The enemy received our fire, and maintained his position obstinately; but in the moment of charging, the valour of British troops bore down all opposition, and forced him to a precipitate retreat. The first brigade, composed of the 24th, 59th, and 83d regiments, and commanded, in the absence of brig.gen. Beresford, by lieut.-col. Baird, was unavoidably precluded,by their situation, from any considerable participation in the triumph of the British arms, though the flank companies of the 24th had an opportunity of distinguishing them selves in dislodging a number of horse and riflemen from the heights on our right flank. This brilliant achievement, however, was clouded by the loss of capt. Foster, of the grenadiers, whose gallantry is best recorded in the bosoms of his brother-soldiers, and the universal regret of the ariny. It is utterly impossible to convey to your lordship an adequate idea of the obstacles which opposed the advance, and retarded the success, of our army; but it is my duty to inform your lordship, that the nature of the country-a deep, heavy, and hard land, covered with shrubs, and scarcely pervious to light bodies of infantry; and above all, the total privation of water under the effects of a burning sun, had nearly exhausted our galla: fellows in the moment of victory, and with the utmost difficulty were we able to reach the Reit Valley, where we took our position for the night. A considerable portion of the provisions and necessaries with which we started, bad been lost during the action, and we occupied our ground under an apprehension that even the great exertions of sir Home Popham and the navy, could not relieve us from starvation."

After some warm and well-me rited compliments to the seamen for their zealous co-operation, the general thus continues:

"The loss of the enemy in this engagement is reputed to exceed 700 men in killed and wounded; and it is with the most sensible gratification that I contrast it with the enclosed return of our casualties. Your lordship will perceive the name of lieut.-col. Grant among the wounded; but the heroic spirit of this officer was not subdued by his misfortune, and he continued to lead his men to glory, as long as an enemy was opposed to his majesty's 72d regiment. I have the cordial satisfaction to add, that his wound, though very severe, is not pronounced dangerous; and I indulge the hope and expectation of his early recovery and resumption of command.-On the morning of the 9th, recruited by such supplies as the unwearied diligence and efforts of the navy could throw on shore, the 59th regiment, however, being almost completely destitute of food, we prosecuted our march towards Cape Town, and took up a position south of Salt River, which we trusted might preserve a free communication with the squadron; for our battering train, as well as every other necessary, except water, was to pass to us from his majesty's ships. In this situation a flag of truce was sent to me by the commandant of the garrison of Cape Town (the governor-general Jansens having retired after the action of the 8th into the country, moving by Hottentots Holland Kloof), request ing a suspension of hostilities for 48 hours, in order to negotiate a capitulation. In answer to this overture, I dispatched brig.-gen. Ferguson, accompanied by lieut.

col.

72d reg. Lieut..col. Grant; lieut. Chisholm.

93d reg. Brevet lieut.-col. Ho

neyman.

78th reg. Lieuts. Scobie and Strachan, attached to 93d regiment. 86th reg. Ensign Hedderick and Craigh.

W. H. TROTTER, maj. 83d reg. acting deputy adj.-gen.

MARCH.

Admiralty-office, March 4. This gazette contains a letter from capt. N. D. Cochrane, of the Kingfisher, to admiral Cochrane, dated off Barbadoes, Dec. 18, announcing the capture of the French privateer Elizabeth, from Guadaloupe, mounting 10 long sixes and four short nine-pounders, and 102 men, after a chase of 12 hours.-Admiral Cochrane, in a

letter dated Dec. 31, announces the capture of 12 French and 9 Spanish vessels, taken by the ships under his command, between April 2 and December 31; together with five English vessels re-cap

tured.

7. Yesterday the Royal Exchange and the whole neighbourhood of Cornhill were thrown into confusion, by an alarming fire, which broke out about twelve o'clock, at Gilham's chop-house, in Sweeting's-alley. The conflagration was occasioned by the chimney taking fire, the sparks of which fell on the roof and set it in a blaze. The engines arrived with promptitude, and by one o'clock the flames were extinguished. The damage is principally done to the upper part of the house. Shortly after the fire broke out, Mr. Gilham was impannelled with the jury, in the court of common pleas, and trying a cause, when one of his servants

arrived to acquaint him with the misfortune of his family: he addressed the court, and was permitted to retire, after the parties in the cause had consented to abide by the verdict of the eleven jurors.

On Thursday last died, after ä short indisposition, in the 75th year of his age, Henry Steward, gent. of Bury; who, in the year 1766, was, with Elizabeth Burroughs, tried for the murder of Mary Booty, his housekeeperthe former of whom was acquitted, and the latter convicted and 'executed. About two hours previous to Mr. Steward's dissolution, he made his will, in the presence of Dr. White, Mr. Hubbard, and Mr. Woodward. After giving the dividends arising from 20001. stock, 3 per cent. consols., for the benefit of the poor of Lavenham, and disposing of the remainder of his prowith great composure and firmness perty chiefly to charitable uses, of mind, he desired the following declaration might be inserted in his will:-" I hereby solemnly de clare that, expecting in a very short time to appear before my maker and judge, I am innocent, and know nothing of how poor Molly Booty came by her untimely death."

Admiralty-office, March 11.

