The National Register. — London, England, 1811-11-03 00:00:00

THE NATIONA ._ .._._ ortifications of Astorga. We had hoped that this movement would have induced the English to move upon Salamanca, hut they remained as little affected by this event as they had been by the disaster of the Army of Murcia. About the beginning of September I learned that the seven divisions of the English Army were all united on the Coa; that they were blockading. Ciudad Rodrigo; that they were'collect ing f'ascines and gabions at Fuente Guinaldo ; that the works of the entrenched camp at Guinaldo were already far advanced; and that even the besie , ing train had arrived there from Oporto. I t,;en proposed to General Dorsenne to form a junction with him wit:. part of my army, in order to raise the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo ; to supply it with provisions for a considerable pericoi;. to take the enemy's entrenched camp, his magazines, and his park of aridleu, and in line, to give him battle, and to pursue him as far as might ttpt be inconsistent with the general plan of opera tions communicated to me by your Highness, in your last letters in cyphers—a plan which embraces all climates. I have this day the satisfaction to announce to your Highness, that every opera tion of our arms has succeeded I set out with five of my divisions, and arrived on the 22d by the pass of Banos at Tamames, where I formed a junction with the four divisions under Gen. Count Dorsenne. My admiration was excited by the excellent state of a convoy of 1 rko carriages loaded with provisions, which had been collected and organized with extraordinary activity and order. The two armies were then put in motion. We drove back all the enemy's posts, and on the 24th the whole convoy entered Ciudad Rodrigo. This city has thus been supplied with provisions for a long time. Count Dorsenne has restored to me the troops which composed the garrison which belonged to my corps of the army, and has supplied their place with troops from the Army of the North. On the 25th we put ourselves in motion; two leagues from Ciudad Rodrigo we perceived the rear- guard of the English army. Gen. Montbrun, who commanded the advanced guard charged the enemy with that rapidity and boldness which he has on so many occasions displayed, and took from them four pieces of artillery. We made ourselves masters of the position, and maintained ourselves there in spite of all the efforts of the Eng lish, who were obliged to retreat. Gen. Montbrun continued to pursue them for two hours ; his fire was so brisk that he ex hausted his caissons of ammunition. The loss of the enemy has been considerable ; be did not halt till he reached the camp of Fuente Guinaldo. Our advanced guard only was engaged ; our divisions of infantry were one march behind. If that had npt• been the case the English army would have been ruined. We had the affliction to see all his divisions falling back precipitately in every direction upon their entrenched camp. If I hail had at that moment only 15,h00 men at my disposal, the English army would have been completely taken by surprise—(psisecnfagrant &lit) and beaten in detail, and without the possibility of uniting. The division of the English General Cole was still at Pajo, whilst the light division of General Crawfurd was at-Martiago; but our infantry did not arrive except in the course of the uight, and at break of day we reconnoitred their entrenched camp, which was throughout occupied by the enemy's troops. The necessary arrangements were neele by General Dorsenne and m\ self to attack it on the morning of the 27th. The English General did not think proper to await our attack ; he abandoned his camp during the night, and retreated upon Alfayates and Sabugal. At day-break We entered Fuente-Guinaldo ; and sent off to the. fortress of Ciudad Rodrigo a vast quantity of faschies and other materials which had been collected for the siege. I caused the enemy's lines to be destroyed. His retreat was effected in three columns. General Montbrun moved in pursuit o him by the route of Casillas de Flores. Gen. Wathier, with the cavalry of the Army of the .:sok the route of Albergaria. H' came