Star. — London, England, 1809-10-27 00:00:00

PF SPAIN 4fND PORTUGAL. SEVILLE, SEPTEMBER SO. [EXTRACT OF A PRIVATE LETTER.] • "'Tie French forces in this country are, at present, clnsiderably less than half the number of our troops. Such Llispositions are adopted, that Madrid is expected to he free before the expiration of a fortnight. The at n of La Mancha, under the command of Seignior Ev s uia, is now very respectable. There is an army of cht,ervation iu E,tremadura, and another of opera tion in Castile, consisting of upwards of 30,000 men." SIEGE OF GERONA. 0::TOBER 6.—We have just received a Series of the Gerona Journal, from the Lith to the 2(.h ult. That invincible city continued to defend itself amidst the greatest privations, aild, notwith standing the unexpected prolonption of the siege for upwards of four months, with an lrirciism which con stitutes the glory of Spain, and will form a pre-emi nent object of admiration wi:h posterity. Throughout the whole of the 14th, twenty-one pieces of cannon, and two howitzers in the enemy's batteries, ko•pt up a dreadful and incessant fire upon the breaches, the walls, and the city. It was returned from the fortress with a heavy and well directed fire with considerable effect upon the works of the besiegers. Two mor tars, planted to the right of the gate of Monjuich, discharged, during the night, shells of the largest size, which did great mischief, owing to the elevation from which they kll4. 4 The Ger6na ./,urns; makes no mention of the attack of the 13th, of which the Tirear,-s,:a (":2zct:- gave the account that w.a copied into our paper of I:.e 3d instant, and in which the besieged were said to Ititve taken a battery of eight cannon. " Gerona, to be ranked among the jr:l dlzvghtert of the country, does pot stand in need of exaggeration, or fictitious relation,," says its brave Governor, in one of the Journals ; and it should be added, that neither spain, nor the just and glorious cause she is deftuding, nor the public enthusiasm, can derive any advantage from them nor the other false intelligence accredited and published without discrimination in various journals to the injury of the national characn•r. The simple truth is the best ornament of the history of our liberty. Let us leave to tyrants.and to weak or corrupt Go vernments, the task of publishing falsehoods to mislead public opinion, or to deceive the people who do not deserve to be de ceived. On the 16th the enemy's fire was still more terrific. It is impossible to describe the furious cannonade di recte.l against the walls, accompanied with a dischargq of sh..lls and grenades. On the 17th the tire was kept up with equal vigour, bu the garrison and inhabitants persevering in the m. st intrepid and determined resistance, witnessed hout emotion the destruction which the houses suffered. In the evening of the same day a French Captain pr •sented himself with a white flag and a dispatch-- I:1w Governor answered him in these laconic terms : " No flag of truce can be admitted." Cn the I Uth, the enemy's fire was rather slack in th?. coercing, but it became more brisk towards noon, ald was accompanied with a discharge of shells and grPnades. The 19:h was a glorous day for Gerona. After a furious cannz;nade with which General Verdier in temied to terrify the Gt-ronese, and to facilitate his e.-.1.-ance, he determined to strum the place. He for med his troops, consisting of 5500 men, into three columw, and attacked the three breaches of Saata Lucia, Quar.el de Alentanes, and Puerta de S. Chris robal ; whilst some detached corps occupied the a:- ter tion of the garrisons of Forts Cabildo and Condes tahle ; and another considerable body attempted to carry by assault Fcrt Calvanis, having provided themselves for that purpose with hatchets, pick axes, and ladders. The columns were upon the breaches by four in the afternoon ; but by the same hour the generale was beaten, and die imposing sound of the alarm-bells was heard in every part of the city, and already the well disciplined and veteran garrison were at their posts, and completely prepared for action.— The French o:ficers, who intrepidly led on their un fortunate troops, p.:id dear for their temerity. The attack at the three points was most desperate, but particularly at the breach in the Alemanes, where the enemy, at the first outset, forced an entrance.— Three times they were repulsed, when at length find ing their efforts unavailing, they left on these glori ous scenes of action a proof of the valour of their de fenders, and of French barbarity, Our invincible defenders, worthy of the admiration of all Europe, were not for an instant forsaken by their heroic constancy and coolness. Led on by va liant and experienced officers, they fought with the highest ardour and intrepidity ; and though it is very common for troops to be thrown into confusion under circumstances so terrific, they maintained a de gree of order and regularity capable of awing the most intrepid enemy. This accounts for the breaches, .clacis, and ditches being covered with the dead bodies of Frenchmen. A corps of light troops, ‘vho sallied most oppor tunely from the c‘olles, as the enemy were retreating for the last time, made great slaughter among those haughty slaves cf the despot, who towards dusk finu 11 y desisted from their eotei prise, having received z c(•nipletechastisement. In the Manressa .hairnah:, received to the 25th, it is sated, that the evenly had discontinued their can nonade of the fortress, since the 19th, and that sub sec.,,fnt to that day, there had been heard only a few s,ots from St. Francisco, on the T2d. Ocrol:l::l7.