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will easily explain the mischievous consequences of a paper circulating medium, which can never possess the determinate value of the precious metals; and also teach us to justly appreciate the system of the "Great man now no more," and the character of the greedy knaves and Impostors who build their fortunes on the ruin of their country. CIVIS.

21st April, 1811.

OFFICIAL PAPERS.

SPAIN.-BATTLE OF BARROSA.-Disputes at Cadiz, relative to the conduct of the Spaniards in that Battle.-Cadiz, 29 March 1811. Concluded from page 1024.) Letter of D. JUAN DE LA CRUZ MONTGEON,

DEPRECIATION OF MONEY. Sir;-The information you lately gave to your readers respecting the state of the coinage in France, is conclusive evidence, if indeed any proof be wanting beyond what we daily experience, that it is not bullion which has advanced in price, but our paper currency, which is alarmingly depreciated below its nominal value. I am the better pleased with your statement because it clearly exposes the fallacious pretence that has been so idly urged, of the competition being merely between the gold and silver currency and not between the real money generally and paper. It appears that the six-livres-piece, being about of the same intrinsic value as our crown, is, in reality passing in France at to D. JUAN JACINTO LOPEZ, in consethe rate of only 4s. 10d. while Spanish Dollars worth 4s. 6d. are passing with us quence of the Letter of the English Of ficer, inserted in the Conciso, No. 41. at 5s. 6d. and, as you, in common with every other person of any discernment, This letter, which is of very consideraforesee, cannot be kept in circulation even ble length, begins with complaining of at that price. Can any thing be more ob- the want of precision in the details of the vious, when even our wretched silver cur- English Officer, either with regard to rency of counterfeit shillings and six- dates or the positions of the sections, corps, pences, which perhaps contain scarcely or divisions of the army. To remedy this half the standard quantity of silver, has defect the writer sends to his friend a absolutely almost entirely disappeared? If ground-plan of the whole, to illustrate the this will not convince the" thinking nation" contents of his letter. He then proceeds that Bank notes are at a discount, I am to analyse the letter of the English Officer afraid that a complete vacuum in our in the following manner:-" He says in pockets can alone cure the defect in his letter, I know not what took place another quarter.--Perhaps there never on the heights, after our troops left them,' was a question that resolved itself into a &c. To this I reply, that Brigadier Bemore narrow compass than the subject we gines and myself remained upon them have now under discussion. If John Locke with the division under his command, were alive at this day, how would he laugh, which consisted of the company of musor rather how indignant would he feel, at keteers of Getares, a battalion of the his degenerate countrymen for their Queen, the regiments of Seguenza, Canwretched credulity and ignorance? What tabria, Ciudad Real, a battalion of the would be his surprise at finding the press Walloons, another English battalion, 4 teem with a parcel of elaborate pamphlets; pieces of artillery, and all the baggage part to prove, and part to controvert a with the ammunition of the first and seplain matter of fact: a truism as palpable cond division, with orders from the Geneas that two and two make four --Forral in Chief to begin our retreat towards my own part, Mr. Cobbett, I shall despair the bridge, as soon as we saw the troops of the success of your arguments, how-repassing by it. We were in position at ever forcible, unless you can bestow common understanding enough upon the "thinking people" to make them perceive that an ounce of gold or of silver in bullion, cannot be of more value than an equal weight thereof in coin. They must, according to the very nature of things, be alike, allowing for that additional part of the value of coin which is constituted by the price of labour. When the foregoing elementary proposition is clearly understood, it

this place when the enemy were descried manoeuvring to seize upon it, without knowing whether the English or Spaniards would come to our assistance: if not secure of victory, we were at least in a situation to perish in our ranks, in order to secure the retreat of our dear allies, which also was carried into effect; it being seen also how much our position threatened the enemy, the latter marched the whole of his columns to attack the troops upon

