Star. — London, England, 1817-05-28 00:00:00

T 1 E VENIN G STA It. .c _. ~-_- ....~..__. i k ~% „g I.\. • , WEDNES., t.I,NY In, I' l l 7. PRIC t - l't seK . 1 H!` DAY A I" I'N' ELY!: O'CLOCK s l'nr•. 7 ?ii—Cor,ols for !)1 :tit 11: 1.c,. (1 7 , —Navy, 13 4 t 'rut ittoi Ezczn. q ucr to 15*. yfi —liidia b. 41.., of es pre . p.atk.•c vct) ;1.1 __ ~r. at wally :41,:.11.. By mit Lrttets from yes' and .11oal of this morning, we are ham) , t , i lean; that the . S'rottr, and out t!:er sort tate curt r which joined fur, had buc cerded in ging in the Tunivian schooner and the two Pi hick she captured off Dover on Monday m o sning. Tile Prizes were the Oldeuibtirg galliot Ca I . JAN Sr Acio Master, bound horn Antwerp to }Line, with sugar and indigo ; and the Catitarinas SCH EL Master, of HainburAts, bound to Lisbon The Tunisian schnon:r mounts 12 gulls, and is corn manned by one Oz. Mats. She is the same that sailed from Tunis with the Karab.ssh and Capitania, and parted compaay tlf Finniterre. The Commander states, that he has not taLen any other prizes during the cruize. We return this day to the affairs of South Ame. 1 rican, which have now reached a crisis highly in.l teresii , ig. It appears by General SAN MARTIN'S dispatch to the Supreme Directory of Buctiqs Apes, as well as itOM the private letters which we subjoin, I that the movements by which the possession of Chili I reverted to the Patriots, were conducted with singular ski:l and bravery. The action does the greatest credit to the Commander in Chief, as well as the Cfficers and rata who fought under him, and cer tainly it can be considered as no other than a pi Linde to the conquest of all Peru. A. bolder and more in. tert.tiog enterprize has not been undertsktn in the New World, than the attempt to cross tree Cor dilleras of the Andes, in the face of a numerous eremy. The passes of Mounts St. Gothard and St. Bernard are not more difficult. The Spaniards, both in Europe and America, laughed at the idea of an army with artillery and baggage crossing such a SUCCL akin of rujged mountains,• elevated ridges, commanded by narrow passes and defiles.— It has nevertheless been done, and in a style that would do honour to the first military leader in Eu. rope, *tat olity in -point of real bravery, but in com bination, perseverance, &c. General SAN MARTIN lost no less than 1200 horses in dragging up his artd- Ivry. &e. and atier all, he•attacktd the Spaniards without it, thong:. they were superior in numbers, and held all the keys and passes, from which he suc cessively drove them, tell he conquered them in a general action at Clammy), one of the divergent ridges of the Andes. Thus did he liberate which has groaned under Spanish oppression since October, .1814, when the people of that country, through the instigations and interference of a British Officer, consented .o receive a chief and troops•from Lima. to their sorrow, since banishments, condsca tionsAtc. were tie reSult, notwithstanding a solemn amnesty had preceded. The supreme command of Chili was offered first to General SAN MARTIN, but lie declined it, as he bad another equally important operation in view. It was then conferred on General 01ficamns, who had shared in the glory of the reconquest, a brave and enlightened man, and educated in England. The liberation of Chili will open tbeinterior to the Buenos Ayres. trade. A number - of trader's had al ready followed the artily with package's of goods, which had been deposited at Mendoza,. in order to go over the Andes, as soon as the Patriot arms were . victorious. It appears by private letters that the Portuguese invaders endeavour to conciliate the public opinion, profess their friendly views to commerce with Eng. land and other nations, and disclaim all connection with Old Spain, being drtvrmined to hold the country as a part of the Brazils. The liberation of Chili had given a new impulse to the energies of Buenos Ayres. The conquest of Peru was alteady in agitation, the Spanish forces were inadequate. Jose MIGUSL CARIIBRA, a Chtlenian. who tormerly had taken active part in the revolution of his country, had Ar rived in the Plate, on board a ship of considerable force from the United States, and two other vessels bad followed him. It was his intention to obtain commissims from the Government of Buenos Ayres. and to proceed to the coast of Chili. The