The National Register.
London, England, 1813-01-10 00:00:00

LETTER FROM MA IMJIS WEI LINGTON.

Stet—l have ordered the army into catonments, in which I hope
that circumstances will enable me to keep them for some time, due.
nig which the troops will receive their clothing, necessaries, Zee.
which are eleeady in progress, by difl'erent lines of commusiieation,
to the several divisions anti brigaies.
But besides these objects, I must draw your attention, in a very
particular manner to the state of discipline of the troops. The dis-
cipline of every army, after a long and active campaign, becomes in
some degree relaxed, and requires the utmost attention on the part
of the General and other Officers to bring it back to the state in
which it ought to be for service ; but I ant concerned to have to ob-
serve, that the army under my command has laden off in this re-
spect in the late camp:iign to a greater degree than any army with
which I have ever served, or of which I have ever read Yet this army
has met with no disaster ; it hat suffered no priva•fons, which but
trilling attention on the part of the Officers could not have prevented,
and for which there existed no reason whatever in the nature of the
service ; nor has it suffered any hart'ehips excepting those resulting
from the necessity of being expthed to the inelemencies of the weae
titer at a moment when they were most severe.
It must be obvious, however, to ev:ry Officer, that from the
moment the troops commenced their retreat from the nieghbourhood
of Burgos on the one hand, and frau Madrid on the ether, the afii-
cers lost all command over their men.—lrregularities and outrages of
all descriptions were committed with impunity ; and losses have been
sustained whicleought never to have occurred.
Yet the necessity for retreat existing, none was ever made in which
the troops made such short marches; none on which they made such
long and repeated halts ; and none on which the retreating armies
were sa little pressed on their rear by the enemy. We must look,
therefore, for the existing evils, and for the situation in %%Celt we.
now find the army, .to some cause besides those resulting from the
operations in which we have been engaged.
I have no hesitation in attriautieg these evils to the hebitual inat-
tention of the Officers of the regiments to their duty, as prescebed
by tee standing regulations of the service, and by the orders of this
Army.
I a:n far from questioning the zeal, still less the gallantry and
spirit, of the Officeis of the Army ; lam quite certain. that
their minds cap be convinced of the necessity Ot nenute and constant
attention to understand, recodeet, awl carry into exicittiou, the or-
ders which have been issued for the per termance at t:,eir duty, and
that the strict performance of this duty neeessee to enable the
Army to serve the country -as it ought to be served : they will, in
funny, give their attention to these points.
Untie tutiately the inexperivace of the Officers of the Army has
induced many to conceive. that the period during which an army is
on service is one of relaxation (ruin all rule, instead of being, as it
is, the period during which, of all others, every tell,: for the regula-
tion and conmel of the conduct of the soldier, for .the inspect'cn
and care of his arms, ammunition, aecoutrements, oeceesaries, and
field equipments, atel his horse and horse appointmelm, ter the re-
ceipt and issue and care of his provisions, and the regulation of all
that belongs to his food; and the forage for his horse, must he most
strictly attended to by the Offieee of his company of troop, if it ie

DEC.IS.—We have received Gazettes from.Gallicia to the IAW ; •-.---- .
frnni Cadiz to the 12th ; and from Estrerria4tura to the 15th.
Sucliet continues to send otlfor Tortosa every thing valuable, which 1
lie had amassed at Valencia, nut excepting the gates of the cathedral.
lie has levied, on NUJ individuals, a conirthiition of twelve iinllions of
reals, under the name of
atrcying the 1-,!, :I...it:ons.
a forced' loan. tie WS labouted hard in de-
tiun and comroul of the conduct of the soldier, tor lite inspe‘tion
and care of his arms, ammu n i t ion. al:COUtTeillelllS, uccessaries, and
field equipments, and his lidlrse and horse appointmel.ts, tor the re-
ceipt and issue and care of his provisions, aud the regulation of all
that belongs to his food ; and the forage for his horse, must be most
stii‘tly attended to by tho Qiilcci f.if his company QL troop, if it i$
•