it, and not the English, whom they could by no means see; a proof of this truth being, that when General Graham with his troops issued from the pine-wood, he encountered those of the enemy, who had changed the direction of their columns on account of our retreat, which D. Santiago Whittingham conducted. Having now entered the pine-wood, I observed that the English light infantry had begun the action with those of the enemy who followed us, and that the British army had returned by means of a countermarch, and was beginning to form in line by wheeling on its left, at the foot of a small height which the enemy already occupied, with whom a terrible fire had commenced; then the English battalion, which marched in front of the column which I commanded (consisting of the Walloon battalion, and the regiment of Ciudad Real, and two pieces of artillery), marched towards the line of battle which the other troops of their nation were forming, which battalion I followed; hut at that moment General Whittingham ordered me to march my column to support the right flank, which gave him most anxiety; because the enemy had already penetrated towards the beach. At that moment I countermarched by the left, in order not to obstruct the line of battle which the English were forming, and marched upón CasaBlanca, making this movement in close battalion, supporting the fire of artillery without returning a shot, overawing the enemy's cavalry, who durst not attack, and never forming in line, because we wanted a point of support.-On attending to the above, it is necessary to observe, that if Senor C. P. when he came out of the pine-wood did not see any Spanish troops, it must have been because of his being fully occupied, or because for a time they were on the left flank of the line, where it was very difficult for him to see them, on account of the wood and the broken ground over which my column had to march. Doubtless C. P. confounds Torre-Barrosa with Casa-Blanca, since the latter is the most elevated point in the ridge of Puerco; and being close to the sea, it was not so important for General Graham to preserve Barrosa as Casa-Blanca, which is the point that commands all the ground.-He says, That the two battalions made every effort to come up, but did not join till all was over, &c.' To this I reply as follows: -As the orders which I had were to guard the right Qank, it became my duty, on no

account to join the English line of battle, thus leaving open to the enemy the pass which was in my rear. Had that been done, so far from being victorious, we should have been routed; for all the English troops were in one line, and there were no others to manoeuvre but those which I commanded, and those which supported me on my right flank, and which were commanded by Senor Begines. For this reason I marched still in close column of formation against the force of the cavalry and infantry which was posted in front of Casa-Blanca, accompanied by a squadron of English hussars. I ordered the remains of the first of Valencia, and the companies of light infantry of Siguenza and Cantabria, to attack in divisions those of the enemy who had hastened to the beach to get possession of our baggage. This was executed, and, together with the closeness of the column under my command, so alarmed the enemy, that their cavalry abandoned their light troops, and retired in all haste towards the termination of the Lagoon.-Observing that the enemy were now neither on my rear. nor on my right, I marched my column towards the right flank of the English line of battle, whose left was still engaged. In this situation, and always advancing, the squadron of English hussars advanced and charged the enemy's cavalry, who waited for them with firmness, but the valour and intrepidity of the British hussars routed them in less than a minute. In the pursuit the hussars fell in with a small square of enemy's infantry, who opened their fire upon them, and the hussars prudently retired to their line of formation. I took advantage of this interval, and opened a fire from my two pieces of artillery, the balls of which . reached this square body, which formed in column and began to retire. This being seen by the right flank of the enemy's line, which still kept up the firing with much briskness, they also began their retreat in the greatest disorder, at which moment I received orders from General Graham to suspend the march of my column, and give the troops some relaxation, as the English also did.-The whole of the above being an incontestable fact, Senor C, P. ought to confess, that the column under my command, consisting of the battalion of Walloons, the regiment of Ciudad Real, and two pieces of artillery, not only reached the English line before the close of the action,

but that they had an essential part in the victory; on which account they are sharers in the glories of that day, and not for the wishes only which C. P. justly ascribes to them; for if he considers the latter as the only reason for their deserving praise, then he ought to advert, that as much might be said of those troops which were at Cadiz and the Isla.

PORTUGAL. THE WAR.

