BULLETIN

FROM THE

LONDON GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY or DECEMBER 24th, 1798.

CART

Downing-Street, December 23, 1798.

APTAIN GIFFORD, First Aide-de-Camp to General the Honourable Charles Stuart, ar rived this Afternoon at the Office of the Right Honorable Henry Dundas, One of His Majefty's Prin cipal Secretaries of State, with a Dispatch from the General, of which the following is a Copy:

SIR,

Ciudadella, Nov. 18, 1798. I HAVE the Honor to acquaint you, that His Majefty's Forces are in Poffeffion of the Ifland of Minorca, without having fuftained the Lofs of a fingle Man.

As neither Commodore Duckworth or myself could procure any ufeful Information relative to the Object of the Expedition at Gibraltar, it was judged advifeable to dispatch the Reterell Sloop of Wag to cruize off the Harbour of Mahon for Intelligence where, after remaining a few Days, he joined the Fleet near the Colombrites, without having made

any effential Discovery. So circumstanced, it was agreed to attempt a Defcent in the Bay of Addaya, and the Wind proving favorable on the 7th Inftant, a Feint was made by the Line-of-Battle Ships at Fornelles, and Boats were affembled for that Purpofe under the Direction of Captain Bowen, Captain Polden, and Captain Prefsland. Previous to the Landing of the Troops, a fmall Battery at the Entrance of the Bay was evacuated, the Magazine blown up, the Guns fpiked, and fhortly after the Firl Divifion, confifting of Eight Hundred Men, was on Shore. A confiderable Explofion to the Weftward indicated that the Spaniards had alfo abandoned the Works at Fornelles. Nearly at the fame Moment Two Thousand of the Enemy's Troops approached in feveral different Directions, and threatened to furround this inconfiderable Force, but were repulfed with fome Lofs on the Left, while the Guns of the Argo checked a fimilar Attempt on the Right Flank, and the Poft was maintained until the Debarkation of the different Divifions afforded. the Means of establishing a Pofition, from whence the Enemy's Troops would have been attacked with confiderable Advantage, had they not retired in the Beginning of the Night.

The Strength of the Ground, the Paffes, and the Badnefs of the Roads in Minorca, are fcarcely to be equalled in the most mountainous Parts of Europe; and what increased the Difficulty of advancing upon this Occafion was the Dearth of Intelligence; for although near One Hundred Deferters had come in from the Swiss Regiments, and affirmed that the remaining Force upon the Inland exceeded Four Thousand Men, no particular Account of the Enemy's Movements was obtained. Under this Uncertainty it was for a few Minutes doubtful what Measure to purfue, but as quickly determined to proceed by a forced March to Marcadal, and thereby feparate the Enemy's Force by poffefling that effen

tial

tial Pafs, in the first Inftance, and from thence advancing upon his principal Communications to either Extremity of the land, juttly depending upon Commodore Duckworth's Zeal and Exertions to forward from Addaya and Fornelles fuch Supplies of Provifions and Ordnance Stores as might favour fubfequent Operations.

To effect this Object, Colonel Graham was fent with Six Hundred Men, and by great Exertion ar rived at Mercadal a very few Hours after the Main Force of the Enemy had marched towards Ciudadella, making feveral Officers and Soldiers Prifoners, feizing various fmall Magazines, and cftablishing his Corps in Front of the Village.

The perfevering Labour of Two Hundred and Fitty Seamen, under the Direction of Lieutenant Buchannan, during the Night, having greatly af fifted the Artillery in forwarding the Battalion Guns, the Army arrived at Mercadal on the 9th, where, learning that Mahon was nearly evacuated, a Dispofition was inftantly made to operate with the whole Force in that Direction, and Colonel Paget detached under this Movement with Three Hundred Men to take Poffeffion of the Town: Upon his Arrival, he fummoned Fort Charles to furrender, and made the Lieutenant-Governor of the Island, a Colonel of Artillery, and One Hundred and Sixty Men, Prifoners of War, removed the Boom obstructing the Entrance of the Harbour, and gave Free Paffage to the Cormorant and Aurora Frigates, which were previously fent by Commodore Duckworth to make a Diverfion off that Port. But these were not the only Advantages immediately refulting from this Movement; it favoured Delertion, intercepted all Stragglers, and enabled the different Departments of the Army to procure Beafts of Burthen for the further Progrefs of His Majefty's Arms.

