The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-04-15 00:00:00

CAMPAIGN IN PERU.

Our readers will iterate the following letter from
General )filler to a friend in Lima, with much interest.
It gives a detailed account of the great blade in Peru, in •
which he himself commanded, and with diatingulabed
ability. It will be seen, however that the state tlf • the
Patriotic forces under llolivar, previously to that decisive
victory, was far different from what we lina been !ed to
believe, according to the accounts transmitted through the
ordinary channels of intelligence. Indeed, If Oeneral
Millet's statement be, as we have no doubt it is, accurate,
it is:painful to think bow imminently critical the aituation
of Bolivar had become. A defeat would have bee:!. nearly
irretrictrable ruin.

" Qucnoa, four leagues North of Guemanga,
Dec. 11, 1824.
" I have written you long letters from Challunca. Namara,
Cusenchegues, Andegueylas, and Uripa. If those letters reach
you, you will be in possession of most of the particulars of the
movements of our army, up to the end of last month ; and of the
error we committed after the affair of Junin, by not rapidly fol-
lowing up the eartny, and destroying Cantarac's force, b. fore aide:
could hese joined him from Potosi. You will also learn of our
retrograde movement from Lombrama to Uri pa. and of the roufu-
'ion. and sudden change of the prospect of our hopes, which the
ofninsive operation rid the Royalists created amongst us by the ad.
ranee on Oumnanga. As soon as tile Viceroy ascertained that we
had not co:.acitenced a Santa Cruz rarest, and knew our position,
fearing that we might direct our course to Cusco, he counter-
marched from the vicinity of Onatitangs towards Andegueylaa, and
both armies met at the bridge of Begucos, as I stated in my last.
La Sernh thought to entrap us in the valley of Pornocochas ; tor
which purpose he moved a few leagues to his right, that we migltt
descend the quelorada, where he intended to attack us, but luckily
he could not etlect his purpose.
•• We arrived at 'Malan (six leagues from Uripa) before the
enemy, and uiffarcd hint battle on equal terms • but La Serna
tentaisted plaV rho sore gains: sad, convinced he could destrpy
us without risking a general action. declined attacking us, and
continued his advance, out-tlanking our right, or rather left, when
retreating.
" %Ye pursued our retrograde movement on the 31; and on
that very evening wert attacked, 'under very disadvantageous cir-
cumstances, whilst deihni down a
.luebrada, two Jiggles .0 the
northward of %data.

