Star. — London, England, 1811-01-28 00:00:00

•-• , , , . • , . . . , . niide t i 11111 R % v- A --- -- ' - thAerta. > , _ . __ g and that Biscay, there is no where gay co , The whole of the enemy were driven im FRENCH PAPE,RS. body of insurgent;. 4. few bands conceal themselves it en that evening, and the place was completely in. in the rocks, to seize upon solitary passengers. They vested. From that day nothing could enter or come are frequently dispersed by our patroles, find their out of it. The artillery immediately established a aumber daily diminishes. I flying bridge over the river, which is 8 , 69 yards wide No. IV.--A.itmv Op CATALONIA. 1 in this place, for the purpose of opening a commu. On the 11th December, General Earaguay d' Ha, nication between the two banks. The engineer offi liers detached from Gerona, under the orders of Ge- cers reconnoitered the approaches to the garrison ; I neral Clement, a column of 1,200 men, to advance fixed the camps, and made the necessary preparations unon Olot, by way of Feliu de Pallerols. Adjutant to push with vigour and rtnidity, the operations of a Commandant Vigier moved forward with an equal siege which had been so long delayed. number upon St. Laurent.de la Muga and Massanet. On the 18th, I ordered the Commander of the en- The insurgents were.routed and expelled from Olot. gineers and the head of my Staff so to arrange the On the 14th December, different columns were whole line of our advanced posts, as to drive in the sent into the mountains to disperse the bands, and enemy's parties, and even their sentinels, which was apprehend their chiefs, admirably executed. The 11 1 th on the right, and On the 18th, two ships of the line, a frigate, and Harispe's division on the lett, had already occupied about four or fi ve more English vessels, appeared off the reverse of the heights. before forts Tenezas and 1 , - and landed' --- Eug li i • ith fr fi eld Orleans, and v-ithin 40 - 100 •of them. PARIS, JANUARY 17. A decree, signed by his Majesty the Emperor on the 6th instant, prohibits the importation of any pit coal into Holland, except what is the produce of the Jrrench empire. The Grand Duke of Frankfort has issued a decree for levying a conscription to complete his contingent of 1800 men. In comprehends all from 19 to 25 years, without exception of rank or employme , t. The following is an extract of a letter from an Of ficer belonging to the corps commanded by . Count Ba raguay d'Hillieres, dated Gerona, Dec, 18 :—We just obtained Over the English an advantage,which, though trifling in itself, is not a little humiliating to them. in order to set fire to three paltry vessels anchored -under the batteries of Palamos, six English men of warentered that port, and landed about 1000 troops. The garrison consisting of only 300 men, marched against the troops disembarked, and, assisted by 300 more French who hastened to join it the first report of the cannon, they drove the English into the sea in less than an hour and a half. Upwards of 200 we re drowned in endeavouring to re,embark. A, Captain of one of the ships, and 85 soldiers, have been taken, and will be sent, to France : the remainder. including three officers, fell on the field of battle." ... INTELLIGENCE FROM THE ARMIES IN SPAIN. Paris, Januraf 1,. . 1.----DISTRICT OF TOE ARMY OF FITZ SOUYA. ,• SIEGE or CAPIS.—The Duke of Belluno, desirous of having the whole of his flotilla united in the canal I i ' of the Trocadero, where it would only be between five and six hundred toises from the isthmus which joins Cadiz to the continent, had already caused thioilotilla ' to be conveyed from St. Lucar as far as Rota and Port St. Mary's, Several glorious actions had been i fustained by this rflotilla t but the most difficult re mained to be undertaken. It was necessary to pass within 300 toises of the fort of Puntales, which is pro the isthmus of Cadiz, and surrounded by a nu . pnerous:groupe of floating batteries and the enemy's Fun boats. It was, therefore, to be feared that the rench flotilla would suffer considerably in attempt psg to double Point Matagorda. The Duke of Bel, luno, therefore, resolved to convey it by land from the river San Pedro to the Trocadero. The flotilla was dragged across this space of 500 toises upon rol lers, to the great satisfaction of the army. By the 11th of December, all the boats belonging to the flotilla were in the Trocadero. That instant our fire opened. Red-hot balls and shells were dis , abarged against the town. We succeeded in throw ' ing bomb-shells of twelve pounds to the distance of "350 toises, and howitzer shells of eight pounds as far as 2500 toises. Considerable uproar prevails in Ca diz ; they are in great agitation there ; the gates are shut, and it is only with the greatest precautions that any communication is kept up with the suburbs. The scarcity in Cadiz is, extreme, and the yellow fever I makes great ravages. - • ' . ' Fortunately the French armies of Andalusia, Gra nada, and Murcia are in the best state of health.