The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-03-26 00:00:00

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command of deneral FRIMONT. We ETC the more
inclined to entertain this opinion, and that the at-
tack was as unexpected as it was judiciously con-
ducted, when we consider the very singular state-
ment that appears in the Bulletin : " Our light
troops," say General Patmowr, " suffered them-
selves to be approached, not yet believing that they
were enemies who were marching towards them.
We had expressed to them only the words of
peace." Whet amiable innocence ! Poor General
FRIMONT and Ins pacific legions, whir, as we are
told, marched through Italy with olive brancliei
its their hats, could not thir.k it possible that Ge-
neral PEPE, whose name of course they had never
before heard in their live., having heti, for several
days " collecting troops between Civita Docile
and Aquila," and having " advanced upon Riot
with 10,000 well"—" man mooring on the heights
over the valley," soil " thieutersing to turn their
advanced guard," should after ill this entertain
hostile feeliuge towards them 1 The Austristiv,
good-natured souls ! had expressed to them only
the words of peace, and were no doubt entitled to
hospitality and friendship in return! It see►n',
however, that this chorusing delusion was quickly
dispelled; " a very brisk tire soots convinced us,"
says the Bulletin, " that we turd mistaken their
character."

We marvel that even this was sufficient to doubt
of their friendship. Doubtless General FRIMON t
rod his troops, when they first learned that the
Neapolitans were collecting in force upon the fron-
tiers, imagined that they were only forming a
guard of honour to ICCQIVe tiutu within the tern-.
wrier, with proper respect ; net when General
PEPE was manor oviiiig wall so mach judgment
ui:oa the high grounds that commaiided the valley
of Rieti, end threatened to turn their flank, he
was only exercising his troeps for the amusement
of the friendly strangers ! The first volley might
very well have been mistaken for a salute. Via-
TAMS, in his " Sieck de Louis X IV." mentions
an extraordinary instance of petiteness between
the Euglteh and the French guards at the battle
of Foateuoi, which might have served as an ex-
ample for this first interview between the Neaps.
titans end the Austriaus. When the two armies ap-
proached, " the English officers," observes the
jively historian, " saluted the French officers
•taking off their hats. The salute was re-
turned by the Count de CHABAN ES, the Duke
de 131110 N, and all the French Officers. Lord
CHARLES HAY, of the English guards, then
cried out, " Gentlemen of the French Guards,
fire !" The Count de lIavTEBOCBS, on the
other side, exclaimed in a loud voice, " Gen-
tlemen, we never fire first, do you yourselves
fire." So the English were satisfied to yield the
point of politeness to the French guards, and gave
theta so warm a salute, that_ the others were unable
to return it, end thus-decided the battle of Fon-
teuoi. The Austrians, however, finding from a
very brisk fire how cruelly they had been deceived,
fought, wit doubt not, with their accustomed va-
lour, and it is admitted that " the enemy'. attack
became serious," so that Genera: t.Vatwooze
found it necessary to order up his reserve. These
fresh troops attacked the Neapolitans upon the
wings, and drove them buck into the mountsiins,
while the centre column fell back upon Civita
Tine city the Neapolitans abandoned on the
same night ut ten o'clock, having, as the Austrian
Bulletin expresses the matter, " previously !al-
leged it."
This affair, which, from the number of the Nea-
politans engaged in it, cannot be regarded as of
serious magnitude, was manifestfy conducted ore
the part of the Neapolitans with very great milder.•
skill and valour. The attack was evidently sud-
den and unexpected, and probably was the first
easily in that system of h ing and desultory
warfare which, if pursued, must terminate in the
destruction of the invading army. A repulse cf
assailants in such an affair cannot be magni-
fied into a victory upon the other part ; fur it is
manifest that with such a force Pees could net
contemplate retaining possession of the field of
battle, and the Austrians tell us enough to she.,
that the battle was severe while it lasted, and that
the Neapolitans did not retire until the reserve ens
brought up fresh to the attack. The action lasted
from noun until nightfall, and the only proofs of
victory boasted by the Austrians ore, " several pri-
soners, among whom is a Captain of General Papa'-
Staff." There are no pieces of cannon, no stand-
ards to mark the triumph of the invaders, I,or
does the Bulletin tell of the numbers of the killed
and wounded abandoned by the defeated Neapoli-
tans. The loss on the part of the Austrians is rehire.
welded at only fifty men. This is utterly improba-
ble; even the language of the Bulletin proves the
statement to be false. The first eery brisk fire,
which roused the Austrians from their delusion, must
have been attended with more serious effects; be-
sides, the Austrians admit that the snack had at
one time become " very serious," and that it wzai
necessary to bring up the reserve, which by acting
.upon the Banks of the Neapolitans, drove the wing+
back into the innuotains, and caused the centre
division to retire, and not in confusion or with pre-
cipitation, upon Civita Ductile. The charge of pil-
laging this city is absurd. The Neapolitans have 'e-
✓olved, as the Austrians advance, to remove every

thitig portable that might prove useful to an lora&
army, actl the state of Civita Ductile, wlmut".=