Government, howevsr, know ing him to be very onyepular there, and having fa voured the installation of O'Hicionts as Supreme Di- rector of Chili, took the armed vessels into its own service, and in all probability, with others, they will proceed to the South Seas as an auxiliary force. The largest, of 26 guns, has been named the Chacabuco, in honour of the victory just obtained, and a brig of 14 guns bad received the name of San Martin. Iti the course of yesterday it was frequently asked, how it was that information of the ) 13ra,zil Revolu tion has not been received by some 'of 'our ships of war in a direct manner ? The litet is, we have not a ship on the Brazil station ; (key bavi all been transferred to the River Plate, and Commodore Bovrizs only lift the latter place about the 10th of March, for Rio Janeiro , to be present at the K ING ' S Coronation, which was to take place on the Ist of Apr4l f . We further learn, that the Revolution was to have btoken out simultaneously throughout the. whole 'Wisdom, on the 17th.of March. in milky miry ti a pre-concerted plan, but the accident al ready related caused the explosion at Pernambuco en the 7th. In orJer, however, not to accelerate or hurry the event, the new Government laid an em bargo on all vessels to continue to the 17th. The Rowena, which brought the accounts to Ad miral Hmtvc7, did not escape, but sailedott the 13th March with a regular licence obtained from the Pro visiona& Government, as vita vessel was bound to a foreign putt, and gave securities lie would not mud: at any part of the . Brazil coast. We may therefore conclude that the accounts of the kevAution having actually broke out at Bahia, &c. on the 13th March, owing to the great diratices, cannot be correct; yet there is little doubt but it would burst turth on the 17th in every part of the Brazils. FR.011.4 THE BUENOS AYRES EXTRAORDINARY GAZE!' l'E OF MARCH 11. COPY (it A DIsPAICII FlteX GI:NI G tAL sAN MARTIN, COM /.IANDINo THE ISLENos AV REs ARMY IN CHILI, To THE :Et:PRENIE DIRECTOR uY THE UNITED 1.11-VINCEs I.lr SOUTH AMERICA, AND DATED HEAD QUARTERS, SAN TIAGO, s w. 1817. MOST EXC&U.ENT The series of successful events, which have con stantly succeeded each other, since we opened the campaign, have not allowed me to give to your Ex. cellency a circumstantial sidtail of the principal oc.. iimences up to the present date. In the general dispatch forwarded by my Staff on 20th ult. vie order in which the troops were march. ing is detailed, as tech as the steps taken to facilitate our enterprise. The army assembled on the 28thl ult. and arrived in good order at the Springs situ lied on the Patos road, from which point I made my preparations to direct and combine my movements, in such a manner as to insure to me the possession of the tour Cordilleras, and re.nove all obstacles the enemy might oppose to us in the defiles there which we had to pass. Two divisions were formed ; the first, which was to march in the rear, I confided to Brigadier• General Soler, and it was composed of Ist battalion of chasten's, the companies of grena diers and chasseurs belonging to 7th and Sul segi ments, my own esccrt, squadrons three and tour of the mounted grenadiers, and five pieces at artillery. The second was formed out of 7th and Bth batta lions, and two field-pieces. under Major• General O'Higgins, and Colonel Zapiol., with squadrons No. I and e. The Commander of arti.lery with his men and artisans followed immediately afterwards, and at the same time ordered Major Arens, of the engineers, to advance on our left with 200 men, and penetrate through the wood of Valkhermoso, and then fall on Cientgo. where an ent•my's guard was posted. and thence ascending the heirits and leaving the Cordilleras of Pluquenes in his rear, advance on Achupallas, in order to take this point and join the army near Putaendo. On the sth I received advice, from the General commanding the vanguard, that the above Officer had reached Achupallas on the 4th, and that the Spanish Commander of St. Philip's, with one hun. dred men and some militia, had come out to attack him, .but was defeated by the brave Lieutenant La valle. The next morning the Spaniards abandoned all Putaendo and St. Phillip's, leaving baggage, &c. behind them. • General Soler advanced rapidly, and on the 6th the whole of the vanguard was assembled in Pa taendo. He