The National Register. — London, England, 1808-12-04 00:00:00

DEC. 4. nods to approximate the only road by which 1 could receive the ' vluisktesuppliese-,1, on the 3d,: resolved to rely my division, including that of the North, which. is just arrived near the vii lage of Whve. In efrect, they wire nil united- e*tiopt the ‘.141 division of :Ind a pert of the troops of Aifitria, form ing a carpi under the•edromrt u thd of his Eteellency Don Vicente Acevedo, which was attacked on the 3d by the' enemy with su perior forces, between Llantrna toad Meting-are; ; and though they, were vigorously opposed, took a position between the said corps of Senor Acevedo and the army (in hopes of their receiv ing reinforcements neeordiur to information• and nppenranci), t ►► prevent the junction of that divkion with my army. This . information t obtained early on the 'miming of the 911►, which placed me under the necessity of making au attack on the enemy to frustrate his design, and therefore direcied the 3d division under the command of Brig.-General Don Franciwo Itiquelme, united to one of the Asturias, commanded' by the Camp Mar shal Don. Gregorio Quiros, to meet tl►e enemy, %vim were inter cepting the pass to the corns of Acevedo, an.l to attack him ; the fourth division and the van-guard I ordered to march to V al moseda, for the purpose of fighting sueh detached forces as they should meet; whilst the first and the reserve were to remain with me at Cordejueln, to cut off the communication between the various French divisions ; and. ti nail y, t hat of the north', aud a general reserve were to remain stationed in the Heron. "At the very tnoment.my troops began their march, I re ceived advice, that the corps under Senor Acevedo had succeeded in changing its position, taking one tolerable eligible between Cordejuela. Valmaseda, and Orvantia, though much overawed by a numerous host occupied in observing his motions. This change of position on the part oe Senor Acevedo induced me to make somealteration in my own ;. and in etVect, the troops under Cie Commanders Quiros and ltiquel!ne received orders to atiack that part of the enemy which appeared, and' was by peasants reported to be at Arciniego, whilst the main body mu,' have been at Orrantia, where I proposed to dislodge them w ith the first division, the van-guard, and the reserve whilst the fourth, which provisionallyis under the command of Brig.-Owlet-MO/on Estevan llorlier, the Marquii del Poriazgo being indisposed, was to follow its original destination to Valmasda, with in• structions, however, not to risk an attack, if they should be over-marched by force. • " I knnw not what motive to attribute to the resolution which the French took of removing their corps from Acevedo ; hut eertainly in Orrantia and Areiniego we found only advice, that the French had effected their retreat from that place daring the night, by which means the several divisions which it was our intention to liberate, were safely re-united with us : the fourth has heel) still more fortunate than the rest : for, arriving near alma.eda, where the enemy was 7000 men strong, under the command of the General of Division, V illat, they attacked him u ith great vigour, dislodged him from the place, and pursut d him to the distance of aleague, where he stopped, the night having came on. Their flight was made in the greatest disorder, and they sustained a considerable loss in killed and wounded ; we also took forty prisoners from them, among whom an officer. They also left in our pmsession a four pounder, t►co waggons with ammu nition in a state of service ; five cars with provision and equi page belonging to their General Officers, together with the pa pers helonrin7 to them, and a vast quantity of other 'Phis brilliant action Wail chledy due to the celerity and ardent displayed by some Asturian corps. and by the second divi sion of Gallicia, who poured down on Valmaseda the moment they sa %V the OA into which the fourth division had fallen, by which means they have acquired an indisputable claim to time public esteem of their countrymen, w Welt, however, is no less due mall our inimitable warriors, who have ever since the 23 d , endured with fortitude, privations of every description, end the inten►peratare of severe weather without great coats, in great part without clothes, and absolutely barefoot, and what is more, without having a morsel to/eat for whole days, lending their services with ardour to extreme fatigue, and all along without one murmur or complaint or disgust.—Ali I can per ceive in them is an unabated desire of washing the enemy's goat is his blood at the hazard of their own lives. " i recommend then► all to the consideration of your Eaciel- Fury, for the information of his Majesty.--Which may God preser%c 3uur Lacellencv. (Signod) Jo gqllll.ll BLAir ralineiveria the 71h Nov. MOS. lie his Erertlenry the Serretaey of the IVar department. 111.