The National Register.
London, England, 1811-04-21 00:00:00

'I7IE- NATIONI

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. 'll
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FRENCH ACCOUNT OF THE RETREAT Of 144A=N4t.,
PARISE APRIL S. v
.e
An Aide-de-camp of IVlarshahthe Prince of Essling has ar-
rived at Paris. He set out on the 23d of March from Celerico,
Which was the head-quarters. All the magazines which the
army had formed, were entirely exhausted on the 213th of Fe-
bruary. The foragers, who were sent twenty leegues .front
headequarterseno longer brought in any thing.
On the Ist of Viarch they were reduced to subsist on the re-
serve of bischit, which only furnish fifteen days fond,. and'
it was impossible to wait for the harvest, as no resource could
be expected from it befdre June. There remained, therefore,
to the Prince of Essling, only three measures to afiopt-e-ohe was'
to attack the English in their lines before Lisbon, lint the prince-•
pies of military tactics forbade this, inasmuch as his heavy artil-
lery
could not be brought up.
Another was to pass the Tagus to form a junction with the
army of Andalusia, and by that means opening a communica-
tion by the great road with Seville and Madrid, finding his ar-
tillery in Badajoz, drawing his provsions front Alentejo, chang-
ing his line of operation, and maintaining the double trie-de pont,
which the army had constructed on the right and left banks of
the Zezere, at Punhete.
Gen. Eble, with an activity and a true knowledge of all the
resources of his aft, which did him the greatest honour, as well
as the artillery, was preparing to construet 200 bleats, We
Might then, by throwing at once two bridges over the Tagus,
menacing a passage in front of Punhete, effecting onelower down
opposite Santarem, bearing then upon the rear of the division
of-General Hill, which the English kept before Puniette, or
heaving the English army at Lisbon' and by a movemnefit upon
I.yria, obliging them to recall the division of General Hill in
order to succour Lisbon ; profitine by this movement to throw
over a bridge in the environs of Punhete. The Tagus being pas-
sed by one or other of these operations, a communication would
have bee' opened with Seville and Madrid, and we might have
been reinforced 'with all the resources of the army of Andalusia.
The third measure which presented itself was to repass the
Mandegn, hearing upon Gearda, anti opening ><communication
with,Cuided Rod igo, where there were ihoes,cliething, ammu-
vition, artillery, enagazinec and money for the army, which had
pot beennaid for six months. On the Sd of March the Prince
of t ssline -decided on. the last Mea.Sittro On the 4th, all the bag-
gage-and the sick were placed on-a treat nuhibor of mules and
asses which were with the army.; they were sent forward on the
road, arid gained two marches. The rear-guard was confided
tote puke of Efchiogen, who advanced from Leiria, to Me-
lilla, threatening to turn the position of cartaXte On the 10th
the-reathgnard was at Pombal.
Our eharp-shooters, who remained in front of the town, and
the English advanced guard, were engaged, which gave rive to
the combat of Ponthal. Our advanced posts retire4i, and the
Fnglish advanced guard entered the t mu. The first brigade of
the first division of the Duke of Elchingen charged the army with
the bayonet, ant :killed and wounded 4or 500 men. Our loss
in this combat amounted to 5 killed aed 18 wounded. The En-
eiisleadvar zed guard had no artillery; the artillery of our rear-
euard was in battery, and played constantly upon theist.'
On the 11th the French rent'-guard was on the heights of Re-
dinha. The English General advanced with his whole army.—
At two in the afternoon. he deployed about 26,000 men under the
Ere of forty of our pieces of artillery, which played with great
activity. All the shot bore upon the mass of the enemy, they
being unmasked _by arty battery. Disorder • manifested itself.
several times i# .theit columne. Aboet five their artillery at-
. rived, and they mdnined' Some bat terieti. ':We law with pie: eare
that one of theirdivizionshriantehtered otithhir right to torn our
left, by the vajlipeof ,Retlinha. We let Oath:De:it. Al Rom as
they were sufficiently engaged the ,nth and the 27th a the lihe
• charged them With the bayonet and :inn flight completily to the
root. The Estglishoficer. who conatuanded was killed: The rid
Hussars made a fine charge. Thedbsi:oflhe English, who were
Several hours tinder the tire of our artiUriny, wa#
.06iletss tinionnte&to 80 killed and wbunded.
On the lith, the advanced guard was at chez de Aronce. Our
artillery was in hpoeitioll on the riktat bank of the Cara, which
commanded much of theelert batik. . We engaged the euemy
very adroitly ittetri affaireiridvaticed posts, which 'embarrassed
hire We drew .hive tinder the fire. of the i on the right
bank, whilatthe 3htlehad tiiith charged. hintle village was
taken and re-taken several times. The English were exposed to
ill the fire of'our bitterieC`dliorder prevailed in their ranks, and
anon communicated heed to the wifole of the enemy's line, fa-
tigued with the inconveniencies of such a position, some tugitive
English arrived at I.onza and Pinherios. The village of Foz de
Anence rervitted with the Freucliteargliard. Our ktia

