The National Register. — London, England, 1811-11-24 00:00:00

THE - NATIONAL REGISTER. great road, and to take possTssion of Puzol. He had in front the division of Albuera: he caused it to be charged first by two battalions of the sth light infantry; a very brisk cannonade was kept up on both sides; General Montmarie, with the 16th of the line, supported the sth, The action was maintained with great slauehter. The enemy defended themselves in the houses of Puzol, through the windows, and from the roofs. A body of Spanish cavalry sheaved an inclination to turn our troops, and to advance by :he great road of Valencia. The General of Ca valry. Delort, received orders to overthrow the enemy with the 24th dragoons: he executed this operation with the greatest va lour, and drove heck the enemy beyond the Albalate, without suffering hims If to he impeded by the fire of some battalions which were place.' in ambush. He took on the road one how itzer, one tour-pounder, and thirty artillerymen. Nevertheless, the enemy, though far outflanked, defended themselves still in Puzol. at..i had not abandoned the heights of Puch. The 16th of the line vigor .tedy charged them from street to street, cword in hand. "the sth light infantry succeeded in surrounding 700 of the Walloon Guards, and made them lay down their arms. General Chlopiski, to wheat I had intrusted the command of my right, very seasonably perceived that it was of consequence not ro suffer himself to be outflanked. He ordered General Robert to attack and follow no the troops of Obispo and Mi randa. This General executed with success several charges of infantry; the 114th and the Ist of the Vistula fought well, and lost no time in repulsing the enemy. After this, General Ciopiski, with the 44th, .and the Dragoons Napoleon, came to take a glorious share in the success of the centre. The Colonei of Dragoons, Schiaretti, at the head of his brave regiment, broke through three battalions of the enemy, and made eight hundred prisoners. From tins moment the hussars, the cuirasseurs, and the Dragoons Napoleon, found themselves on the same field of battle. They overthrew all the corps of cavalry that presented themselves, broke all the squares which the enemy endeavoured to form; and for the space of two leagues covered the ground with arms and dead bodies, and made 2000 prisoners, amongst whom are 130 officers. Generals Harispe, 13oussart, and Chlo piski, pressed hard upon the enemy, by my orders, without inter mission. Nevertheless, the enemy contrived to form again be hind Betera,aby the favour of a deep ravine. We were impeded some time, the infantry not having been able to keep up with the rapid movements of the cavalry. As soon as the infantry arrived, the enemy no longer looked fur safety but in flight. I had allowed some rest to the t-oops of General Hubert and Palombini; I now ordered the later to pass in the plain, the village, and the heights of Poch, with his Italians, and the nd of the Vistula, whilst General Hubert was to attack the heights of Puch, which was defended by Blake himself, with his re serve, and five pieces of cannon. The Chief of Battalion, Pas selar, with a battalion of the 117th, arrived first on the ridge which the enemy occupied, whilst General Montmarie forced it on the left : the enemy Sled in disorder, the five pieces of ar. tillery were taken, and it was under the protection of the English ships that these troops sought shelter. At this period the English fleet, which, since the morning, had approached to take part in the battle, executed, at the same moment, with its allies, its retreat towards Grao de Valencia. The loss of the enemy in killed, wounded, and prisoners ex ceeds 6500 men : on our side we have 128 killed and 59'3 wounded, according to the accompanying returns. Amongst the latter are General Paris, who had his leg pierced by a bail, the Chief of Squadron, Barge, of the 4th hussars, who was wounded in the arm, the Aides:de-Camp, Peridon, of General Harispe, Brard, of General Habert. The young Debilly, Aide de-Camp of General Montmarie, had his arm shot off; he is a brave Officer, for whom I shall solicit the favour of his Majesty the Emperor; M. 'lsroquereau, Aide-de-Camp of General Paris, was severely wounded. I was myself in like manner struck by a ball in the shoulder. General Montmarie received many contesiens, and had several bullets through his clothes. General Harispe had twa h rses shot under him. Colonels Christophe and Meselod had also their horses shot under them. The brave Colonel Gudin, of . the 16th of the line, although very severely wounded, wished not to quit the head of his re giment. All the troops of the array, Monseigneur, rivalled each other in the endeavour which should best serve his Majesty on this day; they fought for seven hours, and followed up their victory to the close of night. I have been particularly satisfied with the incessant zeal with which my Aides-de-Camp and my Staff have served. I shall not go at any length into particular panegyrics upon the conduct of the Generals