Star. — London, England, 1811-11-23 00:00:00

• -~--. . _ SPAIN,. . - ADDRESS OF GENERAL BALLASTERO9. " Spaniards, who have the good fortune ,to reside in are happy terrhory of Great Britain, on which the Vandals who infest almost tit; whole t.f the Continent of Europe have nev: r dared to set foot—General Bal lasteros addresses you. " Confidinv in your patriotism, he applies to you that you would afford assistance to tie &vision under his command ; to the brave and ind. fatigable sol diers who compose. it; and who defend one•uf the strongest bulwarks of the independence of Spain—the Serrania of Rend'. Its inhabitants kave given, and continue to give, the strongest prcofs of their loyalty and their valour—and ran we abandon them, or cease to make the utmost efforts in order to support them ? No, my fellow countrymen, I trust it is Impossible that we can a - rr cease to act up to the utmost of our respective means, the exertions of my soldiers will be, as they have hitherto been, constant and undeviating, and your efforts will doubtless be liberally displayed, in providing clothing, shoes, and arms, fur these de fenders of our beloved country, against the approach of the rigorous season of winter, in a country where the climate is well known to be severe, and where they must constantly march along the most rugged paths, endure the greatest fat!gues, an 4 encounter ' the most imminent dangers. as My words will not lose their effect, because your generous hearts will be responsive to this address... My Aides.de camp, Lieutenant-Colonel Dun An . dres Gallego, and Don Juan Clarke, are on their. way to the capital of our faithful allies in order that, in concert with Don M. Flores, they may excite your zeal, and collect donations, as the fruit of your kind led patriotism. • as You are aware, that the legitimate jovernthent of our nation cannot prr4ide with allnecessaries, and as it would wish, the various troops which it has at so many different points ; and you will perform a great service to your country by affording klid to this division of your faitqui countryman B . (Signed) " ALLASTEROS." --,- CIRCULAR DiETTO. . 44 San—The divisi on under the command of Lieu tenant-General Don Francisco Ballasteros, which, al ways forward to support the honour of the nation in the just cause we maintain, has constantly distin. l , guished itself whenever it has come in contact with the enemy, in spite cf the privations: nd wants which i it has endured since the commencement of the war, ' presents at this moment an object worthy of fixing the attention of its . countrymen. , " When its brave Chief assumed the general corn- rrinnd of the Camp of Gibraltar, and the Serrania of Ronda, he was kined by three thousand trdvs, I which, added to his own, formed a total of SOOO 1 men ; a force which, in consequence of the wishes to join it that animate every class of the inhabitants, might receive a very considerable increase. But not- 1 1 withstanding his well-founded hope of forming a corps , which, by delivering the Andalusias, might give a , great impulse to the enthusiasm of the whole nation, the General is in danger of seeing his ardent ex pecta. lions frustrated by circumstances of emba; rassment which he cannot surmount. " The approach of winter, and - the locality of the ground on which his military operatiols must take place, afflict his mind, when he views the situation of extreme want and nakedness in which the brave troops confided to his care are placed. - • " All his resources being exhausted, and the nu merous calls upon Government from other quarters, not permitting it to afford the necessary supplies, it only remains for him to resort to the generosity tit his countrymen—and knowing the patriotism of those of them who arc resident in ;ins kingdom, he has com missioned us, in his name, and under the approbation of his Excellency the Duke ofslidantado, to solicit aid from these Spanish gentlemen. ,_ i 4 May God preserve you many years. (Signed) " aNDirES GALLEGOS. " JOHN CLARKE. " AL PLOILLZ." FRENCH PAPERS. OFFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROM THE ARMIES IN SPAIN. ARMY OF ARRAGON. ' TO Ma ROYAL HIGHNESS.THE PRINCE OF NEUFCHATEL AND SVAGRA!sI, MAJOR-GENPRAL. MoNsrtqt:Lbst—Your Serene Highness bas been informed by my preceding Reports of the difficulties jncountered in forming our approaches before Sa nnttim, in consequence