• • THE NATIOW;REf;ISTER:- 7/1.1 -- " Musr EACALLEA r Silt, . , " Without haying any positive advice of the strength and si tuation of the enemy, and being under the indispensible neces sity of procuring it, for the direction of my own operations, I yesterday marched with the first and second division forw iril to Guenes, and gave orders to the vanguard to advance over Gar dejaela, towards Sodnl u The corps which I Ird on soon fell is with a division of four Prelich regiments, 8000 strong, and a fire was opened on both sides, which lasted the whole day,, without any advataaft resulting from it to eitlwr side. At dti,:k the enemy fell somewhat back, Hod we suspended the movements' from the right to the left, by w oich we had been preparing t . fresh attack in a new direction. " We should have begun it this morning, with strong hopes of a-successful issue; if the excessive rigour of the preceding night und the endurance of hunger and incredible fatigue °fere .troops, had nut obliged me in afford them ,-.nine relief; in eon sequence of which I moved 'ltem to the present general quarters, la short time befortday bmik. , ! " The enemy's strength see have learned from the declarations 'of softie prisoners, as ;dip' that the action had been directed by, Nlarshat IGefcavre. 1 know theft the van-guard was'attackedby 5000 men; and that after having with their usturl gallantry, re .ceived them, the iii.tht pot au end 'tithe actibit: " All this I conimunicate to 'you for the information of his. Majesty, begging that suit will recommendthe pillantrY, tirm lICS, patience, under fatigue, privations and singular .tltliiisiasitt . manifested for the good of the country by the tieherals. Chiefs, :Officers, and troops. . " f must not omit, thnt among the wounded is Capt., Birch, in the service of his Britannic Ilijesty..an Officer of egallatk ill. and zeal, who would tea quit the field until he was obliged to, follow the troops. The I.ieirteurnac oinuel t7.4trrol, who has 'been in our army these three at mthit, was aim determined to as. .silt in all our actions, in which he sigualiAeJ his intrepidity by example.- May God. preserve your I:. xrellinicy—Quarters-Lie-, neral of Valinaseda, the St It of November, ISO. (Qlpted) JUAQViAr BLJA:C. To his Excellency the Secretar.o of the War Department. -..••■M01NN.... Contras', Nov. 'A.— Its letters received in the coltr , e of yesterday, we learn, that with cointnetulphlr avt;‘, it V ilia{ '141: drets., the Lieutenant-Colonel Don Enrique Caltbecii 1 1 . 1' wrved the artillery of the army of rEstremadura ; and in like manner that the Lieutenant-Colonel Don Miguel Vatted''r hat conducted to Leon the artillery and ammunition from Ittmo.a, Considering the activity and address necessary to these partici'. far service., we cannot but highly praise these worthy Officers, and in general all those of the rots al corps of artiilery, who conduct themselves so gallantly. without 'aconite , by this eoto glum to deprive the other officers and soldier* of l thwarmy ut the praise so justly due . to than. • The retreat of our army to (.eon has deranged aU the plans of the enemy, mho, the moment they shall know of our junction with . the English sooty, ;Md the• reinforcements we shall send with the utmost dispatch, must • oh:kudon all the country he oc, copies, unless he would be cot alt; and obli4;ml to storeert..r. This point of re-onion was the only one we ought to have chosen in case the enemy penetrate by , Burgos, as we hose not cavalry to enable us to engate in the plkists.) Hut at hen the two armies have joined, we shall have cavalry, and that very re4pectalOe4 The orgaoixatina :mil re-tiniest will he eireeted w ithout loss of tittle ► and clearing the plains We 'will march imouttliitely to dis. lodge them front all 111 Country they occupy; from that to &mon. Let us then have courage anti consta nes , ,make every exertion that the reinforcements may nut be delayed an inAant. Clouts no Dicey, Nor. •i 6: • ARAN fore, Nov. 17.—A Spanish Cabinet Courier has just arrived here ss ith the important news that D: Francivco Pat:: fox, having learned that Castanos had prevented the army and r his command from molesting the enemy, while they mit htirew their troops to engage Blake, Which they accordingly elfeete,l with success, has taken the command of the trout's from Carta , nos. and passing . the Liao at three points, has forced the ettentv's line, compelling then' to several actions, that were' disputed ' with much bloodshed, but in which the enemy were routed. The army of the centre will now form a junction with that of Blake, by which means the enemy's disi , iots that advanced to Burgos most he entirely tut oft, -besides a considerable number "4o bad nut rear hed that 017 . It appears that the sun of Cas I i• of ed ea%- host e to lirsc tary eral, We nd only rent ge- gion tur., '(illy mitt' ilties nally , r 1 the s of Ge pretue F THE re d Ilk. ar De it r tun- ver,