592 -ANNUAL REGISTER, 1806. 
plain of St. Eufemia; his flanks 
were strengthened by a thick im- 
pervious underwood. The Amato, 
a river perfectly fordable, but of 
-which the sides are extremely 
marshy, run along his front ; my 
approach to him. from the sea side 
(along the borders of which I direc- 
ted my march, until I had nearly 
turned his left) was across a spacious 
plain, which gave him every oppor- 
tunity of minutely observing my 
movements. Had general Regnier 
thought proper to remain upon his 
ground, the difficulties of agcess to 
him were such, that I could not pos- 
sibly have made an impression upon 
him. But quitting this advantage, 
and crossing the river with his en. 
tire force, he came down to meet us 
upon the open plain—a measure to 
which he was no doubt encouraged 
by a consideration of his cavalry, an 
arm with which, unfortunately, I 
was altogether unprovided. After 
some close firing of the flankers to 
cover the deployments of the two 
armies, by nine o’clock in the morn- 
ing the opposing fronts were warm. 
ly engaged, when the prowess of the 
riyal nations seemed now fairly to be 
at trial before the world, and the su- 
periority was greatly and gloriously 
decided to be our own. ‘She corps 
which formed the right of the ad- 
vanced line, was the battalion of 
light infantry commanded by lieut.. 
col. Kempt, consisting of the light 
companies cf the 20th, 27th, 35th, 
58th, Gist, Stst, and Watteville’s, 
together with 150 chosen baitalion- 
men of the 35th regiment, under 
major Robinson. Directly opposed 
to them was the favourite French 
regiment the Ist Legere. The two 
corps at the distance of about 100 
yards fired reciprocally a few rounds, 
when, as if by mutual agregment, 
the firing was suspended, and in 
close compact order and awful | 
silence, they advanced towards each — 
other, until their bayonets began to © 
cross. At this momentous crisis the 
enemy became appalled. They | 
broke, and endeavoured to fly, but — 
it was too late ; they were overtaken’ 
with the most dreadful slaughter,— 
Brig.-general Auckland, whose bri. — 
gade was immediately on the left of 
the light infantry, with great spirit © 
availed himself of this favourable 
moment to press instantly forward — 
upon the corps in his front ; the 
brave 78th regiment, commanded by — 
licut.-col. Macleod, and the 81st 
regiment, under major Plenderleath, — 
both distinguished themselves on this 
occasion, The enemy fled with dis- 
may and disorder before them, leav- 
ing the plain covered with their 
dead and wounded. —The enemy: 
being thus completely discomfited on 
their left, began to make a new 
effort with their right, in the hopes 
of recovering the day. ‘They were 
resisted most gallantly by the bri- 
gade under brig.-gen. Cole. Nothing 
could shake the undaunted firm. 
ness of the grenadiers under lieut:. 
eol. O’Callaghan, and of the 27th 
regiment under lieut.-col. Smith. 
The cavalry, successively repelled 
from before their front, made an 
effort to turn their left, when licut.- 
col. Ross, who had that morning 
landed from Messina ~with the 20th 
regiment, and was coming up to the 
army during the action, having ob- 
served the movement, threw his re- 
giment opportunely into a small 
cover upon their flank, and bya 
heavy and well.directed fire entirely 
disconcerted this attempt. — This 
was the last feeble struggle of the 
enemy, who now, astonished and 
dismayed by the intrepidity with 
which 
