The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1810-01-13 00:00:00

BATTLE OF AIR+ DE TORMES.

LETTER fe.0311 4 ilittlsu ofFICER Of RAIL, 4T-
T4‘1111.0 TO 1111% DUKE Int. P4autyy.'s 4031 Y.
" El Bakes, Eke. 4, taut'.
(After descrilsing the movement. of the several
columns of the:innate!' army, from the 13th Nov.
to the 43J, and souse insignificant skirmishes be-
tweenthe light troop' of the res,rective clinics, the
letter contioUCY:-..1
44 Alasiut mile o'claa:k on the nuorniug of the 2341.
we lcerned that the enemy occupied Medina del
Campo, iu force 2,000 cavalry slid 8,000 etilantry,
sod•that their advanced guards were pushed for-
ward, • league in front of that town; in cense-
nurture of which sitformation we moved forward,
and occupied. a poaition close to the village of Cur-
isto. situated UI/Jll the uuly rising ground on these
vote:nave plains, over which the view is *minter
r opted aurilinnted only by the horizon. Our troops
were drawn up in the following order:—
" The vanguard, -commanded by General Car-
t. was stationed for the defence of the village
o. Coypu); the. lid division, commanded by General
B illastems, hewing its left supported by the town
of Carpi*, formed the right of our first line, of
',kith the ceralry formed the left ; the artillery of
. the two divisious, and the dyiag artillery, were
rated in the front ; cud the first and second divi-
sions. in column of attack. formed the second burg
about 403 paces is rear of the first; the sth divi-
sion renowned as • reserve. on • small height to
the rear. Our light troops, being charged by a
body of 700 horse, fell back.
" The enemy coutinued to move slowly forward
his cult/into of cavalry (supported by two guns wad
a howitzer), appsrently with the intention of wait-
i lig the arrival of his infantry, or for the purpose of
• reconeoitreim.! our farce, to ascertain which lit de-
tiu:lted parties of cavalry in all directions on our
il•iukt.. About oue o'clock p. ter. we received or.
den hi act on the offeusive, and attack the eueoy,
then belted about three quarters of a league from
our position. The vanguard advanced to the at-
. Cick. formed to an echellvn hue of battalions ; the
third sad first divisions advcscrd is columns of
attack. the former en the right. and the hitter on
. the I ft at tee vanguard ; the second division
was firmed es a reserve in rear of the centre of
the lice; the fifth &risme remained in Carpi..
.T e cavalry formed close in "oar of the battalions
• inee4eilea. The enemy, ott the approach of our
commenced his retreat, which he effected in
the greatest order. covered by his artillery, me*-
, oinially halting. mud charging oar advanced light
troop., who, been umnipported by our cavalry,
• thistamod mom •loes. The veagsterth first division,
,aed ertallery. upheld their former reputation, by
the gad/retry with which they advanced ois, and re-
. pulsed. the enemy's cavalry; and the third dirt-
-Awe (Astern's') received the universal and well-
. merited appliiese of the army, for the intrepidity
which they displayed in receiving, at the point o
the &lase% the charge of the enemy's cavalry.—
°toad Hadiesterot. with his Staff and light troops,
periled ferward to attack a body of thy enemy's
cavalry, which immediately charged liiin; and nut
receiving that protertiou or C .-toperlllll.ll a inch hr
expected front our cavalry, this gallaut little baud
was &Misted to trtreti'.
" At the 'lase of the day, the enemy reached
Medium did Campo. Understanding that the rue-
, my had 8000 iiirautry and 500 cavalry, which
had not elitcred into iietioa, und perceiving that
they had plar...d ripoit a rising ground, which coin-
snaudrd olir approach to the towla, nine 1411115. throe
, of which were howitzers, wllli ii commenced ii heavy
ire upon oar columns, the Ge:..yral-in-Cliief gave
*tilers to st.eirwiiil the attack, end that the troops
. should retorts to their posi:loo of Carpio, to receive
provisious, having been upward, 01 30 hours unit-
out fowl. At o'clock the $4311: night, the enemy
evacuated Nli.dina (LI Campo. iet.ratiu; two
. " On the .15th, the enemy pushed forward from
Medium s• vend divisions of cavalry, apparently
shout 4.510; Kitt towards evi-utiig placed them-
selves within olnint of our lioe. No
infantry advanced with the cavalry.
" About one o'clock ou the morning of the 26th.
orders were awned for tattn.-dente retreat tuaard•
Alba de Tortries. A party of '27a of our car-illy,
. and some sulititty, who had . pissed the Duero,
and were in possession of the bridge of Torn, were
- also ordered to retreat. After • nowt longtime and
harassing match, during which the already ex-
hearted troops suffeled extremely frau, c,.1:1 and
hunger, we reached Alba de 'forums 00 tut !law o-
ieg of the 211th. The different divisions writ quar-
tered in this town rod the villages ou the left honk
of the river.
" About two o'clock, p. on. on the 29th, a sodden
alarm wits spread. that the enemy we, einem% the
lowa. The -drama immediately beat to aims, and
tae different regiment. began to fortis, proceeding.
with the General-hit-Chief, to the heights in frout of
the town. Great pert of the army had, however,
irroned the bridge, previous to the General's deter-
mination of occupyisig s position on the right bank
of the neer. and iii front or the town. The van-
guard, first and second divieions, were drawn up
on None gently rising grounds, about (iOO yards in '
front of the town. The enr•my advanced three
stroag cotemus of cavalry, and, after repulsing our
light troops, possessed himself of a slued reeky
Lill, from whence the right of his hire m ight, hf
occupied by our infontry, have been much anneyeal.
Tile. enemy inlvimeed a coluninhclotte in front ot our
loft. and menaced a charge on the eecouil
A timely and judicious movement. however, of the
earthward and final division, and the firmitets wills
which the left wooed hie attack, induced the enemy
to vary his plan, mid in consequence ret,eaterl au
hie line, and directed his attack ekainet the t *valley
and first dies-lon. The charge of the enemy's ca-
valry was commenced with the greatest ardour and
impetuosity. Our cat-airy being very inferior 1.1
arms, horser, sod apprionmems, to tie cormy,
which was must hrilhautly equipt, gave way. re-
treating to the towu. and leaving the hest nita.mti
and motored micovtred and improteeted. The
. first division received the eueiny's charge with the
greatest firtnneys, intoning upon him wn intleuant
fire. !itch obliged him to retreat to he. lisle,
after sustiiiiiing • coutaderuble loss; the first divi-
sion also aufferell tooluf.-raidv.
" The totally per iter: remfon•eil, renewed his at-
tack in a solid column imams* the verignard, whack
was formed iii au uLloug strair. I'teviinis to die