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244

•- . .
t04K40. • Men ; drat, tolthe enemy to 1,200. An English General
Officer fora killed, This was the moment to march insAinst the
English artily, and to ruin it. This resolution was for an.instant
agitated in the Ifteneh army,-but it was thelstb, and thetetreat
bad cntunicllteeti on.the .sth. We bad only marehedeurand a
half or two leagues per day, andttere oiLy remained provisions
for too or three days at' a half ration. It was, therefire, im-
possible to stop ; there was not a day to lose, and the army con-
tinued its movement.
• On the 17th, the rear-guard had wholly. passed. the
Instructed by the comb4ts ut l'onib-41, of Redinha, and tf Foz de
Aronee, the Lusimy no' longer shoe ed himself. These three
combats were adVautageous to the French arniy.
.Not a sinile
caisson, nor a carriage with baggage, nor gate sick man was lett
behind. It took twelve days to march from' Santarem to the
banks. of the Alva. All the movements of the retreat were cal-
culated, tint upon the nievements of English, but upon tha
necessity of subsistence.—At length, on the f2l.d, the army was
in the best position, and the soldiers in the best spirits. C, 1,-
voys had set out from Salamanca and Culdad Ro:Irlgo, and
everyday the army received clothing, shoes, and every thing
that was necessary. for their refreshment.
"Thus the army of Portugal has lived six months upon the re.
sources of the country; it has changed its place When ull those
resources were exhausted, and when the difficulties of tranrporx
and of roads lefttno lope of drawing any thing from the depots.
The months-which precede the harvest are in general the
most difficult for subsistence, because then the granaries 31
empty ; their difficulties have of coarse existed in a much
stronger degree in an enemy's country already laid waste.

SPAIN.

BATTLE OF DARiIbSA.

From the Conciso it appears, that very warm disctisclons
have taken place in Cadiz, with respect to the conduct of the
Spanish General Lapena in the battle of B irrosa, and It does
not stem to have given inure satisfaction there than it has done
in this country.
The Fliglish officer begins thusi—" Having helm' nothing
but false accounts touching the battle of Barron, and being
persuaded that the public cannot obtain a proper knowledge of
it front the dispatch of General Lantnet alone, I shrink' be
wanting to my duty as an English oaieer, if I failed to lay be-
fore the Spanish 'public cerretn beta whieltfiled my attention.
" I shall not detail any of the circumstances which occurred
before our arrival at Viler: eitilice it to say, that the allied
troops 11114 i-went mil tk labour end fatigue ; but as the utmost
harmony prevailed, it.spias cheerfully hone by the soldiers of
both nations.
" On the night of the Sd we halted in a woo I near Vellr,„;
and at six in the evening of :he 4th we all marched, witli the
understanding that we were to halt and tuke refreehMiut at
Conil, for the purpose of being pre
' pared to figlet the enemy
next day. The Spanish General. however, changed the clan,
and on the morning of the Silt, titter a inarell of sixteen hours,
we found ourselves OD the heights of Parrosa.
" Ile van-guard under the command of Brigadier Lerdize•
bal, received enters to enter the pinewood, and mike cat ry
amt. to keep open tilts coannunivation with Senti Petri ; and
this operation wee vete respectably exeeut..:d by his dirie'un.
" At this moment General Lapena ordered General Urshain
to march teettrde the wood with the leritleh troops, lb the die
rectian of Santi Petri, which he did; Inn he had trot advanced
far into the woad, when 1u re,..:eived advices, that the enemy
was marching rapidly by the plain towards the position which
we occupied three quarter, of an hour before.
" Ele•tmmedlately Countermarched his division ; mid upon
Issuing from the wood, obstrved o strong colkiinu. of the enemy
adeencing upon our left; and we were 'uprise(' to see. anoeher
considerable cote in posseesien of the Ittieiltte• where we had
left Fare of the Spanish Army.., •r, I' s'? ' • • .
" I know nut what happetccefati• 'the heights Aft our troops
left them. I have heard thst tlui Spaptilt and CeirOktbavalry
charged the enemy ; I have hearei t4tat two e)raeleil telitt eite of
%t
the division -Of )3reines 'opened-a brisk flee on 'the en ; I
hive hoard, in short, than tattyy-ali -;receivill. ptifftive era
t-, om the General in l. ',id to ,retire; hut as I. was vecie 'with
them, I do /Mt take upon me to'decide tipotc ittly 4 iNeiec.r-
-' curtlAances : what I 014 say is, that 14eU Mte cimpl,diatirine-
wiiod, no Spanish troops were in siz7lt.
• . t‘ iteeseat would have begin molt iscuirdous 1_ and tb Want a
'height occupied by fresh and superior, toecm4,wauteel lit* of
being an enterprise of •equal ("Meek-v. ••'- • • • .
" I understand that Lieratral Graham was aviarG of the im-
portance of the po,ition of Barrosa ; and confident of the va-
lour of his troops, determined on risking an attack. The
heiehts on our right were taken atter an ousrinate resistazco, auul
th,: euttay's column vu our Sift wall put to We rout.