of the nature of the ground.l 'e succeeded, however, after 20, days labour and fatigue, in making a practicable breach ; but during this period General Blake had time to summon to his aid Mahi; General in Chief of the Army of Mnr cia, with the whc.le of the force which the insurgent: had disposable, amounting to Siloo men. The divi sion called that of Albuera, under the orders of tar dirabal and Zayas, joined to the divisions of Villa' Campo and Obispo, commanded by O'Donnell and Miranda, forming the army of Valencia, united with the Guerillas, composed a corps of above 20,000 in fantry and 3000 cavalry. " Qa the 21th of October this corps advanced and took post on the heights of Puch, supporting its right on the sea, Winked by the English fleet, and its left resting upon Lit ia. Blake, perceiving that Sagun turn was on the point (.1 falling, and that the battery tf e;glit 9.44x)untitrs which I had constructed would soon decide its fate, marelitd up to me to give battle, and oblige me to raise the siege. I directed Generals Palathicr and Bronikow,ki, with six battalions, to continue the blockade and the werks if the siege of Sagunturn. General Compere, with , 1500 men, ob served the road of Segorbe, and served as a reserve to tie tioops of General Chlopiski and Rob.it, des:i wd by 01.: defile which leads from Giletto eletera, and to occupy n , y " The next day, on the 25th, at seven in the mor nin:., I. reconnoitred the enemy. The heights of poen,. an d those which covered the road to tiet er ai were defended by artillery ant} infantry. At eight o'clock my sharpshooteri , were briskly driven back, and from that moment I was convinced I had to con tend with , far different trilopsirom those of Valeacia. borne strong crlittnns outflanked me on my left, un der the protection of sorniEnfliskssissels ; the ene- rlf fil fr il iffMri. .-► ' ,. :- * 4 - : 4 - sty's treepsl l llled the village of Pm], which I had had also their horses shot under them. The brave ' quitted ; 6000 men attacked my right, which were Cola's! Gudin, of the 16th of the hue, although very a fuel league from me. severely wounded, wished not to quit the bead of his 4 4 Finding myself thus outflanked on both sides, regiment. All the troops of the army, Monseigneur. ' I formed a determination to penetrate the centre of rivalled each other in the endeavour which should ' the enemy. Scarcsy had I quitted a height which I best serve his Majesty on this day ; they fought for considered convenient to favour my attack, when seven hours, and followed up their victory to the 1000 cavalry and 6000 infantry came to occupy it in I close of night. I have been particularly satisfied with ray place. The hussars af the 4th charged with va- , the incessant zeal with which my Aides s de - Camp and lour, and though three times repulsed returned again ' my Staff have saved. to the charge. " I shall not go at any length into particular ea 4, The fire of nine 2f:-pounders, which were hatter- negyrics open the conduct of the Generals or ot the ing in breech at Saguntum, could not repress the troops. I believe I have said enough on this head to enthusiasm of the garrison ( f Saguntum, which, ob- your Serene Highness, when I detailed what they serving a movement in their view in which they be- i had done on the field of battle. The result is, thel lieved they might soon take a part, went so far as to victory of Saguntum places in the power of the Em.z throw their caps into the air, and cry, " Come on to peror 4639 prisoners, of whom 230 are Officers, 40 victory !" This first effect was checked by our in- Colonels or Lieutenant-Colonels, two Field-Marshals, l Pantry, which arrived in columns on the line of bat- 16 pieces of artillery, eight. caissons, 4200 English de._ I ordered General Harispe to attack the enemy. muskets, and four stand of colours. He advanced with General Paris, at the head of the " I have the honour to transmit to your Highness 7th of the line ; the 116th and the 3d of the Vistula a list, by name, of the officers prisoners, and an ag coming after, with their arms on the rt st, deployed, igregate statement, by regiments, of subaltern ofliters under a heavy fire of grape and meeketty, like troops : and privates. . I accustomed to conquer. The brave 7th carried the j " I beseech your Highness to call the attention and breast-work with the bayonet, repulsed the ene-: goodness ot his Majesty to the officers in whose favour my, and pursued them. Our artillery occupied the j I solicit rewards. lam assured, Monseigneur, that breast-work, but the enemy returned to the charge. , they have rendered themselves worthy of them. Our artillerymen were surrounded and sal4ed. Ce- I " I am, with respect, &c. neral Boussart St. George, chief of a squadron, at I " Count SUCIIET, Marshal of the Empire. the head of the 13th cuirassiers, vigorously charged f "Camp at Murviedro, Oct. 26." 