The Statesman. — London, England, 1812-08-22 00:00:00

• . • 4 • ; 1.1 s'' rr . d FRENCH PIPERS. PARIS, Aocurr 11. TENTH BULLETIN OF THE GRANT) ARMY. WITEPSI, JULY 31.—The Emperor of Russia and the Grand Duke Constantine have quitted the army] and repaired to the capital. On the lith, the Rus sian army left the intrenched camp of Drissa, and marched towards Polotsk and Witepsk. The 'Rus sian army which was at Drissa consisted of five corps d'armee, each of two divisions, and of four divisions of cavalry. One corps-d'armee, that of Prince Wittgenstein, remained for the purpose of covering St. Petersburg's ; the four other corps, having arrived on the 24th at Witepsk, crossed to the left bank of the Dwina. The corps of Ostermatin, with a party of the cavalry of the guards, put itself in motion at day-break of the 25th, and marched upon Ostrovno. BATTLE OF OSTIiO4 \O. On the 25th of July, General Nansouty, v ith the divisions Bruyere and St. Germain, and the Bth re giment of light infantry, encountered the enemy two leagues in advance of Ostrovno. The action com menced. Several eharges . of cavalry \ took place; all of them were in favour of the French. The light cavalry covered itself with glory. The King of Na ples mentions the brigade Pire, composed of the Bth Hussars, and 16th Chasseurs, as having distinguished itself. The Russian cavalry, of which a part be longed to the Guards, was overthrown. The batte ries which the enemy opened upon our cavalry were carried. The Russian infantry, who advanced to support their artillery, were broken and sabred by our light cavalry. Oti the 2.6th v the Viceroy marching with the divi sion Delzou as the head of the columns, an obstinate action of the advanced guard, of from 15 to 20,000 I men, took place a league beyond Ostrovno. ' The ; Russians were driven from their positions one after another. The woods were carried by the bayonet. The King of Naples, and the Viceroy, mention with praise Generals Baron Delzon, Huard, and Roussel. The Bth light infantry, the 84th and 92d regiments of the line, and the Ist regiment of Croats, distinguished themselves. General Roussel, a brave soldier, after being the whole day at the head of the battalions, was visiting the advanced posts at ten at night, when a sentinel took him for an enemy, fired upon him, and the ball shattered his skull. He ought to have died three hours sooder on the field of battle, by the hands of the enemy. On the 27th, at day-break, the Viceroy made the division Broussier file off in advance. The 13th re giment of light infantry, and the brigade of light ca valry of the Baron de Pire, wheeled to the right.— The division Broussier marched by the great road, and repaired a small bridge which the enemy had destroyed. At day-break, the enemy's rear-guard, consisting of 10,000 cavalry, was perceived drawn up ea ethelloa on the plain ; their right resting on the Rwina, and their left on a wood lined with in fantry and Artillery. General Count Broussier took post on en eminence with the 53d regiment, waiting till the whole of his division had passed the defile.— Two companies of Voltigeurs had marched in ad vance, alone: they skirted the bank of the river, advancing towards that enormous mass of cavalry, which made a forward movement, and surrounded these 200 meu, who were thought to be lost, and who ought to have been so. It happened otherwise. 'hey coucentrated themselves with the greatest cool ness, and remained during a whole hour hemmed in en all sides; having brought down more than 300 bosemen of the enemy, these two companies gave the French cavalry time to debouche. The division Delzon defiled on the right. The Xing of Naples directed the wood and the enemy's batteries to be attacked. In less than an hour all the positions of the enemy were can ied, aral he was' driven across the plain beyond a small river which enters the Dwina below Witepsk. The army took a position on the banks of this river, at the distance of a league from the town. The enemy displayed in the plain 15,000 cavalry and 60,000 infantry. A battle was expected next day. The Russians boasted that they wished to give battle. The Emperor spent the remainder of the eight in reconnoitring the field, and in making his dispositions for next day : but at day-break the Rus sian army was retreating in all directions - towards Smolensk. The Emperor was on an height very near the 200 Yeltigeurs, who, alone on the plain, had at tacked the right of the enemy's cavalry. Struck by their fine conduct, he sent to enquire what corps4hey belonged to ?