Alexandria Daily Gazette, Commercial & Political

Marshal Beresford's details of the battle of Albuhera.
[Translated for the New-York Gazette, from the Lisbon Gazette of May 29.]

Lisbon, May 23.

Copy of a dispatch from his Excellency Marshal Beresford, to his Excellency Marshal General Lord Wellington.

My Lord,

In conformity to the instructions which your Excellency gave me on the 24th of last month; in consequence of the state of the weather, and of our means of communication across the Guadiana, having been destroyed by the sudden rise of that river; and having my cavalry at Zafra, los Santos and Villa Franca, I posted the infantry with the head quarters in Almendralejo, Azeuchal and Villa Alba, in which places were the divisions of General William Stewart, and Major General Hamilton, and the division of Major Gen. Cole with the brigade of Brigadier Gen. Madden of the Portuguese cavalry in Merida, the brigade of infantry commanded by Brigadier Gen. Kemmis, and the one intended for the attack of Fort St. Christoval in Montijo, the light brigade of the German Legion, under the orders of Major General Baron Alten in Talavera Real, having the light battalion of the Lusitanian Legion in Olivenza.

As I expected that the waters of the Guadiana would fall, and our bridge be re-established, it being of considerable importance to drive away the enemy from us, as much as possible, during the siege seeing that they had, after we obliged them to retreat from Llerena to Guadalcanal kept possession of the latter place which enabled them to raise contributions and maintain themselves in the province of Estramadura, I determined that a small column of 2000 men, composed of the first Brigade of the 2d Division, Commanded by Lieut. Col. Colborne, with two squadrons of cavalry, & two Spanish squadrons should march from Almendralejo by way of Rebeira and Maquilla towards Aznaga, in order to threaten their right, sending at the same time 4 squadrons of cavalry of Brigadier General Long from Villa Franca to Llerena to support the Count de Penne Villemur, who was there with the Spanish Cavalry of the corps of Gen. Castanos, and to make them fear an attack in front, while general Ballasteros marching from Monasterio by way of
Montemayor, threatened their left. These manoeuvres had the desired effect: scarcely did the enemy see Lieutenant Col. Colborne advance near Azuaga, where they had 500 infantry and 500 horse, when they precipitately abandoned the place, & retired towards Guadalcanal, and that place General Latour Maubourg with the 5th corps quitted two hours after the arrival of this detachment, and at 11 at night retreated to the vicinity of Constantina, Lieut. Col. Colborne performed this service in the most noble and judicious manner.

The weather having, for some days been fine, the waters of the Guadiana having fallen, and our preparations for the siege of Badajoz being, through the activity of Lieutenant Colonel Fletcher, nearly completed, on the 3d of May. I ordered three brigades of infantry, 1 brigade of the 4th of the guards, and two squadrons of cavalry, under the orders of the honorable W. Stewart. to invest Badajoz more closely, on the south side of the river, which he did with his usual zeal and vigilance on the 4th. On the 6th inst. I ordered the remaining divisions to march towards Badajoz, one by way of Albuera, the other by Talavera, the cavalry remaining posted as before. On the 7th I came before Badajoz with these divisions. General Castanos also gave 2000 men to co-operate in the siege, under the orders of Brigadier General Don Carlos d'Hespanha. On the 8th, I ordered the brigade of Brigadier General Kempt, which was previously posted upon the Xevora, to proceed to Torre de Santa Engracia, about two miles from Badajoz, on the road to Campo Mayor, and there to form a junction with the Portuguese regiment 17. and 2 squadrons of cavalry of the 4th and 6th from Elvas, who were to march at 3 in the morning; the whole to remain under the orders of the Honorable Maj. Gen. W. Lumley, to invest the north side. and attack the fort of San Christoval.

By some accident that happened to the bearer of the orders for Brig. Gen. Kempt, that officer did not arrive at his post until 9 o'clock; and on the Honorable Major General Lumley's joining the light companies of the Brigade which was advancing towards the City, with the force that he brought from Elvas, the garrison made a sortie upon him, but was immediately repelled, and the grenadiers of the regiment commanded by Col. Turner particularly distinguished themselves in charging the enemy. The detachment suffered the loss which is stated in return No. 1.