Having

Having afcertained that the Enemy's Troops were throwing up Works and entrenching themselves in Front of Ciudadella, it was refolved to force their Pofition on the Night of the 13th Inftant; and, preparatory to this Attempt, Colonel Paget with Two Hundred Men was withdrawn from Mahon; Colonel Moncrief fent forward with a Detachment to Ferarias; Three Light Twelve Pounders and Five and a Half Inch Howitzers, and Ninety Marines landed from the Fleet; when, in Confequence of its having been communicated to Commodore Duckworth, that Four Ships, fuppofed of the Line, were feen between Majorca and Minorca fteering towards the laft-mentioned Inland, he decided to purfue them, requested that the Seamen and Marines might reimbark, and fignified his Determination of proceeding with all the armed Tranfports to Sea: But weighing the ferious Confequences which would refult to the Army from the fmalleft Delay on the one Hand, and the Advantages to be reasonably expected from a fpirited Attack on the other, it was thought adviseable to retain them with the Army; and, on the 12th Inftant, the whole Force marched to Alpiuz, and from thence proceeded on the 13th to Jupet, Colonel Moncrief's Detachment moving in a parallel Line on the Ferarias Road to Mala Garaba. These Precautions, and the Appearance of Two Columns approaching the Town, induced the Enemy to retire from their half-conftru&ted Defences within the Walls of Ciudadella; and in the Evening of the fame Day, a fmall Detachment, under Captain Muter, was fent to take Poffeffion of the Torre den Quart, whereby the Army was enabled to advance on the 14th, apparently in Three Columns, upon Kane's, the Ferarias, and Fornelles Roads, to the Investment of the Town at Day-break, Occupying Ground covered by the Pofition the Enemy had relinquished: Thus ftationed, in Want of

heavy Artillery, and every Article neceffary for a Siege, it was judged expedient to fummon the Governor of Minorca to furrender; and the Preliminary Articles were immediately confidered; but Double arifing on the Part of the Enemy, whether the invefting Force was fuperior in Number to the Gar. rifon, Two Batteries of Three Twelve Pounders, and Three Five and a Half Inch Howitzers were erected in the Courfe of the following Night within Eight Hundred Yards of the Place, and, at Daybreak, the Main Body of the Troops formed in Order of Battle confiderably to the Right of Kane's Road, leaving the Picquets to communicate between them and Colonel Moncrief's Poft.

This

Line, partly real and parily imaginary, extended Four Miles in Front of the Enemy's Batteries, from whence. Two Eighteen Pound Shot were immediately fired at the Troops; but a timely Parley, and the dilant Appearance of the Squadron, occafioned the Ceffation of Hoftilities, and renewed a Negociation, which, through the Addrefs of MajorGeneral Sir James St. Clair Erskine, terminated in the annexed Capitulation.

Four Weeks Salt Provifions for the Garrison, befides the enclofed Lift of Ordnance Stores, were found in the Town of Ciudadella.

The Affiftance received from Commodore Duckworth, in forwarding the Light Artillery and Provifions, greatly facilitated the rapid Movements of the Army; and I am happy in the Opportunity of declaring my Obligations to Lord Mark Kerr and Captain Caulfield, for the Supplies they fent from Mahon, and their Exertions to land Two Mortars, which, in the Event of further Refiftance, might have proved of the utmost Importance in fecuring the Army, or compelling the Enemy to furrender.

The Support I have experienced from Major-Ge neral Sir James St. Clair Erfkine, Brigadiers Ge neral Stuart and Oakes, the Exertion of Lieutenant