Star. — London, England, 1808-12-09 00:00:00

• SPANISH PAPERS. ' • 1 OVIEDO, NOVE.MECR 21. The following dispatch has been received from his Excellency Don Vincente Maria Acevedo, dated; the 10th instant, from the head - qu arters at Espinosa :11 44 Most Serene Seignors—On the 7th instant I: _communicated to ypur Highnesses a detail of all the _proceedings of the Asturiau troops, from the 31st of October, the date - of my preceding dispatch.* 44 On the 7th, the General in Chief sent orders from the left, that the 4th division, posted on the heights of . Balmaseda, should proceed to Sopnerta, and that they, should be replaced by four Asturian regiments. For this service- I selected those , of Castropol, Ltrarea, , Candas, and Grado, as being the least fatigued. Four' regiments not.appearing to me to be sufficient, I at the same time added the Provincials of Oviedo, and! directed their Commandant, Don Francisco Man. glano, to take the command ad ixterha of the whole of the position. The General in Chief had proceeded; two hours before, with several divisions, to dislodge the enemy from a position about a league and a half distant from•Balmaseda, an object in which, notwith standing the brisk fire which he kept up, he did not succeed, owing to the approach of night. 44 At ten o'clock the following morning, I went up to the height occupied by the Asturian regiments, accompanied by Lieutenant-General Don Nicolas de Llano Ponte, and Field-Marshal Don CayetanoVal des. Being at the post of Milicias, we reconnoitred a body of the enemy, which we computed at from 3000 to 4000 men, and on passing along to the post of Castropol we discovered another at from 1500 to 2000. I immediately sent informati •► of this to the Generalin Chief, and as soon as I observed the enemy is motion to approach the mountain where we "v, ere stationed, Field-Marshal. Don Cayetano Valdes went to Balmaseda to request a reinforcement from the Central in Chief, who personally ascended the moun tain at the instant when the enemy had commenced the attack on the right and the left. The General in Chief reinforced the post with 'the Hiberno-Astu rians, and the volunteers and sharp-shooters of Gal licia, and ordered me to follow him, leaving any two Generals I chose in the mountain, erith directions to` make an orderly retreat, as the position did not appear to him tenable. ‘, As the two whom I was to appoint to this ser vice were to be Generals, and as they had to cossei mond so considerable a force, as that above stated, between Gallicians and Asturians, I had no choice to make, and I accordingly appointed Lieutenant-G& neral Don Nicholas de Llano Ponce and Field-Mar. shal Don Ignacio Vaaquez Somoza. The regiments el, Villaviciosa, Cartgascle-Tirneo„.Siero, Solos, and Lena, evacuated Balmaseda by , order of the General in Chief, and also thewbole of the rest of the army of the left, with theeseeption of the fourth division, who bad been ordered. to fall back upon thecoast. • On my leaving Balmaseda, with 'Field-Marshals Don Cayetano Valdes and Don Gregorio Bernaldo de Quiros, accompanying the General in Chief and his Staff, Ponte had already commenced his retreat in the best order, as he had been instructed. •• From the various accounts that have reached me, it is ascertained our loss has been very inconsi derable." The following dispatch, dated the 12th, has been received from the s•tme Officer • A few moments after writing my last dispatch from Espinosa, on the 10th inst. the advanced guard sent word that the enemy were appearing in consider able numbers. Without losing an instant, I mounted my horse, and the General-in-Chief being with me, we discovered that the enemy were directing their principal attack from a village, called Quintana, upon the right and left of Espinosa.Th e Ge nen-Chie ordered the troops, composing sion of the North, to occupy a wpod on tfie right of the head quarters, and the A sturians, with the first division of Gallicia, a height situated to the left. The enemy immediately attacked the division of the North, about two o'clocic, and after a long and obstinate conflict, the latter found themselves compelled to quit the wood. Perceiving that the right of the army was on the point, of being defeated, I resolved to attack the enemy's right with my left. In consequence of the timely movement thus made by our left, with great gallantry, the situation of the troops of the North was improved, and they recovered part of the ground they bad lost. The want of day-light put an end to the engagement, which remained undecided. 