W

4

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244

TILE NAT

" The ellen), beivg.a. Ireuely-fortrest on ell•point s,
matle a. equativoti
of C;erman cavalry chef ged htse,- arid tt.. lint: •a • bah.,
the General thinking that his troops hese worked hoe* etigetel•
" Four thousand roen, so or hanstedby the want. of teit.e*
We
merit and and a painlitl Anode, aid wlio, notwistneetinilitgle
back a very superior Tice, possett4w ttit sitviaptat,44 e
- s ioti
ti m and circus, reertnee tie eulogy.
" During the time when 'the conthatante were hotly ea Rd.
tw , baltalt,nos CA' alloon3 and Ciudad Recl haterporattil WKI:
Mir division dideze,- tge• meth, arta vriaich..iervl4 aril
to-
wards another paint wheat. he ardiatesk. sa to vtte.tir that pixies,
wooer, were 61:eil making all risible Minion...to. Irkaptioitito
tour their friends ; tut they could not reach
a aterhut.till '
.. the
whole was cJneluded : I believe, however, tht Dagareir4 Cala
and these battaliOns at,g sharer, in the glaties oi 01.4. iltal.
Prem. the zeal and anzitty which they a:played to. illin. tau
.
t-1)q.
66 The carps ia m which. animated thus battelietla deo pat
suffer rue to doubt dial the same spirit pervaded in Ate wholos
Spanish army: but these good dispositions, modal' the firstaspa
and noble st ntimente of the Spanish natuXi,, weilie. saktigillea. tar
the want cif ee,ivity of General Lapcna, of hisr alviiega, and
th • officers of 111- s-aff.
" Had the smallest Movement been executed.; ha& Ike Spa-
nish General himself, or any individual of hie steJf, been pre-
sent to give hint an' ticcount ot the erate of the te '&6 act ;
and
ion, Ire
would, in censeptence, have been able to co-op
te-a
the result woull troubrless have been attended with as favourable
consequences to the Spanish cause as any other event which hue
occurred since the cotnmencement ot the oppression and ty-
ianny t;\ et cised upon Spain ; and I believe it is not too much
ti say, that it would have accomplished the deliverance of An-
dalusia.
66 I declare on ovy word of honour, that all that I have re-
lated took place under my own eye; and I am perstyaded that
ther.• Is not en officer in the British army, or in the Spanish
battalions above-mentioned. who will tail to confirm every
wurtt of it. " C. P. an Officer in the British army."
" /di, elfurch 10, 1s11."
Letter of D. Judn. de It: Cruz .21Ion11eon to D. Juan. .Tacinto
1,.T.,;,;, in conseflitellellithe Letter (d. the E/ViSit Offiet'l', in-
scrtvi in t 4,e Cenci 0, r. 41.
TU.:letter, which 16 of very considerable length, begins with
cciupl owing of the want of precision in the details of the English
Calker, either with regard to dates or the positions of the sec-
tions, cures, or divisions of the army. To remedy this defect
the writer sends to his friend a ground-plan of the whole, to ii.
lustrate the contents of hi. letter. Hl. then proceeds to analyse
the letter of the English (Nicer in the following manner :....'
" Ile says in his hate., 6 I knew Dot' what took place on the
bt• grate, after our troops left them, Sec.' 'Fo this I reply, that
nrt...atticr Beeines aild myself remained upon them. with the di-
vision ttlnt'er his command which consisted of the company of
nutsheteers of Get ares, a battalion of the Queen, the regiments
of. Signoizil, C":intabria Ciudad Real, a battalion of the Wal-
loone, alto:her English 'battalion, four pieces of artillery, and all
the baggage with the ammunition of the first and second divi-
sion, with orders from the General in Chief to begin ourretreat
towards the bridge, as soon es we Faw the troops repassing by it.
We were in position at this place when the enemy werede,cried •
rtilliceuvring to seize upon it, without, knowing whether the
English or Spaniards weiti)d come to our assistanee i if not secure
of victeiy, we. were at least in a eituation to perish in oar rtinhe,
in order to secure the .retreat of our dear allies, which also was
carried into effect ; it being scett also how much our position
tilt-vet( ned ?he enemy, the latter marched the whole of his co-
lumns to attack the troops upon it, an not the English, wham
they could by no tomes see: a .proof '9f t4is..telielt. being, that
milieu tierkeral Graham. with hie erooPe issued 'rota the .pine-
wiled. he encountered those ott he energy, yell() had cheer:Li. :he
direction of their colemne on account of our rettca wkidi .1.).
Santiago Whittinghain conducted. .. •
" ..riving now entered the. pine-eVotele I ofeeervt;d• that. the •
English• light inizniry had begun the action WWI i hose.of the
enemy who followed us, and. that the Brash army had returned
Ity4titrans of a cottuterneiceli, anil.evas le.:glitnina to form in_lisae
by. Wheeling-ouit9 left, at the foot of a. small height which, the-
enemy already occupied, with whom' a terrible fine had com-
menced; then the English battalion, whirh mare:heti in fetett of
the column which I commanded (eonsi.stfitt a the Walloon,
battalion, and the'regititertUnft:itelail [teal, and two pieces of
aetflety), marched towards the line cif battle which the other.
troops of their nation were forinik, whiciabattalion I foilevted e
tett at that moment General WAitlgiteltarn ordered rue to march;
tti#:riglit 4.n,.l?ich pave hint must
had • re,-.1" oenetsatalto
lifinfernursi

