The National Register.
London, England, 1812-11-22 00:00:00

TILE NATIONAL REGTSTER.

709

VICTORY OVER MURAL.
General BENNIN EN's account of his victory over MURAT
on the IRth ult. was receivtd yesterday. It coincides ge-
nerally with the report of the same action already given by
Prince KuTcsor F. The enemy were driven from their po—
sitions with the loss of 2000 killed and wounded, 1 too
prisoners, and 38 pieces of cannon, besides MuttaT'a
equipages and the baggage of the c,ffi_•ers. It appears, how-
ever, that the report of Prince PONI ATOWSK I'S death was
unfounded. The French lost only one General Officer, and
the Russians, General BAKAWUT, who was unfortunately
shot at the beginning of the engagement.

SPANISH CAMPAIGN.
Disappointed hope frequently sinks into unfounded and
unjustifiable despondency. Such has been the effect pro-
duced on the public mind by the intelligence received from
Spain during the course of the week. This is in some de-
gree the fault of those who, through good motives, endeavour
to counteract the melancholy forebodings of political ravens,
by running into the other extreme and exciting too san-
guine expectations. For when the public find that they
have been deluded with flattering, but unsubstantial visions,
they instantly revert to the prophets of ills, and if they dis-
cover the smallest coincidence between their denunciations
and the event, give unbounded confidence tb the
whole, until the powers of unbiassed judgment revive, or
fresh circumstances wise to work a new conviction To us,
who ever since we heard of the junction of SOUL T and Su-
CII F.T on the borders of Valencia, have expressed our firm
opinion that, unless Burgos should fall, Mad, id must be eva-
cuated as a matter of prudence, the abandonment of that city
does not appear fraught with so many terrors. It is certainly
lamentable that the inhabitants who had displaced so much
exultation at being freed from the yoke of the Usurper,
should be once more compelled to submit to his authority ;
but it is evident that the safety of our armies is of much
greater-importance to Spain itself than the integrity of its
capital. Followed incessantly as Lord WELLINGTON has been
by SOUHANt's army, superior in numbers and in cavalry to his
own, be could not have proceeded to Madrid to join Gen.
HILL and protect that city auainst the 50 or 60,000 men
headed by Sou LT. without allowing Soul-IA Mto pass behind
him, intercept his line of communication with Portu-
gal, and reduce him to the necessity of fighting a general
action with two-armies at once, the one advancing against
his front, the other posted in his rear. By recalling General
ITt r. t. from Madrid, his Lordship has avoided these manifold
dangers. As soon as the two armies had joined, he will no
doubt have taken a strong position rather nearer the frontiers
of Portugal, so as to provide for the worst, by securing his
retreat into that country through the road of Ciudad Rodrigo,
should he find himself unable to contend with the superior
numbers of the enemy; and where, should he think proper to
fight a battle, he may engage in a situation in which he cannot
he turned. Should even his Los dship're-cross the Poi twguese
frontiers, it is not to he supposed that his invasicn of Spain
I was undertaken without fair prospects of success. It libeT
rated more than one half of the kingdom from the pressure
of the enemy, and afforded the people of Leon, Gallicia„
Aqurias, Castile, Estremadura, Andalusia, Jaen, Grenada,
Murcia, and Toledo, an ovoii unity of rijug in the great
cause of their country, and bv their hearty co-operation ‘vith
us, of completing the °yeah! ow and expulsion of the in-
vaders from the Peninsula. On a ir,neral insurrection in
those provinces, as they were evacuated by the French, there
is no doubt our Commander gi ea• Iv relied. Ile thought tkt
volunteers would spring from every hamlet the enemy had

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