The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1809-01-10 00:00:00

1. JoOlis lately psliEslsed b J. I/Amu% -pc IS, - , rrutE insToitY of FRANCE. Aneter NlM E 1. Kiev of th i i,... , ....,1iti' Charles the IMIt in to in st 74. By RATH L $6.1 .-- aliiiiiiiil The Third Edl • * very . . 9 Vol.. evo. tlis. ~. By tlIWI;s 1-17-1 Tilliliur 2. A TOUR THR -' . • the W CSTERA, AOCT and INTERIOR PR 4 ICES of FRANCE, in 4.1 e. 177 s and 1776. Thirdittiflon, corrected and • prise es. boards. . . s. The TRAVELS of ANACHARSIS the Younger, Is Greece, during the Middle of the Cocas Century, before the Christian .Era ; translated from the French of the late Abbe Barthelemy. To which are prefixed, Memoirs of the Life of J. J. Bar thelemy, Urines by hiumelf in 179.1 aid 1 79 3 i with a rot trail of the Mahar. Handsomely printed, in 7 Vols. 81 , 0. and an otth• in tto. corstaining Maps, Plans, Views, and Coins, illustrative of the hy and Antiquities of Airiest Greece, a new Geograp ut Editioo k lie the north, price il. 44. boards. 4. 21ai 0 ALS of NATURE and AR r ; collected on a lastoey is Great Britain, during the Yeors 14ot and 1303. By Christie* Angolans Gottlieb Goode. Translated, from the erigioalOsimion, by Thomas Home. in 3 Vols. small too. -e nit. it barb, pi ice s. AN HISTORICAL VIEW of the ENGLISH GO VERNMENT, from the Settlement of the Saxons in Britain to the preseut Time ; with sonic Dissertations connected with the History of the Government. By John Millar, Pro fessor of Law in the University of Gleegow. 't Among the Philosophers of history, Professor Millar merits a high, perhaps the highest rauk. The sagacity with which he detects and indicates, even in remote perpols, those predisposing ciertit4stsiiree, which produced the geuesal sow of events, is *holly unrivalled. His gentratigAtious ' or theoretical inf er ences, are nuineums and vers ingenious; Ins relectious ecince deep pt uetration, and his discussions a dis criniineting subtlety."—Ann ltcv. Vol. 11. Vuls evo. It tins. hoards. 6. The HIS - I ORY of SCOT LAND, from the lrnion of the Crowns, on the Accession of James Vl. to the Throne o f Pmgland, to the Uoiou of the kingdoms in the reign of Queen Anne. The Second Edition, carrerte.l, with a Preliminary Dis sertation nn the Particir.stion of Mary Queen of Scuts, in the Murder of Darnley. by Male dm Laing, Esq. %.411. ay./. 11. 1139 hoard.. The Dissertation may be had separate, -to complete the fernier Edition, price les. 7. A GENERAL VIEW of the WRITINGS of LIN - N/FAIS. By !Richard Pisitrorir, M.D.I.R.S. The Second Editi iiiipith Corrections, considerable Addi tions, mad Memoirs ..f the Author. By William George Matas, M.D. FIR S. F.S.A. Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, and a Vice-Piesideut of the Lionises Society of Loudon. To which is annexed, the !Mary of Lanese., written by himself, and now translated into English, from the Swedish Manuscript, in pussessioa of the Editor. Handsomely printed in One large Volume, Royal Quarto (uniform iu sire and type with The 'rrausactions of the swam Society of Loudon), and embellished with Portraits of Untrue and De Pulteney, with a tine Plate of Millais, and a Fee Simile of Linsreus'a Hand-writing. Price 11. t is. bd. bawds. a. ANNALS of COMMERCE, MANCFACTPRES, FISHERIES, and NAVIGATION ; with brief Notices of the Arts and Sciences connected with them. Couto:mug the Commercial Transactions of Wise British Empire, and either Coantries, from the earliest Accounts to the meeting of the , Video Parliament, in Jecnory, idol. By Llise.d Macpher son'. Neatly printed on Medina' paper, in Four large !u -kases, ate. price al. H. in boards g. HOLINSFIED'S CHRONICLES of ENGLANIP. SCOTLAND.. sot IRELAND; Svols. large Ito. 101. 105. bear*. 10 10111114 ALEXANDER. A Dfmsertation on lie =llllbrought from Alesse.deia, and now - ite I VOMMt. By Edward Daniel Clarke, LL.D. band s/wooly phase is quarto, with s beautiful plus by Mediand, ISP. bawds. By the same Author. COMPLETE MICTIO.NARY of the ENGLISH LAN GVACIIkin W wigs. limo. les. board*. LELMMES gds ELOCUTION ' • tordsor with Two Ellsamtadoss as poguegie, Le. New Edisroa. Iwo. Pries 6s. bawds. CORRESPONDEA C E. LETTERS FROM FROM AN OFFICER OF RANK IN THE BRITISH ARMY. I•1••••1 1 SASAGA'S. DEC. 23. The British Cavalry is conducting itself in a way that must meet universal approbation. It has been partially engaged several times, and eacbtime has acquitted itself with honour. The lath have bad three brushes with the enemy, the two tint I mentioned iu a former letter, the latter took piece two days ago. In this, Captain Joins and Lieut. Sir Godfrey Webster, with alma 30 men, attacked 300 of the enemy. killed eo, and made five pri soners. The bola loot six or eight wen RIM horses. Lord Paget had