- 1 , ' The sick who were sent to the hospitals, owing to the effects of the great, heats, are recovered, The grea test tranquillity prevails in the district of the army , of the south. Travelling goes on there as in France, without any kind of escort. The army enjoys e.e greatest abundance of every thing, 1 ARMY OP GRANADA.--General Sehastiani has broken ground before Marbella. Since the success which he obtained over Blake, all the bands of Mur. eta are dispersed. 1 . No. 11.-.-Ctsris.E. Pelamos, _ .anded 900 _ ashmen, wii sour . wit_ _ and toisas . pieces, to the westward of the port. In the mean Under cover of these dispositions, on the 19th, in time, a frigate, a corvette, and a brig, made for the the evening, the trenches were begun on the height of other side, and landed 200 men, in order to take pos. Orleans ; but the soil was so very hard, that it could sesion of the port. These 1,100 English thought not be raised without the assistance of explosion. themselves sure of success ; but the Chief of Batta- I On the night of the 21st, under cover of a vio lion ,Emyon, of the third corps, who had posted his lent storm and exoessive darkness, 2000 workmen battalion upon-the heights, seized the favourable mo- opened the first parallel in front of the bastions of St. meet to fall upon the enemy, broke their line, drove I Peter and St. John. The left, at the distance of 80 them back upon the old Wills of the town, entered i toises, extended from the left bank of the river to the the place pell mell with them, and pursued them to t oot of the height of Orleans, to the „length of 250 their very boats. Of the 1,100 English that disem- oises. At the same time, a trench was opened =- barked, 800 were killed or taken ; and it is not quite the right bank, within 90 toises of the tete-de-pont, for certain that so many as 300 escaped. ,The next day the purpose of erecting batteries intended to flank the the waves threw on shore a number of English dead pnncipal attack. bodies. Five officers, including Captain James, be- On the 22d, Frere's division of the army of Ca. longing to one of the frigates, several midshipmen, talonia joined the besieging army. I pasted it a and 150 soldiers, have been marched prisoners for league below the town on the Ebro, to observe the Perpignan. We had 8 men killed, and 15 wounded. Tarragona and sea roads, detaching a battalion to The Chief of Battalion Emyon has extremely distill. watch the Col d'Alba. It was impossible to display guished himself in this petty combat, in which he dis- greater talents, courage, and activity than was shewn played equal prudence and valour, by the Engineers, both officers and men, during the The English vessels no sooner learnt the disastrous prosecution of the works. Henry, chief of battalion, issue of their expedition, than they set sail and dis- who commanded the attack in the centre, carried it appeared. It were to be wished that the English on with remarkable activity. On the night of the naval forces, who upon this occasion thought proper 17th, even before the batteries were established, the to quit their vessels and fight on land, were frequent- covered way was crowned ;an unexampled instance, ly seized with such fits of folly. I believe, in the history of sieges. Rye officers of The Duke of Tarento, on his 'march from Barce. Engineers were killed and two wounded, either is lona in the direction of Tarragona, intercepted a very the works or in the sorties which the enemy frequently considerable convoy which the insurgents were con- made to interrupt them. They came on the night of veying to the latter place. the 17th, 23d, 24th, and 26th, to attack our camps On the 14th December he effected his junction and works. in columns of three or 4(KI men. with the army of Arragon, at Mora on the Ebro. " grenadiers and the troops that guarded the trenches No. V.