41 During the night of the 10th we prepared for the tatack that we expected the following morning, in which service the Field-Marshal Don Cayetano - Valdes, Don Gregorio Bernaldo de Quiros, and Don Josef Peci greatly exeqed themselves. At day-break we discovered the enemy formed in order of battle, and ready to direct their principal attack against our left ; but rema rkin g that the enemy continued statio nary, I moved towards them with the whole of my lice, consisting of the regiments of Solas and Lena, part of that of Villaviciosa, and the whole of the first division of Gallicia. The instant we began to march against the enemy, they put in motion the whole of their front line to attackus, and I therefore commanded my troops to halt in order to receive them. A very brisk fire was immediately commenced on both sides, at the distance of little more than -pistol shot. Very soon after Field-Marshal Don Cayetano Valdes was wo unded by my side, and though not dangerous l y , I ordered him to retire. In a very short time, Field- Marshal Don Gregorio Quires was killed, and Colonel Don Josef Peel received a violent contusion. I was occupied in encouraging the Asturian troops, and re garding with much satisfaction the firmness with which they maintained their position, without yield ing an inch of ground to the enemy, when I observed that my presence was more necessary at entailer point; but before I could reach it, I found myself wounded in the face, covered with blood, and deprived of sight I therefore instantly sent to the General-in-Chief to request that he would appoint another to take the command, two Generals being wounded, and a third killed, in less than a qtiarter of an hour : but before the arrival of the person appointed by the Commander in Chief, and whilst I was waiting for some one to stop the bleeding, I was inforined that the enemy had already gained the summit of the mountain, and that falling back in some disorder, and all the troops were the greater part towards Santander. • TM &patlla Whiled t 9 br the Genevg brf not cane to - 4 . 6 still unable to stne your Highness a parti cular return of the killed and wounded, the several corps not having yet sent in their lists, nor can they be easily collected for some days to come. AU thatj I am positively informed of is, that in the attack or the 10th, the Lieutenant-Colonel of Villaviciosa, Doral Pedro kivera i wan killed ; the Lieutenant of Milicias,, D. N. Peons wpun4ed , and that Brigadier Don Fr a ns; disco Mangland received a contusion. gg The regiments of Milicias and Villaviciosa parti cularly distinguished themselves. That of Lena was led on to the attack with much firmness and spirit by their Colonel, ion Juan Dringol. Those of Congas and Sicro were posted by me, on another height on our left, with the intention that they should act offen sively or defensivel - f, according to circumstances, on the morning of the 11th, against the right flank of ' the enemy, and endeavour to attack their rear ; but this plan they have probably been unable to execute. g g It appears that the General in Chief has transfer red his head-quarters to Aguilar de Campo, whither I shall also proceed in the course of a few hours, with Field-Marshal Don Cayetano Valdes, and all the rest of the wounded in this place, among whom is Count de S. Roman, who is very severely wounded. 64 Should I in the mean time recover my sight, I shall endeavour to collect the troops at that point ; but if I continue disabled, I shall resign the command to Lieutenant-General Don Nicholas de Liano Ponta, if your Highnesses shall not, in- the meantime, make. any other arrangement." • AItANJUEZ, NOV. 20. The Supreme Government Junta of the Kingdom his received the following dispatch, from his Excel lency Seignor Don Francisco Palafox y Melci : I have just received advice* from Generals O'Neille and St Marcque, that they occupied iNparosso yesterdar (the 14th) at ten in the morning, the enemy having precipitately evacuated it at seven, and retreated to Peralta. No details have been trans mitted, and consequently I am unacquainted with the state of their force. lam just setting off so put the wh4le in motion, that we may follow up our advantages. May GOD preserve your Highnesses many years. (Signed) gg TRAM-VICO rALAIPO; T MELCI. . " Caiahorra, November 13, - - r 6 By dispatches of the 10th and 12th inst, received by post, the Captain General of Catalonia, D. Jim: Miguel de Vives, informs us, that having resolved to attack the enemy, in order to make the blockade of , Barcelona more complete, by dislodging them from m the positions they occupied in the environs, he formed his troops, on the Bth inst. into five columns; the first under the command of Field Marshal D. Gregorio de Laguna ; the second under D. Gasper Gomes de la Serna, Colonel of the Grenada regiment of infan try ; the third under D. Carlos Montero, Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment of'Soria ; the fourth under D. Brune Barrera, Colonel of the 2d of Savor ; this and the third column being undc- the superior or ders of Field Marshal Count de Caldegues ; and the fifth under I). Carlos de Vitte, second in command to D. Luis Wimpffen, Colonel of