EMISTgR•

iieL.Boolevevefeeeve.7...------- - --
ir,g a shot, overawing the cnemy'S cavalry, who durst not at.
teck, and never forming in line, because we wanted a point of
seaport.
'4 Q attrnallg to the above, it is necessary to observeythat if
Senor C. P. when lie tame out of the pine-wood did not see any
Spsnisla troops, it must-have been bteause of his being fully oc-
ctepied, •or because fit, a time they were on the lefeflank.of the
Lee, where;. et mar Nvr..y defileult for liim to see,thetn, on account
of the iiiood 'arid tlxv lasokOtti ereundOver Which my colueen had
to impel'.
" Doelitless C. P.. c,pni eau{cts.-17tuere4larrosa with Calia-Bhmca,.
since the brtter le then nppft eVyftisl point in the ridge Of Puteco y.
214 etr-inii cliariftraifue se4„ et was not sttitnportant for Genet
eeif,iu_t
tai.l f 6, ilaxrciie. is Casa-Blanca, which is the point,
444 to Pr •
t irisngtd the gouu4.
Heys bits,
4€41.e (*ulna. ditfuot lain till all Wai over, Ste. TQ this 1 reply
is,°iCe
" Ass the oilers which I Ita4 were. to gitard the right flank, it
becatiat my duty, on no account tO join the English line of bat-
tj . tbanehaving ern t 4 the. elope the pass Which w to my
tees• :Lad tiat beet &Inc, so.fa ftuni being vs
rioun
s, onee sh
line,ould
hare been ;voted; for all the. guallidi troovs were i
4,24oicte were no, other's. to Mancreire but fixate which I corn-
rieeeidet., and. tilose which sußeprted me on my rieeht flank, and
which were conineanded by Senor Ekeeiues. For this reason f
marched still in close column of formation against the force of
the cavalry and iutenere which was posted in front of Casa-
Blataca, aceompapit dby a squsidron of English husSars. I or- .
deed theremeins of that-first of Valencia, and the companies of
light infantry of sigaeuze, and,Cantabrie, to attack in divisioeit
I.ll9Ett of the enemy who had fastened to the beach to get posses-
sion of our baggage. This was exeeuted, and together with the
closeness of the column unaer my crenmend, so alarnietl. 64
enemy; that their cavalry ebaudentd their light troops, and rem
tiled ni all haste towards the termination of the I.agoied.
44 Obeerving that the enemy were now neither on my rear nor
on my eight, I marched. my column towards the right ffank of
the English line of battle, whose left was still etigaerd. In this
situation., and ah.vays advancing, the squadron of English hes.
1 sars adeanced and charged the euteny's cavalry, who Wei!ed f(,r
them with fitmeess; but the valour and iutrepidier of the Bri-
tisit hussars routed them in less than a minute. In the pursuit
' the hu.ssars fell in with a small square of enemy'S infantry, who
opened their tyre upon th m, and the hussars prudently retired to
. their line of formation. I took adventage of this interval, and
• opened a fire from my two pieces of artillery, the. balls of which
reached this square body, whicleformed in column and began tO
relive. This being .s en by the right flank of the enemy s line,
