The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-08-16 00:00:00

On the 2fith, General Cuesta's advanced guard
was attacked near Torrijos, and obliged to fall
back ; and the General retired with has army on
that day to the left batik °flit*. Alberche. Geis
send Slier'revoke continuing at Cant'egos, and tlik
enemy at Saute Olalla.
It was then otertuus• that-the enemy intruded to
try the result of a general action, for which
best printout appeared to be' 111 tier neighbourhood
of l'aievera, and tiruend Cti;stti hating coasciit:
eel to trlorrup this- peaition.on, the inotantig•ofthe
27th, f ordinal GienervidSatirloooksi totretire with
hi. corps- to- its sedum; iti• tlia low, braving General
nick/sine with is davisiiiii of infantry and a.
Keck ni eilettlry. neliwailessoceil- post. in the want-
on the right of Alberclve, which covered our l'-1t
Sauk.
The ousition taken tip by the troopiat Talavera; '
extended rat'ner intlivtbest•two. Hides, the grotind
was ripen (two tties.leit, llene Woe Hellish army wale
statiouell, and it was emennatitied by it height,
a., wham war, in raltellott Anil in resound hue, it di-
of tufaatry widen Vac orders of Alajw'-Cieue-
rul
Hill.
There *us a valley 'whiniest tibia height, mitt a
nage of inotin:assilistill,ltutlier ist.itiethe
vibe). was tint oit tiNt oCeupich ,ts It vsub cooistiuud-
a4 by the ti,ighttheforewnetitioned, and the range
of .wiesittantwappeured 1.0 thiaattt to have
441,6111.3 d OWNS the ("spectra:re:llM.
Tae rignt, consisting o. teinisii troops, extended
immediately I.e. front of the town of Talavera, duo it
it thii fisgus. This part of the groom! was cover-
ed lac olive tree., unit much iiitersected by banks
tiled 'ditches. The high rug I I _catalog. bout tile
hidge'Orer the Alberidie, was dereuiled by a heavy
battery in trout of a church, which was occupied by
Spanish infautry. All the avenues to the town
*ere defended in a sint.lur in toner; the town was
accepted ;, and the remainder of the Spanish in-
*lvry was thrilled in twohnies behind the bank, on
the roads, which led from the town on the to
the loft of our position.
In the centre, lastween the two armies, there wa3
a conumindiug spot of gormiiii, on which ire had
cioiniaraceil to construct a retlatibi, with some
open ground in its rear.
llngadier-General Alexander Ca.npbelt Was
posted na this spot with a division of infantry, sup-
ruled- in his rear lry General Cot•on's brigade of
d.ragoons, and some Spanish rovidry.
At about twe.ll'Cloek, on the 37th. the enemy
appeared in strength' .ti the left batik of the 41-
herein*, awl insittlesteil gas isiteutiuu to attack Ge-
neral illockeisate:e
The attack wit nia.le before they could be.with-
drown. but the troops, consistitig. of General Mara
kenzies, Colonel Dunkin's brigades, and Conrail'
Antou's brigade of cavalry, mil- sorra/fed- by de"
neral Payne, with the other Anse regiments of
cavalry, in the plaits ibetweeii 'rolavera and time
wood, withdrew id good order,. bali with some lost,
particularly by the 21 buttalioa, 111 rtrgitnimt.
and rid hietwlinni /let regiment, itrttle Wood.
Upon this rex-aston the steadiness' Rod discipline
of rie *Silt regiment, and of the sth haitation, tatth
regiment-, wet* cnowpicuoug. stud I lion partitulur
noon for being satisfied with the at:tuner in which,
Mnjor-General 3L4cketizie withdrew his :iclratteed
guord.
As tire day advanced, the enemy appeared in
Larger numbers on the rght of tae .t.lberclic, anti
it was otertnue that he was advancing to a grueral
attack np.n Inc combined army.
Geneeal Mackenzie continued to fall back gra-
dualiy, ti,mtasttie left of the position of the combined
armee, where he was plated in the second line, in
the rear of the Guards, COlonel Otrukin being
placed in the game sitnatunt, farther upon tog left,
in the rear of the King's German Legion.
The enemy immedi oely consineuoitil hiaotttack
in the dusk of the evening, by a cannonade Jetfoil •
the left of our position, and by an attempt with his
cavalry to overthrow the Spanish infantry, posted,
isa I have before stated, on the righti TM* at-
tempt failed entirely.
Early w time night he played • digieion alone
the valley on tits left of the heiglie Ol.:cupied
General till, of which he gained a inothiMbscy pos-
session, but Atijor-Gen. 11111 attacked it iustanCy
with the bayonet. and regained it. '
This attack wise repealed in the night, hut faihed,
and again at Jay-141it in the litorning of the 304th,
byj twoinfautry, and was repulsed by
Mojor-Genenil Hill.
Major-General 11111 has reported to air, ie ups/-
titular manner. the couthict of the 2.9 th regtmeot,
and of the tat battalion, illitlsregitueist,tti these Mt.
latent etfairs, w. well as that of Major-General
son, and ItriAad :warm+ libellee"! Stewart.
We hive lost many brae offire.rs and soldiers in
the definite of this troportavit point in stir posisiou;
among others, I cannot avoid to merstiou Brigade-
Major Fordyce, iiiitl•trispide-Nlajter I;ariltier ; cod
Major-General Hilt wits IsiingeW grounded; but, I
am happy to say, hut slightly.
'lle defeat of tlus attains)" wee followed, about
noon, by e gent:rat attack, with the enemy's whole
force, upon the whole of that part of the position
occupied by the Krntrh army.
In cousequenve of the repeated at tempts upon
the height ego our left, by the valley, I hail placed
two brigades of Swinish cavalry in that valley, Pop-
ported 'fla the rear by the Doc d'Albuipteripty's 446..
COIOU of Spanish cavalry.
Tile enemy then placed light infantry in the
ring: of mountains on the left of the valley, which
were eppueed by a division of Spaoirii iialoutry,
on let Lieutenant-timarral 1)e Lhesseci,irt.
The general atia.-It begitu teL the la treb of se-
veral columns of infantry intulhe valley, oath
view to attack the height occupied lajor-tle-
neral !fill. These riAuroits were immediately
charged by the tit (]cream Light 1) 'goons and
I.lil Dragoons, melee the command of neueral
Anson, directed by Lieutenant-f enenif Payne, cud
supported by General Faite's brigade of heavy mu.
i-alry; and, althemgh the i3d tfrogoons sullated
coositieoible loss, the vliarge had the eiTeet
tit' pra-
seuting the executton of that Y art of the e.idi,'s
I.4au.
At the sonar tinge he directed en attack upon
Brigadier-General Alexander posittito,
to the ceutrie of tie' c bitted armies, cud us the
right of the British.
This attack teas most succa ssfally remised by
Beigatticr-General Calnpitrll, 5it...d0n...1 lay the
Yiug's rq‘inierst of Spews!) cavalry, and toga Latta-

-