General Cuesta and me, and with Sir R. Wilson's corps at Escalona. It appears that General Vanegas had not carried into execution that part of the plan of operations which related to his corps, and that he was still at Damiel in La Mancha; and the enemy in the course of the 24th, 25th, and 26th, col lected all his forces in this part of Spain, between Torrijos and Toledo, leaving but a small corps of two thousand men in that place. His united army thus consisted of the corps of Marshal Victor, of that of General Sebastiani, and of seven or eight thousand men the guards of Joseph Buonaparte, and the garrison of Madrid, and it was commanded by Joseph Buonaparte, aided by Marshals Jourdan and Victor, and General Sebastiani. On the 26th, General Cuesta's advanced guard was attacked near Torrijos, and obliged to fall back, and the general retired with his army on that day to the left bank of the Alberche, General Sherbrooke continuing at Casalegos, and the enemy at Santa Olalla. It was then obvious that the enemy intended to try the result of a general action, for which the best position appeared to be in the neighbourhood of Talavera, and General Cuesta having consented to take up this position on the morning of the 27th, I ordered General Sherbrooke to retire with his corps to its station in the line, leaving General Mackenzie, with a division of infantry and a brigade of cavalry, as an advanced post in the wood on the right of Alberche, which covered our left flank. The position taken up by the troops at Talavera extended rather more than two miles; the ground was open upon the left where the British army was sta tioned, and it was commanded by a height to the left, on which was, in echellon and in second line, a division of infantry under the orders of Major-General Hill. There was a valley between thisheight and a range of mountains still further upon the left, which valley was not at first occupied, as it was commanded by the height before mentioned; and the range of mountains appeared too distant to have any influence upon the expected action. The right, consisting of Spanish troops, extended immediately in front of the town of Ta lavera down to the Tagus. This part of the ground was covered by olive trees, and much intersected by banks and ditches. The high road leading from the bridge over the Alberche, was de fended by a heavy battery in front of a church, which was occupied by Spanish infantry. All the avenues to the town were defended in a similar manner; the town was occupied, and the remainder of the Spanish infantry was formed in two lines behind the banks on the road which led from the town and the right of our position. In the centre, between the two armies, there was a commanding spot of ground, on which we had commenced to com struct a redoubt, with some open ground in its rear. Brigadier-General Alexan der Campbell was posted at this spot with a division of infantry, supported in his rear by General Cotton's brigade of dragoons, and some Spanish cavalry. At about two o'clock on the 27th, the enemy appeared in strength on the left bank of the Alberche, and manifested intention to attack General Mackenzie's division. The attack was made before they could be withdrawn; but the troops, con sisting of General Mackenzie's and Colo nel Donkin's brigades, and General Anson's brigade of cavalry, and supported by General Payne with the other four regiments of cavalry, in the plain be tween Talavera and the wood, withdrew in good order, but with some loss, parti cularly by the second battalion 87th re giment, and second battalion S1st regi ment, in the wood. Upon this occasion the steadiness and discipline of the 45 regiment, and of the 5th battalion 60th regiment, were conspicuous; and I had particular reason for being satisfied with the manner in which Major-Gener Mackenzie withdrew his advanced guard As the day advanced, the enemy appear ed in larger numbers on the right of the Alberche, and it was obvious that he