1811.) 
. details, and in whatever I suggested to his 
Excellency, I received the most immediate 
-and cordial assent and co-operation , and no- 
thing was omitted on his part to ensure the 
“success of our united efforts; and, during the 
battle, he most essentially, by his experience, 
knowledge, and zeal, contributed to its fortu- 
Hate result. j 
His Excellency the Captain-general Casta- 
nos, who had united the troops he had in a 
‘state to be brought into the field, to those of 
General Blake, and placed them under his or- 
ders, assisted in person im the field 5 and not 
only on this, but on all occasions, lam much 
indebted to General Castanos, who is ever 
beforehand in giving-whatever can be benefi- 
cial to the success of the common cause. 
Though I unfortunately cannot point out 
the corps of many of the individuals of the 
Spanish troops that distinguished themselves, 
yet Ll will not omit to mention the names of 
“General Vallesteros, whose gallantry was 
mostconspicuous, as of the corps he had un- 
der his command; and the same of Generals 
Zayas and of Don Carlos-D*Espagne. ©The 
Spanisicavairy have behaved extremely weil, 
and the Count de Penne Villamur is particu- 
darly deserving to be mentioned. 
I annex the return of our loss in this hard- 
contested day ; it is very severe, and in-ad- 
dition to it is the less of the troops under |.is 
Excellency General Blake, who are killed, 
missing, and wounded, but of Which I have 
not the return... The loss of the enemy, 
thovgh I cannot know what it is, must be 
stilly more severe» He has left on the field 
of battle about 2000 dead, and we have taken 
from 900 to 1009 prisoners. He has had five 
generals killed and wounded ; of the former, 
Generals of Division Werlé and Pesim 5 and 
Gazan and twe others “mongst the latter. 
His force was much more considerable than 
we had heen informed of, as I do not think he 
displayed less than from 20 to 225000 infan- 
try, and he certainly had 4000 cavalry, with 
a numerous and heavy artillery. © His over- 
bearing cavalry cramped and confined all our 
operations, and, with his artillery, saved his 
infentry, after its rout. 
He retired after the battle to the ground he 
had been previously on, but occupying it in 
position ; and, on this morning, or rather dur- 
‘Ing the night, commenced his retreat on the 
road he came, towards Seville, and has aban- 
@oned Vadajgz toits fate. He beft a number 
of his wounded on the ground he had retired 
to, and which we are administering what as- 
sistance to we curl. I have sent our cavalry to 
follow the enemy, but in that arm he is too 
pee for us to attempt any thing against 
him in the plains he is trapersing, 
Thus we have reaped the advantage we prow 
posed from our opposition tothe attempts of 
the enemy ; and whilst he has been forced to 
abandon the object for which he has almost 
tripped Andalusia of troops, jnstead of hav~ 
& accomplished the haughty boasts with 
State of Public Affairs in June. 
519 
which Marshal Soult hartangued bis troops 
on leaving Seville; he returns there witha 
curtailed army, and, what perhaps may bestill 
more hurtful to him, with a diminished repu- 
tation. f 
In enumerating the services received from 
the officers of my own staff, I must particu- 
larly call your Lordship’s actention to those 
of Brigadier-general d’Urban, quarter-master 
general tothe Portuguese army ; and which 
I cannot sufficiently praise, though I can ap- 
‘preciate. 
On all occasions I have felt the benefits 
of his talents and services, and more parti- 
colarly on-this, where they very essentially 
Contributed to the success of the day: and I 
cannot here omit the name of Lieutenants 
colonel Hardinge, deputy quarter-master-gene- 
ral to the Portuguese troops, whose talents 
and exertions deserve my thanks, To Bri- 
gadier-general Mozinho, adjutant-general of 
the Portuguese army, and to Lieutenant. colo- 
nel Rooke, assistant adjutant-general to the 
United British and Portuguese force, and to 
Brigadier- general Lemos, and to the officers of 
my own personal staff, 1 am indebted for their 
assistance, 
To the services of Lieutenant-colonel Ar- 
buthnot (major in his majesty’s service) Lam 
also much indebted, and le is the bearer of 
this to your Lordship, and is fully enabled to 
give you any further information you may 
desire, and is most eeserving of any favour 
your Lordship may be pleased to recommend 
him for, to his Royal Highness the Prince 
Regent. T have the honour to be, &c. 
(Signed) W.C. Berrsrorp, 
Marshal! and Lieut.-general, 
P.$.  Major-general Hamilton’s division, 
and Brigadier-general Madden’s brigade of 
Portuguese cavalry march to-morrow morn- 
ing to re-invest Badajoz on the south side of 
Guadiana. W.C. B. 
Elvas, May 22, 1811. 
My Lorp,—I enclose a letter of the 2ist 
inst. whica 1 have received from Marshal Sir 
William Beresford, containing a letter from 
General Gazan to Marshal! Soult, which had 
been intercepted by some of our parties, P 
General Gazan, wounded himself, was 
marching with the wounded ; and from his 
account of those with him, from the account 
of those at Almendraleja, and those left on 
the ground at Albuera, from the numbers 
found dead on,the field, and the prisuners, the 
Marshal computes the enemy’s' loss not to 
fall short of 9000 men. 1 
I have the honour tobe, &c. 
WELLINGTON, 
Camp near Albuera, 2\st May, 1811. 
My Lorpv,—I have the honour to tyanss 
mit to your Lordship the accompanying intére 
cepted letters of some importance; after the 
severe batrle we had, it is satisfactory to know 
that our calcwlations of the enemy’s loss were 
“2b Roy 