—They answered, " To the 91A; and three fourths of us are lads of Paris."—" Tell them;" said the Emperor, 64 that they are brave fel lows: they all deserve the cross !" The fruits of the three actions of Ostrovno are 10 pieces of cannon of Russian manufacture taken, the cannoneers sabred ; 20 caissoons of ammuni tion ; 1500 prisoners ; 5 or 6000 Russians killed or wounded. Our lass amounts to 80Q- kiited,,--900 wounded, and about 50 prisoners. The Ii Naples bestows particular praise on Generals yere, Pipe, and Ornano, and on - Colonel Radzivill, commandant of the 9th Polish linters, an officer of lingular intrepidity. The red Hussars of the Russian guard have been cut up.' They lost 400 men, many of whom are pri soner}. t ffhe Russians had three Generals killed or wounded. ~A considerable number of Colonels and superior (Meek of their army remained on the held p 1 bathe.. , • Owthe 28th, at day- 'break, we entered Wite'pek, town of '0,90 itihabilants. It has twenty tOU. vents. We have loendeihriit tame manes, parti cularly one of silt, valued at 15,000000. While the arrey.was marching en Witepsk, the Prince of Eckneeloi was attacked at Mefiilew. ilagration passed the Berezina of Ilohrtnislcf;and marched upon Noyoi-bickow. At day,breik 'on the 23d, 3000 Cossacks attatked ths Id regimeneoceliasseurs, and took 100 oftheiiii'idricniri whom were Ake Colonel and four °freers, ail wounded. The generale was beat; an action commenced. The Russian Geueral Sieverse, with two select divisions, began the attack. From eight in the morning till lye in the afternoon, bhe firing was keo pp o 4 # strip of wood, and at a ridge which the Russians wished- to force. At five, the Prince of Eckmuhl caused three chosen battalion; to ad vanes, pat himself at their heed, overthrew the Russians, carried their positiose, and pursued them for a league. The loss of the Russians is estimated it 3000 wild AO Top*, u 4 11QP prisoneno ng of eye: - THE STATESMAN. We lost 700 killed and wounded. 13agratiolt re. pulsed, retired upon Bickow, where he passed the Borysthenes, to advance towards Smolensk. The battles of Mohilow and Ostrovno have been b r illi an t and honourable to o ur army. .We never ha.ve had- engaged more than the-half of the force which the enemy presented, the ground not being suitable for greater developments. [Then follows a Proclamation of the Emperor lexander to the 'Russian army, dated Wilna,' June 12`2, 181 e, which has a lready been published.] . ' REPORT ON THE DEMOLITION 01 THE INTRENCHED CAMP OF ORISSA, AND ON THE POSITION OF DROVIA, TO HIS E XCELLENCY TILE DUKE OF REGGIO, CO* HANDING IN CHIEF TUE SECOND CORPS OF THE 1 GRAND ARMY. MONSEIGNEUR,—I have the honour of acquainting i your Excellency, that conformab ly ia towyitohum. De your orders, I repaired on the 21 st inst. to Drou , La place, Aid-de-Camp to his Highness the Prince of Neufchatel. 'We found our last videttes about three , . quarters of a league from that town, on the road of Slobudka ; we, however, penetrated thither, and ; found that the town was totally evacuated by the ' enemy, who confined himself to observing the river with one company of Cossacks and two of dragoons, at least, so we were told by some inhabitants with 1 whom we were able to converse. The river is very much confined at this place; and its banks are rugged and impracticable. It ap peared to me about GO toises in width. There were two batteries on the' other bank, one of seven am brasures, to enfilade the avenues of the towai and other ravines; but as these batteries were not and, we supposed that they were no longer mounted with 'cannon. After having examined the position of Dronia, I ' next day repaired to the intrenchnl camp of Drina, where 1 arrived at the same time with the rear-guard of the division of General Merle. I immediately set about reconnoitring the camp •, but the enemy still occupying a portion of ground in the rear of their lines, and even some works on the right (turn ing your back to the river), it was not pomade for me to penetrate every where : the night, besides, prevented me from continuing this reconnotsaace. The