the Swiss regiment of the same name. The Captain General, with the Major General, Quarter Master General, the Com. mander of the Artillery and his Aids-de-Camp, posted himself at St. Boi, to observe the progress of the attack, and give orders accordingly. The attack being commenced, the third and fourth columns dis lodged the enemy from the cottp,zes of Rosas and Pu billa de Gasas, pursued them beyond the village of Sans, and advanced to within 1500 yards of the for tress of Barcelona, which fired upon our troops. The second column proceeded, almost without meeting any resistance, as far as the Vice-Queen's country seat, the enemy retreating before them under the walls of the fortress. The first column dislodged the enemy from the villages of St. Adrian, St. Andres, and Horta, taking a position between the two latter ; and the fifth drove them out of Cornelia and Hospitalet. The attack was suspend in consequence of a heavy fall of rain, and the first column retreated from Hos pitalet, the third. and fourth returned to their former positions, the second took post at S. Cugat, and the first remained in the villages of Horta and S. Andres. Our loss consisted of one officer, one corporal, five soldiers, and five horses killed ; one officer, one ser jeant,- two corporals, two drummers, 86 soldiers, and four horses wounded, and twelve soldiers and three horses missing or taken. ..From the accounts ok the prisoners and deserters, the enemy's loss waagreater beyond all comparison. " Field-Marshal Don Gregorio Luna, who in con sequence of this enteprize, remained with the column under his orders on the heights of St. Andres, was attacked at two o'clock on the afternoon of the 10th, by the enemy, consisting of :rom three to four thou sand infantry, and three juindreil horse. Our troops rushed upon the enemy with heroic ardour, and the provincial grenadiers and the miquelers, under the command of Don Francisco /Mans, having sustained the contest for an hour, to protect the retreat of the division and the artillery, the whole fell back without disorder in the direction of St. Cugat. The action, though short, is said to have been very obstinate, and the enemy are said to haVe lost the whole of the 7th regiment off' the line. Our loss consisted of six killed; . twenty wounded, and 75 missing. The Captain- General praises the gallantry and conduct of the troops on both occasions, and particularly that of the column of the provincial grenadiers of New Castile. He also recommends the individuals of all ranks who princi pally distinguished themselves. g 6 The King, our master, Ferdioand VII. and in his name, the Central Supreme Governing Junta of the Kingdom, have granted to each of the soldiers re commended by the Captaio-General, a scuiCheon of merit, and another of distinction ; and have ordered a present of two days pay to be made to all the troops, and that he shall propose for their approbation ade quate rewards to the officers that have principally. distinguished themselves." The Supreme Junta, on the 13th instant, issued a Royal Ordinance for the re-,admission of Swedish vessels into the ports of Spain, and the renewal of commercial intercourse between the two countries, announcing at the-:;1m::. time their intention of tak ing further steps to draw closer their relationt with the King of Sweden, who supports with so much glory the digfiity of his thione, and the rights of his snbjects." Don Francisco de Fries, Chief of a division of the army of Estremadura, entered Somosieeta at the 17th with thehattalion s of Valencia and Merida, and 60 of the Spanish chasseurs. On his retreat the Pre ceding day from Aranda 4e Duero, a Corps of the enemy showed a disposition to harrass hits' ; but an tici • .. FauN, "i 110elicage Ile B+oo4 1444,1441Nt . them ;a eight, with the . losCatinn !Weave.° fr. somas, six horses, and a gmac,sitpuuiti of Ar l : 44 X, 5 , 4 which the fugitives thrkw awa y . CORUNNA. NOx*.llo, . . . By A t rettoarry.—His E Seigirr Joaquin Blake, in a letter dated the ?4th itittat ere :t e the mo. , nastery of Eslonza, informs the Most Govan.. ment, that, pursuant to his Majesty's orders, he has resigned the command of the army to h is Excellency the Marquis de la Romans. He expresses his gmtl-: tude for the confidence that was reposed in him, and at the same time, his Agree at not being able, after so many encounters, to 'announce a victory osier an - enemy of superior force, to which they owe the dear 'bought advantages they have obtained. He exhorts to proceed in the most effectual manner in the re cruiting service, without admitting any exemptions, and also to provide attentively fOr die subsistence and cloathing of the army, and to furnish it with a roper number of waggons, and good cattle to demo dim* but that all the conductors -should go on foot.. ge then encourages allthe gentlemen to takenp aims in so just a