en ■tlitir with the enemy's ca valry, ut the head of the istli, most honourable to that regiment. The following are the details : Having ascertained that General of Brigade the Marquis de Lavalle, with 7 or atm cevalr, was in this place (Sabagen). Lord P. determined upon endeavouring to surprise him. For this purpose, he ordered the loth. with four guns. under Ge neral Slade, to march alma/. the p ight hank of the river Cea, and to present themselves before the town at dry-break, to give every ;port of alarm, and to push into the town if practicable, in order that the enemy might be driven into the plain on the other side. Lord Paget marched with 400 of the lsth, and one Captain and twelve men of the 7th, at one o'clock a.m. on the left bank, with the intention of placing himself betweeu Se began and Salelanha. Ahoutlialf past four o'clock, his advanced guard fell in with a patrok, charged it, and took five piisoners; butt the rust escaping, awl fearing that tie v would give the alarm, he was obliged to push on in order to be in time to cut them off. His Lordship arrived exactly in time : he fonnd the enemy. a little before day-break, formed without the town, and judged them to be between 6 and 700 ; but from every testimony of the prisoners, there were 750. As soon as they could clearly discern us, they moved off from their left, in order to gain a bridge over a small river ■early parallel to our line of march, end to our right. Lord P. formed column of divisions from the right, and tinned along parallel to their march, but a good deal behind them. They frequently endeavoured to cross his Lord ship's column, and he 36 frequently receded f: orn them, in order to preserve the parallel, and to pre vent their taking him in flank. They changed their direction several times, and his Lordship did the same, always gaining upon them and closing a little. At length. finding that they could Hot get off. they halted and formed: Lord P. moved on anifficieutly to gain their bead, halted. wheeled into line, and attacked. The march in column awl the attack were ;perhaps as orderly and as fine mo►ements as ever were made. The enemy stood firm. fired some pistols, and received us. We broke them. killed several, wounded nineteen, took pri soners two Lieuttaaat.Caloatis, one Captain, tea . _ one hundred and twenty-five horses, some mules and baggage. Nothing could exceed the pl - of the attack. All rushed on, and so com plete. a ate& never was seen. So entirely were the squadrons intermixed, that it was iMpOll/1111e to tit stiuguish friend from foe. Lieutenant-Co lonel Grata is a fine fellow indeed ; he is slightly wounded in the head, and I believe killed the Officer who gave hint the cut. Jones, the Adjutant, a most gallant little fellow, has received a severe. wound in the head. - I hope he will do • well. There are twenty-two men wounded, some very severely, but none 1 hope dangerously. It is most unfortunate, that, in consequence of falling in with the patrole, Lord P. felt obliged to push on. This threw out the iO. h, who were to engage.lillis Lordship had ordered them, as soon as they had ascertained that the town was evacuated, to send two stinadrons to their left to a post where lie knew the enemy had a strong piconct; but finding by the report of the pistols that we were engaged on the other side of the town, this order was neglected, and they rushed through it, and just came in time to see the pur suit. Lord I'. scot theta nut in different direr. tions to make prisoners, coil they brought in se veral. We march this night to attack Souk at Carrion anti SA ‘Ve 'shall probably °verse' him ; but I cannot disguise my opinion, that the only good result to be expected from oar operation., is the preserving unsullied the honour of our arms. Spaiii, in my opinion, is conquered--Nor is it worth saving—stick apathy, such ignorance, such pusillanimity, newer before existed. BENEICENTE. DEC. eg. Since last I wrote to you, the cavalry has had some further suceesse.t. Ahout• four days ago, a sniall patrols of the lath fell in with a French picquet of nine men, who all laid down their arms. On the same day. Lient.-Col. Kerrison, in nisikilig a ritrole, save, at a considerable distance, one of the ensure ; he itioneduttely advanced with Lieutenant Crawford and a few men. The French patrole, consisting of an officer and 12 men, immediately made ofl'. Colonel Kerrisou, Lieutenant Craw ford. &c. gave chace. These Officers, will. on ly two men, overtook them. Kerrison engaged the Officer with great gallantry, and a °untied him so severely, that he died Ittiore lie reached his support. The French Officer, in u desperate thrust, bloke Kerri?on's arm with the hilt of his sword. The twelve men were taken. Oa the 2 . 