Segovia on the 7th, and at St Ildefonso on the 8th, where I halted one day, to allow the right of the army more time to come up

No opposition was made to the passage of the troops through the mountains and Brigadier-General D'Urban, with the Portuguese cavalry, and 1st light battalion of the King's German, and Captain M'Donald's troop of horse artillery, had been through the Guadarama pass since the 9th. He moved forward on the morning of the 11th from the neighbourhood of Galapagas, and supported by the heavy cavalry of the King s German Legion from Torrelodones, he drove in the French cavalry, about two thousand in number, and placed himself at Majalahonda, with the Portuguese cavalry and Captain M Donald's troop, and the cavalry and light infantry of the King's German Legion at Las Royas, about three quarters of a mile distant.

The enemy's cavalry, which had been driven off in the morning, and had moved towards Naval Carnero, returned about five in the afternoon ;

day, Sept. 4.

Downing Street, Sept. 4. Major Burgh, aid-de-camp to the Marquis of Wellington, has this day arrived at Lord Bathurst's office with dispatches, addressed to his lordship by Lord Wellington, dated Madrid, the 13th and 15th ultimo, of which the following are extracts:

Madrid, August 13. Having found that the army under Marshal Marmont continued their retreat upon Burgos, in a state not likely to take the field again for some time, I determined to bring Joseph Buona parte to a general action, or force him to quit Madrid.

Accordingly I moved from Cuellar on the 6th instant. We arrived at 7

ving formed the Portuguese cavalry in front of Majalahonda, supported by the horse artillery, ordered the cavalry to charge the enemy's leading squadrons, which appeared too far advanced to be supported by their main body. The Portuguese cavalry advanced to the attack, but unfortunately turned about before they reached the enemy; and they fled through the village of Majalahonda, and back upon the German dragoons, leaving behind them, unprotected and supported, those guns of Captain M'Donald's troop which had been moved forward to co-operate with the cavalry. By the activity of the officers and soldiers of Captam M'Donald's troop, the guns were, however, moved off; but owing 10 the unfavourable nature of the ground

over which they were moved, the carriage of one was broken, and two others were overturned; and these three guns fell into the enemy's hands.

The Portuguese dragoons having fled through Majalahonda, were rallied and re-formed upon the heavy dragoons of the King's German Legion, which were formed between that village and Las Royas. The German cavalry charged the enemy, although under many disadvantages, and stopped their further progress; but I am sorry to say, that they suffered considerable loss, and that Colonel Jonqueires, who commanded the brigade, was taken prisoner. The left of the army was about two miles and a half distant, at the Puente de Ratamar, on the Guadarama river; and Colonel Ponsonby's brigade of cavalry, and a brigade of infantry of the 7th division, having moved forward to the support of the troops in advance, the enemy retired upon Majalahonda as soon as they observed these troops; and night having come on, they retired upon Alcorcon, leaving our guns at Majalahonda.

I am happy to report that the officers of the Portuguese cavalry behaved remarkably well, and shewed a good example to their men, particularly the Visconde de Barbacena, who was taken prisoner. The conduct of the brave German cavalry was, I understand, excellent, as was that of Captain M'Donald's troop of horse artillery. The light infantry battalion was not engaged.

The army moved forward yesterday morning, and its left took possession of the city of Madrid, Joseph Buonaparte having retired with the army of the centre by the roads of Toledo and Aranjuez, leaving a garrison in the Re

tiro.

of a strong desire to secure the independence of their country, which first induced them to set the example of resistance to the usurper, will induce them to make exertions in the cause of their country, which will be more efficacious than those formerly made.

I have not yet heard that Astorga has fallen; but the garrison which the enemy left in Tordesillas, about two hundred and sixty in number, surréndered to General Santocildes on the

5th instant.

