that order which was necessary to preferve the advantages they had gained; and they were, in confequence, after a most vigorous refiftance, obliged to retire from Bergen (where, I am much concerned to ftate, lieutenant-generals D'Hermann and Tchertchekoff were made prifoners, the latter dangerously wounded), and fell back upon Schorel, which village they were alfo forced to abandon, but which was immediately retaken by major-general Manners's brigade, notwithstanding the very heavy fire of the enemy. Here this brigade was immediately reinforced by two battalions of Ruffians, which had co-operated with lieutenant-general Dundas in the attack of Walmenhuyfen, by major-general D'Oyley's brigade of guards, and by the 35th regiment, under the command of his highnefs prince William. The action was renewed by these troops for a confiderable time with fuccefs; but the entire want of ammunition on the part of the Ruffians, and the exhaufted ftate of the whole corps engaged in that particular fituation, obliged them to retire, which they did in good order, upon Petten and the Zuyper Sluys.

As foon as it was fufficiently light, the attack upon the village of Walnenhuyfen, where the enemy was ftrongly pofted with cannon, was made by lieutenant-general Dundas. Three battalions of Ruffians, who formed a separate corps, destined to co-operate from Krabbendam in this attack, commanded by majorgeneral Sedmoratzky, very gallantly ftormed the village on its left flank, while, at the fame time, it was entered on the right by the 1ft regiment of guards. The grenadier battalion of the guards had been pre

viously detached to march upon Schoreldam, on the left of lieutenant-general D'Hermann's column, as was the 3d regiment of guards, and the 2d battalion of the 5th regiment, to keep up the communication with that under lieutenantgeneral fir James Pulteney, The remainder of lieutenant-general Dundas's column, which, after taking poffeffion of Walmenhuyfen, had been joined by the 1ft battalion of the 5th regiment, marched against Schoreldam, which place they maintained under a very heavy and galling fire, until the troops engaged on their right had retired at the conclufion of the action.

The column under lieutenant-ge neral fir James Pulteney procedeed to its object of attack at the time appointed; and after overcoming the greateft difficulties and the most determined oppofition, carried by ftorm the principal poft of Ouds Carfpel at the head of the Lange Dyke; upon which occafion the 40th regiment, under the command of colonel 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 general Daendels. The circumftances, however, which occurred on the right rendered it impoffible to profit by this brilliant exploit, which will ever reflect the higlieft credit on the general officers and troops engaged in it; and made it neceffary to withdraw lieutenant-general fir James Pulteney's column from the pofition which he had taken within a hort distance of Alkmaar. The fame circumftances led to the neceffity of recalling the corps under liente

nant

nant-general fir Ralph Abercrombie, who had proceeded without interruption to Hoorne, of which city he had taken poffeffion, together with its garrifon.

The whole of the army has therefore re-occupied its former pofition. The well-grounded hopes I had entertained of complete fuccefs in this operation, and which were fully juftified by the refult of the three, and by the firft fucceffes of the fourth attack upon the right, add to the great difappointment I muft naturally feel on this occafion; but the circumstances which have occurred I fhould have confidered of very little general importance, had I not to lament the lofs of many brave officers and foldiers, both of his majefty's and the Ruffian troops, who have fallen.

The gallantry difplayed by the troops engaged, the fpirit with which they overcame every obftacle which nature and art oppofed to them, and the cheerfulness with which they maintained the fatigues of an action which lafted, without intermiffion, from half past three o'clock in the morning until five in the afternoon, are beyond my powers to defcribe or to extol. Their 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 diftinguifhed merit of thofe who fell, I have much confolation in being enabled to state that the efforts which have been made, although not crowned with immediate fuccefs, fo far from militating against the general object of the campaign, promife to be highly useful to our future operations. The capture of 60 offi

cers 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 lofs of the enemy in the field has been far fuperior to our own; and in addition to this it is material 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 fir James Pulteney, for their able affiftance; and allo to mention my great latiffaction at the conduct of major-generals his highnefs prince William, D'Oyley, Manners, Burrard, and Don, to whose spirited exertions the credit gained by the brigades they commanded is greatly to be imputed.