61.11, in passing Mayorga with the caval ry, Lord Paget heard that a party of the enemy was in the town. On reconnoitering, he disco vered two squadrons without, and a small party in the town. Lord Paget ordered up two squadron, of the 10th. He advanced with one through the town. At the gate they fired, but did no harm. The enemy retreated to high ground. His Lord ship ordered one squadroo to attack, and sup ported with the second. AVlien within No yards, the first squadron slackened its pace. Lord Paget thinking they were hesitating, rode through them, and ordere2 the charge. The Freud' stood US very firmly, and fired t he ir curial:es, by which we lust do horses killed, use wounded. The charge was beautiful, and in the greatest order, and the result was, several men killed, 21 desperately wu .. ,led, one officer and about one hundred men prisoners, and fifty horses taken. What Lord Paget bad considered as hesitation was the effect of the most perfect coolness. Coloaels Leigh and Q who were both in front of the first squadron, finding the horses a little blown, checked, in order to re cover their wind. All distinguished themselves.— Lord Paget was loud in his praises, and he parti cularly noticed Captain Howard and Caut. New port, who behaved most gallantly. We had not one man touched. This morning a picquet of one officer and thirty men of the 13th, was attacked by about 1°.:1) French cavalry. The 180 took an offietrr and two men. They Live some wounded, amid were obliged to fall back, but the euemy did nut attempt to pursue. You will hear that the army is falling hack. I really believe it is high time to do so. The enemy are cooling on in every direction, and in great force. We have, by our movements, made a great diver sion. If the Spaniards profit by it (of which I have nn expectation whatever) more may be done, if not, it will be apparent to every one that the cause is hopeless. V THE BRITISH PRESS. LONDON, TUESDAY, JANUARY 10. The Chesterfield Packet is arrived at Falmouth, with mails from New York, which place she left on the 15th ult. at which time the embargo was not taken off. The resolution for its continuance was carried in Congress by a great majority. It ap pears to be the fixed determination of the Ame rican Government to prefer to the chances of war the total annihilation of their commerce for a year or two; or at least until the war in Europe comes to some determinate issue. The letters and papers brought by the Chester field Packet sill be delivered thir dad•. We announced yesterday the arrival of Captain IV 1r X DHA M. SMlnf the Earl of EGREMONT, and Aid do-Camp to Sir JOHN MOORE. N 411 dispatches from Spain, communicating the retreat of the British army to Astoria, and the details of a series of skir mishing between the British cavalry which covered the retreat, and the vanguard of the French, in all of which the British cavalry proved successful. — Captain %Virginian came home in the Cheerful cutter, Lieutenant CARPt NTER. which made her pe'sa.,e frous Coruna to Plymouth iu 48 hours. and arrived in company with the Peacock and L'Eclnir, also from Corn:ins. The dispatches are , dated the 31st last, at which date Sir J. Moons, as we stated yesterday, had effected his retreat too Astor understood that Sir Jose Mouse meant to Is. back still farther, and take poseession of the heights of Villa Franca in order to secure a retreat to Vigo. We farther stated, yesterday, that the English Ge neral was induced to abandon his meditated at tack upon SouLr's corps, and commence his te treat, in consequence of intelligence of the ap proach of BONAPARTE at the bead of almost the whole army, with which he had broken up fron► before Mad►id. Ile displayed great judgment in this determination, and is entitled to praise for the promptitude with which he carried it into effect. Had he advanced against Souse, or had he delayed the commencement of his retreat a few hours, he would probubly have been enveloped by the French army. This may be fairly presumed,. as we find, on his return to Beuevente, the cavalry of the Im perial Guard had arrived in that neighbourhood. In his retreat from that point to Astorga, he was closely pressed by the vats of the French army. It had been so far conducted with success, that not one of the infantry bad suffered in it; though the 'meaty pressed theist so close, that the cavalry had fre quent opportunities of distinguishing themselves. Indeed, scurcey ti day passed in which they acre not engaged in skirmishes with the advanced guard of NAPOLEON'S army, and which it was learned from prisoners taken iii these skirmishes, was corn anauiled by Marshal Nee, and that NAPO( PON, at the head of the main anny, was not more that, three leagues distant. Of the many skirmishes between the British