was advancing to a general attack upon the combined army. General Mackenzie continued to fall back gradually upon the left of the position of the combined ar mies, where he was placed in the second line, in the rear of the guards, Colonel Donkin being placed in the same situation further upon the left, in the rear of the King's German Legion. The enemy immediately commenced bis attack in the dusk of the evening, by a cannonade upon the left of our position, and by an attempt with his cavalry to everthrow the Spanish infantry posted, as I have before stated, on the right. This attempt failed entirely. Early in the night he pushed a division along the valley on the left of the height occupied by General Hill, of which he gained a momentary possession, but Major-General Hill attacked it instantly with the bayonet, and regained it. This attack was repeated in the night, but failed, and again at day-light in the morning of the 28th, by two divisions of infantry, and was repulsed by Major-General Hill. Major-General Hill has reported to me in a particular manner the conduct of the 29th regiment, and of the 1st battalion 48th regiment, in these different affairs, as well as that of Major-General Tilson, and Brigadier-General Richard Stewart. We have lost many brave officers and soldiers in the defence of this important point in our position; among others I cannot avoid to mention Brigade-Major Fordyce, and Brigade-Major Gardner; and Major-General Hill was himself wounded, but I am happy to say but slightly. The defeat of this attempt was followed about noon by a general attack with the enemy's whole force upon the whole of that part of the position occupied by the British army. In consequence of the repeated attempts upon the heights on our left by the valley, I had placed two brigades of British cavalry in that valley, supported in the rear by the Duc d'Albuquerque's division of Spanish cavalry. The enemy then placed light infantry in the range of mountains on the left of the valley, which were opposed by a division of Spanish infantry under Lieutenant-General De Bassecourt. The general attack began by the march of several columns of infantry into the valley with a VOL. II. PART II. view to attack the heights occupied by Major-General Hill. These columns were immediately charged by the 1st German light dragoons and 23d dragoons, under the command of General Anson, directed by Lieutenant-General Payne, and supported by General Fane's brigade of heavy cavalry; and although the 23d dragoons suffered considerable loss, the charge had the effect of preventing the execution of that part of the enemy's plan. At the same time he directed an attack upon Brigadier-General Alexander Campbell's position in the centre of the combined armies, and on the right of the British. This attack was most successfully repulsed by BrigadierGeneral Campbell, supported by the King's regiment of Spanish cavalry, and two battalions of Spanish infantry; and Brigadier General Campbell took the enemy's cannon. The brigadier-general mentions particularly the conduct of the 97th, the 2d battalion 7th, and the 2d battalion 53d regiments, and I was highly satisfied with the manner in which this part of the position was defended. An attack was made at the same time upon Lieutenant-General Sherbrooke's division, which was on the left and center of the 1st line of the British army. This attack was most gallantly repulsed by a charge with bayonets, by the whole division, but the brigade of guards, which were on the right, having advanced too far, they were exposed on their left flank to the fire of the enemy's battery, and of their retiring columns; and the division was obliged to retire towards the original position, under cover of the 2d line of General Cotton's brigade of cavalry, which I had moved from the centre, and of the 1st battalion 48th regiment. I had moved this regiment from its original position on the heights, as soon as I observed the advance of the