M. La Duchesse D'Angouleme, aud we are in expectation of his answer. In the mean time nothing can wear a more favourable aspect than the face of things in this river.

I beg to assure you, that every measure shall be adopted, in conjunction with the Baron Montalembert, to arm and organise the royal party, and establish the power of predominance of his Majesty the King of France, in

the

the vicinity of wherever our means can operate.

I lose no time in dispatching the Falmouth to your Lordship, and Captain Knight will explain our situation, as well as that we are taking every precaution in respect to she defence of that river, in the event of General Clausel sending down any strong force to stifle the spirit of the people. I shall also write to Rear-Admiral Sir Henry Hotham, and perhaps the Rear-Admiral may strengthen our means here, so that we may fully avail ourselves of such opportunity of pushing the royal cause with vigour and celerity, and of cherishing the excellent disposition with which all here seem inspired. I have just learnt that the enemy evacuated the fort of Verdun last night, and retired with his garrison. We have sent a force on shore to dismantle and destroy the guns, &c. This is the fort which disputed our entrance, and it is a very strong work.

I have also the pleasure to add, that the propositions of the Baron Montalembert, and his mission, have hitherto been every where attended with success. The forts and the positions are gradually pulling down their tri-coloured flags, and hoisting that of their legitimate Sovereign: and several of them have saluted the squadron upon their hoisting the white flag. While writing this letter, another battery has hoisted the white flag, and there now remains only the fort at Meche with the tri-colured flag.

Captain Palmer, who was entrusted with the service, has

throughout directed it, and the
accident alone of my being the
senior officer, induces me to give
the account to your Lordship.
I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) F. W. AYLMER,
Captain.

To Admiral Lord Viscount
Keith, &c.

His Majesty's ship Hebrus, in the Gironde, July 14, 1815. My Lord, I have the honour to state to you, that I arrived off this port on the 6th, where I found his Majesty's ship Pactolus, and I learn from Captain Aylmer that General Donnadieu (the French officer he had on board) was endeavouring to open a communication with the Commandant at Bourdeaux, General Clausel, and that an aide-de-camp had been dispatched in for that purpose. But as General Clausel thought proper to detain the messenger, and also to adopt the most decided measures to prevent any kind of intercourse, there appeared no prospect of any accommodation from any further attempts to conciliate him.

From the nature of this coast, and the complete military possession which the enemy had of it, it seemed impossible that any free communication could be opened with the Royalists, unless I could effect an entrance into the river; and as the Baron de Montalembert expressed the greatest anxiety upon the subject, and I possessed a discretionary power of passing into the Gironde, should I be of opinion that circumstances

justified

justified me in doing so, I decided, after the best consideration I could give the matter, that it was the most proper course I could pursue for the good of the cause I was employed on.

As I felt, that the committing the transports and their lading in the river, at a time it was in full possession of the enemy, was a strong measure, and as there were serious obstacles to overcome, in a well defended entrance and a hazardous navigation, I considered it my duty to render our means as effective as possible before the attempt was made, and as the Pactolus was on the spot, I stated my opinion fully to Captain Aylmer, requesting the junction of his ship to those under my orders. Captain Aylmer having acceded to the request, and being the senior officer, of course the command of the squadron devolved on him, and your Lordship will learn from that officer the further proceedings of the expedition.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed)

EDMUND PALMER, Captain.
To Admiral Viscount
Keith, G. C. B. &c. &c. &c.

WAR DEPARTMENT.

Downing-Street, July 23, 1815. A dispatch, of which the following is a copy, has been this day received by Earl Bathurst, addressed to his Lordship by Colonel the Baron de Montalembert, dated in the Gironde, July

13, 1815.

My Lord,-With the greatest satisfaction I have the honour to

inform your Lordship, that the ship, with the arms, equipments, and ammunition, placed under my charge, entered the Gironde this morning, protected by his Majesty's ships Pactolus, Hebrus, and Falmouth. On our approach near the fort of Royan, which commands the entrance of the river, Captain Palmer of the Hebrus hoisted the white flag at the main. The effect produced by this emblem of loyalty and honour was instantaneous. Not a gun was fired from the batteries, the Verdun one excepted, and we were received as friends and deliverers.

The communications we have had with the inhabitants during the few hours we have been at anchor, are of the most favourable nature, and such as might have been expected from their well-known attachment to the cause of their legitimate Sovereign. General Clausel still occupies Bourdeaux with some force. Our appearance in this river, and the means we will immediately pursue to arm the population, will produce the double effect of paralyzing his measures to keep possession of the town, and of preventing his sending any reinforcement to the French army behind the Loire.

I cannot close this communication, without stating to your Lordship, that to Captain Palmer's zeal for the cause, and indefatigable exertions, we are entirely indebted for our present advantageous position in this river. I have, &c. (Signed)

Le Baron de MONTALEMBERT. To Earl Bathurst, &c.

WAR

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