—ARMY or ARRAGON. repulsed them with the bayonet with great loss. General Suchet, commander of the army of Arra; ' On the 28th, in the evening, after a vigorous dis gon, found it impossible, from the month of Septem- charge from all the batteries of the garrison, about ber to commence the siege of Tortosa. He was con- 2,000 men rushed upon all our points of attack, pe tinually prevented by the water in the Ebro being too netrated them for a moment on the left, and burned low to admit of the conveyance of his battering urd- some gabions of the lodgment on the covered way, nance. The Duke of Tarento having moved to Mora while they out-flanked in force the right on the height to support the siege, General Suchet invested the of Orleans. But General Hubert, quitting his camp place on the 13th December. with General Bronikowsky and the companies of the On the 17th the garrison made a sally, which was , elite of the 116th and sth light, drove them within repulsed by the 116th and 117th regiments. Our ; the walls ; and General Abbe, who commanded in sharp shooters penetrated to the foot of the walls: -1 the trenches, with Colonel La Fosse, of the 44th, ad 'The entrenched camp and all the redoubts were vanced against them over the trenches with crossed , I carried. bayonets, overwhelmed and killed a great number of On the Ist January, after thirteen days of open them, and took several prisoners. The ardour of the trenches, Tortosa and its forts surrendered at discre- infantry could only be exceeded by the perseverance tion. The garrison, consisting of 9,500 men, includ- I with which they worked. The artillery, on their ing 400 officers, 12 stand of colours, 192 pieces of part, had surmounted excessive and continually in artillery, 2 millions of cartridges, 10,000 muskets, creasing difficulties in conveying the besieging artih 200,000 weight of powder, 500,000 Weight of lead, lery to die left bank. The navigation of the river and a great quantity of provisions, have fallen into i changed every day, .and was extremely our hands. The important capture of Tortosa ren-1 The erection of the batteries was briskly opposed by ders us completely masters of the Ebro, and entirely a tremendous fire from the garrison, which crushed cuts off Valencia and Catalonia. The Duke of Ta- every thing, particularly on the right bank. The rento immediately marched upon Tarragona, the only battery, No. 1, within 50 toises of Fort Orleans, was strong place remaining to the insurgents in all that erected in open day, and completely exposed, under part of Spain. cover of a vigorous and continual fire of musketry - General Suchet writes, that the inhabitants of Ar- I aimed at the enemy's embrasures. rap° evince the blest disposition ; and that this pro- General Valee, the o ffi cers and men, displayed an vince, after being one of the most agitated, is now , indefatigable teal. The soldiers of the train acted as one of the most tranquil in Spain ; that the revolu- cannoniers ; a Captain of the artillery, and a Lieu tionary furor has entirely ceased, and given place, asl tenant of the train, were wounded. usual, to sentiments diametrically opposite. On the •29th, at day-break, forty-five guns, in ten The inhabitants of the south, of the center, and the batteries upon both sides of the river, opened a fire, north} of Spain, are equally tired out as those of Arra- which in two hours acquired a decided superiority, .gon, and feel the same hatred towards those who have and soon silenced all that of the front attacked. sacrificed their country, and the same desire for the 1 The bridge was cut on the same day, and on the 'restoration of tranquillity, English influence is de. j next morning was entirely broken ; in consequence of strayed, and all the symptoms indicate that the lever which the enemy was under the necessity of evacua is at an end. The inhabitants loudly call for being ' ring in the night the tete-de-pont, of which we took united to the Empire. possession, On the 30th the castle was the only part PARIS, JANUARY eo. of the garrison from which a fire was kept up, and on TO HI; SERENE HIGHNESS MAJOR-GENERAL THE ritHiCE ' the 31st our fire became slack as it was not answered. ov NEUFCHATEL AND WAGRAM. r The parapets were levelled, the embrasures not io a Monseigneur—.ln obedience to the orders of his state to receive gqns, and two breaches were cons. Majesty, the 3d Corps of the army of Spain pro- f menced near Fort Orleans. ceeded towards Tortosa, after the sieges of Lerida.l, In the mean time General Roguiat pursued his and Mequinenza. The first division blockaded the ;;brilliant career, completed•the descent and passage of tote-depont on the right bank ; the second advanced , the ditch, and began to mine the scarp of the body of to the frontiers of Valencia, having detached a corps ;' , the place. towards Terruel to keep Villa Camp in check, and It was in this State of things, that on the morning to cover Saragossa ; the 3d division was posted on of the Ist