guards, and it was formed in the plain, and advanced upon the enemy, and covered the formation of Lieutenant-General Sherbrooke's division. Shortly after the repulse of this general attack, in which apparently all the enemy's troops were employed, he com 4 menced his retreat across the Alberche, which was conducted in the most regular order, and was effected during the night, leaving in our hands 20 pieces of cannon, ammunition, tumbrils, and some prison ers. Your lordship will observe by the inclosed return, the great loss which we have sustained of valuable officers and soldiers, in this long and hard-fought action, with more than double our numbers. That of the enemy has been much greater. I am informed that entire brigades of infantry have been destroyed, and indeed the battalions that retreated were much reduced in numbers. By all accounts their loss is ten thousand men. Generals Lapisse and Morlot are killed; Generals Sebastiani and Boulet woundéd. I have particularly to lament the loss of Major-General Mackenzie, who had distinguished himself on the 27th; and of Brigadier-General Langworth, of the King's German Legion; and of BrigadeMajor Beckett, of the guards. Your lordship will observe, that the attacks of the enemy were principally, if not entirely, directed against the British troops. The Spanish commander-in-chief, his officers and troops, manifested every disposition to render us assistance, and those of them which were engaged did their duty; but the ground they occupied was so important, and its front at the same time so difficult, that I did not think it proper to urge them to make any movement on the left of the enemy while he was engaged with us. I have reason to be satisfied with the conduct of all the officers and troops. I am much indebted to Lieutenant-General Sherbrooke for the assistance I received from him, and for the manner in which he led on his division to the charge with bayonets. To Lieutenant-General Payne and the cavalry, particularly General Anson's brigade, to Major-Generals Hill and Tilson,Brigadier-Generals Alexander Campbell, Richard Stewart, and Cameron, and to the divisions and brigades of infantry under their commands respectively, par ticularly the 29th regiment, commanded by Colonel White, the 1st battalion 48th, commanded by Colonel Donellan, afterwards, when that officer was wounded, by Major Middlemore; the 2d battalion 7th, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Sir William Myers; the 2d battalion 53d, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Bingham; the 97th, commanded by Colonel Lyon; the 1st battalion of detachments, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Bunbury, and the second battalion 31st, commanded by Major Watson, and of the 45th, commanded by LieutenantColonel Guard, and 5th battalion 60th, commanded by Major Davy, on the 27th. The advance of the brigade of guards was most gallantly conducted by Briga dier-General Campbell, and when neces sary, that brigade retired and formed again in the best order. The artillery, under Brigadier-General Howorth, was also, throughout these days, of the greatest service, and I had every reason to be satisfied with the assistance I received from the chief engi neer, Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher; the adjutant-general, Brigadier-General the Hon. C. Stewart, and the quarter-mastergeneral, Colonel Murray, and the officers of those departments respectively, and from Colonel Bathurst, and the officers of my personal staff. I also received much assistance from Colonel O'Lawlor, of the Spanish ser vice, and from Brigadier-General Whittingham, who was wounded when bring ing up the two Spanish battalions to the assistance of Brigadier-General Alexander Campbell. I send this by Captain Lord Fitzroy Somerset, who will give your lordship any farther information, and whom I beg leave to reccommend. