The National Register.
London, England, 1813-05-30 00:00:00

THE NATTONAL RECTRTER.

reserve ; and the several parts of the army were on the same day
collected in the vieinage of that place. •
nurshal Pi ince Kontou•off Smolcuskv was left ill on the march. at
Bentzlan, where he died ; but his death was nut published. Conn:
~VittgeestAn, at that time at Zwenkau, was appointed to command
the artily.
H: had on that day reconnoitred the enemy, and ascertained his
po-nion ; and the same evening, a disposition was made for a
get•et a! attack. to take place on the following morning at day-brchk.
During the preceding week, the advance of the enemy's main army
towards Naumherg, and the approach of litanharnois from Qaedlin.
Imp+ bad been indicated by several skirmishes and partial atlairs:
particular), at ai:d near Halle and Mersebnrg, where the Prussians
be*.aved with ereat _gallantry.
Ou the evening of the Ist, the enemy appeared to have great
Masse' of his tOrce between Laitzen and Weissenfela, and after (tusk
a strorg eulumn was seen moving in the direction of Leipsig, to
which place there was clear evidence that he intended to move.
The advance corps of Count Wittgenstein's alley having been
engaged on the tame evening. to the east and north of Lutgen„ the
cavalry of it remained there to amuse the enemy in the morning,
butt with orders to retire gradnally. Meanwhile the several columns
of the army where orchred to. cross the niter at Pegan, and bear
down, and to follow the course of a rivulet, which. rising near the
Hider, runs in a nor b-west direction to the Saale, by which move-
ment, which the ground favoured, it was intended to turn the enemy's
right between Weissenfels and Lutzen, while his attention was
directed to his left between the latter place and Leipsig.
'As soon as. their Majesties saw the troops placed according to
the disysition, the whole was put in motion towards the enemy.
The eonntty, is uncovered and open, the soil dry and light, but
with very considerable variety of hill and valley, and much intersect-
ed by hotow ways and mill-streams, the former not discernil;le till
cle approaeued.
Ti' enemy plarel behind a long ridge, and in a string of villages,
of winch Gorschen is the principal, with a hollow way in front and
a sir .'n sittlicict t to float timber on the left, whited the near
approach of the Allied.
He 113 d an immeuse quantity of ordnance, of I tpotinders, and
larger natures. di•tribilted ihrengliont the line, and in the villages :
tie natteiies in the open country were supported by masses of
infantry in solid • quart's.
The plan of operation determined npoq, on view of the enemy,
%vat to attack the village of Grow Gordelien with artillery and Wan-
ttmand in the meanwhile to.pierce the line to the entitiViu right of
the villages with a stroog column of cavalry, in order to cut oil,
the troops iii the villa!zio9t4om support.
he remainfler of the enemy's line wadi to be engaged, according
to circumstances, by the cdrps opposed to it.
The cavalry of the prossian recrve to whose lot this attack feil,
presented tilt we've% and supported tilt it movements with gum gal•
lantry, but the shoriveis of grape-shot and musketry, to. which they
vier( exposed en 14 achitia the hollnw way, made it impracticable for
them to peretrate: and she enemy appearing determined to main-
tain the villages at any expenee, the affair assumed the most expen-
sive character of attack and defem•e, of a port repeatedly taken, lust,
and retakete
Tine caruilry mode several attempts to break the enemy's line, and
behaveti with it.e most exemplary coolne-s and regull•risv under
very he vy tine ; in some of there attacks they mimetic', in fireakiu,g
into the squires and cutting down the infantry.
Late in t .e evening, tinowipas te having called in the troops from
Leipsig, and collecied his se: et yes, :nude an attack from his kir
on the right of the ADics, supported by the the of several batteries
advantimi.
The vivacity of this movetrent maile it expedient to change the
front of the hem est hti4ades ou the right, and as the whole cavalry
from the !eft was order to the right to turn this attack, and h•
chari.e it, I was not without hopes of w i messing the destruction of
Bunn ap.ate and all his army ; unt before the cavalry could arrive,
it became so dark that nothing could
.be distingui,hed but the usher
of the gull.
The Allies remained in possession of the disputed yilagese and of
the line on which the enemy had stood.