then posted Adjutant Necochea, with eighty men, on the heights, and ordered Comman dant Melian to take possession of the small town of San Antonio. On the next day he, formed his ,camp, and established his head-quarters at San An dres del Tartar°. On the 6th, in the evening, the enemy received considerable reinforcements, and on that night crossed the river Anconcagua, and at day-break presented himself in front of Necochea with 400 horse, 300 in fantry, and two field-pieces. Our brave Officer was not alarmed, but ordered his advance to fall into line. Tiu he saw the enemy close to him he did not fire a shat, but then, sword in hand, he rushed on the Spaniards, defeated them, killed 30, and took four prisoners. He pursued them to the heights of Colmas, where they were protected by their infantry. On the same morning, before nine o'clock, they pre cipitately abandoned their position, the town of St. Phillip, and recrossed the river. In the meantime Colonel Las Hera:, who with his battalion, No. 11, thirty mounted grenadiers, and two field-pieces, was to attack Santa Rosa by the Uspallata road, met with equal success. On the 4tb, second in command, Major Martinez, attacked the guard of the Andes, composed of 106 men, and, after an hour and a half hard fighting, took the post by the bayonet, and forty.seven pri soners, their arms, tcc. According to my orders, this division was to enter Santa Rosa on the Bth, and establish its communica tions with the vanguard of the army, which, on the same day, was to fall on St. Philip, and this was *pc. On the 9th, the enemy abandoned Ms posi. liens in Aconcagua and Curimon, leaving behjnd some arms, stores, ace. and again formed pear Chlts cabuco. In consequence of this, j resolved to ;lurch OPOP hii4, as wef as - the capitol, with all ppssible rapidity, and attack hini'wherever I could ; bud him, notWitbatanding our heavy !Allay bad not come up. On the - morning of she Eith I' re-established the bridge over the AconcatuOlitfilftrdet:edcomo tat e.ant tlclian to march towattlathFhcights of Chae4-1 'A buco to observe the enemy. Tl•e army then foilow ed, and encamped at the mouth of the defile, toge ther with Colonel Haas' division, which had received orders to concentrate at this point. From this moment the intentions of the etierny became more clear. The position he took cn the heights, and the resolution with which he appeared I diseosed to defend them, made it evident he was de termined to maintain his ground. Our advances placed themselves within musket-shot of the enemy, and during the whole of the 10th and 11th,. Made the necessary reconnoissances. A small sketch. of the position of tile Spaniards was made out, ani in conformity to it, I made all my arrangements to attack them in the morning of the following day (12th). 1 enclose to your Excellency a topographical plan of the ground, in which ale seen the great obstacles overcome by our army, and the advantages of the enemy's position. I gave the command of the right to General Soler, who, with the first division of chasseurs, the companies of grenadiers and sharp , shooters ot the 7th and Bth regiments, commanded by Colonel Martinez, seven field pieces, my own es curt, and 4th squadron of mounted grenadiers, was 'to attack the enemy in dank, and turn his position, whilst General O'Higgins, to whom I confided the legit, WAS to attack them in front with the battalions 'Na. 7 and 8, squadrons 1,2, 3, and two field pieces. The result of our first movement was the abandon ment by the enemy of his position on the heights, for the rapidity of our march did not give him time to collect the forces he had in Chacabuco, in order to dispute the ascent. Atter this first success, it was necessary to make fresh arrangements—the enemy's in'antry, in its re treat, had to cross a plain of more than four leagues in extent, and althoteth it was su , teined by a strong column of cavalry, experience had told us that a good squadron of our ours horse grenadiers was snflicient to defeat and cut them up. Oer position then had become the most advantageous. General O'Higgins was able to continue his attack in front, whilst Ge. iseral Soler was in a situation to outflank the Spani ards, if it appeared they wished to keep their ground before they entered on the plains. I therefore in stantly ordered Cclattel Z ipiola, with the squadrons 1,2, and 