demolition of the works had been begun ins-1 i mediately after the arrival of the troops. The arch,l of great breadth, formed by the line of the works, is about two leagues in extent, and is connected with I the other bank by batteries. There were also batte ries on the left bank; but they were quite open in their gorge. The camp is about 2000 toises in its greatest depth, from the most advanced works to th. I river. It was defended by a series of redoubts, and 1 1 by open batteries placed in the i ntervals of the redoubts. • Intrenchmeuts very steep, and of 100 Wises in length, are formed in front of each redoubt. There are two lines of works nearly similar. The ground ) more I exposed and more practicable on the left quarter, in- 1 , duced the enemy to increase his defence on that side ; and he placed there a large lengthened work, : consisting of an immense bastion, two curtains ) and ' two redoubts insulated from the works by their fosses. The enemy had placed, also, towards the Icentre of the curve formed by the river, a very large • • flat fortification to serve as a tete-de-pont. It. was on the middle of the gorge of this work that thepria- I cipal bridge was placed upon very large pontoons.. The works in general, but particularly this last s have a considerable relief, and are perfectly well eat. cuted. The batteries have fosses wider than those of the redoubts, doubtless in consequence of the greater quantities of earth required by the breadth of the platforms. These batteries are neither palisaded in the fosse, nor enclosed at their gorge ; almost all the redoubts are palisaded in their fosses. Some palisades of the fosses, a portion of the platforms of the bal t teries, some barriers, and some trifling intreuch ments on the left, were all that remained still nn finished when the enemy evacuated the camp. It is sufficient to glance at the annexed sketch, taken with the eye while the demolition was going forward, in order to form an idea of the prodigious i labour which such a camp must have cost the enemy. Besides the immensity of its extent, it may be said that works have been lavished upon it without much Inecessity. These works are also very ill placed, be cause they de not flank each other at all, or do it insufficiently; and it is astonishing that the Russian i engineers could commit so gross a blunder. The enemy was obliged to cut down a consider ' able extent of the wood, on the left, both to erect his works and to unmask them. Though the wood is marshy and of difficult access, the enemy had still formed abattis of sixty or seventy toises in width, even at the opening from the wood ; so that this por tion of the circuit of the camp is very stroll& as well as that of the continued work upon 'which it touche!. The quarter on the right is less stroagly defende r, and here would have beefs the true at of attack., , During the night which preceded ..I re a( _ pi riiipirtn the division, the enemy burnt all 1110.1Mineli on the other bank. They were henteeses• tad were, estimated at many million!. - • • • ....c o , ... an AV DE SlORAyylitsistneell t st alf.itillV (Signed) Polock, July 95, 1819, , •-a1 • 1 . ~0. .. 1 - ,-. , LielOt ALT t23,--Tholtosslin pillion which was in our town and port, set out on the 'loth, with such preelpltition, At break of day, that tir,vtaieqf horses they were obliged to •Waite three pioteo of task eon upon the battery of the port. Abbot tiffelf - oft& in the afternoon, we saw the Pedal& ttol) Vette, who, the preceding tiiiiit;iireitaii77. - ,,,, , - Ip p- - . 1 74 teessliagues distant. 'They 'lems .1 r t I . 'session of the town and port. This/ „troops• %lie commanded by Major Rees, consisted , 4f two be e% lions of fusileers, with two pieceedtibllllery audit squadron of dragoons. Upon ontedos.the town ' the 1 Prussian Commandant immediat e ly pla ce d guar d s in in the merchants' vessels which had nottleft ,the port. The cannon taken on board those vessels were lan& ed and placed upon the battery of the port, The fol lowing day three Russian ships of the line, two frig, gates and a brig arrived within a quarter of a league of the port, and reconnoitred in a boat carrying 20 men. The Prussian Commander of the battery Mai the garrison lay down, and as soon as he found Hie boat was within the ordinary shot distanee,,erdered 'them to,fire. The officer who was in the boat aid five men were killed. We are ignorant of the nom: her wounded. The beat, peeeipitately regained he' ottp ) and We rose Oat sight of the feet. . i.i. _. Wuxi, Arty 18.