The National Register. — London, England, 1811-04-07 00:00:00

1 1 I 4 711 E. N ATIONAL REGISTER. more likely to lead to a speedy conclusion of the murderous war waged in its wasted fields, than any which has been received since the beginning of the contest. Certain politicians will, no doubt, ,complain. that the liberation of P•lrtugal had not been attended with the annihilation of the whole of the enemy's army, and once more tell us that this is only a change of position on the part of the French, from which we can derive no glory.", To them we shall only answer, that no victory, however brilliant, gained by our army in the Peninsula can be put into competion with an event like the present, which iA to be attributed solely t the superior skill and unyielding firmness of our Commander, and crowns him with brighter laurels than a gory triumph would have done, which could not have more effectually decided the fate of the war, and would have caused our exultation to be mixed with tears shed on the graves of the heroic warriors who must then have fallen on our side. OFFICIAL BULLETINS. Downing-street, April 6. Captain CA MA c has arrived with dispatches from Lord zl.• LI No - rox, dated Villa Sica, 14th, and Luta°, 18th ult.by which it appears that the enemy retired from their position at Santa rem. and its neighbourhood on the night of the sth, and di rected their march towards the Mondego, leaving one corps on the road of Espinel. Gen. Lois ON'S division on the road of Ancias, and the remainder towards Potrthal. On the 9th, the enemy collected in front of Pornbal. where they were attacked with great gallantry by several detachments of cavalry and the light brigade of infantry under Gen. PACK, and retired in the night. On the 12th, they took up a strong position at the end of a defile betweeu Redin;.a and Pombal. They were attacked in their position on the 12th, by the light infantry brigade and the cavalry ; the other troops being in reserve. The troops formed with great accuracy and celerity. Major-General Sir BREN r SPERCER led the line against the enemy's position on the heights, from which they were immediately driven, with the loss of many killed, wounded, and prisoners. The enemy then retired to the position of Condexa, and. the division under Major-General PICTON immediately passed through the mountains on the enemy's left, aril caused them to remove from the strong position of Condexa. Lord WE Li.) N G TO X was immediately enabled to communicate with Coimbra, and made prisoners a detachment of the enemy's cavalry on the road. The enemy took up a position at Call Nova on the 14th, and the 4th division, under Major-General Cott, having turned their position on the lett, and the light division, under Brigadier- General PACK and Sir WM. ERSKINE, having turned it on the right, the enemy were obliged to abandon all the positions which they successively took up in the mountains, and their rear-guard was driven back on Miranda de Corvo, on the river Eca, with loss of killed, wounded, and prisoners. On the evening of the 14th, the strong position of Miranda de Corvo was turned by a British-corps under Major-General . COLE. The enemy, upon abandoningit, destroyed a great num ber of carriages, burned and destroyed mnch ammunition, and the road throughout the march from Miranda, was strewed with carcases 4 men and animals. The enemy, on the 15th, took up a strong position, which they were yesterday forced to abandon with considerable loss. The colonel of the 39th :*g ment was here made prisoner, In the night the enemy destroyed the bridge over the Ceira, and retreated to another position between that and the Alva. Lord Wax.LINGTON speaks in the highest terms of the gallan try and good conduct, witaout exception, of all the troops, Thi tish and Portuguese. The whole loss in these different actions amounts to three Officers and about fifty men killed—one Majer, eight Captains, thirteen subalterns, and about 380 awn wounded. It appears that Lord Wcz.t.twaron had received accounts that 13adajos had surrendered to the French on the llth, the garrison prisoners of war. SECOND BULLETIN. Dispatches have been received at the Office of Marquis Wrt.- LESLEY from Mr. STUART, his Majesty's Minister at Lisb o a. dated the '2.3d of M.rch ; they state the army of Gen. MASS N A continued to retreat towards the frontier, and that every march was facilitated by the abandonmcat of wounded, the &strut.— tion of baggage, and whatever could encumber theirmovement. The enemy attempted during the 18th and 19th to make istard in the Sierra de Moita, but they were driven from that position with the loss of 600 prisoners on the 19th. On the 21st the? reached Galiza. The British head-quarters were at Po:ubeiro on the 18th, and at Argazil on the 20th. The cavalry and light •roops continued in sight of the French rear-guard, and the movement of the Allied Army :along the skirts of the Estrella. which flank the positions in the valley of the Mondego, pro mised nee impediments to their retreat. , Badajoa and Campo Major had fallen into the bawls of the enemy. Marshal Souz.T had stib , equently moved la the ditto tion of Seville with part of his forces. Gen. BERESTORD reached Portalegre on the 2.0t/a. The folloiving is extracted from a pr ii 14 ter . war LISSON, Mitten S3.—Our army still pursues the enemy, *ho continue to retreat It is supposed that they wills mike their stand at Altneida. Their rear consisted of 30,600 men, all that could fight in their army. Marshal BERESPORD'S army, con sisting of 24,000 men, is on its March to relieve Campo Major. Portugal may now be considered as perfectly secure. The re gular post to Oporto is again opened. BUONAPARTE's ANSWER TO THE DEPUTIES OP THE MANSE TOWNS. It is difficult for a Briton, whose native character - is freedom, to conceive how men can he so debased as not only to bear patiently the chains imposed on their ancient liberty, but to receke slavery as a boon, and thank the tyrant by whom they are yoked. That a people long accustomed to groan under the weight of an arbitrary Monarch's will, should feel little repugnance at changing its master, and wel coming a new one, would create no astonishment. But that cities which, almost since the time they were erected, have, amidst the storms that have rent the continent, preserved their constitutions and independence, should pretend to see them torn away from them without a pang, nay, with ex ultation, would- never be credited, had we not convincing proofs of their degradation and servility in the late address of their deputies to NAPOLEON. They even make a boast of the s'acri. flee of their independence, and seem desirous that it should appear a voluntary offering at the shrine of him " whose destinies had determined that the :~ , ,;