3. to march forwards in order to charge them, or at least to take up their attention till the battalions 7 and 8, came forward, and the enemy was then compelled to take up the position alescribed , in the plan. General Soler continued his movement on the tient, with great success and good combina- 1 riots, ascending up a craggy and almost impractica ble height, without being perceived by the enemy, till they saw him commanding their own position, and threatening their dank. The opposition we here met with was vigorous and tenacious. A most !terrible fire was commenced on bout sides, and they disputed the victory with us for mare than an hour with the greatest obstinacy. True it is that on this point there were more than 1.500 of their chosen infantry, the flower of their army, and they were besides supported by a respectable body of cavalry. Nevertheless, the decisive moment was near at'hand.. The brave .General O'Higgins collected the 7th and Bth battalions, formed two close columns of attack, and at the head of the first charged the enemy's left with,the bayonet. Colonel Zapiola at the head of squadrons 1,2, and 3, broke their right—all, in short, appeared like an instantaneous shock. General Soler at the same time rushed up the heights on which their position rested, and to defend which the enemy detached 200 men. Com e Alvarado, however, arrived with Isis chasseur', detached two companies under the command ot Cap tain Salvadores, who attacked the heights, defeated the Spaniards, and destroyed them with the bayonet. Lieutenant Zaria, of the chasseurs, greatly distin guished himself. In the mean time the intrepid squadrons of horse commanded by their Officers, charged in the most determined manner. - The whole of the enemy's in tadtry was routed and destroyed, the carnage was terrible, but the victory was complete and decisive. so deceiving of the regard old Lir fellow ciuze the consitierAtion of your Excellency. Wit!bout the aid I have received from G , Soler and O'Higgins, dit expedi:iun would n, met with su:li t!ecisiv.! results —I 4Thl greatest obligations to ditto, as N, II as to !I,e composing my Staff, of whom Colonel Il• ri compaticd me in the action, and communize., orders. I•am also greatly 14 ti,fird with the eei Colonrl.QJinuna, and my Aides-de•Cunp, Alva , ruz. Arcos, Ewalath, and O'Brien. The want of time prevents me from Ting to. your Excellency the Offictrs who most es.! t'nguished themselves, but I will du it as soon Al eel-, respective Commanders furnish me with the de•Piti have requested, in order that their names miy pot be forgotten. Finally, Commandant Cabot, on Coquimbo, Rr. driguez on San Fernando, and Lieutenantenlo nel Freyre on 'Yalta, have had equal success. in a word, the echo of patriotism resounds from ail parts at one and the same time, and the Army of tf.e Andes will sways have the glory of saying _in twenty-four days we finished the campaign, we passed the m..t elevated chain of mountains in the globe—we made an end of tyrants, and we hive given freeJom Chili.—God preserve your Excellency, Su. (Signed) Josc nn SAN MALI 11. PRIVATE LETTERS. " BUENOS AYRES, MARCH 10. " About ten days since we received inior.natiril of San Martin having passed the Cordillera, and feated Marco in an engagement given about Viirteei leagues from the capital ; and subsequent ne.• s arrived that the President was a prisoner, and Ccn. ception and the rest of the country in the powessinel of the Patriots ; and of this b e i ng t h e t act there seemi uo room to tf. , tiht. T!tis success has revivei drooping spirits of the petty, and the conriu,s- Peru is already on toe Lapis. The Royal fillets uf stated to he very weak in the latier province, as wel as they were in Chili, where Marco is stated to !lasi I met San Martin with no more than IEOO tie ani are'` though all were collected except some inconsidera4 1 1 detachments. The Portuguese seem to have to; quiet pnrscssion of the Banda Oriental, East of ill Uruguay ; And even to be in force in vario.is i the Entre Rios, where Artigas has been tre.,•Sie ti collect any force capable of resisting th.:ir detach ments. The Chiefs pursue a plan of conciliation, at endeavour to recommend the Portuguese dom;natic to the inhabitants as much as possible. They hay reduced the duties on European &Ads one halt, au! permit the introduction of Brazilian produce, on