January a white flag was displayed from the Lower Ebro, to secure our supplies, the convey- the castle, and immediately upon this signal, hostili ance of our artillery, and to observe the enemy's ties having every where ceased, the ramparts were army in Catalonia. General Roguiat, of the Engi- covered with a crowd of soldiers and of inhabitants. neers, opened a road passable by carriages from Two officers with a flag of truce made their appear- Caspe and Mequinenza, through 90 leagues of mown- : ante, arid were conducted to me ; they communicated tainous country, practicable before only to mules and a letter from the Governor, who had authorised them foot passengers, General Valee, o f the Artillery, to make proposals to me, The Adjutant Comman, after waiting a long time for the rise of the Ebro, sue.; dant, St. Cyr Nugues, the Chief of my staff, carried ceeded, with infinite labour, in collecting, by land tmy answer to the towp with the basis of a capitula and water, his besieging artillery at Xerta. In order tion. He found in the Governor a weak man, sur that no delay might occur w h e n it wa s necessary to rounded by two or three Chiefs, who divided the au act, the troops employed in the bl oc kad e incessantly , thority between them, and who demanded that they laboured at the works preliminary t o t h e s i ege . Your , should be sent to Tarragona upon their immediate Highness is acquainted from m y f or m er reports with I surrender, or offered to surrender conditionally in 15 what vigour they repulsed the sorties from the game days if not relieved before the expiration of that time : son in July and August. following up my instructions, he rejected every thing " On the 31st October, and 12th November, Ge- ; different from what wits contained in my answer, and neral hlonicky defeated Villa Camp in Arragon, . desired them no longer to display the white flag if taking six guns and a company of light artillery.-- it was not merely and simply to capitulate. Upon On the 19th November, General Hebert took the po- his return the soldiers received the news with joy, sition of .aset from O'Donnell's troops, and made and with loud cries demanded the assault ; I pro. 800 of them prisoners. On the 26th of the same mised it to them on the following day. The fire of month General Musnier defeated the Valencians at bombs and howitaers recommenced in the 'slight on Vinaros, and took 2500 prisoners. So soon as die' the town and castle; the miners continued, their la army of Catalonia, on its return from Barcelona, bad hours. On the morning of the 9,d I t neva battery in approached the Ebro to co-operate in the support of ; 13 . reach, raised with eftraordluar7 rapidity in the en the 3d corps, I marched towards Xerta, where srly vAed-way against the counteracarp of the ditch, was columns were formed on the 14th December in t. 119 ' battering at the distance of 15 wises ; the breach was evening. I ordered 12 battalions to pass on the,* hourly enlarged, Thies white flags were displayed to the left bank. While one party carried the P 44; at once • I ordered * fit pig eo be every where 're- Lion of the Col-de-PAlba, the other extended itself in doubled. At two ofchxk every thing was ready for a half-circle, touching the Ebro both above and below the assault I ordered a brigade of General Harispe ... . Order and tranquillity prevail more and more in the .provinces of Madrid, Toledo, Avila, Segovia, Its. The moveable columns render the greatest ser . vices, and incessantly pursue the Guerillas, and bands of brigands, whose numbers are daily diminishing. General Lahoussaye being charged to clear the provinces of Cuenca, entered :hat city on the 14th.--- Ihe bands endeavoured to defend it, hut they were defeated at the first charge, with the loss of 200 men -.killed, an equal number of prisoners, and one piece bf cannon. The remainder dispersed. and made the est of their way for the province of Valencia. General Lorge maintains order on the north side of the Sierra Morena. One hundred and fifty men iselonging to Ganido's band had taken shelter in Villa Franca D'Avila, where they intended to pass the night. A detachment of the 12th light infantry -surprised them before day-break on the 9th, Twenty IA these wretches were killed, and 12 of their horses taken, The rest fled half naked, and abandoning their arms and baggage. No. lII—DISTRICT OP THE ARMY IN THE NORTH. The Puke of Istria has arrived to take the porn /nand of the army of the north of Spain. This Mar ilia' is extremely beloved in all these provinces, where he commanded in 1808. • Asrualas.