598 
at this season of the year not forda- 
ble, and which lay between us and 
the city ; distant from it about three 
miles, and eight from our then si- 
tuation ; and, though I used every 
diligence, I had themortification to 
See it in flames long before I could 
reach it. I halted the troops for 
the night, a mile from it, and pushed 
on three companies of the 7\st, 
under lieutenant-colonel Pack, with 
two howitzers, to the bridge, to en- 
deavour to prevent its total destruc. 
tion. I accompanied this detach- 
ment; but, on reaching the bridge, 
I found it entirely consumed ; and 
as the enemy, during the night, was 
heard bringing down guns, | with. 
drew the detachment before light, 
as their position was thought too 
open, and exposed to the cnemy’s 
fire, who had, at nine o’clock, on 
hearing some of our soldiers go to 
the river to get water, opened a fire 
from their guns, and a considerable 
line of infantry. As soon as it was 
light, I sent captain Kennet, of the 
engineers, to reconnoitre the sides 
of the river ; and found that on our 
side we had little or no coyer to 
protect us, whilst the enemy were 
drawn up behind hedges and hauses, 
and in the shipping on the opposite 
bank, the river not 30 vards wide. 
As our situation and circumstances 
could not admit of the least delay, 
I determined to force the passage, 
and for that purpose ordered down 
the field-pieces, which, with the ad- 
dition of those taken from the ene- 
my the day before, were 11, (one I 
had spiked and left, not being able 
to bring it off), to the water’s edge, 
and ordered the infantry to remain 
in the rear, under cover, except the 
light company and grenadiers of the 
Vist. As our guns app®eached, the 
enemy opened a very ill-directed 
tire from gyeat guns and musketry : 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1806. 
the former soon ceased after our fire. 
opened, the latter was kept up for 
more than halfan hour ; but, though 
close to us, did us but little or no 
injury, so ill was it directed. We 
then found means, by boats and 
rafts, to cross a fuw men over the 
Rio Chuelo; and, on ordering all 
fire to cease, the little of them that 
remained ceased also. The troops 
which opposed us during these twa 
days, appear to have been almost | 
entirely, provincial, with a consi- 
derable praportion of veteran offi- 
cers. The numbers that were as- 
sembled to dispute our passage of 
the river, I have been since inform- 
ed, were about 2000 infantry. I 
had no reason from their fire to sup- 
pose their numbers so great; the 
Opposition was very feeble; the 
only difficulty was the crossing the 
river to getat them. I cannot omit 
reporting to you, that I had the 
most just cause to be satisfied with 
the conduct of every officer, and all 
the troops under my command: to 
lieutenant.colonel Pack, of the7 Ist, 
every praise is duc, as well as to 
that excellent regiment. The bat. 
talion of marines, commanded by 
captain King, of the royal navy, 
not only behaved with the utmost 
good conduct, but with a discipline 
in the field much beyond what cauld 
have been expected, though every 
exertion to effect it had been used 
by commodore sir Home Popham, 
and every officer of the royal navy 
during the passage. A corps of 
seamcn, who had been drilled to 
small-arms, were also landed ; they 
were between cighty and ninety in 
number, and I was under the ne- 
cessity of attaching them to draw 
the guns, which they did with a 
cheerfulness and zeal that did them 
great credit; and I was under great 
obligation to captain King, for his 
activity 
