Norfolk Gazette And Publick Ledger

CAPTURE OF BUENOS AYRES.

The official news of the capture of Buenos Ayres is received. It capitulated on the 27th of June.—There fell into the hands of the English 1,291,338 dollars in silver and bullion. General Beresford has issued a proclamation as lieutenant governor; and promises to allow a free trade to all nations in amity with England.

The trade of Buenos Ayres is to be on the same footing, as that of Trinidad.

It was estimated that the merchandize in the king's stores, principally jesuits bark and quicksilver; and what is in the Philippine company's stores, with the little that is retained of floating property would amount, if it could be disposed of, to between 2 and 3 million of dollars. Of the bullion delivered in, some was claimed as private property, and was to be restored—and so of some of the money.

Ninety pieces of ordnance, 550 whole barrels powder, 2203 muskets with bayonets, 71 without bayonets, 616 carbines, 4079 pistols, 31 muskettoons, and 124 swords were taken at Buenos Ayres.

The English had 1 man killed, 12 wounded, and 1 was missing.

In the capitulation, the 1st article provides that the Spanish troops shall be prisoners of war, allows native and domiciliated officers and soldiers to remain—the 2d article promises respect to all private property, civil military or religious—3d promises protection to the people, and that they shall not be compelled to bear arms against his Catholick majesty—4th continues the civil officers in commission, and promises respect to existing customs—5th provides for the safety of the publick archives—6th continues the taxes and appropriations as heretofore—7th assures respect to the Catholick religion—8th continues the ecclesiastical court—9th directs the delivery of coasting vessels to their owners—10th agrees that all the publick property shall be delivered to the English.

In general Beresford's letter to the secretary of state, announcing the capture of Buenos Ayres, he mentions that the whole force under his command was 1621, with 2 five and a half inch howitzers, and 2 light 3 pounders. The Spanish regular force consisted of 2000, and opposed the advance of the British a short time at the village of Reduction, and at the river Chuelo, at which latter place they had destroyed the bridge. Their fire was always ill-directed, and did little or no execution.

General Beresford, in one of his letters, says, that after the passage of the river Chuelo, the city of Buenos remained at his mercy and that the only conditions on which he entered were such as he pleased to offer. The coasting vessels released were valued at a million and half of dollars. The British had made an expedition 50 miles from the interior, had found the dispositions of the people favourable to the British, and had recovered considerable treasure which persons were endeavouring to carry to Cordova.

Extract of a letter from commodore Popham, who commanded the expedition against Buenos Ayres, to the secretary of the admiralty.

"Off Buenos Ayres, 6th July.

"Sir, in a letter which I had the honour to address you from St. Helena, on the 30th of April, I fully explained, for the information of their lordships commissioners of the admiralty, the motives that induced me to press so strongly the urgency and expediency of undertaking an expedition against the enemy's settlements on Rio de la Plata.

"I have, therefore, only to give you a short detail of the proceedings of the squadron; previously congratulating their lordships on his majesty's forces being in full possession of Buenos Ayres and its dependencies, the capital of one of the richest and most extensive provinces of South America.

"To the commerce of Great Britain it exhibits peculiar advantages, as well as to the active industry of her manufacturing towns.—And when I venture, in addition, to assure their lordships of the extreme healthiness of the climate, I trust I only hold out a consolation that the friends of every person employed on this expedition are justly entitled to, and which I am satisfied will be equally gratifying to the feelings of every British subject.

"As I considered it an object of material consequence to obtain the earliest local information of the river, I placed the squadron under the direction of capt. Rowley, and preceded it in the Narcissus for that purpose.

"On the 5th ult. we anchored near the island of Flores; and after passing Monte Video the following day, we detained a Portuguese schooner, by whom the intelligence we had formerly received, was generally confirmed. On the 11th, we fell in with the Encounter and Ocean transports near the south coast of the river, and on the 13th, we joined the squadron.

"It was immediately determined to attack the capital; and no time was lost in removing the marine battalion to the Narcissus, the Encounter and the transports, for the purpose of proceeding to Buenos Ayres, while the Diadem blockaded the port of Monte Video, and the Raisonable and Diomede, by way of demonstration, cruized near Maldonado, and other assailable points.

"Our progress up the river was very much retarded by the shoalness of the water, adverse winds and currents, continual fogs, and the great inaccuracy of the charts; but by the unremitting and laborious exertions of the officers and men, I had the honour to command, these difficulties were surmounted, and the squadron anchored, on the afternoon of the 25th, off Point Qui Imey a Pouichin, about 12 miles from Buenos Ayres.

"As it was impossible for the Narcissus to approach the shore on account of the shoalness of water, the Encounter was run in so close as to take the ground, the more effectually to cover the debarkation of the army in case of necessity; the whole however was landed in the course of the evening without the least opposition; consisting of the detachment of his majesty's troops from the cape, and that from St. Helena, with the marine battalion under the orders of captain King, of his majesty's ship the Diadem, which was composed of the marines of the squadron augmented by the incorporation of some seamen, and three companies of Royal Blues from the same source of enterprize, which had been regularly trained for that duty, and dressed in an appropriate uniform.

"The enemy was posted at the village of Reduction, which was an eminence about two miles from the beach, with the appearance of a fine plain between the two armies, which, however, proved in the following morning to be only a morass in a high state of verdure.

"This in some measure checked our advancement, nor did the enemy open his field train till the troops were nearly in the middle of the swamp, from whence he thought it was impossible for them to be extricated.

"The able and excellent disposition of gen. Beresford, and the intrepidity of his army, very soon, however, satisfied the enemy, that his only safety was in a precipitate retreat, for we had the satisfaction of seeing from the ships near 4000 Spanish cavalry flying in every direction, leaving their artillery behind them, while the troops were ascending the hill with that coolness and courage, which has on every occasion marked the character of a British soldier, and has been exemplified in proportion to the difficulties and dangers by which he was opposed.

On the 27th, in the morning, we saw some firing near the banks of the river Chuelo, but it blew so hard that it was totally impracticable to have any communication with the shore during that day.

On the 28th, our troops took possession of Buenos Ayres.

"I have sent lieut. Groves to take possession of Ensenada de Barragan, a port to the eastward of Buenos Ayres, where I understood there are two gun vessels and two merchant ships."