—General Bonnet occupies the Asturias with his corps. On the 59th November, in the morning, the inser ts marched forward to attack the advanced guard General Bonnet, commanded by General Valletaux. 1 11 w reconnoitring parties fell in with the enemy on 'the roads of Miranda and Belmonte. General Valle taux immediately made his dispositions, placing the Co:nmandant Andreossi in the centre, with eight com panies, and proceeding himself in person to Fresno with a•battalion of the 11St.h. The enemy soon came in sight to the number of 6000, covering all the sum mits of the mountain. A brisk fire commenced. The insurgents being superior in numbers,• directed coast derable rases towards the centre, which they hoped to penetrate. They had even succeeded in gaining a few toises of ground, whetr the Commandant Leo. iland, with some reinforcements, reached the position pf Valletaux, who availed himself of this event to de ' tach two companies of the Iltith to turn the enemy's left. This manouvre struck them with such terror that they fell back ; the . centre soon restnoed its po sitions ; a chars scts beaten at all points ; and the enemy's ranks being . every where broke in upon, they were compelled to give way to the impetuosity of our berm:, who pursued them as far as Behnunte and Miranda, the roads leading to which places were e1 . :1 . ' 1 tiered with the slain. -, This affair, in which 1500 Frenchmen defeated• 6000 Insurgents, does great honour to General Val. le..eur. In the goveinment , of Valladolid, that of Eturgok, a _, _ , , • to be under arms in the peat line of the trench% and formed in column the select companies of the guards of the trenches, to mount the breach. ' Flags of truce made their appearance 2-new, but I forload any one to be received, except f,r the purpose of delivering to our grenadiers, as the first preliminary, a gate of the town. They hesitated ; I advanced, fol. lowed by some Generals and other Of f icers, and I or. dered the draw-bridges to be let down. The soldiers obeyed me ; I entered ; I made them lay down their arms ; and reproached the Officers and the Governor for their conduct the evening before. The forts uncle. termined and surprised, adopted the part of submis sion. I ordered the grenadiers to enter, and at four in the afternoon a garrison of 8,000 men defiled as pri. soners of war, deposited nine colours, one of which was presented by King George to the town of Tortola, and immediately took the road to Saragossa, under a strong escort. After IS days of siege, /3 of trenches opened, and five of cannonade, we are thus masters of the fortress of Tortosa, which delivers into the power of the Em peror 177 pieces of artillery, 30,000 balls or bombs, 1,400,000 cartridges, 9000 muskets, &c. I have the honour to transmit to your Highness the different in ventories, wish a view and plan of the town and of the !attack, the journal of the siege, and the doom, ments furnished by the Chiefs, which make the force of the garrison, including the hospitals, amount to 9000 men, of whom 392 are officers ; in that number is a battalion of artillery of the marine, which was two years at Brest • and the o ffi cers of which have declared to me, tat snatched by the fate of arms from that anarchy which desolates their country, they all form the wish of combating' the English, who= they regard as its true authors. Our loss during the siege amounted to 400 men, and that of the enemy to 1200. Your Highness will consider it trifling when you learn that the fortress fired 25,000 rounds of cannon, and we 15,000. 1 cannot close this relation, Monseigneur, without repeating to your Highness how much I have reams to be satisfied with the distinguished conduct of the Generals of engineers and artillery, Roguiat and Valee. I 41n, with respect, &c. (Signed) cOUNT amain. Head-quarters at Tortaaa, Jan. 4, 1111. TO HIS SERENE HIGHNESS Till PRINCE OF NEUMMATEL. MAJOR-GENERAL OF THE AR/ClB y( SPAIN. Camp before Tortosa, Jan. 3, 1611. Monseigneur—l have the honour to transmit to your Highness the Journal of the siege of Tortosa. Your Highnes will see from it, that, in 13 days after opening the trenches, we have reduced a very strong fortress, defended by a garrison of 9000 men, and 177 pieces of cannon. The enemy defended himself to the last extremity; the covered way was crowned without the aid of artillery on the 7th night of the trenches being opened ; the ditch was passed and the ' miners set to work on the 12th nights circumstances never before exemplified in any siege. The engineers have served with enthusiasm. have had five killed, and a greater number wounded, all excellent officers. I'be General in