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-Downing-Street, April 19, 1811.-A Dispatch, of which the following is a Copy, was on the evening of the 17th instant received at Lord Liver

pool's Office, addressed to his Lordship by Lieutenant-General Viscount Wellington, dated Marmoleiro, 2d April, 1811.

MY LORD-The Allied Army were collected in the neighbourhood and in front of Celorico on the 23th March, with a view to dislodge the enemy from the position which they had taken upon Guarda, which they still occupied in force, and of which they apparently intended to retain possession. On that day a patrole of light infantry from Major Gen. Alex. Campbell's division, commanded by the Honourable Colonel Ramsay, had some success against a detachment of the enemy at Avelans; and a patrole of the light cavalry, with a detachment of the 95th, with which was Major-General Slade, obliged the enemy to retire from Fraxedas; both took many prisoners; and I am concerned to add that Brigade-Major Stewart of the 95th was killed with the last.-On the morning of the 29th, the 3d, 6th, and light divisions and the 16th light dragoons and hussars, under the command of Major-General Picton, Major-General Alexander Campbell, and Major-General Sir William Erskine, moved upon Guarda in five columns, which were supported by the 5th division in the valley of the Mondego, and by the 1st and 7th from Celorico. And the militia, under General Trant and Colonel Wilson, covered the movement at Alverca against any attempt that might have been inade on that side to disturb it.-The enemy abandoned the position of Guarda without firing a shot, and retired upon Sabugal, on the Coa. They were followed by our cavalry, who took some prisoners from them. On the 30th Sir William Erskine, with the cavalry and horse artillery, fell upon the rear guard of the 2d corps, which had been near Belmonte, and had marched for the Coa during the night, and he killed and wounded several and

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took some prisoners. The enemy have since taken a position upon the Coa, having an advanced guard on this side; and the allied troops have this day been collected on the left of that river.-I have the honour to enclose the copy of a letter which I have received from Marshal Sir William Beresford, containing the terms of the capitulation of Campo Mayor; and I have likewise the honour of enclosing his report of his first operations against the enemy, from which your lordship will observe that and has had considerable success against he has got possession of that place again, have been more complete, and would have the enemy's cavalry.-This success would been attended with less loss, if the ardour of the 13th Light Dragoons and 7th Portuguese regiment of cavalry in the pursuit of the enemy could have been kept within reasonable bounds. Some of the men missing of both these regiments were made prisoners on the bridge of Badajoz.-The enemy have likewise abandoned Albuquerque.-I have received no accounts from Cadiz or from the North since I addressed your Lordship on the 27th March. I have, &c. WELLINGTON.

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Marshal Beresford reports, under date of Campo Mayor, 26th March, that he had moved on the preceding morning from Arronches, and upon approaching Campo Mayor had found the enemy's corps (consisting of four regiments of cavalry, three battalions of infantry, and some horse artillery), drawn up on the outside of the town.-Brigadier General Long being sent with the Allied cavalry to turn the enemy's right, found an opportunity of a charge to be made by two squadrons of the 13th Light Dragoons under Lieutenant-Colonel Head, and two squadrons of Portuguese dragoons under Colonel Otway, supported by the remainder of the cavalry. By this charge the enemy's horse were completely routed and chased by the four squadrons above mentioned into the town of Badajoz. A great number of the French were sabred, as were the gunners belong, ing to sixteen pieces of cannon that were taken upon the road, but afterwards abandoned. The pursuit of the enemy's cavalry having led a great proportion of the Allied dragoons to a distance of several miles before the infantry of Marshal Beresford's Army could come up, the French infantry availed themselves of the opportunity to retreat in solid column, and thus effected, their escape.--The enemy's loss

is estimated at not less than five or six hundred men killed, wounded or prisoners, great numbers of horses and mules were taken, together with one howitzer and some ammunition waggons.-Marshal Beresford speaks highly of the steadiness of Colonel De Grey's brigade of heavy cavalry, and of the gallantry displayed by all the troops that were engaged.