cause, proposing for their imitation the example of the Literary Battalion, whom he pouiegyriaes for I I their gallantry and steadiness. He concludes with , more patticularly enforcing these interesting and recommending the most energetic exertions in providing every thing necessary for the army ; offer ing, at the same time, to sacrifice himself for . the cause of the kingdom, to which he professes his gratitude. Another dispatch of the same date , and from the same place, informs us, that the courier, who set off l on the 12th, with-dispalcherfor Government, contain ing accounts of the actions of the sth, 7th, Bth 10th, land 11th, had been intercepted. He transmits copies of the three List, the others having been published in the Madrid Gazette. The dispatches relate to the evacuation of Baleaseda, and the battle of Espinosa. He also sends a copy of his answer to the Govern ment's dispatch respecting the statement of his force, published in the Madrid Gazette, the original having been intercepted. . MURCIA, NQV. I. On the 28th ult. arrived at. Valencia the Cabittet Messenger Roseti, with dispatches front the Supreme • Junta. - He brought an order fiotO chi= to' fit out' a Ivessel to convey him to Trieste, whence he will lI - teed to Vienna, and thence to St. Peterasitrel• Se" sailed on the following day, . - ST. 'RIAU, NOVEMBER .9. • • • ; On the arrived a pink •iv this port, from the island of Malta, in 18 days. The Master states, that all the vessels and troops there had gone off some days before, to join the Expedition against Naples, which, was confidently stated to toilisa of about 30,000 men. He further says, that the Austrian vessels sidled to and from Trieste, under the protection of the English. PRIVATE LETTERS. FROM A musts OFFICER. • . Lugo, 2Sth ult. f 4 The 10th 'Light Dragoons entered this ,place yesterday, as trid also the 15th. The ith were fire days march• before them." FROM A BRITISH OFFICER. • Silmam*, November 44. dg Since my last I have little to communicate ; the whole army, intended for Spain, has marched from Lisbon, and most of it is arrived here. All but Lien. tenant-General Hope's division, which was to arrive at Madrid on the 19th, and immediately to move here. The Estremadura army under General Blake were certainly repulsed before Burgos, which the French have again occupied. The Spaniards last 5000 killed and 2000 taken prisoners—Abe action took place on the 10th instant. This is according to a repeat of some Spanish soldiers who have arrived , here, hiving made their escape after the battle. * 44 The French army have got an accession of 50,000 nvn, with Bonaparte himself at their bead. 44 There are about 15,000 English in this city, the men are all in- colleges and convents, and the officers ballotted on the inhabitOts, +AM in general, behave very civilly. _.` :* . , ed The 4th and the 4244. cg r jlist here, where they had beenihne aity; *bes they* ,got orders to retreat upon healing of the defeat ofl Blake. These orders were, however, afterwards! connterniandet and.theYhave remelted till the army, joined thent. . 44 We will ill proceed frorsi'liesile ta Valladolid, - which is to be the antral at Of bath tile Spanish and English armies: • S?r Thtvießairit's anny,Which is at present at Astnega, Will - alio incline Mitiids us in that point." =TRACT OF A LETTER FROM AN OFFICER IN EIR DAVID SAUtIVtARMY. FDAPED NOV. 26. .. 44 Three days ago we left Astorga, frrim whence ' we are now about six miles distant. We are in a state . of indolent suspense, ,antionsty desirous of that active employ, which we are toldi it dais to engage us.— Every man in the army is it Si - post, from whence no officer is perinitted on any account to remove him; thus circumstanced. every officer 4 compelled to the necessity of taking ;'fit his own horse, unless be can engage a Spanisla h gessant for' that service ; and in this we find extreme difficulty It has not yet been ascertained 14 us, what number of troops have been preserved by Blake and the Marquis Ro mama ; some accounts say they are. 50,002 strong others only ,12,000—until the facts be accurately as certained, we shall not attempt a junction. It was evidently the object of the French, after the defeat of Blake, to hare puibed on between tis and Corunna, and thereby to have cut off our retreat, but in this they wcte mistaken—precautions had"been previously taken to break down and destroy all the br:dges which I ' could have afforded them this faiiliti. The position I.theyhave tnleln hes, nevertheless, completely eel (Sall comnia* •t 0 With General Moore, with whom, at present. Aare Ike ARK* cif 'forming a jinctioit s . hnt irE:ittpitaia:no:feartmohateTer for his or , sa f ety i en, the eoutrary, .we are in high spirits , good health, longing for a favourable opportu n i ty measure swot& with the enemy." s' CORUNNA, NOVEMBER 0 - A - division of the French army has