up with the rear-guard of the enemy at Aldea da Fonte and in stantly charged it. The division of Souham arriving at this time, the combat was glorious for the arms of his Majesty; and the enemy was driven back with great loss and in confusion. His rear-guard continued its retreat upon Sabugal. We have taken the baggage of 'the Prince of Orange and of General Crawfurd. The confusion of the English army was so great, that one of Lord Wellington's Aides-de-Camp, in seeking that General, came directly upon our line. We have taken 200,0 t • the enemy prisoners. The Army of Portugal has had 120 men placed hors de combat. The enemy have lust seven or eight hundred men. Assure 'its iv:ajesty that the Spanish Insurgents have manifested the greatest indignation at seeing themselves in this manner abandoned as well in the North as in the South ; and. this contrast between the conduct of the English, and the pro mises which they never cease to make, ferments a national ha tred which sooner or later must burst torth. I ought to mention with praise, Generals Montbrun and Boyer, Capt. Hubert, of the 22d chasseurs, Lieut. Memel, of the Company delite of the 15th dragoons, as well as my Aides de-Camp Jardet and Favier. It is impossible for me, on the whole, to bestow too great praise on the zeal of the Generals, Officers, and soldiers of the Army. We should have pursued ~..a......m.1 . . the enemy t o t h e lines of Lia , bon, where weink i nt i ave 1- med a juncti n with the Army of the South, which aitfi,ether, has no lorce to face but one small division, cummantiett by Ueneral Hill, if the montent designed for the catastrophe of the English had arrived.. I am, &c. . (Signed) Marshal Duke of RAGUSA.- (Gazette de France, Oct. 24.) CIUDAD RODRIGO, SEPT. O. , Report of Count Dorsenne, Commander in Chief of the Army of the North of Spain, to hil rtigone,,s, &c. MO NS ZION ILUR—From the maraca es net I was left tined ''iat the English Armrhad repassed The Tagus and wa, ap, againsf the la i n- gent A rmy o f the Coa, I determined to mirth Galicia, wick the design( rerretake Astorga, anu to drive hack in to the mountains those •ilt Organized corps. I had ap; ised the Niarslial Duke of Ragusa of Friymovement, in ord r, that if the English AVnry should march to the relief of that of Galicia, he might make arrangements for following it. But the English Army took no trOuble to support that of Galicia, which was de feated and dispersed. I retook Asturga which was repaired and provisioned. I then moved to Salamanca, and there, thanks to the care, 'cite actiVity, and the talents of the Chief Commissary, Voland; whom I cannot too strongly recommend to the favour of his Majesty, I collected nearly 1500 carriages, loaded with provisions, for Ciudad ,Rodrigo. The Duke of Ragusa having given me to undiritand, that he was advancing with a part of his army to cd.operate with me for the relief and re-victualling of Ciudad Rodrigo, I lhouglit it my duty to take advantage of the latitude which your ,Highness had given me to summon the Army of Reserve to niy assistance. I contented myself with ordering the division Sonharn.to join me, and left the three other divisions of that corps of the army in ie cantonments pointed out by his Majesty. On the 22d I funned a junction at Tamames with the Duke of Ragusa: on the 24th we entered Ciudad Rodrigo: I instantly changed the garrison; emptied the hospitals, and supplied the 'fortress with provisions for a year. The first object 0f my movement was thus happily accom pliShed • the second, the capture of the entrenclaed camp of Fuente 4uitialdci. was as speedily effected. Whilst Gen. Wathier was Marching with the cavalry of the Army of the North ti on Espeja, Gen. IVlontbrun took a direc tion to the left : he fell in with the enemy on the plain of Bodon, where he executed a brilliant affair, in which the enemy w.s completely routed. We soon after arrived at Fuente Guinaldo, whereawe perzeived, with astonishment, that the English Army was not yet assembled. If we could have foreseen that the English General was capable of such a fault, we might have cut •off a part of the English Army by partial actions. But our in fantry was not to be up till the night, - or the following thry, the 26th. 1 made my dispositiors to attack on the ii7th ; they could not be carried on with such secrecy, as that the enemy should, not beaware of them; at ten &Clock at night the English Gt . neral was in full retreat for Alfayates. On the 27th Gcn. W'r.