"We lost, in this afriir, the general depot, ou- field-pieces,
nearly all the baggage of the artily, and about five hundred killed,
wounded, and missing ; whilst the ca.:mains of the !loyalists did
not exceed thirty.
"This blow naturally create:( a damp: upon the spirits of our
troops, and what still increased our uneasiness, was certain infor-
mation received, that La Serna did not bring with him less than
10,000 effective troops. We continued to fall balk on this plain,
the enemy always on our left flank, and taking daily many primners,
and much baggage. Battle was again offered hint in Caugillo, but
he a second time declined it. Our situation became more desperate
every day ; the Peruvians had begun to desert ; and our cavalry
tired and disgusted at being obliged on walk en f'ot, having lost
their horses. The mules, de marcha, bad all been lust, or taken
by the enemy, and not a horse-shoe or nail were to be had for love
or money. Our army being arrived at this olaee, the enemy placed
himself in Guannieguilla. two lc-agues to the northward, and thus
completely cut off our further retreat, even were we in a state to
continue it. The aspect of our atiiiira became gloomy is the ex-
treme. We could not have existed six dugs in this position, for
want of provisions; and either to have moved on the enemy, or
to have countermarched towards Andaguaylas or Guaniaru it, would
have been certain perdition. The enemy were confident of our
destruction. lie bad sent strong detachments towards Marco.
3lavoe, and other directions, to cut and destroy the bridges and
roads to prevent the escape of a single individual. Toe Indians of
Huanta, Huancabilica, Chum-hems, and neighbouring towns, had
all risen agalnet es, and daily accounts being received of their hay-
ing assassinated our stragglers and small detachments, sometimes
it was impossible to procure a guide. The anorak of our troops,
also, began most perceptibly to relax, and many deserted to the
enemy; disagreeable nee s wu received from the coast, as well as
that 1,500 Royalists wc:e on their march from Cusco to reinforce
La Serna. In fact. every thing indicated our ruin ; neither was it
likely that generalship would save us.
" Under these critical eireemstantes, the Royalists, flushed with
' their superiority, attacked us, certain of success. Our position
was a plain of about two miles circumference, and in our rear a
gradual descent to a vast quebradd. La Emma and Cantata; with
two divisions, advanced in our front, descending the hill, whilst
Valdez, with two squadrons and four battalions, attacked our left.
The !loyalists were attacked on all sides, nearly at the same mo-
ment, in the most gallant manner, and greatest possilde order, and
after one hour and twenty minutes hard, very hard, lighting, were
completely routed—the Nriceroy wounded and taken prisoner. Can-
terse, Valdez, Carratala, Monet, Ferrer, and four or five more
Generals, with other officers and about 5 or 600 men who were
united after the action, with some difficulty capitulated, giving us
possession of Peru, from Tani ay to Desaguadero. Tat pieces of
artillery were taken front the enemy during the action. We had
but one miserabla four-pounder to return their fire. Our :ill
behaved
nobly—tkat of Celoiske atimmesti 11214 m immitaka
our .clitui%tis—tir infantry on the tight, and that of tea
i c taged, and routed two battalions of 'Valdez' van, which had
tA
reached the plain on which we bad father!, and actually began to
Mr. k our right. All and every one behaved well. Gen. Cordoba,
a youth of 25, with his division, stood the brunt, and indeed, it
may be said, decided the action. Ile was most justly made a Ge.
neral of Division on the field of battle. I charged at the helm of
the hussars of Junin, and reputed Valdez, who at first had driven
back our infantry. The hussars advanced in the moat gallant man.
nee, and their good conduct has drawn forth unlimited praise from
the General-in.Chier, and the whole army. .
" The enemy brought into the field 4,200 Infantry, and 1.300
cavalry. whilst our disposable force only amounted to 6,627, in-
cluding 1.000 cavalry. Since leaving Andegueylaa, our effective
force has decreased 1,200 men. The Royalist army was composed
of excellent men, well clothed and well equipped ; their "weak,
far from being bad, was the reverse, and General Valdez has as-
sured me there were only 81)11 recruits. The battle, fought near
Quenon, is called Azscucho (reacou de lot metrics), because that
is the name of the pampa where it took place, and is not more
than a quarter of a mile from the village. Without doubt, it is
the most glorious, the most important, and the most military, ac-
tion, ever fought in South Atnarits. Had the Spaniards gained it.
the struggle in Peru for independence must have been protracted
for years and years to come; and even Chile and Colombia would
have trembled for their safety. La Setna, Camerae, and Valdez,
deserve great credit for having brought their troops to such a de-
gree of perfection. Their cavalry, in equipment and discipline, is,
perhaps, little inferior to the British, and that is saying all that
is possible can be said in their favour. The Viceroy, Valdez,
Camerae, Monet, Garcia, Comba, and several others, have inquired
eery kindly after you. I pay them, of course, every attention in
my power, and they appear highly grateful. They are anxious to
return to Europe. Olaneta ivies himself Grettat en Jefe del
Exerclio Real ea Peru. lie may nave from three to four thou-
sand men. Unless we take active measures against him at once, he
may yet cause much trouble ; probably upwards of 1000 of Can-
tarac's dispersos may unite with him, if they be not pursued.

LOSS of the SPRINGGROVE,SOUTO SEA rJJALER.
The Springgrove, with a crew of twenty.tbsee men, sailed from
Portsmouth forthe South Seas on the Sth of November last. Soon
after her departure she met with heavy and adverse storms. so that
before they had reached the latitude of 30 degrees north, they were
driven so tar eastward as to be in sight of the African colts:. For
three days and nights they attempted to beat off that inhospitable
shore; but on the night of the 23d November, the exhausted crew,
finding all exertion to save the vess .1 fruitless, were driven ashore
about sixty miles north of Cape Cautin, in the latitude of 31 north.
The surf being tremendous, three of the crew were drowned in at-
tempting to reash the shore; the ship went to pieces in four hours.
The southern Barbary coast, upon whi:h they were cast, though
within the dominions of Morocco, is frequently visited by bandsof
wandeting predatory Arabs. The crew eared front the wreck,
amounting, with the Captain's wife, Mrs. Hughes., to twenty-one
persons, kept together the that night unmolested by any visitors ;
but early in the morning of the 2e di a considerable body of Arabs
surrounded them, endeavouring by force to carry them orl: The
crew however had armed themselves with pieces of the wreck, and
their assailants not being provided with fire-amt, they contrived to
keep, them at bay, so that these unfortunate people were without
farther molestation that day.
During the succeeding night the Arabs came down in increased
numbers, armed with muskets, and in such force as to render all
resistance vain on the part of the crew. The latter were imme-
diately stripped of nearly all their clothes, and led assay, mostly on
the backs of camels; scorched by a burning sun in the day, and
chilled at night. without clothes and without shelter. In this
deplorable state they were reduced to mean servitude ; and for
the slighteit appearance of murmur or discontent they were beaten
and bastinailued most unmercifully. These sufferings continued
five weeks. In the mean time Mr. ‘l'illshire, the Britis4 Consul.
at Alugatiore, to his honour be it spoken, had heard of the ship.
wreck and captivity of the crew, had represented the circumstances
to the Emperor of Morocco, and with lath:able promptitude and
humanitv, demanded his assistance in the liberation of the cap.
tires. In justice to the Emperor, it is right to state, that no
time was lust on his part in furthering tnis benevolent object.
p ory of Morocco soldiers was instantly despatched, with two
°dicers, to that part of the country where they were chained, mid
they were thence conducted to Mogatlore. line of the men died of
the hardships he had undergo r, and it is inconceivable that many
others did not perish. Tnrough the exertions of the Consul,
the men were sent to (Ain altar, and same have returned to Eng-
land.

