Star. — London, England, 1809-11-14 00:00:00

7170 L. sigiSTANCE OF Till STATEMENT OF THE TYROL . ' DEPUTIES• The county of Tyrol and the seven p r i nc i pa li t i es o f Voralberg have, for a series of - centuries, consite., ted an hereditary portion bf the Iniperial House of A u stria. The people inhabiting these countr i es dis tinguished themselvesin every -war by such undaun ted valour, that the Emperors successively conferred u pon them very considerable privileges. During the se venteenth and the last centuries, when the Swedes, French, and Bavarians, made such rapid advances in he German Empire, these provinces always repulsed t he enemy with considerable loss. In the year 1703, particularly, when the Bavarian army had penetrated into the Tyrol, it was so ill received, that scarcely a ftw remained to attend their Elector back. The at tachment of the Tyroleans and Voralbergers to their Emperors was always firm ; for they governed them with signal and paternal mildness, faithfully preserving t h e i r privileges. Thus, though n o t bl esse d e i t h er Ira a delicious climate, or a fertile soil, these pasto ral nations, ngt aware of their poverty, led a very contented and h4ppy life in their cottages, until the war of the French Revolution broke out. The vallies wer e inhabited by thousands of persons, who, before that period, had never seen a soldier ; but thence fi,,vrard whole armies traversed their country, some p r oceeding to the interior of Germany, and ot h ers l go i n g to Italy. The poor inhabit ants furnished them g ratuitously with provisions and all sorts of neces saries, and thereby put themselves to great inconve nience. Still, they not only refrained from murmurs, but evinced their loyalty by the erection of a corps of Tvrol and Voralberg chasseurs, called " the Tyrol Fieldyagers,"—all of them volunteers and natives ; w ho, in addition to their pay, were allowed by their county nine creutzers each man daily. It is to be observed, that the male population in those moun tains is, from its eighth year, train e d t o t h e use o f the gun, by hunting, as well as firing at targets.— Such superior marksmen, as this ancient practice makes of them, must, it may easily be supposed, prove a great addition to any army. In fact, they have ever uncommonly signalized themselves in all Au strian wars. Yet they could not stem the current of disaster which overwhelmed the arms of their Go vernment, and, in 1794, the enemy approached their frontiers. The Emperor now summoned his brave and be- Icred Tyrol or Voralberg subjects, reminding them of . their ancient fame for sharp-shooting. But they 1 , ,a1 anticipated the summons by organizing, e+r their own accord, a levy en masse. They hastened to the detonce of the frontiers, and thus preserved their coun tries free from invasion. In 1798, the enetny again attempted to make in to.cis from Italy, Switzerland, the Grisons, and Sua bil. He only succeeded on the side of the Grisons, where the passes were but weakly guarded, as the rain force had been dispatched towards Suabia and Italy, where the enemy, likewise, was strongest.— kill the invaders kept only four days possession of the Pfintschgau, when they were vigorously driven back upon the Grisons and the Engadine, though, in their retreat, they pillaged and burnt the towns of Mals and Glurens. War having again broke out in 1799, their fron tiers were also menaced. The inhabitants immedi. ately repaired thither to guard them : and in 1800, sr];ea Marshal Massena had crossed the Rhine near Feldkirk, in the Voralberg, with a very superior and victorious force, he was there, as well as near the almost impregnable mountain-fortress of St. Lucien steig, so completely &leated, as to lose several thou sand in killed and prisoners, besides a great quantity of field pieces and ammunition. They also dispossess sed him of the Grisons, and pursued him, in company viith other troops, as far as Zurich. After a few years quiet, the flames of war re 'aindled more furiously than ever in 1801. The in habitants of the Tyrol and Voralberg were at once :ittacked oa every side, so as to be rendered dubious whither to carry relief first. Notwithstanding, the eacmy was valorously checked at every point, and .11fiered, especially on the banks of the Scharnitz, a dreadful discomfiture ; unfortunately their indivi dual bravery could not retrieve the general cause.