- thier encountered at Aldea da Porite• the rear-guard of :he enemy, consisting of 15,000 infantry, 3000 cavalry, and 14 pierces of artillery. He charged the English cavalry with boldness, broke and put them•ta flight whilst Gen. Thiel:mut ael , -anctsl rapidly along the road•tavalfayates; keeping up a terrl.l.. eof artillery upon the disorder Op-enemy. Severnt eilarges of ciivalty rendered us masters of tl:'wheie plain. At half past four Souham joired Gen. Thiebaut i , with his grenadiers and volti gents: he caused the village ttf be attacked with that visor which marks his character; the enemy resistedwith obstinacy for half an hour, bait in the end' the village was carried at the pas de charge, and the enemy driven in disorder into a ravine. Soon after this portion of the Engliakatmy Itvas driven beyond the Coa:—My corps of the army lost in this affair ao men killed and 110 wounded. The toss of thernemy is considerable; the English General Cole has been-serely wounded. 17.i.ara been extremely well satisfied with the zjilt, act:, try, and intel ligence of Gen. Reinaud, Command:l4m lit"Ciudad Rodvio ; fie had disposed every thin*in 'that fortress its kucti a manner as to enable ft to make a most brilliant defienti:if that had been tie - • cessary. r I transmit to your Highness a statement of the Officers who have distinguished themselves. I beseech your Highness to tav before his Majesty the zeal and. ardour - which animate all my troops Whenever his Majesty shall be of opinion that the tin.a has arrived for definitively driving the• English from the Penin sula, he stil 'not gnid in:any of his armiesVinore zeal :old de votion. Pauli &c. • Count DORSENNL. .ARM of ARRAGON. . Head-quarters,:Alcala de Chiver, Sept. IG, • MomtioNtuti.:--1 have entered the province of Vaitt,cia. On the 14thc"rAf -Hetidkluarter6 were at Benicario: they are this day at'Alcala de Chiver. I mean to march agAiust hilurviudros 1.141WW14. 111. Luiatunitni in Luc F. 41611311 as wy avaaa ~,, 6.,...,, a , that one of Lord Wellington's Aides-de-Camp, in seeking that enable it to make a mo;t brilhant defientr:if that had been ne- General, came directly upon our line. We have taken 200,0 f • , cessary. y e... - • • • the enemy prisoners. The Army of Portugal has had 120 men I transmit to your Highness a statement of the Officers who placed hors de combat. The enemy have lust seven or eight have distinguished thetusebies. I beseech your Highness to av hundred men. Assurc Ili, iv:ajestv that the Spanish Insurgents before his Majesty the zeal and.ardoui - which animate .111 illy have manifested the greatest indignation at seeing themselves in I troops • Whenever his Majesty shall he of ()pinion that the tin..: this manner abandoned as well in the North as in the South; and- has arrived for definitively driving the• English from the Penni- this contrast between the conduct of the English, and the pro- sula, he 1411 "nos gnid in: any of his armies!etnort) zeal ,01,1 tit:- mises which they never cease to make, ferments a national ha- votion. Pauli Btc. • . Count DORSENNE. tred which sooner or later must burst torth. —. , . I ought to mention with praise, Generals Montbrun and . ~ARMY. OF ARRAGON. Boyer, Capt. Hubert, of the 22d chasseurs, Lieut. Memel, of the Company delite of the 15th dragoons, as well as my Aides- • ..., . Head-Oarters,:Alcala de Chiver, Sept. I G, I F II . de-Camp Jardet and Favier. It is impossible for me, on the Mottstsorszeii.:- - I . have entered the province of Valtecia. whole, to bestow too great praise on the zeal of the Generals, On the 14thc"rAf -Headkluarters were at Benicarlo i they are this Officers, and soldiers of the Army. We should have pursued aii day at'Alcala de Chiver. I mean to march against Murviudro s - i _-- .--..--,.‘• ___. 4 ...._..- ~ _ --. . • . 40 . el l" r •. _ _ .. _ . .... '.."..." -* :• 41101........ . , -.0-_. .. . . . . . .