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) ARTHUR WELLESLEY. Return of the numbers of killed, wounded, and missing, of the army under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Wellesley, K. B. in action with the French army, commanded by Jo seph Buonaparte in person, in front of the town of Talavera de la Reyna, on the 27th of July, 1809. Total-7 Officers, 2 Serjeants, 122 rank and file, killed; 24 Officers, 17 Serjeants, 1 Drummer, 465 rank and file, wounded; 3 Officers, 1 Serjeant, 2 Drummers, 202 rank and file, missing. Names of the Officers killed, wounded, and missing. Killed.-General Staff, Captain Fordyce, 81st Regiment, Deputy-AdjutantGeneral. Coldstream Guards, Lieuten ant-Colonel Ross. 2d Battalion $1st Foot, Captain Lodge. 1st Battalion 88th Foot Lieutenants Graydon and M'Carthy. 1st Battalion Detachments, Lieutenant M'Dougal, 91st Regiment. 2d Battalion 87th Foot, Ensign La Serre. Wounded.-1st Light Dragoons, King's German Legion, Lieutenant Heimbruch, severely in the arm. Royal Engineers, Captain Boothby in the thigh. 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, Captain_and Adjutant Bryan, severely. 29th Foot, Lieutenant Popham, severcly. 2d Batt. 31st Foot, Captain Coleman, Lieutenant George Beamish, severely; Ensigns Gamble and Sorden, slightly. 1st Batt. 45th Foot, Lieutenant Colonel Guard, severely. 5th Batt. 60th Foot, Captain Wolf, severely. 1st Batt. 61st Foot, Major Coghlan, ditto. 2d Batt. 87th Foot, Captain Macrea, severely; Captain Somersall, slightly; Lieutenant Kavanah, ditto; Lieutenants Bagnall, Kingston, Johnson, and Caroll, severely; Ensign Moore, slightly; Ensigns Knox and Butler, severely. Rifle Corps, King's German Legion, Captain During, slightly; Lieutenant Holle, severely. 7th Line King's German Legion, Adjutant Delius, severely. Missing.-1st Batt. Detachment, Captain Poole, 52d Foot; Captain Walsh, 91st Foot, and Lieutenant Cameron, 79th Foot. Return of the killed, wounded, and missing of the army under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Wellesley, K. B. in action with the French army, commanded by Joseph Buonaparte in person, at Talavera de la RayDa, on the 28th of July, 1809. Total-27 officers, 26 serjeants, 4 drummers, 61% rank and file, killed; 171 officers, 148 serjeants, 15 drummers, 3072 rank and file, wounded; six officers, 14 serjeants, 7 drummers, 418 rank and file, missing. Return of Ordnance, &c. taken in the battle of the 28th of July. 4 eight pounders, 4 six ditto, 1 four ditto, 1 six-inch howitzer, 2 tumbrils, complete in ammunition; taken by Brigadier-General A. Campbell's Brigade. 6 pieces of ordnance, 1 six-inch howitzer, left by the enemy, and found in the woods. 1 standard, taken by the 29th regiment; 1 ditto, destroyed by ditto. s standards, taken by the King's German Legion. CHARLES STEWART, Brig-Gen. Names of the Officers killed, wounded, Killed.-General Staff, Major-General Mackenzie and Brigadier-General Langworth. Coldstream Guards, Captain Beckett, brigade-major to brigade of guards. 43d Foot, Captain Gardner, Brigade-Major to Brigadier-General R. Stewart. 23d Light Dragoons, Lieutenants King and Powel. 1st Batt. Coldstream Guards, Ensign Parker. Royal Artillery, Lieutenant Wyatt. 1st Batt. 3d Guards, Captains Walker, Buchanan, Dalrymple; Ensign Ram; Adjutant Irby. 2d Batt. 7th Foot, Lieutenant Beaufoy. 1st Batt. 61st Foot, Major F.-Orpen, Captain H. James, Lieutenant Daniel Haimes. 2d Batt. 83d Foot, Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon, Lieutenants Dahman, Montgomery, and Flood. 1st Batt. 88th Foot, Captain Blake. 1st Light Batt. King's German Legion, Captain Versalle, Captain Henry Hodenberg. Wounded.-Major-General Hill, slightly. Brigadier-General A. Campbell, slightly. Ditto H. Campbell, severely, but not dangerously. 13th Light Dragoons, Captain Whittingham, DeputyAssistant Quarter-Master-General, slightly. 91st Regiment, Captain Blair, Brigade-Major to General Cameron, severely. Coldstream Guards, Captain Bouve rie, Aid-de-camp to Sir Arthur Wellesley, slightly. 