1500 cavalry, which General Caro, brother of Ito-. To ills HIGHNESS Tills PDINCE OP WAGRALt AND NEUF-, ',"mairee brought up with great resolution. The con- . . CHATEL, vicr e coxeraut.E. r flict was long, but the valour of the hussars and etti- et Monseigneur—After the battle of Saguntum 1 j. rassiers triumphed. The Field Marshals Caro, Go- left the army a league from Valencia, and returned at • vernor et Valencia, and Almoyer, who cattle from night to my camp at Murviedro. - Cadiz, were wounded and made prisoners by Quer- 4 , During the day the breach .had been merely ter Masters Bazin and Vachelot, of the hussars. Six formed, a fire of some ‘ hours 'would have sufficed to pieces of cannon were taken. render it practicable ; but it wzs of consequence to 44 During this time the enemy was making some profit by the victory which had been gained under the progress on the left ; sorre piquets of our cavalry eyes of a whole garrison, for, your Highness is aware were obliged to fall beck by the Spanish cavalry.— t' et the isolated heights on which Saguntum is built Gen. Palombini, at the head of four battalions, re- command the entire plain. I wrote the inclosed ceived them with the greatest coolness : the '2d light, letter'to the Governor, by means of which reminding ' and the 4th 'of the line, Ittli ins, by a well served him of what he had witnessed doting the day. I of fire, repulsed the charge, and covered the field - of feted him permission to send two officers in order to bitale with dead bodies. In direciing the division of i- form himself of the successes which the French army' Gen. Harispe to the centre, I ordered Gen. Habert had obtained. My dispatch was received at seven to move with his corpseupon the great read, and to o'clock on the morning of the 26th, and a Lieute take possession ef Puznl. He had in front the divi- cant-Colonel of artillery was ordered to carry an an sion t f Albuere ; he caused it to be charged first by ;wer e obtained egress with difficulty, all the out. two battalions of the sth light infantry ; a very brisk lets fortress being walled up. I had him con cannonade was kept up on both sides ; Gen. Mont- duc the Generals Caro and Almoya, through ' marie, with the 16th of the line, supported the sth ; the midst of the officers and all the prisoners. the action was maintained with great slaughter ; the "He could no longer doubt of the loss of the battle. energy defended themselves in the houses of hizol, He returned at five o'clock in the evening—he came theough the windows, and from the roofs ;., a body of f with the Colonel of the regiment of Don Carlos, bring ; Spamsh cavalry shewed an inclination to turn our ing in information that the Governor had come to a ! tioops, and to advance by the great road of Valencia. resolution to accept the terms I had offered. IThe General of cavalry, Delort, received orders -to 44 I consented to terms of capisulation subjoined, Overthrow the enemy with the '24th dragoons ; he and at nine o'clock at night the Brigadier Andriani e _ ; executed this operation with the greatest valour, and eight o ffi cers of high rank , a n d 2572 soldiers, filed off drove back the enemy, beyond the Albalata, without through the breach, laid down their :urns, and six 'suffering himself to be impeded by the fire of some stand of colours, and were conducted as prisoners of 'battalions which were placed in ambush ; he took on war to Murviedro. I the road one howitzer, one 4-pounder, and 30 artil- 46 We found in the place 17 guns, 800,000 car-' lerymen. Nevertheless, the enemy, though far out- tridges, 20001bs. of English powder, 6000 balls, and fleuked, defended themselves still to Putoi, and had 2500 English muskets, &c. &c. I have the honour net abandoned the heights of I'ueh ; the 16th of the ,to transmit to your Highness the detailed account line vigorously cloirged them from street t i street