Captain fir Home Popham and the feveral officers of my staff exerted themfelves to the utmoft, and rendered me moft effential fervice. I feel alfo much indebted to the 1pirited conduct of a detachment of feamen, under the direction of fir Home Popham and captain Godfrey of the navy, in the conduct of three gun-boats, each carrying one 12-pound carronade, which acted with confiderable effect on the Alkmaar canal; nor muft I omit expreffing my acknowledgments to the Ruffian major-generals Effen, Sedmoratzky, and Schutorff.

I tranfmit herewith returns of the killed, wounded, and miffing. I am, fir, yours,

Frederick,

Ruffian troops, I can only obferve, that I understand their lofs in killed, wounded, and miffing, amounts to near 1500 men,

Head Quarters, Schagen Brug, September 20.

un

Return of the killed, wounded, and miffing, of his Majefty's Forces der the Command of his Royal Highness the Duke of York, in the Action of the 19th of September. Total.-1 lieutenant-colonel, 2 captains, 2 fubalterns, 1 ftaff, 2 fergeants, 109 rank and file, killed; 7 lieutenant-colonels, 6 majors, 15 captains, 15 fubalterns, 20 fergeants, 2 drummers, 345 rank and file, wounded; 22 fergeants, 5 drummers, 463 rank and file, miffing,

Return of Officers killed, wounded, miffing, and taken Prisoners. Grenadier battalion of guards. lieutenant-colonel Morris and captain Gunthorp, killed; colonel Wynyard and captain Neville, wounded. 3d battalion of the 1ft guards.Lieutenant-colonel Cook, wounded; lieutenant-colonel Dawkins and captain Forbes, wounded and taken prifoners; captain Henry Wheatley, wounded; enfign D'Oyley, wounded, and taken prifoner.

1ft battallion of the Coldftream guards.-Lieutenant-colonel Cunningham, wounded.

Ift battalion of the 17th foot.Major Grey, major Cockburne, captains Grace and Knight, wounded; lieutenant Wickham, miffing, fuppofed taken; lieutenant Willon and enfign Thomson, wounded.

2d battalion of the 17th foot.Major Wood and lieutenant Saund ers, wounded.

1ft battalion of the 5th foot. Lieutenant-col. Stephenson, wounded; lieutenant Harris, wounded, fince dead.

1ft battalion of the 35th foot.Lieutenant-colonel Oswald and major Hay, wounded; major Petit, wounded, and taken prifoner; captain Manary, enfigus Wilkinfon, Deane, and Jones, wounded.

1ft battalion of the 9th foot.Lieutenant Woodford and quartermafter Holles, killed; lieutenant Smith, wounded, and taken prifoner; lieutenants Grant and Rothwell, wounded.

2d battalion of the 9th foot.Captain Balfour, killed; lieutenantcolonel Crew, wounded; enfign French, wounded, and taken prifoner; enfign Butter, miffing.

56th regiment of foot.-Captains King and Gilman, and lieutenant Prafer, wounded.

N. B. Lieutenant Rowad, of the royal navy, wounded; 4 feamen, killed; 7 feamen, wounded.

350 rank and file of the 1ft battalion of the 35th regiment cannot exactly be accounted for, from the nature of the action, and from the regiment being fent immediately to the Helder in charge of prifoners,; but it is much feared that nearly 100 are killed, and the remainder wounded and miffing.

The

The Return of the Royal Artillery, received fince the general Return was clofed.

Five gunners, 4 gunner-drivers, 3 additional gunners, killed. First lieutenant Eligie, wounded, and taken prisoner.

Volunteer John Douglas, wounded. Eight gunners, 6 gunner-drivers, 4 additional gunners, wounded. Seven gunners, 9 gunner-drivers, miffing.

