The National Register.
London, England, 1814-03-20 00:00:00

NATIOVAL -RI4:GtSTRIt..

slanAer and lossstill etraine..! possession of the greater l‘arj
of thenuburbs, unroofed the houses, and kept up a censtan: the
frosa them own, the troops on the walls of the town, until
night pot an end to the contest. The Russian infantry equally
maintained th inselves in another pert •of the subtirbs, and
a few houses only divided the combntants doring the nigikt
The Russians lost, more •than a thousand men killed . tul wounded.
The loss of the enemy mast have been greater, as his troops were
more exposed.
IN the morhiw, of the 6th. the enemy had given np the contest,
and rrtired. Whilst this was passing in the town of Soissons, lino•
naparte himself was ascertained to he Moving to his right, and in
the forenoon of the 6th he effected the passage of his army across
the Aisne al. fiery-le Bac, and at abut two o'clock in the afternoon
commenced an attack on the left of the position occupied by the
Field Marshal's army near Crane. ong columns were obstrved
to be marching at the same time towasil Laon, by the way of Cor-
beuy. Field Marshal Blucher immediately made the following
positions : he directed a corps of ten thousand cavalry, under the
orders of Gen. U'inzingerode, to march by the way of Chrevigny
and Pres-le, and throw itself in the line of the enemy's communica-
tion, across the road from Corbett!' to Lam). General Bulow, with
twenty thousand men, was directed to march and occepy Laon.
The corps of Generals (Mira, Kleist, and Sackett were orders d to-
incline towards the infantry of General Winzingerode, which
sits-
tained the extremity of the position near the villages of St. Martiii
and Craone. The enemy approached, under cover of the wood of
Corbenv, and sent forward large bodies of skirmishers. supported by
artillery, but was repulsed, and the firing ceased with the night.
Ott the morning of the 7th, it was ascertained that the enemy had
desisted from his march upon Laon; in other respects his position
IVA: not dearly discovered. No be prepared fir whatever' might
occur, Field-Marshal Blucher directed the corps of Generals
d'Yorck aml Kleist to move across the river Deiette, in the direc-
tion of Presle ami Leuilly, to sustain the movement of the cavalry
under General Vinzinterode, and together with the corps of Ge-
neral Bohm make an attack on the enemy's right, should lie WWI
forward against the point occupied by the infantry of General Win-
zingerode, near Craotte. General Baron Sackett was ordered to
the support of the latter, and to attempt ta turn the enemy's left,
should he make his ;Mark on the other Ma?. If pushed by a supe-
rior force, he was directed to fall bark on the road toward:, Lion,
and draw in the tarrison of Soissons.

At eleven o'clock in the forenoon, the enemy began the attack
hi• whole force, calculated at more than.sixty thousand men.
against the point were otticral Winzingerode's infantry was posted.
Field-Marsi,al Blocker immediately rode to the -spot where the
cavalry was supposed to he formed, to direct the operation' in that
-quarter ; but unexpected difficulties had opposed the march of the
eavdry daring the night. and it was tonal to have advanced no '
further than l'resle. The infantry of General Kleist, which had
marched In the morning, reached Ftticeia ; but the advanced-
guard of the cavalry alone had come up, aud it heroine impossible
to undertake with efiect the movement which the Field- Marsha;
hail projected a::;ainst the enemy's right. In the mean time, the,
t•orps'posted near Cranne was expo ed to a more kevere and power.
fill attack. General Count Strogmeaff commanded in Genoa'
Wiozingerode's absence. General Count Woronzoll had the infan-
tly. The cautwnading wa- most tremendous, but the eneinv was
resisted in ereiy point with a spirit and determination beyond all
praise. The pi c.,..-ere, however, was so great, that Gen. Baron
Socket), to %awn the support and (Unction of the *thole had been
entrusted, finally found it necessary to excente that part of the dis-
position which had provided for the retreat of the troops engaged
towards Lain. It was eseenti.d with admirable order. Though
i pieces of at-til!ery had linen dismounted by the enemv's fire, not
a'siogle vtin or carriage v kft behind. The prisoners taken were
not.more ftan 4)' 60. killed and wounded are stated at
about Gtneral Count Strogonoff had his son, a Lient.-Ge-
Irma, killed early in the uctiiol. 'three other Russian Generals
were wounded. 'General-4'mA Worozoff had five offirers of his
persoind staff killed or wounded. 'the enemy had four °murals
womeled—Victor, G!ouchy, 1 a Salle, and Charpentras. His loss
from the fife of the most admiraoly served artillery mnst have been
very great. The troops r fleeted their junction during the night,
and on the "follawing morning, with the rest of the army, and the
operations that have since ensued form the stibjt et of the annexed
report.
For f Ily-two days past this army., which appears to have been
peculiarly the object of tife enemy's disquietude awl attacks. has
,been constantly marching OT fightiag-; fon, exclusive of the general
4ctiousi only two days have elapsed. an Am* the &donee or rear

15

..fit hat Jim wen Itoito:lpatle it now in retreat he.
lore it, but whether to take up a tre=h position, or proceed in
some other direetion.pocr, nis presence nix), be funnel tvattling, is
not Vt't ascertained. SeatTely any Infoltnatinn has been received
litre of the moven:ent+; or thy grand allied army, since he quitted the
übservatiuu of it. I have Cie honour to be,
(Signed) H. LO VF, Colonel. -
Head-quartets or :1w Combined Armies, under Field-Marshal Bluchers
Laon?, Mach 19, 1814, right a. tit.

