On the 24th the Venerable arrived off Plencia, where Captains Bouverie and Malcolm were destroying the works; and some vessels were immediately despatched to dismantle the batteries and destroy the guns on each side of the inlet below the bar of the Bilboa river.
In the afternoon of the same day Sir Home Popham, the Captains of the squadron, General Carrol, and Sir Howard Douglas, landed at Algorta with a detachment of royal marines; but as the country was particularly close, and calculated for a surprise, they re-embarked before night. The castle of Galea, and the batteries of Algorta, Begona, El Campillo las Quersas, and Xebiles, mounting in the whole twentyeight 18 and 24-pounders, were destroyed by parties under the orders of Captain Bloye, and Lieutenants Groves, O’Reilly, Coleman, and Arbuthnot, the guard-house of the castle burnt, and the trunnions knocked off all the guns.
On the 25th, at dawn, parties of the enemy were seen advancing, and at five o’clock they entered the ruins of Algorta, but soon retired from thence on observing the squadron about to stand up the inlet. They afterwards formed on the plain, and were found to consist of 2400 men, 400 of whom were sent to Puerta Galetta. Three sloops of war closed with the fort at the latter place, silenced it, and drove the enemy out. This corps was the one for which rations had been ordered at Guernico, and which was therefore completely diverted from its original destination.
On the 2d July, the squadron being off Guateria, an attack was intended to be made upon that place, and two companies of royal marines were landed under Major Williams, accompanied by General Carrol, for the purpose of reconnoitring; but some parties of the enemy being discovered crossing the hills, and the guerillas, whose co-operation had been expected, being engaged with the enemy in a different quarter, the plan of attack was relinquished, and the marines re-embarked, but without loss[1].
- ↑ The guerillas had been employed in an action with a detachment of the enemy conducting 80 prisoners from Asturias; 130 of the French were killed, and 50 left on the field of battle wounded. The Spanish prisoners were liberated.