and French cavalry, previous to, and in the course of, this retreat, the following:, are the chief :—On the stlst ult. before Salmon, the 15th Light Dragoons gallantly attacked a large body of French Cavalry ; took 13 officers, 160 men, 1.15 horses, and some mules. In an affair which the 7th Light Dra 'goons had near Carrion de los Condes, Lieutenant- Colonel (ex monde) KERRISON had ),is arm bro ken by a coup de sabre from a French Officer; all his party, however, were taken prisoners ; and snot, after the French Officer died of the wounds he had received from Colonel KERRII sox, who is coining home. The teth Light Dra goons commanded by Colonel Stewaire, also ac quitted themselves. very brilliantly ; thirty of them attacked one hundred French cavalry, eouipletiily routed them, and took the Officer prisoner. And on the retreat to Beuevente, a squadrcn of the 10th, under Col. Letea, attacked the advance of Nay's corps from Madrid, defeated them, and killed and took many prisoners. Among the latter was Licut.- Gen. Facetas Unseat:, Commander of the Im perial Guard. General LEFEBVRE fought very bravely, and we understand has received some slight wounds.— The simil trity of name gave rise to a report very generally credited, yesterday, that this prisoner was the celebrated Marshal Leer:mt. now Duke of DAN rztc. Ile is that Officer', von, and the same person who commanded the attacks on Sarsgoess against the hero PALAPDX. The enemy is said to have lost, on this day, 500 men, killed, wounded, and prisoners. Our loss, in the same action, in killed and wounded, was about fifty ; Major BAGWELL was slightly wounded. Similar intelligence to the above was received at Corunim on the 2d inst. and in The C'orttents - Gazette of the following day (which we have also received) it is thus announced The news which came by yesterday's post apposes es be ill-founded ; and therefore we hope and trust all meow will .ksist from spreading it.- This centime was merely given in the Corunna paper, to prevent a sudden panic and alarm. The British army is certainly retreating to the coast. It is unable to cope with the immense force that presses upon it ; and the Spaniards have not come forward in force, to enable it to stand its ground. The Spanish troops that joined it from Rom ANA'S cru►y, did not exceed six thousand men. That it still be able to effect its retreat to Vigo, is the utmost success that we fear we can expect, followed up as it is, and pressed by an enemy of irresistibly snperior strength, and remarkable for the velocity of his movements.—Should Sir JOIN Moons effect a retreat to Vigo. in safety. in th. presence of such an enemy, it will be an achieve ment more meritorious than even the famous re treat of MOREAU ; for of all the objects of desire that present themselves to BONAPARTE, there is not one for which he pants so much as for the de struction of the British army.—To disgrace or to annihilate that army which bleated Isis laurels at Acre, on the plains of Egypt, and of Maida, lie burns with desire; and all the exertion his eager and indefatigable mind can suggest, will be made to accomplish that purpose.—Should our army be fortunate enough to reach Vigo, it is conso latory to think that there is in that harbour a Bri tish force of thirteen ships of war, six of them of the line. and is fleet of two hundred transports.— It is also worthy of remark, that in even• rencontre between the English and French cavalry, the En glish have been invariably successful, although the advantage of numbers has been generally in favour of the enemy. The British cavalry have suffered severely in this retreat, from the severity of the weather.— There had been some heavy showers of snow, with smart frosts in the Right; thou;h by day the weatlitr was very w•irm. were occasions to excite the public mind and sti mulate the patriotic exertions of independent and spirited men, they exist at this awful crisis. Assist. ant in a cause of the utmost importance to man• kind at large. Britain stands upon a high eminence; the work of subjugation is intercepted ; the power that has so long and so successfully exerted itself to the ruin of human happiness, and t h e destruction of social order, is at length opposed; and we look forward with hope to the arrival of that auspicione moment, when ambition shall be taught to confine its views, and tyranny compelled to acknowledge that nations have rights, and that they can defend them. But while we appear to the world in the exalted and appropriate character of allies to the friends of freedom, while our troops are advancing to the field, while we adventure our treasure and our blood, and arc willing to endure every pnva tion that may advance a cause dear to our tidings and prejudices, it is right