—A great number of Poles doily arrive here from different points of Lithuania 1 which have been abandoned by the enemy.—All th e i r reports prove, that extreme disorder prevails in the Russian army, and, that die rapid passage of the ffsemen has caused an extraordinary confusion in its sievements., The Grand Duke Constantine had his Iboad-quarters in Caserkliszhi, when he learned that the French were only three leagues distant. The Russians were guilty of all kinds of excesses previous to quit.: l ting the country. We naturally supposed they would I destroy the magazines and military establishments; but what has disgusted all the inhabitants is, that in ' particular places, they did not respect the individual's houses in which they had been lodged. Those of our countrymen who have arrived from the frontiers of Courland, state, that the Russian Government har t ' ing ordered the peasants to take up arms, they ail fled wad hid themselves ; and that even the Nobility of the country,, who appeared the most attached to ; Russia, had refused to make any kind of movement. I CONSTANTINOPLE, JULY 2.—The Porte has sent a Miliemander, with a numerous suite, to the fron tiers, to meet the French Ambassador, General And reoesi. RETRACT ..01P • LETTER FROM COPEN/AAGIN, DATED AUGUST 1. Wills Majesty, by a Rescript, dated Fredericks burg, July 28, addressed to the Danish Chancellor, exhorts hit faithful subjects, particularly merchants who receive foreign intelligence, to be careful in cir culatingexaggerated, vague, or unfounded reports, ' hurtful or disquieting to tke country. The Rescript OUS terminates . Chose who henceforth receive frees their correspondents important or useful intilli sesen, will communicate it in the manner most con &liable to the citi fi es of good citizens, in immedi- to vV." I e.r J 4 , t 4 (1211ERIalif , ROPERS. ..1 • ru RT tITAIbiO. ~, . r: .3 YORK.. i ities94. exiltset ,o**,‘ Irfllll l DATED OZORAIRTOWN ) • JUNE V. " I expected to have. infonnid you that licences from Mr. Foster were to be procured for shipping flour to England. Mr. Foster said, that he would grant licences, but el; second thought, he wished to consider over night on the subject; and to-day he told the applicant, that hii functions had ceased, and that the British Commanders would not respect his licences, as they would be dated subsequent to our ieclaration of war." ' s • COMMODORE RODCER r S SiUADIOIIIII PURSUIT OW - Lester, oT that fell in beuud Ind, on Tuesday ntoirtiii. o le, M , dOTO dote Lodger` iihnd JAB squadron, alba informed him of speaking the Jaaskioalleet. The crew 'of the Presi dent gave three difeers, and ,Went in pursuit- of the fleet. It will be .o't the fleet is only four days a-head,-and frost eof theta being dismast ed, there 4 strong probability of our squadron Coming up with them. JUNE 26.—We are informed that the British Con sul has countermanded the felling of the brig George Washington for England, as a flag of trace, of which he bad obtained permission of Government. The following notice appears in The National In telligeneer, of the 23d instant :—" All penons hav ing claims against the British Minister, are requested to hand them to his Steward for payment, before Friday next.—Washington, June 22." OCCUPATION OF FLORIDA.—It is believed the se cret business brought before the House of Represen tatives yesterday, was a proposition to take posses sion of Florida.—(llemendria Gaaette.) The propositions Tor a repeal of the Non-Inter course Laws have been lost in the House of Repre sentatives—the total repeal by the casting vote of the Speaker. The Embargo Law will be suffered to ex pire, by its evientlimitation, on the 4th of July. The Bill concerning Letters of Marque s &c. has passed both Houses of Congress. A number of privateers are fitting out in this har bour. Jona 30.