thereof, as well as that of the provisions. sword in hand ; the sth light infantry succeeded in " Difficulties vanquished by the science of fortifi surrounding 700 of the Walloon Guards, and made cation—the hollowing a passage in the rock for tht them lay d ,wn tlwir arms. artillery, and making . approaches upon the single 44 Gem Chlopiski, to whem I had entrusted the coin- accessible point of the torts of Saguntum—the labours mend of my.riglir, very seasonably perceived that it of the artillery, in the erection of their batteries, all was of coa'.equence not to suffer himself to be out- raised upon points of rocks brought to a level by flanked. He ordered General Robert to attack and means of earth brought from a distance : all this, fellow up the troops of Obispo and Miranda. This effected under a heavy fire, do honour to the Colonel Genera executed with success several charges of in- ofthe Engineers, Henry, who displayed a great con fantrk ; the 114th and the Ist of the Vistula fought stancy and activity, as well as to the Chiefs of the well, and lost no time in repulsing the enemy. Atter bettalion Capelle and Charu, who particularly distill thisaGen. Chlopiski, with the llth, and the dragoons guished themselves by their exertions. Napoleon, came to take a glorious ihare in the suc- is I have the honour to transmit to you the views cess of the centre. The Colonel of dragoons, Schia- and plans of the forts, and a detailed report of the real; at the head of his brave regiment, broke through extraordinary labours by which a passage to them three battalions of the enemy, and made 800 pri was effected. The task was very severe, and would . _ - he ' sonars. From this moment the hussars, the cuiras s;ers, and the Dragooisd Napoleoo, found thems Ives Oti.the same field of battle. They overthrew all the corps of cavalry that presented themselves, broke all the squares which the enemy endeavoured to form ; and .tor the space of two leagues covered the ground with arms and dead bodies, and made 2000 prisoners, amongst whom are 150 officers. Generals Haripe, oussart, and Chlopiski, pressed hard upon the ene my, by my orders, without intermission. Neverthe less, the enemy contrived to form again behind &- tem; by the favour of a deep ravine. We were im peded some time, the infantry not having been able to keep up with the rapid movements of the cavalry. As soon as the infantry arrived, the enemy no longer locked for safety but in flight. I had allowed some rest to the troops of Gene. rals Habert and Palombini ; I now ordered the latter to pass its the plain the Village and the heights of Puch with his Italians and the Sd of the Vi,tula, while General Hubert was to attack the heights of Puch, which was defended by Blake himself, with his reserve, and five pieces of cannon. The Chief of battalion, Passelar, with a battalion of the 117th, ar rived first on the ridge which the enemy occupied, whilst General Montmarie forced it on the left : the enemy Med in disorder, the five pieces of artillery were taken, and it was under the protection of the English ships that these troops sought shelter. At this period the English fleet, which since the morning had approached to take part in tho battle, executed, at the same moment, with its allies, its retreat to. wards Grao de Valencia. • " The loss of the enemy in killed, wounded, and prisoners exceeds 6500 men : on our side we have 128 killed and 59i wotim;ed, according to the ac-, companying returns. Amongst the latter are Gene ral Paris, who had his p t iercA by a ball, the Chief of he ' have been much more so if the enemy had had time to place 24-pounders in the forts. " Thus uniting the pi isoners taken at the battle of the 25th, and the garrison of Saguntum, I am about to send to France, in three columns, 7211 prisoners, of whom more than 369 are officers.