• thaw, the enemy parleyed through the medium of
one of Ins officers, who advanced fur the perpove,
cillkog out--'t General, Pem-c—surrender. ' The
onsiver of-the column of Patriots, with Generals
Menclizahal and Carrerawt their head, maybe easily
conceived. The French messenger retired. The
Patriots gave loud vines or cheers, and commenced
the lire, the front rank kneeling, with fixed bayo.
nets; the td division advanced in column, to sup.
port the 'sapient mad Ist division, should it be ne-
cessary. The enemy thrice charged the van-
guard, without being able to make any serious im-
pression, and retreated, after sustaining a con-
siderable loss. The enemy once more commenced
an attack ou our left, fur which he detached a
party of ,200 cavalry, along the edge of the
nivrr ; these, however, being kept i check by the
shurp-shooters of the second division, the enemy
relinquished his intention of hazarding another
charge, and therefore retreated to the main body of
his force, from whence he opened a heavy, but ill-
direaed tire of shot and ;hells agaiost the different
divisions. Night coming on, sad our artillery
having crossed the bridge, orders .were given fur
retreat.

“ Our retreat being across' * very long and nar-
row bridge, etalterreased with cars, mules and
baggage, was necessarily. in some degree, dis-
orderly. The ad and sth divisions were stationed
on the heights on the left bank of the river, to cover
our retreat, which being effected across the bridge,
the entire army proceeded to retrcut by different
read.: the night being dark, and no point cf ren-
d, asous having been vivified to the troops, each
column marched by the roads which first presented
themselves; in consequence of which, a temporary
separation of the divisions had taken place. They
are, however, uniting ; and as we have received i::-
telligeoce that different partite of toe
have united at Banos, Bejar, &c. sod are now on
their march. there is norooin to d•sulst. that in •
very few days In army will be in o state to resume
operstic.is agihast the ei.tmay. Our sth division
garrisons Ciudad Rodrigo. It appears to have been
the Duke del i'arque't intention to have forced the
passage of the Durso, usruaring, at the same time,
the ;wisher* of Torch:lel:as, torn. and Zamora, and
upon securrig the passe :e 1.. f the river. his Es.cal-
leucy would, r,.. doubt. .eve united his force, and
piroceerit d r•s apid ne. •. in join his dth
now at Astorga, and •iecupy the advantageous
line of position fru..: r:Jlgl to Leon, having (;al-
licia Asturias .••• to his r,-ar, from whence to
rimy surpliel re -Info,e4.:neuts by the strong
passes of ...• a!