I have received no further reports of the situation of General Ballasteros since the 21st of July. I have letters from General Joseph O'Donnell and General Roche, of the 26th July; and the army of Murcia, under the command of the former, was defeated by General D Harispe on the 21st of July. It appears that the Spanish troops moved forward to attack General D'Harispe's posts at Castalla and at Ybi; those which attacked the former were repulsed with the loss of two thousand men and two pieces of cannon; those which attacked the latter, under the command of General Roche, conducted themselves remarkably well, and covered the retreat of the troops under General O'Donnel, and afterwards effected their own retreat, in good order, to Alicante.

Madrid, August 15. I have the pleasure to inform your lordship, that the garrison of the Retiro surrendered by capitulation yesterday; and I have now the honour to enclose a translation of the capitulation.

We invested the place completely on the evening of the 13th; and in the night, detachments of the 7th division of infantry, under the command of Major-General Hope, and of the 3d division of infantry, under the command of Major-General the Honourable E. Pakenham, drove in the enemy's posts from the Prado and the Botanical Gar. den, and the works which they had

constructed outside of the park-wall; and having broken through the wall in different places, they were established in the palace of the Retiro, and close to the exterior of the enemy's works, enclosing the building called La China.

The troops were preparing in the morning to attack those works, preparatory to the arrangements to be adopted for the attack of the interior line and building, when the governor sent out an officer to desire to capitulate, and I granted him the honours of war, the baggage of the officers and soldiers of the garrison, &c. as specified in the enclosed agreement..

I enclose a return of the strength of the garrison, which marched out yesterday, at four o'clock, on their road to Ciudad Rodrigo. We have found in the place one hundred and eightynine pieces of brass ordnance, in excellent condition; nine hundred barrels of powder; twenty thousand stand of arms s; and considerable magazines of clothing, provisions, and ammunition. We have likewise found the eagles of the 13th and 51st regiments, which I forward to England, to be presented to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, by my aid-de-camp, Major Burgh.

I see, by a letter from General Ballasteros to Lieut-General Sir Rowland Hill of the 29th of July, that he had been in Malaga on the 14th of that month, after an engagement with General Laval, near Coin. General Ballasteros was at Grazelina on the 29th. I have a letter from Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill of the 8th inst. and although General Drouet had been in movement for three days, it does not appear that his movements are of any importance.

;

I enclose returns of the killed, wounded, and missing, in the affair at

Majalahonda, on the 11th instant, and of the loss in the attack of the works of the Retiro,

This dispatch will be delivered by my aid-de-camp Major Burgh, who will be able to explain any further circumstances relating to our situation; and I beg leave to recommend him to your lordship's protection.

P. S. Since writing this dispatch, I have received a letter of the 10th instant, from General Maitland, from Alicante, in which that officer informs me that he had on that day landed at that place.

TRANSLATION.

Capitulation proposed by General the Earl of Wellington, Commander-inChief of the Allied Army, and accepted by Colonel La Fond, Commandant of the Fort of La China, 14th August, 1812.

Article I.-The garrison shall march out of the fort with the honours of war, and shall lay down their arms on the glacis.

Art. 2. The garrison, and persons of every description in the fort, shall be prisoners of war.

Art. 3.-The officers shall be allowed to retain their swords, their baggage, and their horses, according to the number allowed them by the regulations of the French army; and the soldiers shall keep their knapsacks.

Art. 4. The magazines of the fort of every description, shall be delivered to the officers of the respective departments, and the French commandants of artillery and of engineers shall furnish lists of the contents of each depot. The plans of the fort shall also be delivered to the commanding officer of the British engineers.

Art. 5.--This capitulation shall take place at four o'clock in the afternoon, and the gates of the fort shall be

Return of Prisoners of War, taken at the Fort de la China, in the Retiro, and in the Gene al Hospital la Atocha, on the 14th of August, 1812. Staff-1 colonel, 2 captains, 2 subalterns, 7 staff, 3 civil officers, 16 serjeants, drummers, and rank and file. Artillery-1 lieutenant-colonel, 8 captains, 10 subalterns, 355 serjeants, drummers, and rank and file, 46 horses and mules.