—Gencral Blake has transmitted to the Supreme Junta 'he fdlowing dispatch, inclosing re ports from the Officers, who, under his orders, co operated ;n tLe :eiief ref Gerona '6 Mos: EXCELLENT SEIGNIOR, 44 Gerona,immr.rtal, whether ultimately vanquished cr victorious—fatal ::t all time.: to the French troops that have besci , ed it—firmly perseveres in its glorious defence. But it v:ts not only in Nvant of provisions and ammunition, but even of the most necessary ar tcics for the sick and wounded, It was so closely invested, that it had nq communication with the rest of the brave principality, except by means of an ' ural nicsseter m a ki ng hi s way t h rough the ene mys sl - ct• It thet c f,, re became indispensably urgent to alleviate this lamentable situation, by introducing a convoy capable of remed)ing the scarcity, and a1 , ,0 a body I troops to reinforce the brave and indefati- I gable garrison of the place. But the operation was difficult and littz.trdons in proportion as it was im.' portant. Thong?! the enemy o ccu pi e d a very extended We . , it might easily be contracted ; and it was to be ex pec e d t:.tt he would make e ver y e ff ort to prevent 01 SUCcOUrs so important to a place which he had been besieging for three months, and . which he kept under the most rigorous blockade. The only resource left to me was, to divert his atten tion to various points, and to make him suppose that my intention was to offer him battle in the quarter directly opposite to that by which the convoy was to proceed. This p.an was carried into effect with the most complete success. " My head-quarters were in San Ilari, when I is sued orders for the respective movements. I ordered D. Manuel Llanden, Lieutenant of the Ultonia In fantry, to march to the height of Los Angeles, situ ated to the ncrth of Gerona, with a sufficient number of troops, and such of the Somatenes as he could col , lect on the road, to dislodge the enemy from that position, where they had only a small body of infan , try, and to protect the convoys of provisions which were to be introduced in that quarter. These orders he punctually executed. 1 then repaired to the her mitage of Padro, two leagues distant from San Ilari, with the troops of reserve, to be ready to proceed wherever assistance might be necessary. From this point I detached the Colonel of Ultonia, D. Enrique O'Donell, with 1200 infantry, and some cavalry, to attack the enemy's troops that were in Brunolas, with the design of making the French General think that the convoy was to proceed in that direction. Not withstanding the excellent position of Brunolas, and its local strength being increased by entrenchments, O'Donell and his troops attacked it with such gal lantry that they gained the summit of the mountain, and planted the Spanish colours in the entrenchments. The French kept up a fOrmidable fire ; but our troops received it with the coolest intrepidity, and, without stopping to return it, climbed to the highest ridge. In the mean time the enemy received a reinforcement, in consequence of an impression that this was the point which required to be more particularly guarded. O'Donell, to prevent being turned, descended to the , plain, where he made a firm stand. A body of our troops, under the command of General Loygorri, soon after arrived at the position occupied by O'Donell.-- Our troops could have in an instant driven the enemy from his position, had it not been judged more ad i viseable to make various evolutions, with the view of imagnifying our numbers, and inducing the French General, upon his receiving such information, to re inforce that point with the corps which he had on the Ter, for it was by that road I intended to intro duce the convoy. Those divisions were, during the whole evening, in' front of Brunolas, which the enemy precipitately evacuated in the night. " Colonel D. Francisco Robira, who was to the left of the Ter, and also I.icut.