that we should observe the use which Miniszers make of this solicitude, and their upplieati )))) of energies that want only ability to give them effect. The period is at hand when they must explain to our inapprehensive ictelkcts the judgment they have hitherto evinced, and prove, from a review of their appointments anti SU. persedings, their orders shd counter-orders, that steadiness of system which denote:a the capacity for goverinuent. To people of pl.tin sad unsophis ticated minds, the fortunate Courention of Claire is still an enigma, nor do we believe that many out of the immediate influence of ?Milniters have brought themselves to understand why victory was not at tended with glory, and defeat with loss. It will re quire all the declamation of Mr. CANNING, and somewhat more perspicuity from Lord CANTt.e aceett than his Lordship generally condescends to afford us, before we can acquiesce in those approv ing sentiments with which they are preparing to enlighten the country. The Dutch national brig Afanly, arrived at Hull on Saturday morning, was captured on the t st inst. by the Onyx sloop of war, in the North sea, after an ac tion of an hour and a half, in which the Manly had four men killed and three wounded, and die Onyx three wounded. The Manly was driven near the entrance of the Humber on Tuesday night, and brought up between Stoney Kinks and the Newsom buoy. Owing to the violence of the storm, they were compelled to cat away her main-mast imme dietelr on her bringing up, and, in a very short time after, the fore-mast was carried away. She mounts 16 is-pound carronades, and two long brass 9-pounders aft, is a fine vessel, with 70 men on board, and was formerly a British gun-brig, captured by some Dutch gun-boats in the river Ems, about three years ago. His Mareerv's ship rieis, with a poet under i convoy, from Portsmouth, arrived at Rio Janeiro. on the 17th of October. The Crazelewd, Hammett. from Liverpool, for Gibraltar and Alicant, was captured on the 29th pithy a French privateer, since recaptured by the Alate, and brought into Penzance. The first division of the 114th Regiment of Foot. lately stationed at Hull, crossed the Humber, on Wednesday, on their route for Colchester liar racks. The second division was to have followed early in the morning of Friday, and the baggage belonging to it was sent on board the horse-boat, in the l'erry Dock, on the afterimon of Wednes day; but owing to die violence of the storm, the boat souk in the night. A great pert of the bag gage had previously been taken out, but a ernisi &rattle quautity went down in her. As the Ferry boats could nut venture out, the second division was to proceed on Saturday, and the thud division yesterday. A letter from Vigo, dated 2Gth of December, states, that it has been linnet itn l ion-ible to save the Jupiter. of filly guns, which went on shore on the Bayous 'Mende, as she is bilged, but that the crews of the Mieerea, and some other vessels, were employed in saving the guns and stores. The intelligence recently received from Spain has spread a great degree or solicitude, anxiety, and gloom over the public mind. It is not merely the 'rival supenority of BONAPARTE, that in spires apprehension. The want of general energy and enthusiasm aiming the Spaniard,. themselves, is a sli That our cavalry will meet and repulse the enemy, however superior, we uever doubted. But if Bu aAPAaT6 can Willi( from different quarters agoiast us, as we are assured he 4.1111, from 95,000 to 105,00 S infantry, and near Iti,tron cavalry, while the Spaniards neither rise en waste. 'nor equip a g;eat regular force, what can such unequal numbers effect The Royal George. Capt. Mitts, arrived in the Downs, from St. Thomas's, parted from the Lee ward Island fleet, on the 47th of November, in tat. 30. 50.10 h. 61.12. in a gale at N.W. • on the 1 , 211 a Dec. experienced a dreadful gale at N.W. ; whew the gale was over, Capt. M. saw a ship diemested ; spoke the George. from Quebec ; she had lust her 1111111-tillo.lllliSt amid sails, and had me of 'her an chor washed overboard. Afterwards fell ill with the Bellona, with two ships under convoy, front Halifax. On the 6th inst. spoke the Royal Edward. from Demerara, very leaky ; she had parted from the fleet on the 3061 Nov. The Master of the Royal tieorge stated, that several of the Meet has sustained much damage; the Commodore's ship. the Gniereo, was very leaky. and a brig bad foundered. General Lereavar, taken at Benevente, and come to England sii the Clear el, left Madrid e 3 days ago; but he was SO estreineiy reserved, that it was impossible to put ally question to him rela tive to the existing stale mil Re is at pre molt at Plymouth but it is expected he Will be *cut to lleadivig uu las parole. _ II