—Severgl peivateers, which are fitting out in the harbour,- will" . sail is a few days. Com missions for them w ir e received yesterday at the Custom-house. _ • • t • %VII LY 3,—The_frhoite Essex, Captain Porter, I having beep ,completely repaired, sailed yesterday morning with a floe - westerly breeze. On her fore a: white flag, with these words ) 44 ft* ltyt4„and sailors' rights." A Britbit boil! from Jamaica, laden with about 200 bhdPoif segiagatraiked at Norfolit on the 28th qIS. st, itaiswiece shiensmeent - etaffit; 3lie was bound to sn4 Callplolf jhe •C e heippcake fot /seders, not knewiag : soteseri *Ph ta k en possessillb q( by the revenue , gr.0:4 1 / -4 1 6 4i;of the ainijost th4l/ iereetbe plan elatfth cafhpaign 111 2.2;ft Ifs 4: Pct sb(4ttik,end. the other peattrof upper Cati Zit; oa the west : • Gen..Deerbort will.ableeleisfteittathgeits " She Otis Whiih He in that directlite;„Augsesej ther,ppsts near l and on tie bbdolithesilf sueetVg/t6u . , I , :i . • . " 3 • '244eirlllilptiVemOc i . ' ag4 14e. ,r4:1•111q.'0' 1 11111 it. , Oro • JJ:V. 1., , NCl= nrt Corny of the' who'. s Bill into a THE RHETCH PrE2rl4o/IHTM=CEpti 4 In Lesti the brig Indian Chi oth lfikdeir a ) Wrenn', on the irk inst. Ilk loug. he f with Aid ipoke the Jamaica Ong uf 193 tail, b home, seedeslonierof a -frigate and. bfig ; an Tuesday ratenting last the'2 l 24' lie,fpoke Coi ilniOi Comt - nittee of the' 'A1M...4 aßill piitaittiog impb , . *ago* .Woob , ltll u the yes- selp: t :frirrii dma4Jnitett4tateolpaelioas to•the ..', miltifbfliA tlaLltifsiddiaiElfigilthiitie gates of tholdlielbembwAllAtbrrhieW was 4.epotted to tho 01.16:411,10'AltrWilAptdsoased for a third la.. , . . reading. % •' A 141114.diortipoll ms's tortitilitteer, providliat :foe limp:, .:4110.0.0ers of will which VIM. eaealociara . kw ef , the whole at* reported to thR110f1:04: Ardered to be eu- gr4P4o4,:f4ta third ral The BIM respects ver .ofitiag:aliens, And . per- atttlft LIP* eneaket. ;1 :i. co( 'their effect* acid depok from tho Ualtila qtatow i wars swankily taut a Ihird.ilme,todo:•• •' 'COP:PIa.. P 4 714 Oiclktit:o4iiiiiiiNn . Mir grail ; •ii, • tn• Ist !altpat t lai! i wpm' war 94 -.w oo being captured. He w a s b oar d e d b y t h e British guo brig Emulo us , and after a strict ex am i nat i on of. hi 6 papers, not kno w i ng o f t h e war, was permitted to proceed. On the morning of the '2Bth ultimo, in lat. 9.8. Sq long. 63.49. Captain Burnet saw Rodgers's squadroo steering East. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ilfitt 19. The Naval Committee introduced a Bill respecting granting fetters of Marque and Reprisal and Priv Goods, which was read a first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the whole Housi. JUNE 2.2.—An engrossed Bill concerning Letters of Marque, Prizes and Prize Goods, was read a third time, and passed. An engrossed Bill imposed additional duties on all foreign goods, wares, and merchindize imported int o the United States, was read a third time. The Bill was then ordered to a third reading, %hick was accordingly done, and passed by ayes and noel. Yeas 76—Nays 48. _ _ _ . A Message was received from the Piesident of the United States, communicating a letter from M r . Russell to Mr. Monroe, covering a Note from Lord Castlereagh on tho subject of the Declaration of th e Prince Regent, in relation to the Orders in Council. ESSAGE TO TEE SENATE AND NOOSE Or REPRESENTATIVES 0 vu UNITED • STATES. . - I communicate to Congress copies of a Letter to the Secretary of State from the Chargé d'Affaires of the United States at Lou,. don„.and a Note to him from the British Secretary fo r F ore i gn AO'Arm • June 22, 1812. JAMES MADISON. KR. RUKILL TO TIE SIGCRIFFAZT OF STATE. ' London, May 2,1812. Sta,—Acter closing the duplicate of my letter to you, the Copy of the Note of Lord Castlereagh to me of the 1 2.15 t had been left out by mistake. I take the liberty of now handing it to you. I am, &c. Hon. James Monroe, &c. JONA. RUIELL. (Enclosed in the above.] The Undersigned, his Majesty's Principal Secretary of St ate for Foreign Affairs, Is commanded by his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, to transmit to Mr. Russell, Charge d'Affaires of the Government of the United States of America, the enclosed copy of a Declaration accompanying an Order in Council, which has been this day passed by his Royal Highness the Prince Re _gent in Council. The Undersigned is commanded by the Prince Regent to re. quest that Mr. Russell, In making the communice . stion . to his Go. measure as conem on v i r e in ar th t e a t s v p . frit rftzownciihittreipor a l td al w is it i gla regard Royal H_lshness to