— By the terms of the armistice entered into after the disastrous battle of Hohenlinden, the Tyrol and Vo-', flberg, countries that had constantly bid defiance to the victorious troops of France, were surrendered as pledges ! It was then that the real hardships of these poor mountaineers began. Their barren coun ties, even before drained of their little pittance, were now obliged to maintains body of French troops, in : , ,idition to a corps of Austrians. The savage fo signers were destitute of every thing, and all their ant; were to be supplied. This dreadful calamity Lted thiee months, a calamity which the ever un thdued 'Tyrolese and Voralbergers imagined to have little deserved by their firm attachment to their Em perors. Bonaparte's insatiable ambition having stirred up vra r once more in 1805, he ordered the Tyrolese and Voralbe rgers to be attacked in every point. Marshal liey, on the banks of the Scharnitz, repeated his at tack thrice. He was driven back with immense slaughter. The same fate was shared by the• Bavarian Generals Deroy and Sicbbein, who made a vigorous assault upon Kufstein and the pass of Strub. These efforts, however, were unable to counter poise the disastrous surrender of Ulm by General Mack, and the calamitous issue of the engagement of Austerlitz ; in.consequence of which, Bonaparte, in the peace of Presburg, made the cession of the Tyrol and Voralberg an express condition. It is not in the power of language to describe the feelings of the honest Tyroleans and Voralbergers at the receipt of this melancholy intelligence. Ever since 1794, when the Revolutionary war began, their bril liant victories had not been sullied by any defeat They were an heroic people in the literal sense of the word. Yet the reward of their loyalty was a fate which usually falls to the lot of the dastardly. To render their calamity more poignant, these indigent shepherds found themselves involved in the immense debt of twenty millions of florins. The Emperor of Austria did what he could to al leviate this heavy misfortune ; he stipulated, that the privileges of the Tyrolese and Voralbergers should remain entire. But is these any one so credulous, or so nninformed of the grand events of the day, as to suppose that Bonaparte could be bound by any en gagements ? Faithful only to his usual triacherYt he no sooner had the invincible Tyrolese and Voraiber- gers in his grasp, th an h e i mpose d upon t h em contri butions of every kind, without remitting a single creutzer ; and having taken this barbarous revenge, he surrendered them to his recently created King of Bavaria. This prince, in his turn, made a poiht of impove rishing and oppressing his new acquisiticins. Not sa tisfied with raising heavy contributions, he overthrew their ancient constitution, which they had observed for a series of ages ; abolished the representatiVe States, in order to obstruct the way to all popular re monstrances, and seized the provincial, pupillary, and credit-funds. He moreover confiscated all ecclesias tical property, abolished the prelacies and convents, and sold all public buildings to replenish his empty coffers. What proved more painful to the inhabi tants than all these oppressions, was the disposal of the ancient and original castle of the Counts of the Tyrol. Every successive month was marked with a list of new exactions and taxes, that were levied with the utmost rigour. Coin had become uncommonly scarce, and the Bavarian Government enhanced the embar rassment, arising from this circumstance, by depre ciating the Austrian bank-bills, which were still in circulation, to one half of their nominal value. This operation caused to the countries in question a fresh loss, amounting to at least twenty millions of florins. To crown all these oppressive measures, Bavaria had it in contemplation to change the very names of the provinces of Tyrol and Nroralberg, by calling them after the principal rivers, and Incorporating them with her own dominions. These excessive hardships lasted three years. Pe. titions and complaints were not only rejected, but by an express law absolutely prohibited. When, therefore, in the beginning of the current year, it appeared certain that a new contest between Austria and France was inevitable, the intelligence was greeted by the poor Tyroleans and Voralbergers, as the rising sun is hailed by the shepherd. Scarcely had they received the news of the actual movements of the two hostile armies, before they rose in a mass. Their outset was brilliant beyond expectation. The troops of the enemy sent against them consisted of 27,000 men, whom they resolutely attacked in all points. Their victory was complete; those of the enemy who escaped with their lives being either wounded or taken prisoners. Among the latter were two Generals; the sharpshooters took, besides, a quan tity of cannon, ammunition, arms, and