which still kept up the firing with much briskness, they also be-
-1 gan their retreat in the greatest disorder, at which monient I re!.
eeived orders trunk General Graham to suspend the march of my
I column, and give the troops setae relaxation, as the Enelid).
also did. -
t 1 The whole of the above being an incontestable fact, Ser.or
C. P. ought to confess, that the column under my cominer.4
consisting of the battalion of Walloons, the regiment of Ciudad
Real, and two pieces of artillery, not only reached the English
line before the close of the action, but that they had an essential
part in the victory • on which account they are sharers in thlo
glories of that day, and' not for the wiihes only whiell C. P. jestly
ascribes to them ; for if he considers the latter As the only reasoe
for their deserving praise, then he ought to advert, that as much
might be said of those troops which were at Cadiz and Cie Isla.'
TARRAGONA, MARCH. ii.—They write from Reus, that D..
Kovire and Senor Milans have entered several• towns of.
France., and imposed contributions in retaliation for
dotiathose of the
Frenclrin Spain. Salsfield has gone to attack Nlacld, who
hes shut himself up in Lerida. A division of MOO vandals, whp
issued from Tortosa, has been attacked by the brave troops of
Ca4alt.;:iia, and lost 800 men.
CA ni z , MARcti• 39.—()n the evening of the 2.7 the it began to
blow a e rote! gale front the east, whichincreased every moment.
d in the couree of the night and next morning rose to a pitch of
violence greater than any within our recullection. 'lhe cense-
qtitirce4 have been most destructive ;dui deployable-. The inha-
bitants, filled with a well.fistarided apprehensiou of 'the damage
which such a terrible night was likely to cause in the bay, crow
ed in the neeiteingto the sea-wall, where they witnessed the
dread/ell, spettetcle*Co cons:der:dale number of ships wrecked,
mid otheee it clatter of the suttee fate making eignels for assist-
, alice. INi/li% theewlmle day the gale continued equally violent
sand cattied new disasters. Word& are unequi t
•o convey
• idea of the hUmanity, zeal, and intrepidity Witttewhich many
'.floats anerfehiecas (particularly the Lnglish) put cert. and saved a
nuteber .dif inefortunateepeoplee. evileO.must otherwise have pc-
rished, as did many who could not ..be relieved;
Th.... inhabitants of Cadiz averted their eyes from these ob•
jects, to turn them, full of indignation, on the cause of such

my colleniu.to sirspert dig right tioncovaprn
111‘_ 1 liek., Yi I,*".‘ll"e alfit klazn4l NIA itittlidysmetrateatowartls-tbe, reats arurf
beach. Ar.iliat moment I cainferltUrtheitlly the tat, in order .iltiltil*, 61.
:lilinettarlibottltrt the lime tit battle which the English were form-
risheo, as
..,,
~. .:
~. Ai • rcli.* 1.12011 Casa.-Blanca, m3l:ing thii movement in I, Th.... inh.
, - . v 10..- ~,,, :A.., .orting the fire of artillery without return- i jecti, to to
,n
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