gone;' of the furies under Sir David Baird, who, ' - quence, has thought fit to fall back upon Lni British troops joined by font or five Gailicians, and I am sorry to say, that Many have conducted themselves iraPtoPerit, and have deserted. It is supposed that the British will soon re.embark at this port. “ The post ; from Madrid has been'stopped, we arc very apprehensive of ba4 unit f rom quarter. Sir John Moore's army IS 25,000 itron/ fallirig.back, in expectation of a visit from thi in considerable force. General Moore has about 10,090 Portuguese, in whom, however, hem place little coufideuce.” _ " CORUNNA, DECEMBER 1. "The neglect and inattention among many Pa . :. sons of influence in this provinoe has been highly . minal. One hundred thousand men might hive be et found with convenience in Gallicia alone ; but the ef. fieacioni means for such an- important purpo se h oe . „ by. 11.1 :17S1 6 4eiil ta iSleCr ri re eS gSr ; eded. :be f h Oidies, as ,55°,000 rap ase to la raised, under l it t i Ibes, Doctors, and Professors of tiokita be excised. The Nobility are glib included,'3llf each resolute Means the miciwall thimatelyheitig, ed. Some pecuniary contributions will ,Zse Itateto • µmil matters sit, and , Oasis metal can be reieived from AieriCi:"'''' .3 There P 42 raflitY.44.9Piniol4s 0ie.1147-# the P01tY..94W00R 4 "thetll ! ,, It is thinight" irmit - the gentleses! madras/14j e'S disposition liar heeo in** cliiree pm** Sal to us. The general opinicin is, that as 5002 to be had led his troops to the mpantains, and bid 4. mined . some a e dvantages over the. French, he shcilt not have admitted the latter to sally and obeli 4 s • Bea emeriti ;but Shotild coma. ws of his army, to follow firm up. to the poisit of di hjerehel.. Ile also took h&ilrl9 spies, and, contrary to the pfacticeiss was, be did not hang any one of ibak *aides tht4 ss tiatught that he kept his tins too With tstdaisitisfwhiotimeaus, the divuioas sl4 too OP*: " In - true affair is not true That a lost a great number . ; for those that are put 'p . *l have generallfausql"siimbler heels - than the puriukss i , l General 11±lisksti. who was on that occastoe fopl leaguei Swaier tiutems,''suceeeded to tbe of the army, and is now endeavouring to rtsYtti From dais Officer much is expected. Thet_itjtili he has deprived se; , eral of commissions they fid, know bow to employ ; which he has ccinfertel** jeants and others, much inferior in rank, but "' superior in merit,--, S [After touching on the Expedients which bad adopted to obtain reinforcements in Coruna, I' • and Vigo, the letter proceeds-1 " The ten thousand English infantry and seventiia hundred cavalry which disembarked here areal* at Astorga, and no doubt will unite with the arrayd Romaine. Those which are come to Salamanca, is said, have obtained an advantage over a mayl French, comrsecfcifeight thousand men, which vet endeavouring to penetrate into Portugal ; but tgl wants confirmation. " In Portugal there is much roguery; but di friend writes me, under date of the 16th ult. kit matters were likely to be placed on a better Way and that considerable reinforcements were ptepora —They write-from Madrid, that in Catalonia el on well ; and that brave province, sufficient employment to the French fest it.. Report says dint we wish we had got possession of nia, and then prodigies would neighbourhood; " No doubt the French will play of their successes, and will their victorious troops are next Palafox, whom may Gan protect and violence." ANOTHER LET.- " AdviCes are this instant Cestanos by the French, and Vir stray. He was completely induced to advance across the mation of the weakness of the Moncey, and was drawn into upon his rear, as soon as the disposed of, and the result was account is arrived .4 the day *ere the battle was fought, And the consequence is, that rstructed to begin his retreat lamas= hack on Portugal. on Gallicia. Here we .are tion. The stores are now are told that the vessels are as it is not thought edvisr ! ble %ion at this port. There is the utmost reason Hops, who is arrived and atti4a7 • our own • la' s pifits 10 rttunty to 46 1 BER . 111 : L e in 'Pet ') 114 . in coo*. 0 4 mgo. thousa ti i • ly of th ese Ind nevi, . tisiitroopi bt speed arii frora th at • . n& and is the ezens/ s itith init • - .1141. ince, no doubt, will ;••• French rascals who a • • have taken Bowl f the capital of Cask , 1 be performed in tit i ll make a pones will tell the world a to crush Caststmna utect from their 14 0 -SAME DATE. received of the - of the total dispersios ely surprised, foe be re Ebro from false he corps under M nto a trap, for Net r army of Blake had vas fatally dreadful. day or place, when , but the fact is to a Sir John Moore erns on the 26th ult. from And Sir David in the utmost embarking here, ad to be sent round to le to trust the on to apprehend dot at Madrid with OW Ong t 9 Ofair,l4 ~~ .._