several stand of colours. This memorable battle was fought on the 10th and Ilth of April last. The merit of it be longed solely to the valorous inhabitants of the Tyrol and Voralberg ; for the regular Austrian army, has tening to their relief, did not join them before the 13th of April ; it was received by the conquerors with drums beating and colours flying, while shouts of joy, and " Long live our beloved Emperor Fran cis," rent the air. Those who know the mildness of Bonaparte's tem per will be able to conceive an idea of the impression which this news made upon him. He instantly di rected Marshal Lefebvre, supported by the Bavarian Generals Wreden, Duroy, and Sibbein, at the head of 24,000 men, to march against the Tyrolese by the way of Salzburg. General Rusca, with eight thou sand men, was ordered to advance from Italy, while General Ferron approached from Carinthia, and Ge neral Marmont from Bavaria and Suabia with from six to seven thousand troops more. This was certainly a formidable force, which would have conquered, and even annihilated, any other two nations of equal numbers. The conflict, indeed, was obstinate and terrible. But the enemies were defeat ed all but Lefebvre, whose force was too large, and whose devastations and cruelties were such as to spread terror every where. He burnt towns and vil lages, and gave quarter to no one. The aged were suspended from trees, and then shot. The pregnant women were even ript up, and their breasts cut off, while their embryos were crammed down their throats to put an end to the shrieks and moanings of the wretch ed victims. If a Tyrolese or Voralberger, bearing arms, had the misfortune to fall into their hands, they immediately tore out his tongue. The children were cut down without mercy, and most frequently carried about transfixed with bayonets. A number of these innocents happening to return from school, were met with and driven by these monsters into some barns, and burnt alive. Lefebvre arid his cannibals imagined to be able to intimidate the Tyrolese and Voralbergers by such cruelties, but they had the very opposite elect.— The Tyrolese sharpshooters now resembled blood thirsty lions, they rushed upon Lefebvre, and totally defeated him, thousands of the enemy were slain, and the General, accompanied only by a few remnants of Iris great force, sought safety in an ignominious flight directed towards Vienna. The result of this complete victory was, that the Tyrol and Voralberg, being now free from their in vaders, served as an asylum to those Austrian priso ners who had been taken by the French at Ratisbon, Aspern, and Esslingen, and who found little diffi culty in making their escape. About ten thousand profited by this opportunity ; they were nearly na ked, and the eapence of cluathing and arming them anew proved no small burthen to their hospitable friends. Another advantage of this victory displayed itself in the superior courage with which it inspired the conquerors. They now sallied forth beyond their frontiers to seek the enemy. In Bavaria, they ad vanced as far as Munich, the capital city. In Suabia they took Kempton, pushing on beyond Memming and Ulm. In Italy, they proceeded to within a few miles of Verona, and some corps overran Carinthia and Salzburg, then already in the power of the ene my, so as to become to a great degree masters of those countries. Notwithstanding these successes, the conquerors were guilty of no cruelties or acts of oppression.— Not a single house was pillaged by them, not a barn laid in ashes. No peasant was ever taken prisoner or insulted. The wounded enemies were particularly taken care of. It was the usual practice to carry them on shoulders into some house. The Tyrolese and Voralbergers acted throughout from an honourable ambition, to shame their cruel enemies, and convince them of the superior humanity of poor German mountaineers. Neither France nor any of her allies can adduce a single instanceof their prisoners having been ill-treated either in the Tyrol or Voralberg, though di, prisoners from either country w ere t or t ur ed, Murdered, or • dsed by the French. All these glorious achievements, however, could sot arrest the progress of the enemy in other quar ters. In fine, an armistice Wit again concluded. — The corps of Austrian troops left iiY the Tyrol, and consisting for the most part of the above-mentioned refugees, was suddehly recalled, and carried away all the ordnance and ammunition which the Tyrolese had taken. Thus the latter found themselves com pelled to abandon their conquests, and satisfy them selves with guarding their own