Chief, Count Suchet, solicits rewards for the °filters and corps of engineers, I have to beg your Highness to give then your favourable attention, in order that his Majesty may deign to grant those rewards, which they have merited at the expense of their blood, and b r their zeal for the Emperor. I am, *c, (Signed) a. WOCIAT, General of ii. l .oant of the Engineer* ac rim siege of Tortosa. clime follows a journal of the siege, occupying Aro/litter of the 19th.] nine columns of the PROM THE SIGNITlfelt. The following letter has been addressed by the Cep. tain of the Elizabeth Indianian. to his Excellency the Minister of Marine and the Colonies : " Dunkirk, Jan. R. " Monseigneur-. The merchant vessel, the Elizabeth, of which I had the command, was of 6.50 tons burthen , and sailed from I.oodon the 25th a October, 1810. "[hough not belonging to the East-India Company, she was bound's Madras and Bengal. " I anchored at Cork, in Ireland, from whiebliisee we sailed Fen the 19th of December. After having sustained mach damage from a gale, we got on ground amidst the sand banks in the roil etbunk irk, and our vessel went to pieces In view of that city on the esttref tart December. There were on board SOO persons, of whom 20 were passengers, 250 Imam (Indian sailors), and 100 seamen ; out of this number there were but 23 saved, including myself. We were made prisoners of war. The following is a list of our names: " Although having suffered shipwreck, and having been saved Ikon its perils by our own unaided efforts, (It not being paelble Ike the praiseworthy efforts of the marine to afford us any assist- Once front the shore), we are satisfied to consider ourselves as pa- Inners of war, but our unhappy situation, and the oirenmstanees which have led to it, kaduce a hope that your Excellency will permit of our being exchanged for as equal number *1 French prisoners at the disposal of the British Government. " Deeply impressed with gratitude towards the brave inhabi tants of Dunkirk and the Members of its Naval Administration, who most generously supplied us with every comfort after our sufferings, we particularly request that in case of compnaace, we may be exchanged for seamen of that place, if there be any suck in England. 1 should consider myself eminently fortunate in being the instrument of their liberation. It is the only way by which I may be able to testify my warm gratitude to the people of Dunkirk, without whose prompt and generous assistance we should all have perished. " Yerr Excellency will permit me to submit t your notice such meats as appear to tne best calculated to forward the ex change. Standing rather high In the estimation of the Admiralty, I have no doubt of success la a proceeding dictated by sentioacots of grat'tude. I require, in the first place, permission to proceed to London, in order to negoclate the exchange. 1 pledge my word of honour for my return, and offer moreover a personal ar pecuniary security.—Secondly, to bring to Dunkirk, or any other place your Excellency may please to appoint, twenty-two French prisoners of war, born at Dunkirk, and of equal rank with such of my crew as have been saved. Thirdly, to conduct these latter to England. A detail of the generous assistance afforded us by the people of Dunkirk, will, I have no doubt, make a due im pression on the Admiralty, and on that 1 ground my sanguine hopes of the success of my undertaking. (Signed) " It. W. £ASTWICK." HAMBLTRqH, JAN. 4. - One of our townsmen, who has just arrived from a journey in Sweden, relates, that notwithstanding the declaration of war, the intercourse between Eng land and Sweden continues every dAy the same ; that the packet-boats arrive regularly at Gottenburgh and that on the 28th ultimo, the day of his departure, letters and newspapers were received from London to the 18th. The relations between the two countries are not confined to correspondence. Gottenburgh is the entre - ha. pot of a very active commerce, which .s never cc.is. ed to take place, under the direction of the old snl of England, Mr. Smith, and through the medium of a man of the name of Paterson, an EnglishmAn, resident at Varjo, an island situated ►n the bay, tv.o miles from Gottenburgh. Every daj- Swedish boats repair to that isle ► to d Is It I. le S. i. as Id Ig id .cs n. he A. of u. co to ' Kr gas VC • ns ey na rn, rill of kenk :he act gie to Ga. 'ter Ing 77 to test the the ces ed, Lint of 1 em Sty AVG wit eete tag !Sp. the • tele tiled nage mai ► 011 is, Of 100 ding , is a arrd •ab i pinte. pn- Pee, will each kabi. nen, our • we sucii to in y by °Pk e we • cite c ex- ratty, aeon xrai e my 6 . _