—l am, &c. (Signed) " SUCHET, Marshal of the Empire. " Camp of Murviedro, October 27. " P.S. I have the honour of transmitting likewise to your Highness the reports of the Generals of Ar tillery and Engineers, Vallie and Regnat." COPY OF THE LETTER OF HIS EXCELLENCY MARSHAL COUNT SUCHET TO BRIGADIER ANDRIANI, GOVERNOR OF THE FORTS OF SAGUNTUM. " Camp before Murviedro, Oct. 23. " You have witnessed the battle of to-day. Three stand ot. colours, 20 pieces of cannon, 43(X) prisoners (among whpin are Generals - Mahi and Caro) have fallen into the hands cf the French army. I offer you permission to obtain what information you may , want, by sending some &Recr to the French camp. After that, I shall grant 'you terms of capitulation, which, in giving you, the honours of war, will secure to you the right of filing off through the breach, and of laying down your arms outside the fortress ; and further, I shall consent that the officers should retain their arms and baggage. I require an answer in the course of an hour. (Signed) " Sucher, Commander in Chief of the Army of Arragon, and Marshal of the Empire." The substance of the capitulation is, that the gar- , rison shall march out, through the breach, prisoners ; but, with the honours of war, shall file off with their arms and baggage, and lay down their arms outside the fort. The Officers shill retain their arms, equipages, and horses, and the soldiers their haversacks. eersons not bearing arms shall be free, and may immediately re- kt . scptadrou, 0)..: 4d) hussars, who was turn to their homes. wounded in the arm, the Aides-de -Camp, Peridon, of General Harispe, Bran, of General Habert. The REPORT WM/ amyl= To THE woaxs satecTitto II! young Debilly, Aide-de-camp of Gen. Montmarie, a w THE ENGINEERS DURING Tne s: us sAnuNrust. had his arm shot off : is a brave officer, for whom I " The army arrived on the 23d of September bet I shall solicit the favour'Of bis Majesty the E alpernT. j fore the fortress of Saguntum. The same day the M. Troquereau, Aide-de-tail - 4) of (general Paris, town of Murviedro was taken possession of, and all was severely wounded. I was myself in like manner the enemy's. posts were driven in, and the fortress struck by a trill ie the shoulder. Gen. Montmarie completely invested. For some nisjua following, received many engtosiong, a nd h ad several . bid Id iets ; commtoications were formed i n usiiedro, where through his clothes. General H arispe . had (1. horte,s 'we were. screened from the enemy's fire, The streets shot under him. Colonels Christophe and Meelod were laArricaded i and embrazures were opened in the _ _ houses on the side next the fortress. These xorks which were executed under a heavy fire, met the lives of several mine a, and that of Retard, Lieutenant of Engineers, a bray t and zealous young officer. 64 The rock of aguntism is situated en the right bank of the Miotiediu—it is insulated from all the heights, and rises in a peak on the half of its peri phery. The other hail falls in aa-ry abrupt decliya ties, and is accessible but on a very few p iota, ott account of the jetting of the rock. The *mint the me of S sguatura is about half way tip. partly cut out of the ruck, and, at the fuot of ihe rock, is the lowa of Murviedro, the walls of which are washed by the river of the same name. 'On the long an! narrow I lridges of the rock are tha remains of ancient work , , attributed to the Moors ; the Spaniards have repaired them—have added new ones, erecting flanking works, and have formed tenures fir the batteries and para pets. The entire mass of these works forms a very ir regular fort ef 400 toises in length ; and in br,al;ll from- 30 to 60 t It is divided into four p.ir;s or places, so that a part of the fortress being taken, the remainder may be still deteitded. The redoubt of St. i Fertrandwis on the highest point, and cemm gl, all the rest. The great roads from Valencia to B,trce. lona meet and pass under the guns of the place. 44 We were obliged to have the artillery for the siege - brought frcm Tortosa; but the little fart of Orepesa, which the enemy occupied in our soar, in. terropted the way in -a defile. A battery of three twenty-four pounders, and a mortar a as raised against this Fort, which surrendered on the llth of October, after a cannonade of eight hours. 44 Ali that was necessary for the siege rf S :gun, tun was then free to pass, and the toois and ~c ia earth wanted by the engineers were forthwith coa veyed thither. All the coUnterforts of the rock were too low to permit our erecting in them works to hat. ter i n breach, except a ridge °frocks which strelches for 200 toises in front of St. Fernando, so that Cat a:- tack was necessarily made on that side. 46 On the sth of Octohet the officers of engineers commenced the approaches, formed coveted ways through the rock, and lodged picquets of infarary witbin 70 toises of St. Fernando ; profiting by the occasional protection which they derive from tae ir regular fipats of the rock. The artillery began to batter in breach on the extremity of the platform at the distance of 160 wises. Colonel Henry and Major Chulliot had a road formed with great diligence, iq order to bring up 94-pounders to the battery. They were constantly obliged to level the rock by mining. 