92d Foot, Ulysses Burgh, ditto, ditto. 1st Batt. Line, King's German Legion, Captain Zerffen, Aid-de Camp to General Langworth, severely. Sicily Regiment, Captain Craig, Aid-de-Camp to General Sherbrooke, slightly. 3d Dragoon Guards, Captain Bryce, severely. 14th Light Dragoons, Colonel Hawker, slightly; Captains Chapman and Hawker, severely; Lieutenant Ellis, ditto; Lieutenants Wainman and Smith, slightly. 16th ditto, Lieutenant Bence, slightly. 23d ditto, Captains Howard and Frankland, severely; Lord William Russell, slightly; Cornet Dodville, ditto. 1st Light Dragoons, King's German Legion, Lieutenant Poten, severely; Cornet Teuts, slightly. Royal Engineers, Lieu tenant Stanway, slightly. Royal British Artillery, Lieutenant-Colonel Framingham, slightly; Captains Taylor and Baynes, ditto. Royal Staff Corps, Captain Todd, slightly; Lieutenant Shancham, ditto. 1st Batt. Coldstream Guards, Lieutenant-Colonel Stibbert, and Sir William Sheridan, severely, but not dan gerously; Captains Millman and Christie, ditto; Captains Collier and Wood, slightly; Captain Jenkinson, severely; Ensign Sandilands, ditto, but not danger. ously. 1st Batt. 3d Guards, LieutenantColonel Gordon, slightly; Major Fother ingham, ditto; Captain Giles, ditto; Ensigns Atcheson, Towers, and Scott, ditto. 1st Batt. 3d Foot, or Buffs, Lieutenant-Colonel Muter, severely, since dead; Major Drummond, Brevet Lieut.Colonel, slightly. 2d Batt. 7th Foot, Lieutenants Kerwan and Muter, severely; Adjutant Page, slightly. 2d Batt. 24th Foot, Lieutenant-Colonel Drummond, severely; Major Popham, ditto; Captain Collis, ditto; Captain Evans, ditto, since dead; Lieutenant Vardy, slightly; Ensigns Grant, Skene, and Johnson, severely. 2d Batt, 22d Foot, Ensign Jesamin, severely; Adjutant Topp, slightly. 29th Foot, Captain Gauntlett, severely; Lieutenants Stanns, Leslie, Stanhope, ditto; Lieutenant Nicholson slightly; Captain Newbolt, ditto. 2d Batt. 31st Foot, Captain Nicholls, slightly; Lieutenant Girdlestone, ditto; Lieutenant Beamish, severely. 1st Batt. 40th Foot, Captain Colquhoun, slightly. 1st Batt. 45th Foot, Major Gwyn, slightly; Lieutenant Cole, ditto. 1st Bat. 48th Foot, Lieutenant-Colonel Donellan, severely; Brevet-Major Marston, slightly; Captains Wood and French, ditto; Lieutenants Drought, Page, and Cheslyn, severely; Lieutenants Giles and Cuthbertson, slightly; Ensign Vandermeulen, severely. 2d Batt. 48th Foot, Lieutenant Johnson, slightly; Ensign Kenney, severely. 2d Batt. 53d Foot, Major Kingscote, slightly; Captain Stowell, ditto. 5th Batt. 60th Foot, Captain Carliff, B. Major, slightly; Captain Andrew, ditto; Lieutenants Zulke, Ritter, and Michell, severely; Ensign Altenstein, ditto. 1st Batt. 61st Foot, Captains Fur nase, Laing, Goodsman, and Harley, slightly; Lieutenants M'Lean and Tench, ditto; Lieutenant Collins, severely; Lieutenant Gwan, slightly; Ensign Brackenburgh, ditto; Adjutant Drewe, sovere ly. 2d Batt. 66th Foot, Captain Kelly, slightly; Captain Stewart, severely; Captain Adams, Brevet Lieutenant Colonel, ditto; Lieutenants Morris, Dudgeon, Humbly, and Steel, severely; Lieutenant Shewbridge, slightly; Lieutenant Mor gan, severely; Ensign Cotter, ditto; Ensign Macarthy, slightly. 2d Batt. 89d Foot, Captain Summerfield, slightly; Captain Reynolds, leg amputated; Lientenant Nicholson, severely; Lieutenants Baldwin and Johnson, slightly; Lieute nant Abell, severely; Lieutenant Pyne, slightly; Ensigns Boggie and Carey, severely: Ensign Letoller, slightly; 'Adju ant Braham, ditto. 2d Batt. 87th Foot, Major Gough, severely; Lieutenant Rogers, slightly; Ensign Pepper, ditto. 88th Foot, Captain Brown, severely; Lieutenant Whittle, ditto; Ensign Whitelaw, ditto. 1st Batt. Detachments, Major Ross, 38th Regiment, severely; Captain M'Pherson, 35th ditto, ditto; Captain Bradley, 28th ditto, slightly; Captain Chancellor, 38th ditto, ditto; Lieutenant Gilbert, 28th ditto, severely; Lieutenant M'Beth, 42d ditto, ditto; Lieutenant Fullerton, 38th ditto, slightly; Liente |