bond being given to satisfy the duties, should the Coin think proper to impose any. Their language is bight friendly to the English, and encouraging to foreigner in general. They disavow all participation with thit Spanish Court, and ackn ...ledge the purpose of` making it a permanent pos essir,n." te BUENOS.ATRZS, %ROI 15. a The conquest of Chili is a u oat important trer.t in the revolution of this country, and ensures our dependence. It opens to our trade a rich and art.:: country, places at the disposal of Government millions of dollars (the amount o; Royal t:ea3tne captured, and contributions exacted irom the Re; - lists by General San Martin.) Having now pl;n::: of arms, they can attempt the invasion tai Lima ; twelve thousand Chileitois are now training for AZ purpose, and a number of French officers, lately :1. rived horn the United States of ittneric I, hoe can.- mi>sicus in this new army, which will thiuhtlrts !:e sufficient fiir the objtict intended. In the me.io tints . the RoYail troops, now near Salta, anJ which laic:, threatened to force their way to Cordova, noir fall back to Cruro or La Pea, and leave open to ii merchants of Buenos Ayres die valuable trade of tosi, and to the Government its rich minas, mint &c." " BUEXf3!J YR FS, :..1.1::C11 " The market is rising, every kird tit s:aull goads in cottons is in demand ; consi,lerabi'e purchases Raving been mak fur Chili, and great times being entertained that the road to Potosi and upwards will be :again open. It :s said that a ditpatch of the Vic , - toy cf . Peru has been found in Chili, stating tiim llr has only 300 European troops in the capital, and it is presumed that the Royal forces in Upvr must fall back on Lima. Our posterior efforts were only directed in pursuit of our enemies, who, horridly dispersed, were running ' away in all quarters. Cons. Necochea who, with the 4th squadron and my escort, fell on their right, as described by the inclosed plan, made a dreadful carnage among them. Our cavalry that afternoon reached as far as the pass of the Colina. The whole of the enemy's infantry perished. Six hundred prisoners, 32 Officers, among them several of rank, and an equal or larger number of killed, their artillery, a complete park, considerable maga zines, together with the colours of the Chace regi ment, were the fruits of this gloriou: day. The consequences have, however, been more im• portant. The Spanish President Mario, in midst of the terror and confusion produced by t hi s d e f eat, on the same nig.st of thwllth, abandoned the Capital, and with the miserable remnant of his troops, made the best of his way towards Valparaiso. He left the whole of his artillery on. the declivity of .Praicto ; tie lwas aftaitilof lot arriving in time to get :Wiping ; " RUMS-AVM, MARV, ift 'be ran along the coast towards San Antonio, where. • . 44 Arrive 4 on ay 9th the American ship W' r. he was taken, with the greater part of his followers. ringtni, Smitli , from Bounteous ; and not Seib , : by a party of our mounted grenadiers, commanded so good a market as the late occurrences here oug): by the d a ring Captain Aldado and the patriot Rani- I tli give her, she will proceed all round the coast t , rez—to-morrow he il expected in this capital. All f Chili, to Coqu tuba, V.lpataiso, &c. to try ttC.t ihemt pyosperotts.events art; due to the discipiiiie and markets, as nearly the whole of that country is l constancy evinced by the Chief*, istEcess and troy open to a grand trade, Which will soon shew 1iana, 1,4.1 Don Miguel Carteret (one of the Chiefs el t!:e former revolution in Chiii) some time since imiveA in this river from the United States, with a s!rt armed vessel, and has been folio rd by two fiche:, which he had fitted out to act under the d.ig of the Government, against Cie Royalists in Chili. This Government having, however, espousi.,l the party O'Higgins (who has been named Presi.leat of Chili), did not approve the interference of Carrera in that quarter, and accordin; , ly have detained him here. pr. gaging at the same time the vessels he had been tv: means of bringing here in their unite. We have, therefore, again a naval force : but whether design.A to act in this river, or the uglier side, or in some ei:* fitenisitt#ter A I hate nit been able to learn." be i for :1: 1 4 4 let 11,4 ve .!er il.q rthi Ar 4 r 7.1 eenctiC 21.11.- ••