The enemy abandoned the town of Campo Mayor without resistance, leaving there a considerable supply of corn and provisions, and 8000 rations of biscuit. Return of the Killed, Wounded, and Missing, in the Corps of the Allied Army, under the orders of Marshal Sir W. C. Beresford, K. B. on the 25th of March, 1811.

3d Dragoon Guards-2 horses killed; 3 rank and file wounded.

13th Light Dragoons-10 rank and file, 6 horses, killed; 2 Lieutenants, 1 Staff, 1 Quarter-master, 1 serjeant, 22 rank and file, 10 horses, wounded; 1 serjeant, 21 rank and file, 35 horses, missing..

1st Regiment of Portuguese Cavalry1 Cornet, 10 rank and file, 11 horses, killed; 32 rank and file, 25 horses, wounded; 27 rank and file, 32 horses, missing.

7th Ditto-3 rank and file, 1 horse, killed; 8 rank and file wounded; 28 rank and file, 41 horses, missing.

Total-1 Cornet, 23 rank and file, 20 horses, killed; 2 Lieutenants, 1 Staff, 1 Quarter-master, 1 Serjeant, 65 rank and file, 35 horses, wounded: 1 Serj. 70 rank and file, 108 horses, missing.

Names of Officers Wounded.

13th Light Dragoons-Lieutenant Smith, badly; Lieutenant Gale, Adjutant Holmes, and Quarter-master Greenham, slightly. Return of Ordnance and Stores taken from the Enemy' on the 25th March, 1811, by the Allied Army under the orders of Marshal Sir W. C. Beresford, K. B.

One French six-inch howitzer, 6 French caissons with ammunition, 1 French forge cart. Since destroyed.

(Signed) E. PAKENHAM, D. A. G.

PORTUGAL. THE WAR.-London Gazette Extraordinary, of April 25, 1811.-A Dispatch, of which the following is a Copy, has been received at Lord Liverpool's Office, addressed to his Lordship by Lieutenant-General Viscount Wellington, dated Villa Fermosa, 9th April, 1811.

My Lord,-When I last addressed your Lordship the enemy occupied the Upper Coa, having his right at Rovina and guarding the Ford of Rapoilla de Coa, with a detachment at the bridge of Ferrerias, and his left at Sabugal, and the Sth corps was at Alfayates. The right of the British army was opposite Sabugal, and the left at the bridge of Ferrerias.— The Militia under General Trant and Colonel Wilson crossed the Coa below Almeida, in order to threaten the communication of that place with Ciudad Rodrigo and the enemy's army.-The river Coa is difficult of access throughout its course, and the position which the enemy had taken was very strong, and could be approached only by its left.-The troops were therefore put in motion on the morning of the 3d, to turn the enemy's left above Sabugal, and to force the pas sage of the bridge of that town; with the exception of the 6th division, which remained opposite the 6th corps, which was at Rovina; and one battalion of the 7th division, which observed the enemy's detachment at the brigade of Ferrerias.The 2d corps were in a strong position, with their right upon a height immediately. above the bridge and town of Sabugal, and their left extending along the road to Alfayates, to a height which commanded all the approaches to Sabugal from the Fords of the Coa above the town. The 2d corps communicated by Rendo with the 6th corps at Rovina. It was intended to turn the left of this corps, and with this view the light division and the cavalry, under Major-General Sir W. Erskine and Major-General Slade, were to cross the Coa by two separate fords upon the right, the cavalry upon the right of the light division; the 3d division, under Major-General Picton, at a ford on their left, about a mile from Sabugal; and the 5th division, under Major-General Dunlop, and the artillery, at the bridge of Sabugal.-Colonel Beckwith's brigade of the light division were the first that crossed the Coa, with two squadrons of cavalry upon their right. Four companies of the 95th, and three companies of Colonel Elder's Caçadores, drove in the enemy's piquets, and were supported by the 43d regiment. At this a rain-storm came on, which moment rendered it impossible to see any thing; and these troops having pushed on in pursuit of the enemy's piquets, came upon the left of their main body, which it had