-Colonel D. Juan Claros, attacked, by my orders, the enemy's troops who were in front of them, and opportunely attracted their attention to that quarter. In the meanwhile 4000 infantry, and 500 cavalry, under the command of General Garcia Conde, es corted a numerous convoy, consisting of from 1500 to 2000 mules, and, proceeding from Amer, passed the Ter, directing their march for the fortress along the right bank of that river. They defeated the enemy who were opposed to them, burned several of their camps, and effected their elm:nice into Gerona. The French immediately abandoned all their remote posts, and contracted their line, to prevent the return of the mules, drivers, and horses, that had got in. It then became necessary to change our po , itions, and to make various movements to protect their departure. —They remained in the place a day and two nights, and subsequently effected their return with such good fortnue, that we did not lose a single individual, nor, perhaps, did so much as a single mule or horse fall into the bands of the enemy. 64 The Governor of Gerona was left with a garrison of 3000 men. The moment 1 receive the detailed report of Garcia Conde, 1 shall transmit it to your Excellency. In the mean time I send you extracts from those of O'Donell, Robira, Claros, and Llan den. May Goo, 6:c. (Signed) " ao.tcluiN BLAKE." " Heal-qarters at 01,,t, Scpt. 1:3, It<o9. Addressed to Don Antonia Curnd. T.IsBON, ocTooElt 7. The Princess Charlotte sails early to-morrow morn ing. The mail is to be closed at eight o'clock this evening.—There is nothing new from the Army.— Head-quarters are still at Badajos. Lord Wellington, who has been expected here, has not yet arrived ; but he is nearly recovered from his late severe illness, and it is said he is to take an active part in the government of this country. The Army is now well supplied with provisions and clothing, sent from hence and from Abrantes ; but the hospi tals at Elvas, Badajos, and the adjacent cantonments are quite full. Not less than five thousand sick are in these hospitals, nearly all afflicted with fever and agues. A gr. at many of these poor fellows wounded at Talavera have arrived within the last eight days. The 27th Regiment of Foot marched from hence a few days since to join the Grand Army. The Ist Royal Dragoons now at Belem are expected to pro ceed in a few days also to join the army. The de tachmt nts left here sick, now approaching a state of convah s:ence, are marching up daily. Marshal Be restord is here yet, aad he has been very active in raising recruits for his army. I am informed, that within these three weeks he has sent from this city three battalions to the army now commanded by Ge neral Blount. The skeleton Regiments, S3d and 87th, are doing the garrison duty of Lisbon, not amounting to more than -1-50 men. The Portuguese army, under Marshal Beresford, is equal at least to 10,C00 effective men. The forces of Lord Wellington on the frontiers of Portugal, and as fitr as Merida in Spair, consis: of about 20,000 effec tive men. The Spanish army on the borders of the Tagus, as far as the bridges of Alniaraz and Arzobispo, about 2.0,(X)0 effective men. ' 'l'his latter 20,((X) is the remainder of the army of Estremadura under Cuesta, as 20,0(X) the Estre madura army have been detached from it, and have joined Vanegas in La Mancha, who had under his command, prior to his union with the Estremadura army, 25,000 men ; so that the troops of Vanegas in La Mancha amounts to 45,000 men at least. There fore the effective force of the Portuguese, English, and Spanish on the frontiers of Portugal with achain of posts and commun i cat i ons , as f ar as the bridge of Almaraz, constitute a forie of 80,000 men, which may take th e fi e ld at any moment. Two men, one an Italian, the other a Portuguese, AMERICA. WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN. r EXTRACT FROM A NEW YORK PAPER.] The Jacobins are extremely desirous of being en gaged in a war with Great Britain. Never was a poor country so totally unprepared for such an event as is ours at the present time. Not a single city or town in the United States can be said to be fortified. Our navy has perished by the hand of vio'ence. Of this infant Hercules little remains except gun boats and bomb trtches ! And what reliance, we ask, can rational beings place on such playthings ? Were the whole extent of our coast, from the Main to the Mississippi, lined with t!:em, it is much to be doubted whether the y would present any obstacle to a fleet consisting of about a dozen old-fashioned 74's. But, say the Jacobins, in case of a war with Great Britain, the Canadas will open to us a field for splen. did achievements. It is not impossible, in the event of such .4 war, that we should be able to shew the Canadians what Mr. Jefferson calls a i‘ Iloody arena." But is it not probable, in the mean time, that a British fleet would present to our view, places desolated by the ravages of war, places where towns had flourished, and where cities had once reared their spires ? Admitting, however, that the fortuneof war should, at the expence of much blood and treasure, put the .Canadas in our possession, of what use, we ask, would they be to us ? Had we not territory enough previ ous to the purchase of Louisiana ? Have we not now a great deal too much ? And are we still greedy for more ? Our cities and harbours are defenceless ; the sour. ces of our revenue are