On the 8th, Lieut. Col. Fletcher constructed batteries against Pardaleras and Picurina upon the heights which command those places, at a considerable distance; and Captain Squire, whom the Lieutenant Colonel had sent to inspect the works, determined to order them to be raised against St. Christoval.

The operations commenced on the 8th; the opening the trench on that side immediately caused great alarm to the enemy; and they opposed it with a most heavy fire of balls and bombs: and in the morning of the 10th made a sortie against the battery which was constructing, with 1200 men; being only four hundred yards from it, they very soon reached it, and there being in it of the corps that covered it, only one company or light infantry, the enemy took possession of it. but did not retain it two minutes, for the whole corps which covered it, and which was very nigh in the declivity of the mountain immediately seized their arms, and drove out the enemy with considerable loss; but I regret that I have to say that ours on this occasion was greater; because our troops were exposed to the balls and bombs from the city, and from the fort of San Christoval. and the musquetry from the latter. I annex the return of our loss on this day; and I have to lament being deprived of the services of Colonel Turner. who, in the short time that he was in the Portuguese service, gave me the greatest satisfaction and in these two days the most evident proofs of his valor.

I herewith transmit the returns of our subsequent loss of men during our operations against Badajoz; and the accounts of the Honorable Major Gen. Lumley, relative to the circumstances and consequences of the enemy's sorties.

The loss was wholly on the north side --for the enemy turned his whole attention to oppose our progress on that side, and inundated our works with balls and bombs; and we have to lament the loss of a greater number of officers and soldiers than we had reason to expect.

On the 12th I received intelligence from
general Blake, that marshal Soult had left Seville on the 10th, and with the declared intention on coming to Badajoz. It was said that his force consisted of 15000 men, and general Latour Maubourg had again advanced, and occupied Guadalcanal and Ilerena, from which places the Count de Penne Villemur was obliged to retire. As Gen. Blake, in conformity to the plan of operations proposed by your Excellency had come to Fregenal, and Gen. Ballasteros from Monasterio extended his advanced guards until within a league of Seville, I could not suppose. that this march of Marshal Soult was merely to oblige those Generals to retire, and leave him quiet in Seville, or, as was actually stated, against me, and for the purpose of raising the siege or Badajoz; and consequently I continued my operations against the place, until the ulterior movements of Soult should determine this point for me more clearly: and in the night of the 13th inst. Lieut. Col. Fletcher opened his trenches on the south side of the Guadiana; but in the middle of the night I received information from General Blake, and from other quarters, of the rapid advance of Marshal Soult, and which left no doubt as to his intentions.

I immediately ordered the operations against Badajoz to be suspended, & commenced withdrawing towards Elvas our artillery and stores, which unfortunately comprised nearly all that was necessary for the siege; to withdraw the whole appeared to be a very dangerous operation, as well as a most laborious one, under the circumstances of being obliged to prepare ourselves to receive Marshal Soult. However I determined to use every effort to prevent any thing from falling into the hands of the enemy, and through the great exertions of Lieut. Col. Fletcher, of the Royal Engineers, and Major Dickson of the artillery, every thing was withdrawn in the afternoon of the 15th.

It is but justice to state, that to the zeal and incessant activity in every branch of the service, and for the good of his country, of Lieut. General Leite Governor of the Province of Alem Tejo we are indebted on all occasions, and particularly on this, for having furnished us with the necessary conveyances, and assisted in every respect in which he could be serviceable to us. I avail myself with pleasure of this opportunity to give to Lieut. Gen. Leite that praise, which he has always so amply deserved.

I was obliged, in order to cover the withdrawing of the stores to leave the division of major general the hon. G. L. Cole before Badajoz, and doubtless, as your excellency will perceive by my next dispatch, the arrangements to avoid the unpleasantness of abandoning some of our stores to the enemy, and to prepare for fighting marshal Soult, were as perfect as possible; since major general Cole marched from before Badajoz to join this army at two in the morning of the 16th, and arrived half an hour before the enemy began the attack.

I have however the satisfaction to inform your excellency, that the enemy cannot boast of having taken the smallest part of our stores; all of them were safely collected at Elvas, and with the exception of the brigade of brigadier general kempt, which was to the north ward of the Guadiana, our troops were all united in the morning of the 16th to receive the attack, and oppose the advance of marshal Soult. I have the honor, de.

W. C. BERESFORD.

Marshal and Lieut. General.

To his excellency marshal general lord viscount Wellington, K. B.