144] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



power of the Frencli, with about 

 18,000 troops of the line (including 

 the sick in hospitals) made prison- 

 ers of war, a great number of 

 officers of rank, 374 pieces of ar- 

 tillery, and a great quantity of mi- 

 litary stores. The militia was dis- 

 armed, and means were taken to 

 restore the tranquillity of the pro- 

 vince. Asa reward for this signal 

 success, the title of Duke of Al- 

 bufera was conferred upon Marshal 

 Suchet. 



While the French arms were 

 thus victorious in this quarter, they 

 failed in an inferior enterprize, 

 ))robablymuch against expectation. 

 It was mentioned at the conclu- 

 sion of the Peninsular transactions 

 of the last year, that the design 

 against the town of Tariffa having 

 been resumed. Gen. Victor had 

 invested it with a considerable 

 force, and that a breach was made 

 in the wall. This circumstance is 

 reported by the brave commander. 

 Col. Skerret, on Dec. 30th, when 

 an assault was expected. On the 

 evening of the 31st, a strong co- 

 lumn was seen rapidly advancing 

 to the breach, and suitable prepa- 

 rations were made to receive the 

 attack. The intrepid resistance of 

 the defenders was crowned with 

 success. In less than an hour, vic- 

 tory declared for them ; the bold- 

 est of the assailants fell at the foot 

 of the breach, and the mass of the 

 column made a precipitate retreat. 

 A very pleasing instance of hu- 

 manity succeeded this exertion of 

 valour. The ground between the 

 town and the enenay's battery was 

 strewed with their wounded, who 

 must have perished had they re- 

 mained there. Colonel Skerrett 

 therefore hoisted a flag of truce in 



token of permi>sion to carry them 

 ofi"; and this humane art was very 

 feelingly acknowledged by the 

 French commander. From that 

 time the enemy kept up a partial 

 fire, by which the breach was 

 widened, and another assault was 

 expected ; when on the morning 

 of January 5th, the columns of 

 the enemy were descried already 

 at a distance, having left behind 

 them their artillery, ammunition, 

 and stores. A detachment of the 

 garrison was sent out to take pos- 

 session of them, which rescued 

 from the flames the articles that 

 had been set on fire. A number 

 of dead was found on the place, 

 indicating the great loss which the 

 besiegers must have suffered dur- 

 ing the whole period. " Thus we 

 have seen (says Col. Skerrett, with 

 allowable exultation) the utmost 

 effort of the Freiich has been frus- 

 trated by 1,800 British and Spanish 

 troops, with only the defence of a 

 paltry wall ; and as army of 

 10,000 men, conducted by a mar- 

 shal of France, retreating from 

 them silently in the night, after 

 having been repulsed and defeated, 

 leaving behind all their artillery 

 and stores, collected at a great ex- 

 pense, and by immense exertions." 

 Lord Wellington, who in the 

 autumn had placed his troops in 

 cantonments across the Agueda to 

 recover from their sickness and 

 fatigues, was in motion at the very 

 commencement of the year. In a 

 dispatch dated from Gallegos, Ja- 

 nuary 9, 1812, he informs the fo- 

 reign secretary of state that he in- 

 vested Ciudad Rodrigo on the pre- 

 eeding day. He mentions having 

 taken by storm a new redoubt con- 

 structed by the French on the hill 



of 







I 