frontiers. Lefebvre, Rusca, Ferion, and other Generals, pe netrated once more as far AS Inspruck, the capital of the Tyrol, repeating their former devastations and ' cruelties. But the indignation e*cited by the re-ap pearance of those inhuman chiefs ivas such, that the very women, whose business had hitherto been con fined to conveying the prisoners to places of safety, assembled in numbers and put to death 640 of the enemy near Landeck ; and though the whole force of the enemy amounted to about thirty thousand, they were attacked by the Tyrolese and Voralbergers, who had risen en manse, with such irresistible fury, that those who saved themselves by flight, were pursued to a great distance, so as to be unable, during the space of 24 hours, to allay their thirst with a draught of water. It was in vain that Bonaparte, on hearing this new disaster of his arms, detached Marshals Macdo nald and Bessieres, with picked troops, against the Tyrolese. They were routed, and obliged to return. From the concurring accounts in the Dutch, Ger man, and French papers, which are copied into the daily prints of London, it is placed beyond all doubt, that the Tyrolese and Voralbergers persevere in their obstinate resistance to the French and their allies. They are indeed now free, but at the eispence of very uncommon sacrifices. Numbers of them mourn their fathers, brothers, and sons, not slain in battle, but for the most part murdered in the most inhuman manner. Four towns and twenty-six flourishing villages are reduced to heaps of ashes—not to mention the de struction of a large number of detached cottages.— These calamities are felt more sensibly in a climate which is very far from being mild. The Mountains of the Tyrol and Voralberg have, ever since the be ginning of October, been covered with snow and ice. The inhabitants, though accustomed to subsist upon the hardest fare, can, after so many devastations, pil lages, conflagrations, and hardships of every kind, scarcely get wherewithal to satisfy the cravings of nature. Multitudes at this moment are happy in being allowed some little corner in a crowded barn, stable, or hut. In spite of all these sufferings, they are fully de termined never to listen to any accommodation with Bonaparte, or consent to be again governed by the iron sceptre of Bavaria. This determination, though it may appear rash, can be satisfactorily accounted for, from the above•stated cruelties, exactions, and op pressions. All, to a man, trained to the most skilful use of the rifle ; inured to the inclemencies of the seasons ; defended by huge mountains accessible to none but themselves ; surrounded in every direction by, and allied to mountaineers that are animated with the same love of independence ; reared up and happy in poverty ; religious ; virtuous from habit ; utter stran gers to luxury ; preferring their barren mountains to the most fruitful soils—and, above all, remembering the horrible outrages committed by the order of Bo naparte, to whom they have to oppose one hundred and fifty thousand sharpshooters, in a country where no regular armies can act, and where they and they alone knciw the paths to procure supplies, if they have but the means to purchase them. Such a hardy, stub born, and athletic race of men are very formidable enemies. Such they have certainly proved to France, and no peace Ivliieli their beloved Prince may have been compelled to enter into, will induce them to be come a party to it. They are firmly resolved either to conquer or die: (Signed) SCHOENECHER. London, November 13, 1809. MULLER, Major: NIIVAL INTELLIGENCE. FALMOUTH, NOVEMBER 12. Sailed this day the following packets, with mails, viz. the Dispatch, BRANSCOMBE, for Malta ; Express, BULLOCK, for New York ; and Snake, THoMPsoN, fot Cadiz ;—also, the PHEASANT sloop of war, to join the outward-bound convoy for the Mediterranean ; and the armed brig Lydia, Capt. RocdctaFFE, for Malta. Arrived this day, the American ship Dammas Cotta, Capt. DOCKENDUET, from Hull, bound to Cadiz ; the Portuguese ship Minerva, from 013orto, ten days ; the ship Pelican, NORMS, from Smyrna, two months passage ; the brig Hannah, HgNDEnsoN, from Malta. ; add, this evening, the ACTIVE cutter, KINS mg, from d cruidd.