rapidity, animation, and skili with whic it was executed, and the humanity which diftinguished its final fuccefs.

Under the favour of Providence and, the juftice of our caule, the established character of the Army had inspired an early confidence, that the war in which we were engaged would be brought to a fpeedy, profperous, and honourable iffue. But the events of the 4th of May, while they have furpaffed even the fanguine expectations of the Governor General in Council, have railed the reputation of the British Arms in India to a degree of iplendour and glory uurivalled in the military hiftory of this quarter of the globe, and feldom approached in any part of the world.

The luftre of this victory can be equalled only by the fubftantial advantages which it promises to establish, in reftoring the peace and fafety of the Britifh poff ffions in India on a durable foundation of genuine fecurity.

The Governor General in Council refects with pride, fatisfaction, and gratitude, that in this arduous crifis, the fpirit and exertion of our Indian army have kept pace with thofe of our Coun trymen at home; and that in India, as in Europe, Great Britain has found in the malevolent defigns of her enemies an increafing fource of her own profperity, fame, and power.

By Order of the Right Honourable the Governor General in Council.

7. Webbe Sec. to Gov.

Downing Street, Sept. 16.

A Dispatch, of which the following is a copy, was this morning received from Lieutenant General Sir Ralph Abercromby, K. B. at the Office of the Right Hon Henry Dundas, one of his Majefty's Principal Secretaries of State.

SIR,

Head quarters, Shager Brug,
Sept. 11, 1799.

Having fully confidered the pofition which the British troops had occupied on the 1ft inft. and having in view the certainty of fpeedy and powerful rein. 'forcements, I determined to remain until then on the defenfive.

From the information which we had received, we were apprized of the enemy's intention to attack us, and we were daily improving, the advantages of our fituation.

Yesterday morning at day break the enemy commenced an attack on our centre and right; from St Martin's to

Petten, in three columns, and apparently with their whole force.

The column on the right, composed of Dutch troops, and under the command of General Daendels, directed its attack on the village of St Martin's.

The centre column of the enemy, under the orders of Gen. de Monceau, likewife compofed of Dutch troops, marched on to Crabbendam and Zyper Sluys.

The left column of the enemy, compofed of French, directed itself on the pofition occupied by Major Gen. Burrard, commanding the fecond Brigade of, Guards.

The enemy advanced, particularly on their left and centre, with great intrepidity, and penetrated with the heads of their columns to within a hundred yards of the poft occupied by the British troops. They were however every where repulled, owing to the ftrength of our pofition and the determined courage of the troops. About ten o'clock the enemy retired towards Alkmaar, leaving behind them many dead and fome wounded men, with one piece of cannon, a number of waggons, pontoons, and portable bridges. Colonel M Donald with the refer ve purfued them for fome time and quickened their retreat.

It is impoffible for me to do full juftice to the good conduct of the troops.

Col. Spencer, who commanded in the village of St Martin's, defended his post with great ipirit and judgment.

Major General Moore, who commanided on his right, and who was wounded, though I am happy to fay flightly, was no lefs judicious in the management of the troops under his command.

The two battalions of the 20th regiment. pofted oppofite to Crabbendam and Zyper Sluys did credit to the high reputation which that regiment has always borne. Lieut. Col. Smith of that corps, who had the particular charge of that poft, received a severe wound in his leg, which will deprive us for a time of his services.

The two brigades of Guards repulfed with great vigour the column of French which had advanced to attack them, and where the laughter of the enemy was great.

I continue to receive every mark of zeal and intelligence from the Officers compofing the Staff of this army.

It is difficult to ftate with any precifion th lots of the enemy, but it cannot be computed at less than 800 or 1000

men s

men; and on our fide it does not exceed, in killed, wounded, and miffing, 200 men. Exact returns fhall be tranfmitted herewith.

I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) R. Abercromby. [Then follows a lift of killed and wounded, of which the following is the Total-37 rank and file killed; I Lieutenant Colonel, 1 Major, 4 Captains, 5 Subalterns, z Serjeants, 11. rank and file wounded; Serjeant, 18 rank and file miffing.