4 , On the 12th, they claimed the first point behind which they had stationed themselves, in order to reacts the covert of the rock, which runs out from that on which St. Fernando is situate; they got through the rocks on the right, taking advantage of such veins of earth as were in their way, and making use of sacks of earth and gabions. On the night of the 15th they reached a place within 35 toises of the fortress, co. vered by a bead of the rock, which afforded a place of rendezvous for the troops who were to be engaged in the assault. Major Chul'iot, who had directed a part of these works with great bravery, was severely wounded. 44 0 n the 17th the ertilleey began to bombard with three 24-pounders, two howitzers, and five mortar.. They attempted the tower of the outwork of St. Fer nando. It was constructed of hard and thick mason work, and the battery was at too great a distance, so that the breach was but slowly effected, which in duced a determination to batter the angle formed by the tower and the flank, which prove.: as matter of greater facility. 4 , On the 18th the fire was kept up, and at feur o'clock in the evening the breach was practicable ler Lye or six men abreast ; but it was still of rather dis. ficult access. It was formed only of the rubbish of the walls, without any admixture of earth. It was 30 feet high, and its base being , cn an inclined rock, it was, of necessity, very steep. The enemy appear. ed'above with much resolution, and neither our artil lery or musketry could repel them, nor preveot them from constantly repairing the parapets with sacks of earth, as they were levelled by the gnus. Orders were given for the asault at five o'clock in the evening. 64 The column of attaek assembled in the pl ice, which had been formed within 35 toiseaof the work t pushed on to the breach, and some gallant fellows actually reached the top ; but they were driven dcwn by a shower of grenades and hobits, and their failure determined the retreat of the column. " In this unfortlmate affair we lost 12) Ten.— Larneran, Captain of Engineers, %V. 4 killed in the breach, together with some miners. 14 The assault had failed, because the breach was in a recess covered by the fire of the enemy, because it was too narrow—because the troops debouched from too greit a distance. grid finally, because the battering train of three pieces of cannon was insuffi cient to level the parapets and drive the enemy from the breach. A resolution was adopted to erect a new battery nearer, to increase the number of guns, and to push the covert ways to the foot of the breach. 44 On the 19,h, Colonel Henry caused the troops to advance in an indented form. Steps were cut in the rock behind which they were stationed, to facili tate the ascent, and when they had reached the sum mit of this rock, they approached the breach by the aid of an indented covert formed of sacks of earth; and on the night of the 24th they were within three toises of the fort of the breach, when they formed a small parallel. All these works were executed on a naked rock', with infinite difficulty. All the parapets of the trenches were formed of sacks of earth, which were brought from a great distance, and it was ne cessary to raise them seven or eight feet, in order to protect our soldiers from the enemy's works, which commanded the position. ~ These works do much credit to the conductor of the attack, Henry, and to the Engineer Officers under his ordcrs. 66 We lost several sappers in ehe execution ci works so difficult and so near the enemy, bath by musketry and by the grenades and stones thrown by the Spani srds. " On the 25th, the artillery began firing from the new battery, at 70 toises distance from the wo:k, and bombarded with success the tower of the outwork of St. Fernando. 4 . 4 In the morning, General Blake advanced at the head of 30,000 men, to raise the siege ; Marshal Suohet advanced to meet him, and gained a com plete victory. " On the 26th, the breach was practicable for 20 men a-breast, and we were well, established at the '1 . •