—Wind S.E. PLYMOUTH-DOCR, NOVEMBER 12. Arrived a cattel from Morlaix, with aged and Wounded British prisoners ; also, two transports, with sick and wouhded British troops, women, and chil dren, from•Lishon ; several colliers from Sunderland and Llanelly ; and the Fanny hired cutter, from off Rochefort. PORTSMOUTH, NOVEMBER is. Arrived yesterday from Oporto the brig Neptune, and sailed this day for Leith : the Captain informs us, when he left, there was a fleet expected to sail from thence for England, on the 10th inst. His Majesty's ship HYPERION is appointed convoy for the West In dies, instead of the PERLEN frigate. Wind N. W. DEAL, NOVEMBER 13. Came down from the River, the Heztt of Oak, TitompsoN, for St. Thomas's. Arrived the CHE ROKEE and Ha.LICON sloops of war, from a cruize. HARWICH, NOVEMBER 11. This day sailed the Lady Nepean packet for Heli goland, and Lady Frances packet for Gottenburgh ; also the BASILISK gun-brig, with a convoy for Got. , tenburgh.—Remain several transports, and more are hourly expected from the Downs, to take troops on board for Flushing.---Wipd W. itARMOTiT it, koirkiaitEß 13, Sailed this morning the Patc,ottA sloop of Wifs with the trade for H:ligoland: Arrived the MANLit and BEAGLE sloops of war, and remain in the Road! with the Roebuck, PlAntagenet, Chant:cleer, Monkey, Drake, Paz, and Emms schuyt. A Lir ze h•)y from Oporto, bound to Hull with goods, got on the Scroby Sand this morning, but the tide flowing she got off, and is brought into this port, whore she must unload and undergo a survey, before the can proceed toiler place of destination. A fleet of transports, with sick from Flushing, are expected to arrive, orders having been received to provide for them. Wind S. W. CORK, NOV. 7. The West India Fleet, SO in number, sailed froni Cove on Saturday evening, tinder convoy of the RAIN BOW frigate, and REINDEER sloop of war. They cleared the harbour before night ; but as the wind hat been since light, and not very favourable, tlity cannot have proceeded any considerable distance from the coast. FROM I LOYD'S LIST. attcsErti), Nov. 13.—Arrived the latniiis, Jacobus, from Belfaitailed the 'Thistle, Brolar, fur Limerick ; Fclicity , Ti• mothy ; and Vine, Montgomery, for Londonderry.; Minerva, Milne, for Gibraltar; and the Aurora, Fitzsimmons, for Belfast. The Weymouth, LLE*ELLYNi froM Gibraltar to London, is retaken by the PLOVER sloop of war, and arrived at Scilly: The Hope*ell, of Glasgow ; Henrietta, of Boston; Henrietta ; of Baltimore ; Laconia, of Portsmouth ; Resolution., &mum, of New YOrk ; a brig belonging to Jersey; and a ship bound to Plymouth; Henry, HANNA, of and from Liverpool to America, were cap. tured by the Decide privateer, of 16 guns, and 160 men, from Bourdeaui, previous to the 28th ult. THE JOHN BULL PRIVATEER. - - - Extract elf a letter froth Captain JOHN TREGOirETII s late Comfilanderof the pri%iate ship of war JOHN BULL, of Plymouth, to his Owner " Hce?ital at Dieppe, October IS, 1809. will inform you that after sailieg frcnin Plymouth in the cutter under my command, with 36 men, on Sunday the 10th ult. I proceeded off the entrance of Modals River, but by repeatedly chasing to the N. E. I was on Tutuday following. the 12th, off Portland, on which day I spoke the ship Pomona, from St. Kitt's to London, laden with sugar, rum, &c. having parted convoy three weeks before, from the West-India fleet; and I al o spoke, the afternoon of the same day, a brig from Mogador bound to London : that night was chiefly calm, and on the fol lowing morning, the 13th; at 8 a. m. Dunose bore per compass, N.N.E. about three leagues, wind westward, ! stood off with the ship's head to the N. and E. At 11 a. as. saw two tuggers in the southern quarter, standing to the Northward, under all sail, there being 'at the same time several sail of Merchantmen passing up Channel in -shore, two sail of which I believed to be the above mentioned vessels I before spoke ; and by the tuggers' manceuvrea their intention was to eapturt‘the Merchantmen, for they did not appear desirous of having any thing to do with the John Bull ; but notwithstanding my being aware of the superiority of their force, it was impossible for me, as a British Officer, who studied the honour of my country, to prevent giving the enemy battle, as none of our. cruizers were to be seen, and night coming on, there was every probability of their capturing some of the Wrchaet. men then around us, had I permitted them to proceed unmolested; the John Bull being to Windward, and ahead of the largest of the two loggers, the Isle of Wight then bearing per compass N. W. about nine leagues, I cleared at one P. M. for action, and bore down (the other lugger immediately tacked and stood to the southward) at 40 minutes past three P. M. when within a plain shot, that I hauled my wind and began the ..ctimt; my been f ,r the first half hour behaved very well, which had they centinued to do, there was no doubt of taking or sinking the enemy, but owing to the superior sailing of the lugger, there was no