Return of Officers wounded. Major Gen. Moore; Capt. Halket, of the 76th regiment, Aid-de-Camp to Com mander in Chief; Lieut. Simpfon, of the Royal Artillery; Capt. Nevill, of the Grenadier Battalion of Guards; Capt. Nevill, of the 1ft Battalion of the 3d Regiment of Guards; Lieut. Gordon, of the ad Battalion of the Royals: Captain the Hon. John Ramfay, of the 92d regiment of Foot.

Lieut. Col. George Smith, Major Robert Rofs, Lieuts. John Colborne, Charles Dervoeux, Chriftopher Hamilton, Lieutenant and Adjutant Samuel South, of the Ift battalion of the 20th Regiment of Foot.

Capt. Lieut. L. Ferdinand Adams, of the ad battalion of the 20th Regiment of Foot.

Alex. Aope, Affiftant Adj. Gen.

Admiralty-Office, Sept 17. Copy of a Letter from Vice- Admiral Mitchell to Evan Nepean, Efq. dated on board the Ifis, in the Mars. Diep, Sept.

4, 1799.

SIR,

have not therefore vet been able to finish that bufinets, which obliges me to deter giving their Lordships an account thereof until my next letter.

I have the honour to be, &c. A. Mitchell. [This Gazette likewife contains a long veffels caplift of privateers and other ve tured by his Majefty's cruizers.]

Downing-Street, Sept. 19.

A Difpatch, of which the following is a copy, was this morning received from Field-Marhal his Royal Highnefs the Duke of York, at the Office of the Right Honourable Henry Dundas, one of his Majefty's Principa Secretaries of State.

SIR,

The Helder, North Holland, Sept. 14.

I have to acquaint you with my arrival at this place yesterday evening, having failed from Deal on board the Amethyst frigate, on Monday morning the 9th inft.

Upon coming on fhore, I had great fatisfaction in witneffing the difembarkation of eight battalions of Ruffian auxiliary troops, confifting of 7000 men, under the command of Lieut. General D'Hermann, which had arrived from Revel in the courfe of the preceding day and yefterday morning. I afterwards faw thefe troops upon their march towards the pofition occupied by the British near Schagen; and I have great pleasure in affuring you that, from their appearance in every refpect, the most happy confequences may be expected from their cooperation with his Majefty's arms in this Country: Lieutenant General D'Hermann feems to enter mot heartily into our views, and I form very fanguine hopes of receiving effential affiftance from his zeal and experience.

His

By Lieut. Gibbons, of his Majefty's fhip Ifis, I have the honour to prefent to my Lords Commiffioners of the Admi- I understand that Sir Ralph Aberralty, Admiral Story's flag, and the co-cromby has made you acquainted with lours of the Batavian R public, being the his having repulfed the enemy in an atfirft fruits of my endeavours in the dif- tack made upon him on Tuelday lait. I charge of the duties for which their proceed to join him at his quarters at Lordships have been pleafed to confide Schagen immediately. in me. Lieut. Gibbons having bee unremittingly employed in the arranging the fignals for the convoys, transports, cutters, &c. till the prefent time, he is moft juftly entitled to my warmeft regard and efteem; I therefore beg leave to recommend him to their Lordships' notice. I have been a great deal employed in the difpofal of the Dutch Officers on their parole, a business in which I had to pay regard to the wishes of many whom I found entitled to fome confideration; I

I ave had the pleasure to meet the Hereditary Prince of Orange here. S rene Highness is occupied in arranging into corps a large body of deferters from the Batavian army, and volunteers from the crews of the Dutch fhips of war which have proceeded to England. Every affiftance fhall be given to his Serene Highness to render thefe corps an efficient addition to our force.

Frederick.

(This Gazette allo contains a long lift DE

in good order, upon Petten and the Zip Suvs.