continually diminishing ; the terra/un policy has nearly broken down the energies of the people ; and, in such a condition, without a navy, and without resources, with a Wilkinson for our Com mander in ChiPf, and with Duane: to head our regi ments, in this so pitiable state of things, the Jacobins are striving, with might and main, to plunge us into the dteadful uncertainty of a war with Great Britain ! Engaged in such a war, under such circumstances, and with such a General, and such Colonels, the pro spect before us would indeed be melancholy. In such an unequal contest, there would be no laurels to be acquired. Defeat and disgrace would inevitably be ours. But the most awful consideration remains to be suggested. A war with Great Britain, at the p r es en t crisis, would, of course, involve us in alliance with France ! and it is too obvious to require illustration, that American liberty could not Ipng survive such an event. Early in the month of August List, a meeting was held in the town of Lexington (Ken.), at which the following was one of the Resolutions which were adopted : a Resolved—That whilst we disclaim the pretension of pre scribing to our Government the course which ought to be pur sued, under existing circumstances, we do not hesitate to avow our opinion, that the person announced as the successor of Mr. Erskine, or any other resident Minister from Great Britain, ought not to be received." WALCHEREN. were yesterday strangled and burnt in the public place of Caes de Sodre, for uttering base coin. The , P Government Paper money is scarcely passable from The duty we owe to our comm on country, ;HT the immense quantity of forged notes. It is difficult . riously calls upon us to st a t e , w i t h out dis uise .. b -3 to distinguish them from the forged notes, which are real situation of our Army in I,V a l c h eren. V at;ol extensively circulated. There are about four or five accounts have been transmitted f rom Flushing, ar criminals more to undergo the same punishment. The paper forgery is not discovered, and GOD knows have appeared in the different Newspapers, tend;, when it will ; however, th e y have stocked us pretty to excite a hope in which we were desirous to indni , freely with it. 1 that our troops were becoming more health OCTOBER 10.—The army of Blake, in Catalonia, y. ‘. cannot conceive what could have given occasion has defeated the French, and the latter, in conse quence, have been obliged to raise the siege of Ge- ;the circulation of such unfound e d statements. 0, rona. army, we are sorry to state, is in a most deploy IL Lord WFllington arrived here at five o ' c lock this condition ; nor do we believe that the pipi t '. at • e, a E l evening ; ne embarked from Aldea Gallega, and England can maintain suck an arm y ;is w i ll he landed at the Commercial Square, where he was re- quired for the defence of Walcheren, if this ( - omi t ceived by Generals Beresford and Slade, Mr. Vil liers, Admiral Berkeley, &c. &c. The Ist regiment shall persevere in at tempting t o r et a i n i t . Th e f ollowii of Dragoons (Royals), the 83d and 87th Foot, were letter is from a well informed Officer at Fl l• us :mg ; drawn out on the square to receive him, and also the ! " gg N FLUSHING, OCIUI;I.R Lisbon Commercial Corps of Cavalry and Infantry, ..otwithstanding the two la me fleets ots i ck with the City Militia and Police Guards. On land- b nit . which, yesterday and day b e f ore , sa il e d f or Engl.4l ing, the Castle guns were fired, and the immense multitude cheered him with loud acclamations. He our hospitals are still quite full. In truth there mounted a very fine charger of Mr. Villiers's, and now very few troops in the island but sick. I n ( y passed the lines, both Portuguese and English, and reinvent we have not 50 d o t men, and som e ot l then proceeded to the British Minister's with General regiments have not SO. jn the mean time the Freni Beresford, where they were to dine. He looks very , thin compared to what he was when he was here be. , are very busy in all the neighb our i ng i s l ands, fore, but he appeared in good health and in very high i i will . x s v om ha e t morning certainly wisee ertaipnelyope in rn astonish our d b u la r n D ole iliiislii , spirits. His Lordship is said to be appointed Presi- i dent to the Regency. I , ing about, to attempt to keep su c h an island :is di. A part of the army is coming to Santarem, where ! . the head.quarters are to be established. General : with a few weak, sick wretches, while you are ev, i where surrounded by an active enemy ?--if reinf o y, Sherbrooke is Commander in the absence of his Lord. ship. i ments are not speedily sent, we may, in a very si; General Stewart, the Adjutant-General, arrived !time, be surprised here. Thi s wee k G overnment here last night; he is in very bad health. . Iva; tn"o Generals, but no troop s . The packet has been put off until to-morrow mot i . e have Generals enou g h, an d near l y as m , “ y L ning ; the mail is to be closed at eight o'clock this evening. `&D.