Orders were its to renew tie etack in the morning, but the
er my did ut 4 wait tir it. and it was. judged ritl)Pflielbt, with r< fernier.
to the general e of the cavalry, not to pursue.
leave 411 !wen removed items% the Line, while the cannon and pd.
soner,r taken, and the grnmid vvre•teii from the enemy in the action,
avt ineonwstitne proofs :.f the .iicet %..nf the
Both Sovereie,ris w< re in the field the whole day. Ile King wa
ebittiy Licar t4e village where lies troupe were eng;ged. The

IVr A Y ZO.

perm. was repeatedly in eve ty pal t of the field, %%here he was re-
ceived by the most animatinv cheers by every corps he approached.
The fire to which his person was not untrequently exposed. awl the
eioualties which took place near Win, did not appear in the least to
disturb his attention horn the objei t.l to which it was directed, and
and which he fidlowed without any o.teutat'on.
General Wittgenstein, with the army, is batween the Elbe and the
Elstcr, with the command of several bridges over the form, r.
The Russian troops of all aims folly realised the expectations I
had formed of their bravery and steadiness, and the emulation and
,pirit of patriotism which pervade the Prussian army, merits the
highest encomium. I have the honour to be, &e
(ii;,,ned) CATHCART.
The Lord Viscount Castlereagh, &c. &c.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF THE BATTLE AT GROSS.
GORSCHEN ON THE 0) OF MAY.
On the 6th April, information wait received at General Count
Wittgenstein's head-quarters_of the greater part ot the army and the
French Guards having crossed the Saale, in the vicinity of Naum.
bourg. It was at the same time reported. that the Emperor Napo..
leon was arrived at the army. We observed that the Viceroy's
army drew to the right. It was therefore clear that the enemy en-
deavoured, by all mean', to form a junction, and it was most proba.
hly his intention to give a general battle. His Majesty. the Em.
peror Alexander, and his Majesty the King of Prussia, then fore
went to their armies, to animate the coinage of the troops by their
personal presence. Bit the better to be enabled to judge of the
enemy's strength, a reconnoissance was undertaken, with General
Vun Winzingerode's corps, from Leipsic on the road to Weissenfels.
This confirmed the intelligence received of the enemy being there
in considerable force. Upon this, a very severe engagement took
place on the Ist of May with the said corps, by which we were
convinced that the mini force of the 'enemy was standing in the
vicinity of Weissenfels and Lutzen. It was believed that the Vice-
roy's position was between Leipsic and Hanle, and censeqiiently
'he enemy's plan for the battle was clearly apparent General Von
Wrttgenstein resolved on being before halal with him, to obstruct
him in his dispositions by a bold attack, and to restrain his offensive
operations. It was eecessary in this attempt to make our main ob-
ject immediately to tall on such part of his force as was, on his side,
considered to be his best 'troops, in order, after such a stroke, to
e,ive a larger space fqr the operation of our flying corps, over whom
the enemy had latterly acquired a superiority. Therefore it was re.
quisite; if possable, to direct the attack immediately against his
nearest troops. For this purpose the main army broke up, iu the
night bczween the Ist and 211 of May, from Nonni and Borne, in
two columns, and pn:hed forward as far as the (letile of the Oster,
in the vicinity of Pecan. Geveral Von Winzingerode received
orders to mask this operation, to leave his posts of cavalry stand-
ing, and to unite himself with the main army. by the way of Ze.
venkau. At break of day all the troops -passed the defile of the
.
}Aster, near Pecan, and drew up in order of battle, on the left bank
of the Elster, with their right wing to the village of Werben, and
their left to that of Gretna. By reconnoitring we discovered that
the enemy's main body aheady extended past Weissenfels, to the
village of Gross Gorschen Klim Gorschen, Rhens, Starstedel„
and Lutzen. The enemy did not venture to attempt disturbing
our march, nor to get before Its into the but took his position
in the villages between Gross Gorschen and Starstedel. About 11
at noon, General Blucher received orders, as being the van.gnard
of the army, and supported by a part attic Russian artillery., to at.
tack the enemy. The attack was made on the village of Great
Gorsehen, which wai obstinately defended by the enemy, and was
taken by storm. General York matched with his corps to the right
ai the village. The whole army wheeled to the right, and presently
after the battle became general along the whole line of Blucher's
corps The enemy at the same time displayed a numerous al tifiery,
and chiefly of heavy calibre+, and the fire of musquetry in the vil-
lages was kept up with great vivacity for several hours. In this
murderous battle, the village§ of Klin Gorschen and Rhens, as like-
wise the village of Gross Gorsehen, were early taken by storm,
and with unexampled brave ry. and kept possession nt. for several
hours. At length the enemy returned in considerable force,
surrounded, ard in part retook those villages; btit on the
attack being: renewed, was not able to reta n posscst.eoll ot
them. The Prussia') guards moved forwards to support them, and
..etcr a most obstinaig eomhat of an holm and an halt. 'these villages.
Cert. again retaken (nap' the enemy, and resumed in our pdsoession
during rhis time. General Wilizierode's eurpi em the left wing,
and General Von York'* corps with a part of the Russian troops
under • General Von Berk bad taken no share in the battle. We