(Signed) Alex. Hope, Affiftant adjutant-general.

London Gazette Extraordinary,
October 8, 1799.

Downing-firect, October 7. A Dispatch, of which the following is a Copy, was received late this Evening from Field-Marfhal his Royal Highness the Duke of York, by the Right Honourable Henry Dundas, one of his Majefty's principal Secretaries of State.

Head-quarters, Zuyper Sluys,
October 4.

Sir,

The inclemency of the weather which prevailed at the time of writing my last dispatch, and which, as I therein explained, alone prevented me from putting the army in motion, having, in fome meafure, fubfided, and the neceflary previous arrangements having been made, the attack was commenced on the whole of the enemy's line on the morning of the 2d; and I have now the happiness to inform you, that, after a fevere and obftinate action, which lafted from fix in the morning till the fame hour at night,

the diftinguished valour of his majefty's and the Ruffian troops prevailed throughout; and the enemy, being entirely defeated, retired in the night from the pofitions which he occupied on the Lange Dyke, the Koe Dyke at Bergen, and upon the extenfive range of fand-hills between the latter place and Egmontop-Zee. The points where this well-fought battle was principally contested, were from the fea-fhore in front of Egmont, extending along the fandy defert or hills to the heights above Bergen, and it was fuftained by the British columns, under the command of thofe highly-diftinguifhed officers general fir Ralph Abercrombie and lieutenant-general Dundas, whofe exertions, as well as the gallantry of the brave troops they led, cannot have been furpaffed by any former inftance of British valour.

On the night of this memorable day, the army lay upon their arms, and yefterday moved forward, and occupied the pofitions of the Lange Dyke, Alkmaar, Bergen, Egmontop-Hoof, and Egmont-op-Zee.

The enemy's forces, according to the best information I have been able to obtain, confifted of between 25 and 30,000 men, of whom a very fmall proportion only were Dutch. General Daendels, who commanded the latter, is wounded. The French troops, who have been continually reinforcing themselves, and whofe lofs has been very great, were commanded by generals Brune, Vandamme, and Boutet.

particular returns; but I have the fatisfaction to fay, that no officer of rank has fallen. The British army has to regret major-general Moore's being wounded in two places, and the Ruffian army, major-general Emme's being allo wounded; but I am happy to fay, that their wounds are not of a nature to lead me to apprehend that I shall long be deprived of the affiftance of their abilities and gallantry. It is impoffible for me at this moment to do juftice to the merits of the other generals and officers of the allied army who diftinguifhed themfelves, as I muft defer until to-morrow paying my tribute of praise to them, and to the troops generally, as well as giving the details of the battle of the 2d inftant. My attention is seriously engaged in making the arrangements which are neceffary for occupying a forward pofition in front of Beverwyck and Wyck-op-Zee, to which line the enemy has retreated. I entertain no doubt that the extent of country which will now be under the protection of the allied army, and refcued from French tyranny, will afford an opportunity to its loyal inhabitants of declaring themfelves. The town of Alkmaar, which is the feat of the ftates of North Holland, has opened its gates to our troops, and a confiderable number of the Dutch troops have come over to the prince of Orange's Standard.

Frederick.

Head-quarters, Alkmaar, O&t. 6.
Sir.

I difpatched my aid-du-camp, captain Fitzgerald, on the 4th inftant, with an account of the fuccefs obtained over the enemy on the 2d; and circumftances at that moment not enabling me to give the particulars of that day's action, I fhall now enter into a detail of the occurrences which then took place. The difpofition I have already tranf mitted to you of the intended attack, will fhow that it was determined that a vigorous effort fhould be made on the left of the enemy, where the French troops were pofted and concentred about Bergen, a large village furrounded by extenfive woods, through which paffes the great road leading to Haerlem, and between which and the fea lies an extenfive region of high fand-hills, impaffable for artillery or carriages, difficult and very embarraffing from their depth and broken furface for cavalry, and exceedingly forbidding.

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