th e honour and interests of the United stales. and the Undersigned ventures to express his confident hope, the this decisive proof of the amicable sentiment which *inmate the Councils of his Royal Highness towards America, may ands, rate the return of amity and mutual confidence between Gist Britain and the United States. The Undersigned avails himself of this opportunity to repent to Mr. Russell the assurances of his high consideration. Foreign-Rem, April 21, 1812. CASTLEREAGH, SOUTH AMSRICA. ---$1711206 Arias, MAY Ver-TbilfollowlDflll tifortnation has been addressed to the public : Yesterday arrived in this capital Lieutenant-CA, Don Juan de Rademaker, in the capacity of Envoy Extraordinary from his Royal Highness the Prince Regent of Portugal. He yzas received at the Quay by one of the Aids.de.Csmp of the Superior Govern. ment, and conducted to the Palace in the citadel, where suitable apartments had already been provided for htM. At seven in the (monis* he was visited by the Secretary of State, who announced to him that the Government would give hint audience in their Hall of Dispatches. The Envoy immediately repair ed thither, and was received with the greatest de monstrations of respect and esteem. His powers having been recognised, and the Sitting being opened, he set forth, that the flaws of his Royal Highness had no other object but solidly to re-establish the relations of peace, friendship, and good under. standing between both territories :—that fer this pap pose his Royal Highnesi had already gives orders to D. Diego de Sousa to retire with his whole army, and that without loss of time, to the Portagoem frontiers :—that he supposed him to be already os his march, as be had sent him his Royal Highness's dispatches a week ago :—and that, for the purpose of settling and sanctioning the terms of negociation, he demanded, in the name of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, that hostilities should cease between the two nations s and that the retreat of the Porta j guese to their territory should meet with no interruption. At the same time he presented a letter from the Ambassador of his Britannic Ma. jesty, at the Court of his Royal Highness, in which' he offered the mediation and guarantee of I the King of Great Britain, for the con fi rmation and maintenance of the treaty which should be agreed upon. The Government, faithful to its principles, and in order to give a positive proof that the victo rious arms of the country have no other object butte humble the pride of the tyrants, and to defend with honour the liberty and civil independence of the United Provinces of the river Plate f have agreed to graelibe.aresietice, and teroder outitOipsto retire from the Portuguese territory, while the negociation is carrying on, and till the treaty is ratified by tie intervention of the respective authorities, with which it will immediately acquaint the people, for their ie formation and satisfaction. FELICIANO ANTONIO CHICLANA, JUAN MARTIN DE PUBYRREDON. - • BERNARDINO RIRADAVIA. NICOLAS HERRERA, Secretary. Beleseildres, May 22, 1611. .following extract of a letter from the same place r is dated May the 48th :--" We have erected some sales for yop, but we fear the prices ire hare . pbtained will not give satisfaction. We, however, considered it more prudent to accept them, than to told your goods, both on account of the very de' pressed state of our markets, and t he very gleefel aspect of politics in this country. The latter, em two elt happy to add, has changed very m uch in the last days, in consequence of the arrival of a Portuguese Minister to this Government to conclude a peace witi; them, which has actually taken place this day; as it is supposed here that the British influence at the Portuguese Court has been the cause of this E. bassy, there has been the most sudden change in th he opinion of the people: they now speak war mly is favour of the English, who two days ago dust scarcely shew themselves in the streets. We hops this may be beneficial to our trade, which is much de preseed, and now glutted with your manufactures from the recent arrivals from Brazil ; at any rates it relieves us from the painful anxiety we have heel' In for a coatiderable time, for the safety of our pa' tons, and the great property in our hands.", T I I - 1 ► 1 L 1 ! 1 1 1 i r I •