---;-ciors and Commissaries as we have of mill; I _ _ Officers. Our Generals are— Lieutenant-General Sir C3OTE, Commander in CH, Major-General MoNCRIEF, 90th Regiment, Secciii,l in C( mand. Earl DALHOUSIE, 2d, or Queen's Rel;itten: DYOT, 25th Regiment. Brig. General AUCKLAND, Foot :Gaards. Baron de Rorretianacti, 60th Regimen: Baron ALTIN, King's German Leg::::1, SONTAG, ditto. BROWN, 40th Regiment. WA LY. R sCth Regiment. 'frit ROTT Artillery. HAY, Scots Royals. " General MQNTRESOR has gone home very ill , and we are afraid we shall lose that popular Officer, Ge neral DYQT, who goes home on leave. " General Dox, our pew Commander-in-Chief, is daily expected, when Sir LYRE Coon: immediately takes his departure home. General Dox is spoken of as a very able Officer. An able Commander should be considered as an indispensible requisite here ; for he will hrtve many able ones to contend with on the part of the enemy, and that at no very distant period. If we are not soon recalled from this burying-place, you may ere long expect to hear of our having very hot work here." SPAIN AND PORTUGAL. Dispatches were yesterday received from Lord Wzr.! LtNcrrox, We understand that they state the health (I the army to he rather improved ; and that such of our troops as fell into the hands:of the enemy at TAla, vera continued to be treated with the utmost attention by the French.—Sir ROBERT WILSON had received a letter from Lieutenant• Colonel QUART) ) of the 45th Regiment, dated Valladolid, September 17, inform ing him that most of the British Officers left at Tala vera had recovered of their wounds, ap4 that General KELLERMAN had recei ved . such as were passing through Valladolid with the greatest kindness and attention. priva t e letters from Seville of the Bth inst. state, that the Marquis DE LA ROMANA was about to be no minated President of the Central Junta, preparatory to an important change in the Government of Spain. We fear, however, that it is now too late to expect any thing like efficient measures in a country which has shewn itself so morally incapable of vigorous ex ertion. The same letters mention, that Gerona had been effectually relieved, and that the enemy had raised till siege of that fortress. Letters from Gijon state, that fifty French soldiers had at midnight surprised a Spanish post near Si. Andero, consisting of 1200 men, who precipitate!y fled ; and that the principal Magistrates of the place had been carried off by the enemy ! ! THE EVENING STAR. Yesterday morning his MAJESTY, the Dike of Crx• BERLAND, Princesses AUGUSTA and SOPHIA, ACCOM• partied by Earls HARCOURT and WiNclinsEa, Lords ARDEN and ST. HELEN'S, Lady ELY, Count MUN• STER, Generals FITZROY and CARTWRIGIII, CLilonels SNEID, TAYLOR, &c. &c. took their usual rides in Windsor Park. After returning, the Duke of Col. BERLAND, Earl WINCIIELSEA, General CA It I WIiIGHT, and Colonel SNEYD, went into Bachelors' Acre, to see It now appears that the Peace between France and I the Batchelors' bull baited, and subscribed a hand- Austria had not been signed on the 3d as reported some sum of money to the Bachelors. some days ago. It is now certain, however, that This morning Mr. DANIELS, one of his NiAJ ESIY6 that event has taken place.—The Journal du Corn- . Messengers, a rr ived at t he S ecretar y o f S tate 's Othce, meree, of Friday last, cont a i n s an a ccou nt o f t h e iin Downing -street, with dispatches irom Spain. Lord PA LM Ewa() x has been appointed Secretary at Treaty hav ing been signed on the 14th at nine o'clock 1 • War in the room of Lord G. L. GowEn. This ap• in the morning; and on the margin of the same paper . pointme it, we understand, will be announced in the appears the following paragraph, printed in a small Gazette of to r morrow. character.-- 7 i Mr. SvoENnpt, who was formerly Secretary to the LEY, and who was lately appointed et Ce 20 Octobre, 9 heures du gratin, le canon se fait entendres Marquis WELLS et tout annonce que ce' es t la con fi rmat i on de la no u v e ll e de 14% a Commissioner of the Cu s tom s , ha s been sent to Paix, sign& le K.". Spain on a confidential mission to the Marquis. This 2001 of October, at nine o'clock in the ' It is rumoured in the political circles, that Mr 3 morning, we hpar the firing of the cannon, and every CANNING has at length determined tp publish a de• tailed statement of the circums t an ce s c onnected with thing annonacep that it is 4 confirmation of the news the late duel. This narrative, it is said, will be given of kece, sirte4 l on the 14th." • to the public with Mr. CANNING'S signature, LONDON. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27. PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK ; a per Cent. Cons. for money 69+,—for acc. 6914. pmnium 14 preen.—Exche. Bills, 6s. 12s. pre. 'ttp: . tL riOU: and dillg 111' , , t` Our 5.1 of )e re. nitre wing ntea c arc ty.,.;; other tench and here. ihir k. every force. • shot: it sera man 7 Ccn- en:. • • - 4 I s and ~~