Engineers-1 lieutenant-colonel, 2 captains, 1 subaltern, 70 serjeants, drummers, and rank and file.

Detachments of several regiments of infantry; forming the garrison-1 colonel, 2 lieutenant-colonels, 9 captains, 19 subalterns, 1450 serjeants, drum mers, and rank and file.

Independent garrison company-1 captain, 3 subalterns, 91 serjeants, drummers, and rank and file.

Total taken at the fort-2 colonels, 4 lieutenant-colonels, 22 captains, 35 subalterns, 7 staff, 3 civil officers, 1982 serjeants, drummers, and rank and file, 46 horses and mules.

file.

Staff-12 civil officers, 1 rank and

Sick and convalescents-1 captain, 5 subalterns, 4 civil officers, 428 serjeants, drummers, and rank and file.

nourable to the allied arms and serviceable to the cause of Spain.

On the 24th instant, General Cruz Morgeon, commanding the Spanish troops, and myself, judged it advisable to make a forward movement on Seville; for this purpose it was advisable to force the enemy's corps of observation, of 350 cavalry and 200 infantry, at St Lucar in Mayor. I marched from Manzanilla with 800 troops, composed of the 1st regiment of guards, the 87th, and the Portuguese regiment, Brigadier-General Downe, accompanied with 600 Spanish troops.

The Spanish column attacked on the right, and the British and Portuguese on the left. The French were driven through the streets with precipitation, leaving some killed, wounded, and prisoners. We took post at San Lucar without the loss of a man.

On the 26th instant, General Cruz and myself having judged that it would be attended with the most beneficial effects, both on the public opinion, and in saving the city from being plundered, if the French could be precipitated in their retreat from Seville, the allied troops, in consequence, marched for this purpose, and arrived at the heights of Castillejos de la Cuesta, immediately above Seville, on the morning of the 27th at six o'clock.

vance.

The Spanish troops formed our adThe French advance was driven in; the cavalry retired, leaving the infantry in the plain, which last were charged by the Spanish cavalry, who made many prisoners.

The Spanish troops attacked a redoubt on our left, and lost a good many

men.

The columns advanced into the plain, by which movement this redoubt was turned, and its communication cut off; the Spanish troops under General Cruz took the right, and made a detour to arrive and attack on that flank of Triana (the suburbs of Seville). I ordered the redoubt to be masked

VOL. V. PART I

by a detachment of the 20th Portuguese regiment, and advanced a fieldpiece with some troops, to keep in check the enemy's fire at one of the gates of the city, opposite to us; and after giving sufficient time for the Spanish column to arrive, the British and Portuguese troops advanced to the attack in front; the cavalry and artillery advanced at a gallop, supported by the grenadiers of the guards, and the infantry following.

The enemy abandoned the gate: we entered the suburbs, and advanced near to the bridge of Seville with as much rapidity as possible, in hopes of preventing its destruction, which would have rendered it extremely difficult for us to succeed. We were checked by fire of grape-shot and musketry at the turning of the street. The grenadiers of the guards advanced to our support, and drove every thing before them. At this moment part of the Spanish column arrived; we advanced to the bridge under a heavy fire; Captain Cadoux of the 95th, with great judgment, made a flank movement on our left; Captain Roberts, of the artillery, brought up with rapidity two guns; a heavy fire of cannon and musketry was soon brought to bear on the enemy, who were driven from their position on the other side of the river, and from the bridge, which they had only in part destroyed. The grenadiers of the guards, and some Spanish troops, led the columns that crossed the bridge A general rout ensued, and the enemy were driven through the streets, which were strewed with their dead, and pursued at all points, leaving behind them valuable captures of horses, baggage, and money.

It is difficult for me to express the joy of the people of Seville. The inhabitants, under the fire of the French, brought planks to lay across the bridge; and their acclamations and vociferous marks of joy, added to the

d