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of State, from Lieut,-Gen..the Earl of 
Chatham : dated) Head-quarters, Batz, 
Ausust 29,1190. . . 
My Lond.—Major Bradford delivered to 
me your lordship’s dispatch of the 2ist inst. 
"Signifying to me his majesty’s commands that 
I should convey to Lieut.-Gen. Sir Eyre 
Ceote, the general. and other officers and 
troops employ ed before Flushing, and particu- 
larly to those of the artillery and engineer de- 
partments, his majesty’s most gracious appro- 
bation of their conduct; and Aight I have 
ebeyed with the most catire satisfaction, I 
had the honour in my. last, dispatch of ac- 
guainting your lordship with my intention of 
'. proceeding to this place, and should have 
been most happy to have been enabled to have 
announced to your lordship the further pro- 
gress of thisarmy. Unfortunately, however, 
it becomes my duty to state to your lords ship, 
that, from the concurrent testimony from so 
many quarters, as to leave no doubt of the ~ 
truth of the information, the enemy appears 
to have collected so formidablea force, as to 
convince me that the period was arrived, at 
-whiolh my instructions would have directed 
me to withdraw the army under my command, 
even if engaged in actual operation. J had 
certainly early understood en my arrival at 
- Waicheren,, that the enemy were assembling 
in considerable force-on all peints: but I was 
-unwilling to give too much credit ta these 
repor‘s, and I was determined to persevere 
until I was satisfied, upon the fullest infor- 
» mation, that all further attempts would be 
unavailable. From all our intelligence it ap- 
pears that-the force of the enemy in this 
quarter, distributed between the environs of 
Bergen-op Zoom, Breda, Lillo, and Antwerp, 
and cantoned on the opposite coast, is not less 
than 35,000 men, and by some statements is 
estimated higher. ‘Though.a landing on the 
continent might, I- have no doubt, have been 
forced, yet, as the siege of Antwerp, the pos-" 
session of which could alone have secured to 
us any of the ulterior objects-of the expediti- 
*-on, was by this state of things-rendered ut- 
- 
terly impracticable, such a-measure, if suc- 
- cessful, could have Jed to no solid advantage ; 
and the retreat:of the army y_ which must at 
an early period have been inevitable, would 
have been exposed: to’ much hazard. The° 
utmost force (and that daily decreasing) that 
_ I could have brought-into the field, after pro- 
viding for the occupation. of Walcheren and 
South Beveiand, would: have amounted to 
about 23,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry. 
Your lordship mustat once see, even if the 
enemy’s force had been Jess numerous than 
represented, after the necessary detachments _ 
to observe the garrisons of Bergen-op-Zoom 
and Breda, and securing Our communications, 
how very inadequate a force must have re- 
mained tor operatioyis against Lillo and Lef- 
kenshoeik, 
which tows so far from being in the state 
White bad been reported, is, rom very cor- 
, 
‘State of Public’ Apis vit October. 
the guns of the citadel. 
the present contest. 
and ultimately against Antwerp; - 
[Nov. i 
“rect accounts, A on to be ina complete: 
state of defence; and the enemy’s ships had: 
been brought up’ and placed in security, under: 
Under these cir- 
cumstances, however mortifying to me to see 
the progress arrested, of anarmy, from whose 
good conduct.and valour I had: every thing to 
hope, I feel that my duty left me no other’ 
course than to close my operations here 3 and! 
it will always be a satisfaction to me tothink, 
that I have not been-induced lightly to com- 
mit the safety of the army confided to mey. 
or the reputation of his Majesty’s arms. 1t 
‘was.an additional satisfaction to me to find, 
that the unanimous opinion of the lieutenant 
generals of this army, whom IT thought it 
right to Consult, more out of respect tothem,. 
thanthat I thought a doubt could be enter. 
tained on the subject, concurred entirely in. 
the sentiments J have submitted to your 
lordship. I am concerned to say, that the 
effect of the climate, at this unhealthy pe- 
riod of the year, is felt most seriously, and: 
that the number of sick already, is little: 
short of three thousand men. © It is my ins 
tention to withdraw gradually from the ad=) 
vanced position in. this island, and sending. 
into Walcheren such an additional force, as: 
may be necessary to secure that important. 
possession, to embark the rentainder of the 
troops, and to hold themin readiness, to» 
await his majesty’s further commands, which 
I shall. most anxiously expect. . 
2 (Signed) 
SPAIN. eee 
The want of concert in the British: 
CHATHAM. 
‘and Spanish armies, and the want of am. 
able general of the British forces, tend: 
rapidly to destroy the last hope of those © 
who have espoused the cause of Spain in 
Lord Wellington. 
has been obiiged to retreat towards Lis , 
bon, more rapidly than-he advanced into ( 
. Spain; and although three governments _ 
_ have united their powers and honours in, — 
his-person, there can be no reason to — 
suppose that British influence ¢an main- — 
tain itself much longer, inany part of the 
Spanish Peninsula. 
A: dispatch, of which the following i is 
a copy, was on_the SOth ult. received: 
from Liextenant-General Lord Viscount — 
Wellington, dated, Deleytosa, August 8, 
* 1809. 4 
My Loro.—I adit your lordship. on 
the ist instant, ‘of the advance of a French. 
- corps towards the Puerto de Banos, and of — 
the probableembarrassments to thé operations: 
of the army, which its arrival at Plasencia. 
would occasion 3 and. these embarrassment: _ 
having since existed to a degreeso ‘considers. i“ 
able as to oblige us to fall back, and to takes 
up a defensive position on the Tagus, Tawa 
induced to trouble you more at Jength with, 
an account of what has passed upon: this sube 
iste 
