1809.} 
whilst the enemy confined his operations to 
a.cannonade, and the fire of his light troops, 
with a view to draw off his other corps. At 
six the firing entirely ceased. The aifferent 
brigades. were re-assembled onthe ground 
they occupied inthe morning, and the picquets 
and advanced posts resumed their original 
Stations. - 
Notwithstanding the decided and marked 
superiorjty which at this moment the gallan- 
try of the troops had given them ‘over an 
enemy, who, from their numbers and the com- 
manding advantages of his position, no doubt 
expected an easy victory, I did not, on re- 
viewing all circumstances, conceive that I 
should be warranted in departing from what 
I knew was the fixed and previous determi-— 
nation of the late commander of the forces to 
withdraw the army on the evening of the 
16th, for the purpose of embarkation, the 
previous arrangements for which had already 
been made by his order, and were in fact far 
advanced at the commencement of the action. 
The troops quitted their position about ten 
at night, with a degree of order that did 
them credit. The whole of the artillery that 
remained unembarked, having been with- 
drawn, the troops followed in the order. pre- 
scribed, and marched to their respective points 
of embarkation inthe town and neighbourhood 
of Corunna, The picquets remained at their 
posts until ive on the morning of the 17th, 
when they were also withdrawn with similar 
orders, and without the enemy having disco- 
vered the movement. 
By the unremitted exertion of Captains the 
Hon. H. Curzon, Gosselin, Boys, Rainier, 
Serret, Hawkins, Digby, Carden, and Mac- 
kenzie, of the Royal Navy, who, in pursuance 
of the orders of Rear Admiral de Courcy, 
were entrusted with the service of embarking 
the army ; and in consequence of the arrange- 
ments made by Commissioner -Bowen, Cap- 
tains Bowen and Shepherd, and the other 
Agents for Transports, the whole of the army 
was embarked, with an expedition which has 
eldom been equalled. “With the exception 
of the brigades under Major-General Hill and 
Beresford, which were Uestined to remain on 
shore, until the movements df the enemy 
should become manifest, the whole was afloat 
before day-light. 
The Brigade of Major-General Beresford, 
which was alternately to forra our rear guard, 
occupied the land front of the town of Co- 
runna; that under Major-General Hill was 
stationed in reserve on the promontory in rear 
of the town. 
_ The enemy pushed his light troops towards 
the town svon after eight o’clock in the 
morning of the 17th, and shortly after oc- 
cupied the heights of St. Lucia, which com- 
‘mand the harbour. But notwithstanding this 
circumstance, and the manifold-defects of the 
place; there being no apprehension that the 
rear-puard could be forced, and the di§position 
of the Spaniands appearing to be good, the em- 
Batile of Corunna. 
$3 
barkation of Major-General Hill’s brigade was 
‘commenced and completed by three in the 
afternoon; Major-General Beresford, with 
the zeal and ability which is so well known 
‘to yourself and the whole army, having fully 
explained, to the satisfaction of the Spanish 
Governor, the nature of our movement, and 
having made every previots arrangement, 
withdrew his corps from the land front of the 
town soon after dark, and was, with all the 
wounded that had not been previously moved, 
embarked before one this morning, 
Circumstances forbid us to indulge the 
hope, that the victory with which it has 
pleased Providence to crown the efforts of the 
army, can be attended with any very brillidut 
consequences to Great Britain. It is clouded 
by the loss of one of her best soldiers. it has 
been atthieved at the termination of a long 
and harrassing service. The superior num- 
bers, and advantageous position of the enemyy 
not less than the actual situation of this are 
my, did not admit of any advantage being 
reaped from success, It must be, however, 
to you, to the army, and to our country, the 
sweetest reflection, that the lustre of the 
British arms has been maintained, amidst 
many disadvantageous circumstances. The | 
army which had entered Spain, amidst the 
fairest prospects, had no sooner completed its 
junction, than, owing tothe multiplied dis- 
asters that dispersed the native armies around 
us, it was left to its own resources, The ad- 
vance of the British troops from the Dueros 
afforded the best hope that the south of Spain 
might be relieved, but this generous effort to 
save the unfortunate people, also afforded the 
enemy the opportunity of directing every 
effort of his numerous troops, and concentra- 
ting all his principal resources, for the de- 
struction of the only regular force in the 
north of Spain. 
You are well aware with what diligence this 
system has been pursued. 
These circnmstances produced the necessity 
of rapid and harassing marches, which had di- 
minished the numbers, exhaustedthe strength, 
and impaired the equipment of thearmy. Not- 
withstanding all these disadvantages, and those 
more immediately attached to a defensive po- 
sition, which the imperious necessity of covers 
ing the harbour of Corunna for a time had ren- 
dered indispensable to assume, the native and 
undaunted valour of British troops was never 
more conspicuous, and must. have exceeded 
what even your own experienceof that invalu- 
able quality, so inherent in them, may have 
taught you to expect. When every one that 
had an opportunity seemed to vie in improving 
it, it is difficult for me, in making this report, 
to select particular instances for your approba- 
tion. The corps chiefly engaged were the bri- 
gades under Major Generals Lord William Ben- 
tinck, and Manningham and Leith; and the 
brigade of guards under Major General 
Warde. cae 3 
To these officers, and the troops under their 
; immediate 