possibility to pre vent her closing with us, as I could discern front the number of men at small arms their intention of boarding us, and had the whole of my crew behaved themselves as British seamen, we should undoubtedly have conquered them ; but as their musquetry galled us rather heavy, It; of my crew cowardly abandoned their quarters and fled below ; I could not afford time to driie them tip, and no alternative was left but to fight on to a man. The enemy then laying alongside, with nearly all his crew at small arms; he had on board eighty-seven wee, forty of whom, I since Understand, were stationed with musquetry, forty were appoint ed to board, and the remainder worked the vessel. I had then to defend the John Bull with sixteen men, the remaining four werq required at the magazine, galley, and helm; those Who had deserted their quarters at the early part of the action being still beloW. In this state, I was the first wounded, by a me.quet-shot thrOugli my left shoulder and again in the back part of my head. Twelve out of thy sixteen brave fellows fell, before the French men boarded us, far they were until then successively repel:L.(l and driven back to their own ship. " The British flag was nbt hauled down by any of my crew, on the contary, some of my wounded got forward and set fire to the cutter, *hich nearly bad the desired effect, for it ss st; with difficulty put out by the crew bf the lugger. The 1:c:ion lasted one hour and £lO minutes; tke enemy succeeded la b larding us at 5 P. M. and on getting possession I expected they would give us no quarter, as they stabbed Mr. Charles Wright. my second officer, in the body, with a poniard, of which wound he died on the Friday following; they would rot permit my surgeon to dress any of the wounded; all cif its, therefore, I vault faint with the loos of blood ; we were plundered of every article we pos sessed, but the cowardly wretches who had run from their quar ters were treated with kindness by the enemy. All my pspers, letters of credit, watch, clothes, &c. were taken (rem me—even the eclat I was wounded in was plundered, and 1 was led to the hospital with only my trowsers, Mitt, and waistcoat ; the whole of the wounded were served the same ; my surgeon was wound , ed in the face by a ruffian with a pistol, some time atter the action. —The lugger proved to be the Pr,v6.peur, of Dieppe, under the command of Capt. Antonio Belidair (a Portuguese), and who formerly was master of the Ambuscade lugger, when she en gaged his Majesty's hired vessel Sandwich, a few months since; this man was extremely disappointed, by means of the action with the John Bull, front capturing the ships in sight at the time, and to which reason I attribute our severe treatment. " The Prevoyeer mounts 14 guns, four of which are brass 18- pounders • ; the principal part of her crew appeared to be Eng. lish ; she lost seven men killed, and eleven wounded, besides suf fering in the hull, which is much shattered; she is quite new, on her first cruize,and sails remarkably fast, all our wounded are in the hospital with me, and are recovering ve:T fast, except Mr. Connery, who was dangerously woulid% a hall having passed through his lungs, and is since dcati.—We expect in about a month, to be marched in the country as far as Cambray prison.— I trust that a liberal people will reward ow• A. rvices, and be con vinced we did our• duty when opposed to such superior force. I hope that the usual liberality of the Committee, at Lloyd's, as well as the directors of the Patriotic Fund, will consider us deserving thei? protection, for we are convinced that by resisting the pro gress of the Prevoyeur, we saved Some of our country's valuable ships from sharing a similar fate to ourselves. " I am truly sorry to say, to the disgrace of the name of a Bri. tish sailor, that 12 of these fellows who deserted their quarters during the action, entered themselve3, on our arrival at Dieppe, as seamen on board the Prevoytur. lam in hopes of soon being released front this state of confinement, in order that I may return to England to the support of a distreihed wife and young family. " I am, Sir, your most obedient and faithful servant, JetiN nicroowxTe." The following are the names of the men who de serted from their quarters, twelve of whom entered on board the enemy's vessel at the time of capture: John Brown, John Bynes, John M'Lean, John Lockart, Jo. seph Day, Thomas Barker, Hugh Devo, Samuel Taylor, John Steil*, Lewis Joseph, Frahcis Ucrnialder, Joseph Almeda, John Affance,Thinds Antonio, Joseph Barbosa, Francis Gondola's. • The John Bull mounted 10 guns only. kw .s ~~