A circumstance is stated by one of these men, which Is as fol.
lows :--lle sayA, that the Arab Chief into whose hands they fell
could speak a little English; and contrived to inform them, that
some years ago nn llnglish ship was last on the Affirm coast;
that the crew reached the shore to the number of three hundred
men, well armed ; that his own tribe, consisting of flee hundred
men, attacked them, and were repulsed ; that he solicited the as-
sistance of a neighliouting tribe to renew the atniel:, with an ad-
ditional force of four or live hundred men ; that the British those
them backs second time, and were making gaad al,eir retreat for
some settlement of security, when they were a turd time surs
rounded by a boar of thirteen hundred ; that the British fought
till three.fourths of their number fell, and the remainder were mu
to pieces after laying down their arms, std after killing two
hundred and fifty. Arabs. The name of this ship is unkndr, us
wall as the time of the shipwreck. • • '

LIVERPOOL, WEDNKSDAT EViNIN4I.

•tT•
Wind I.W. to N.N.W.—Highwater, fio min. p. 7.
Arrived last night, after pest, the Eliabeth, frees DA.
merges (sailed the 10th March); Margaret, Ham, from St. John's,
New Brunswick ; Heart of Oak Matey, Coffee. Render nos
Crosby, Grace, Little. and Wilton: Hermit, from Limerick;
Sampson, Bellamy, from Trieste • Echo, from Legl,ufg
Industrie, Hellion, from Tonsberg; James, Apderson, Wet
Westport ; Jithn, —, Ellen, Orr, and James Daly, from
SHP • Charlotte. —. front Wexford ; Venus, Stevens, frost
Youghall; Illetia and Martha, Evans, from Youghill; and Mart
Ann, Tartar, front Poole. •
• Arrived this day, the William, Wearing. from Meattioa; Mope,
—. from Genoa ; Arab, Cushing. from New Orleans (sailed
Ist March, and from Bellise, March 3d); Aurelia, firearm -from
Chatlston ; Mary, —, from St. Michael's; George, Wright.
from Maranham : Colonist, 111•01 aster. from St. •Anw's, New
Brunswick ; Dispatch, —, St. Michael's • Arius, --.-, from
Limerick; Wellmgton, Sherwood, front Waterford; Brunswick;
Long, front Bellies: Britannia, Clayton, from Galway; Mar-
garet, —, from bitneridk ; Gratitude, —, and Ann Eliza,
from Castlehaven ; Mars, File, from Dundee; Fortitude,
—, front Baltimore in Ireland ; and Emily, —, from Leghorn.
Four brigs off at seven o' clock.
When the Corsair sailed from Charleston, twelve vessels hid
sailed before him, and there were twelve more Wading, all for Lit
rerpool.
The Jubilee, Luccock, from Maranhao) for Llverpool, men.
tinned in my last as having foundered at sea, was abandoned on the
17th ult. waterlogged.
_ _

Theo:ion, Maerow, has arrived from Liverpool at Genoa ;
Hammel. 31elville, from ditto, at Trieste ; ►farpret, Millet, and
Earl Kilmorey. Whilly, from ditto, at Newry : Lindur, ;
h lira, Urisdale ; and 3lajestic, Mooney, front ditto, at New
Orl►ans. •

Cleared at New Orleans for Liverpool—The Chelsea, 23d Feb. ;
Commeeee, Ist Match ;.and Stranger, 21st Feb.
The Dorothy, from Bombay, sailed the 2d Dec.
The brig Termagant. •William Walker. Hamar, arrived here
from Westport, spoke the brig Ellen, of Greenock, bound to
Newfoundland, Uruadliaveh (Ireland) btasing Jtstart:
seven or eight leagues.
Nothing sailed this day.

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