As lon on as it was fufficiently high, the arck upon the village o We mentuy for, where the enemy was ftros ly p fted with cannon, was made by Leut. Gen. Dundas. Three bat alions of Ruffians, wo formed a leparate corps, deftined to co-operate from Krabbenham in this attack, commanded by Major General Sedmoratzky, very galantly formed the village on its left flank, while at the fame time it was entered on the right by the firft regiment of Guards. The Grenadier battalion of the Guards had been previously detached to march upon Schoreldam, on the k.i Lieut. Gen. D'Hermann's column, as was the third regiment of Guards, and the fecon battalion of the fifth regiment, to keep up the communication with that under Lieut. Gen S James Pulteney. The remainder of Lieut. Gen. Dundas's lumn, which, after taking poffeffion of Walmenhuyen, had been joined by the firft battalion of the fifth regiment, marched againft Schoreldam, which place they maintained under a very heavy and galling fire, until the troops engaged on their right had retired at the conclu fion of the action.

་

The column under Lieut Gen. Sir James Pulteney proceeded to its obj of attack at the time appointed, and after overcoming the greatelt difficulties, and the moft determined oppofition, carried by florm the principal p ft of Oud's Carfpel, at the head of the Lange Dyke; upon which occafion the 40th regiment, under the command of Col. Spencer, embraced a favourable opportunity which prefented itself of highly diftinguishing themselves. This point was defended by the chief force of the Batavian army, under the command of Gen. Daendels. The circumftances, how ever, which occurred on the right rendered it impoffible to profit by this brilliant exploit, which will ever reflect the higheft credit on the General Officers and troops engaged in it; and made it neceffary to withdraw Lieut. Gen. Sir James Pulteney's column from the pfi tion which he had taken within a fhort diftance of Alkmaer. The fame circumRances led to the neceffity of recalling the corps under Lieut. Gen. Sir Ralph Abercromby, who had proceeded with out interruption to Hoorne, of which city he had taken poff ffion, together with its garrifon. The whole of the army has therefore reoccupied its former pofition. Ed. Mag. Dec. 1799. 30

The well grounded hopes I had enters tained of complete fuccels in this operation, and which were fully juftified by the refult of the three, and b he firft fucceff of the fourth atta k upon the right, add to the great difappointment I muft naturally feel on this occasion; but the circumftances which have occurred I fhould have confidered of very little general importance, had I not to lament the lofs of many brave Officers and fol diers, both of his Majefty's and the Ruffian troops, who have tallen. The gallantry difplayed by the troops engaged, the fpirit with which they overcame every obftacle which nature and art oppofed to them, and the chearfulness with which they maintained the fatigues of an action which lafted without intermiffion from half paft three o'clock in the morning until five in the afternoon, are beyond my powers to defcribe or to extol. Tecir exertions fully entitle them to the admiration and gratitude of their King and Country.

Having thus faithfully detailed the events of this firft attack, and paid the tribute of regret due to the diftingu fhed merit of thole who fell, I have much confola ion in being enabled to state, that the efforts which have been made, although not crowned with immediate fucceis, fo far from militating against the general object of the campaign, promife to be hig ly useful to our future opera.. tions. The capture of 60 Officers and upwards of 3000 men, and the deftruction of 16 pieces of cannon, with large fupplies of ammunition, which the interfected nature of the country did not admit of being withdrawn, are convincing proofs that the loss of the enemy in the field has been far fuperior to our own; and in addition to this it is mate rial to ftate that nearly 15,000 of the allied troops had unavoidably no share in this action.

In viewing the feveral circumftances which occurred during this arduous day, I cannot avoid expreffing the obligations I owe to Lieutenant Generals Dundas and Sir James Pulteney, for their able affiftance; and alfo to mention my great fatisfaction of the conduct of Major Generais his Highness Prince Willin, D'Oyley, Manners, Burrard, and Don, to whofe fpirited exertions the credit gained by the Brigades they commanded, is greatly to be imputed.

Capt. Sir Home Pophan and the fe vera Office of ny Staff, exerted themfelves to the utmost, and rendered me m oft