This night's gazette contains a letter from lieut, Shields, of the Forward gun-brig, announcing the capture of the Rancune French priva teer, pierced for 12 guns, but had only four mounted, with swivels and small arms.

Admiralty-office, March 22.

Copy of a letter from earl St. Vincent, K. B. admiral and commander in chief of his majesty's

fleet

fleet employed, and to be employed, in the Channel, Soundings, or wherever else his majesty's service shall require, to William Marsden, esq. dated on board the Hibernia, in Falmouth harbour, the 19th inst. Sir,

I have the honour to transmit, for the information of the lords commissioners of the admiralty, the enclosed copy of a letter from capt. Paget and have great plea sure in expressing my admiration of the gallant exploit therein recorded. I am, &c.

ST. VINCENT.

Egyptienne, off Cape Finisterre,
March 9.
My lord,

I have the honour to inform your lordship, that having received intelligence of a large French privateer being in the harbour of Muros, I decided on seizing the first opportunity of getting possession of her; I accordingly anchored his majesty's ship under my command off that port last night, and immediately sent the boats away to endeavour to cut her out, in which, I am happy to acquaint your lordship, they succeeded, though she was moored close to the beach, and under the protection of two batteries, which kept an incessant fire till she was towed clear of

supported by lieutenants Alleyn and Garthwaite, of the marines, the petty officers and boats' crews.

To account for that enterprising zealous officer, capt. Hanfield, being in the Egyptienne, I have to inform your lordship, that not having received an official communication of his promotion previous to our sailing, he volunteered, remaining in the ship as firstlieutenant during the cruise. I have, &c.

CHARLES PAGET. The earl of St. Vincent, admiral of the red, and commander in chief, &c.

Admiralty-office, March 24. Dispatches, of which the following are copies, from vice-admiral sir John Thomas Duckworth, K. B. commanding a squadron of his majesty's ships, addressed to William Marsden, esq. and brought to England by capt. Nathaniel Day Cochrane, were yesterday received at the Admiralty :—

Sup.rb, to leeward of the town of St. Domingue, about twelve leagues, Feb. 7, 1808.

Sir,

As I feel it highly momentous for his majesty's service, that the lords, commissioners of the admi ralty should have the earliest information of the movements of the squadron under my command, and as I have no other vessel than the Kingfisher that I feel justified in dispatching, I hope neither their lordships or vice-admiral lord Collingwood will deem me defective in my duty towards his lordship by addressing you on the happy event of yesterday; and as you will receive my letter of the 3d inst. here with, I shall only say, I lost not a moment in getting through the Mona Passage, and on the 5th in (C)

the

the afternoon was joined by the Magicienne, with a further corroboration from various vessels spoken, of an enemy's force of ten sail of the line, with as many frigates and corvettes, being in these seas; I therefore continued under easy sail for the night, in my approach off the town of St. Domingue, having given orders to capt. Dunn, of the Acasta, whose zeal and activity I have experienced for a series of years, to make sail with the Magicienne, capt. M'Kenzie, two hours before daylight, to reconnoitre; when at six o'clock the Acasta, to our great joy, made the signal for two of the enemy's frigates; and before seven, for nine sail at anchor: at half past, that they were getting under weigh. The squadron under my command then in close order, with sails set, and the Superb bearing my flag, leading, and approaching fast, so as to discover before eight o'clock, that the enemy were in a compact line, under all sail, going before the wind for Cape Nisto, to windward of Ocoa Bay; and as they consisted of only five sail of the line, two frigates, and a corvette (which hereafter will be named), I concluded, from the information I was in possession of, that they were endeavouring to form a junction with their remaining force, and in consequence shaped my course to render abortive such intention, which was completely effected by a little after nine, so as to make an action certain. I therefore telegraphed the squadron, that the principal object of attack would be the admiral and his seconds, and at three quarters past mine, for the ships to take stations for their mutual support, and engage the enemy as they got up, and few minutes after, to engage as

close as possible; when, at a short period after ten, the Superb closed upon the bow of the Alexander, the leading ship, and commenced the action; but after three broad sides she sheered off the signal was now made for close action, and we were enabled to attack the admiral in the Imperial (formerly Le Vengeur), the fire of which had been heavy on the Northum berland, bearing the hon. rear-admiral Cochrane's flag. By this time, the movements of the Alex. ander had thrown her among the lee division, which rear-admiral Louis happily availed himself of, and the action became general, and continued with great severity till half-past eleven when the French admiral, much shattered, and completely beat, hauled direct for the land, and not being a mile, off, at twenty minutes before noon ran on shore, his foremast then only standing, which fell directly on her striking: at which time the Superb, being only in seventeen fathom water, was forced to haul off to avoid the same evil; but not long after the Diomede, of 84 guns, pushed on shore near his admiral, when all his masts went; and I think it a duty I owe to character and my country to add, from the information of sir Ed ward Berry, after she had struck, and the Agamemnon desisting from firing into her, from the captain taking off his hat, and making every token of surrender; and captain Dunn assures me, both ensign and pendant were down, to comment on which, I leave to the world. About fifty minutes after eleven the firing ceased, and upon the smoke clearing away, found Le Brave, bearing a com modore's pendant, the Alexander and Le Jupiter, in our possession.

When

I