or of the troops. I believe I have said enough on this head to your Serene Highness when I detailed what they had •done on the field of battle. The result is, the victory of Saguntum places in the power of the Emperor 4639 prisuaers, of whom 280 are Officers, 40 Colonels, or Lieutenant Colonels, two held-Marshals, 16 pieces of artillery, eight caissons, 000 English muskets, and four stand of colours. I have the honour to transmit to your Highness a list s by name, of the Officers prisoners, and an aggregate statement, by regiments, of subaltern officers and privates. I beseech your Highness to call the attention and goodness of his Majesty to the Officers in whose favour I solicit rewards. I am assured, Monseigneur, that they have rendered themselves worthy of them. 1 am, with respect, Btc. Count Sucus r, Marshal of the Empire. Camp at Murviedro, Oct. 26. TO 1115 111011NESs TILL PRINCEOF IVACIIAM AND NEUF CIIATFL, VICE-CONSTABLE. MoNSFIGNPUR— her the battle of Saguntum I left the army a league from Valencia, and returned at night to my camp at Murviedro. Durieg the day the breach Lad been merely formed, a fire of some hours would have sulticed to render it practi cable ; but it was of consequence to profit by the Vict , ry which had been gained under the eyes of a whole garrison, for your Highness is aware that the isolated heights on which Saointum is built command the entire plain. I wrote the enclosed letter to the Governor, by mean. of whicn reminding him of what he had witne-sed dieing :be day. I offered him permission to send two officers in order to inform himself of the successes which the French army had obtained. My dispatch was received at seven o'clock on the merning of the 26th, and a Lieutenant- Colonel of artillery was ordered to early an answer. He ob tained egress with difficuliy, all the outlets of the fortress being walled up. I had him conducted to the Generals Caro and Almoya, through the midst of the officers and all the pri soners. He could no longer doubt the loss of the battle. He returned at five o'clock in the evening, he came with the Colo nel of the regiment of Don Carlos, bringing in inforniation, that the Governor had come to a resolution to i:ccept the terms I had offered. I consented to the terms of capitulation subjoined, aed at nine o'clock at night the Prigadier Andriani, eight Officers of high rank, and 2372 soldiers, filed off through the breach, laid down their arms, and six stand of colours, and were con• ducted as prisoners of war to Murviedro. We found in the place 17 guns, 800,000 cartridges, 2000 pounds of English powder, 6000 bails, and 2500 English muskets, &c. &c. I have the honour to transmit to your Highness the detailed account thereof, as well as that of the provisions. Difficulties vanquished by the science of fortification—the hollowing a passage in the rock for the artillery, and making approaches upon the single accessible point of the forts of Sa guntum—the labours of the artillery, in the erection of their batteries, al: raised upon points of rocks brought to a level by means of earth brought from a distance; ail this, effected ender a heavy fire, do honour to the Colonel of the Engineers, Henry, who displayed a great constancy and activity, as well as to the Chiefs of the battalion, Capelle and Churn, who par ticularly distinguished themselves by their c xeruons. I have the honour to transmit yeti the views and plans of the forts, and a detailed report of the extraordinary labours by which a passage to them was effected. The task was very severe, and would have been much more so I the enemy bad time to place 24-pounders in the forts. Thus uniting the prisoners taken at the battle of the 25th, and the garrison of Saguntum, I am about to send to France, in three celumes, 7211 prisoners, of whom more than 369 are officers. I am, with respect, &c. Sue H k:•r, Marshal of the Empire. Camp of Murviedro, Oct. '27. P. S. I have the honour of transmitting likewise to your Highness. the Reports of the Generals of Artillery and fleets, Vallie and Regnat. COPY OF THE LETTER OF HIS EXCELLENCY MA RSTIAL r SVCIIET TO BitIO.NDIER ANDItIANI, COVER. NOR OF lIIE FORTs OF SAGUNTUNT. " Camp before Murviedro, Oct. 25. ig You have witnessed the battle of to-day. Three stands of colours, twenty pieces of cannon, 4,500 prisoners, among whom are Generals Mahi and Caro, have fallen into the hand; of the French army. I offer you permission to obtain what inferma. Lion you may want, by sending some Officer to the French camp. After that I shall grant you terms of capitulation, which in giving you the honours of war, will-secure to you the right of tiling off through the breach, and of laying down your arms outside the fortress; and further, I shail consent that the Officers should retain their arms and baggage. I require an answer in :he course of an hour. " SueneT, Commander in Chief of the Army of Arragon, and Marshal of the Empire." The substance of the capitulation is, that the garrison shall march out through the breach prisoners; but, with the honours