Major Patrickson, particularly distinguish ed themselves; as did that part of the 95th regiment in Colonel Beckwith's brigada, under the command of Major Gilmour, and Colonel Elder's Caçadores; the first battalion fifty second regiment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Ross, likewise shewed great steadiness and gallantry, when they joined Colonel Beckwith's brigade. Throughout the action the troops derived great advantage from the assistance of two guns of Captain Bull's troop of Horse Artillery, which crossed at the ford with the light division, and came up to their support.-It was impossible for any officer to conduct himself with more ability and gallantry than Colonel Beckwith. The action was commenced by an unavoidable accident to which all operations are liable; but hav ing been commenced, it would have been impossible to withdraw from the ground without risking the loss of the object of our movements; and it was desirable to obtain possession, if possible, of the top of the hill, from which the enemy had made so many attacks with advantage, on the first position taken by the 43d regiment. This was gained before the 3d division came up. I had also great reason to be satisfied with the conduct of Colonel Drummond, who commands the other brigade in the light division:-When the firing commenced, the 6th corps broke up from their position at Rovina, and marched towards Rendo. The two corps joined at that place, and continued their retreat to Alfayates, followed by our cavalry, part of which was that night at Soito. The enemy continued their retreat that night and the next morning; and entered the Spanish frontier on the

been intended they should turn.-The light troops were driven back upon the 43d regiment, and as soon as the atmosphere became clear, the enemy having perceived that the body, which had advanced, were not strong, attacked them in a solid column, supported by cavalry and artillery. These troops repulsed this attack, and advanced in pursuit upon the enemy's position, where they were attacked by a fresh column on their left, and were charged by the 1st Hussars on their right. They retired and took post behind a wall, from which post they again repulsed the enemy, and advanced a second time in pursuit of them; and took from them a howitzer. They were however, again attacked by a fresh column with cavalry, and retired again to their post, where they were joined by the other brigade of the Light Division, consisting of the two battalions of the 52d regiment, and the first Caçadores. These troops repulsed the enemy, and Col. Beckwith's brigade and the 1st battalion of the 52d regiment again advanced upon them. They were attacked again by a fresh column supported by cavalry, which charged their right, and they took post in an inclosure upon the top of the height, from whence they could protect the howitzer which the 43d had taken; and they drove back the enemy.The enemy were making arrangements to attack them again in this post, and had moved a column on their left, when the Light Infantry of Major General Picton's division, under Lieutenant-Colonel Williams, supported by the Honourable MajorGeneral Colville's brigade, opened their fire upon them. At the same moment the head of Major-General Dunlop's column crossed the bridge of the Coa, and ascend-4th. ed the heights on the right flank of the enemy; and the cavalry appeared on the high ground in rear of the enemy's left, and the enemy retired across the hills towards Rendo, leaving the howitzer in the possession of those who had so gallantly gained, and preserved it, and about 200 killed on the ground, and six Officers and 300 prisoners in our hands. Although the operations of this day were, by unavoidable accidents, not performed in the manner in which I intended they should be, I consider the action that was fought by the Light Division, by Colonel Beckwith's brigade principally, with the whole of the 2d Corps, to be one of the most glorious that British troops were ever engaged in.-The 43d regiment, under

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They have since continued their retreat, and yesterday the last of them crossed the Agueda. I have the honour to inclose the return of killed and wounded from the 18th of March. I am concerned to have to report that Lieutenant-Colonel Waters was taken prisoner on the 3d, before the action commenced. He had crossed the Coa to reconnoitre the enemy's position, and he was surrounded with some hussars and taken. He had rendered very important services upon many occasions in the last two years; and his loss is sensibly felt.-I sent six squadrons of cavalry, under Major-General Sir W. Erskine, on the 7th, towards Almeida, to reconnoitre that place, and drive in any parties which might be in that neighbour. hood, and to cut off the communication be

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