Important News from the River Plate. ACTION OF THE COMBINED ENGLISH AND FRENCH FORCES AGAINST THOSE OF GENERAL ROSAS AT THE VUELTO DEL OBLIGADO.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 99, 11 July 1846, Page 4

Important News from the River Plate. ACTION OF THE COMBINED ENGLISH AND FRENCH FORCES AGAINST THOSE OF GENERAL ROSAS AT THE VUELTO DEL OBLIGADO.

By the Cyclops steam frigate, Capt Lapidge, which arrived in Plymouth Sound, from Rio Janeiro on the night of the 26th January, we have received the intelligence of a desperate action on the 20th November, between the combined English and French forces, and the troops of General Rosas; on the river Parana, at the Vuelto del Obligado. The Cyclops left Rio on the morning of the 23rd of December, and consequently, has been thirty-four days on the passage. It appears that oil the evening of the 19th November, Capt. Hothatn had made the necessary dispositions for his attack the next morning, the enemy's arrangements having been reported by reconnoitering parties. The passage forced is the narrowest point, forming a sort of elbow, about 800 yards wide ; downwards it gradually widens, and above it expands to the left. On the right bank, were four batteries, at nearly equal distance from each other mounting from 24 to 30 guns, most of them 24.pounders. Three of the batteries were established at the narrowest point facing downwards athwart the stream, the rate of whose current, at the precise spot, being three knots ; and the fourth was above the others at a projection. .commanding the length and breadth of the Para^BgThe back ground was covered with thick woowP Between the second and third batteries, and close to the second, 24 or 25 small vessels were moored directly across the river to the opposite bank, and these were strongly secured together by three frigates' chain cables. There were no batteries on theleft bank, but just above this bridge of 6mall vessels, on the left bank, Rosas' brig, the Republicano, was moored broadside across the river. Tnis brig had six guns of heavy calibre, and was so placed as to take enfilade the opposing ships. The whole was admirably disposed for defence, and -at great advantage for dealing destruction on an attacking force. Under the second battery, and close to the bridge of boats, four fire ships were stationed to be used as circumstances might require.

On the morning of the 20th the attacking parties moved up the river towards the point. They were formed into three divisions. The first was composed of the Proceda, (French), brigantine, Captain de la Reviere ; the Philomel, 6 (English), Commander Sullivan ; the Fanny, briggantine (English), Lieutenant Commander Astley, C. Key, second Lieut, of the Gorgon ; and th»S Ex~ peditive, corvette (French), Captain de Miniac. tt was under the command of Commander Sullivan; It took up a position on the right side in the abovd order in a line across the river, and thus commenced operations. The second division consisted of the Dolphin, (English) brigantine, Lieut. Commander Levinge — the San Martin, the French commodore's ship, once a brig, formerly in Brown's squadron ; the Comus, 18 (English), Lieut. Commander Ingles field (acting), and the Pandeur (French) biig. Cap.* tain dv Pare ; this division was under the command of Captain Trehouart, and proceeded to the bridge of vessels, and took up a position close to them in the above order, on the left side of the river, engaging the batteries, receiving their fire and also th£ broadside of the Republicano, with damaging effect, but which they returned with the most successful results. The third division, composed of the steamers the Gorgon and Firebrand, English frigates, Captains Hotham and Hope, and the Fulton (French) Capt. Mazeres. The division, under the command in chief of Captain Hotham, was first stationed at the longest distance from the batteries below the first division, but on the left side of the river, their broadsides bearing on the three first batteries From this position, after using their heavy guns for some time, they proceeded to join the second division — the Fulton first ; and after Captain Hope had, with the utmost intrepidity and coolness, in a boat, cut asunder the cable which bound the bridge of vessels together, the steamers passed through the opening, and, taking up a second position above the fourth battery, on the left of the centre of the river, they attacked the batteries in flank with considerable success. The affair commenced at ten o'clock in the morning and ended at seven o'clock in the evening. The enemy behaved very well on the whole, although it appears that when the men deserted their guns the cavalry charged and drove them back to their posts. For many hours the fight was rather hot ; the enemy's guns were well served by Englishmen and Americans, some of whom were taken prisoners. The son of the Beanos Ayrean Admiral Brown commanded one of the batteries, and although he distinguished himself very much he escaped without & wound. Captain Hope, of the Firebrand, we have just mentioned, cut the chain ■which bound the small vessels together with his own hands, thereby opening a passage for the steamers to take up their second position, from- which they took the batteries in flank. This occurred about one o'clock. The Dolphin and Saw Martin suffered severely, the former was nearly riddled, and the latter was nearly as bad, with both masts shot away. This is accounted for by their being so near the Republicano, which acted as a sort of tete dv pont. One shot, however, from the Dolphin, blew the Republicano up. The 1 French vied with the English in feats of valour, and in the heat of the action the gallant Hotham, being so much delighted with the French Commodore's conduct, wrote to him on a slip of paper these words — " Si'l yades biaves dans le monde c'est le Commandant Trehouart et son equipage." The loss of the English is 10 killed and 25 wounded ; and of the French 18 killed and 70 wounded. Lieutenant Charles J. Brickdale (1842) late of the Agincourt, flag ship at China, and then of the Firebrand, and Lieutenant Charles F. Doyle (1841} first of the Philomel, and Mr. George Andrews (1840) clerk in charge of the Dolphin, are the Enlish officers killed. Poor Brickdale had his head shot clean off by a cannon ball, whilst talking to young Inglefield, 1 the son of the admiral, acting commander of the Comus. The French had some officers wounded, but none killed at the time, although one died of his wounds subsequently. . The combined forces landed at about five in the evening, and drove the enemy from their position after little resistance. Iv one fort 200 dead bodies of blacks were found, in another 120. The forts have all been destroyed, wi f h the exception of 10 brass pieces, the guns have been thrown into the Parana. The Fulton had her paddles knocked nearly to pieces, her funnel was shot away, and she was several times hulled. The most gallant act of the day, and certainly the most effective one, was cutting the boom. His boat was riddled with shot whilst Capt. Hope was performing this feat, and some of his men werfc killed and wounded. The work has now been begun in good earnest, and will doubtless be followed up until the Dictator submits. The country is becoming too hot for Rosas. Paz is daily gaining strength, and it is expected that the interior provinces of the union will rise en masse against Rosas, who has hitherto kept them down by fear. The most active measures have been taken to put an end to 'the oppression of Rosas. Two of the steamers have been sent higher up the river Parana to reconnoitre another fort, which will doubtless be destroyed. The Apollo troop ship Commander Radcliffe, has been sent to Monte Video with the 73d. regiment; and the Gassendi, French steam frigate, was about to leave Rio with 17 tons of ammunition of different kinds for the squadron. When the Cyclops left Rio, the Crescent, receiving ship, Lieutenant Commander Hemsworth and two packets, were the only vessels there belonging to her Majesty. The American 60 gun frigate Congress, Commodore Stockton, bound to the Pacific, and the Ply<mouth, a 24 gun corvette, a most efficient vessel, with a light spar deck, were also there. The French steam frigate, Gassendi, of 6 gtras and 1,200 tons, and two French brigs and a corvette, were at Rio, bound to Otaheite. The Emperor of the Brazils was still absent on • cruise. The Grecian, 16 Commander Montgomery, was in attendance with his squadron. — Atlas, 31tt Jany.