Stn—Bnomparte, with his whole force, attacked Flebl-Marshal
Blnelier yesteedav in his position at this place, and was repulsed
with Ibe loss of 45 pieces actinim., with tumbrills, baggage, and
prisourrs, the numbers of winch have, as ni)t yet been ascettained, as
the left wing of the Field-Marshal's army is still in pursuit.
The city of Lion is situatcd oft an elevated pratean, with deep
shelving banks, which command an kten.ive plain ttictiad the
town rovers greater part of the plateau • the remainder is
c:ow,led by Atis4l.l castle, and by several windmills built on hiub
terrace watts~ Gen. itttliw's army occupied this position; the re-
mairuler of VIVI() Marshal's army was posted on the Olin bCIOVV,
to the right and left of the town, fronting towards SAssons, and the
cavalry vv.i: in reserve the rear.

Betioe day-light in the morning the enemas, made his at tack, and
under cover of a thick fo.g, which coneealc4 all his movements, oh.
tabled possession of the villa es of Semilly and Anion, close under
the town, ant!' %Odell may be regarded w its suhurbs. The musketry
reaelted the walls of the town. and emitintmed without intermission
until ;theta eleven o'e:ock, when the log began to disperse.
At this time the enemy was observed to be in force behind the
villartes ~f S•lu 0, and Lenilly, with column of infantrY and cavalry
on the elmairsee, team- Soissons. He ocCupied at the saute time,
iii lord. the village of Ardon. The enemy was instantly repelled
from Semillv, and riell-narshel Witcher, the moment he could ob.
st,rve any thing of the ene:ey's positiou, ordered the cavalry from
the rear to advance, and turn his ieft flank. Gen. Coma Woronzoff,
who was on the rify.ht of the Field-Marshal's position, advaaced at
the same thhe with his infantry, pushed forwaril two battalions at
yaers, which drove in the enemys posts, sustained a charge el ca. •
valry, and maintained themselves in an attitorle to keep the left of
the 11)enly in check netil the cavalry conk! adeanee.
The Fteld-liarsled, at the same time, Oirected the advance of a
part of tic n. hulow's corps agaiust the vill.e.ze of A rdoa, from which
the enemy, tler sustaining fit e for about half an hoar, was com-
pelled In retreat.
Whilst the cavnlry wrmtaking a circuit round from the rear,--dud
at•abent t..vo o'clock ia the armerneon, the enenq was observed to
be advattc'nr acointnu of si%tetat hat taliallS With cavalry
aryl ;Wilkey, miong the chaire.ee from Rheims. Gen. Iri'arckt WAS
directed to oppose him, and Gen. Baron Sacken ordered to Olen.
D'Yorek's support.
It way here the ()Mil:, became mix,t general and decisive. The
enemy npened a formidable battery of at least forty or fifty piece's,
of arClery, mtd :idealised NS ith a emificiestee from which he must
have arrogated to hitaself every success. He tbroted a column of
attack, and was moving forward with a pas de charge to the video
of Althies, when Prince William of Prussia, who was advancing
to the village at time saute time, met hint half way, and overthrew

Ile then began his retreat, which soon became a flight. Eight
piece: of artillery, with horses and every thing belonging to their,
were imnotliatrly taken, and .net ssively twenty two pieces iin
He was pur•ved as far as Corbeny, losing baggage, prisoners, &e.
by the I,vay, the &tads of all which have not yet arrived, a; the pur.,
suit has continued during the whole of the night, 'and as it is stil
going on.
On the right, tio particular advantages were gained beyond Mel
expulsion of Me enemy from the villages he had gabled possession of
in the morning. Grab. Count Woronzott, towards the dose of- the
day, again attacked with the greatest vigour, but lie had large masses
opposed to him, and the ground presented difficulties against the
active co-optiration of his cavalry.
The prostiptitude with which Gen. Ceunt Worouzoff conducted
his advance the morning. and the bravery and deteminatiosli
with wifich Itaa troops attacked, we; e the admiration oft very one.
The tones ow either side it is as vet inyo,sible to ascertain, but
have suyieit'seen conic hundred prisoners brought in here already.
P.S. Ten a..m.—The prisoners say that Mona/nate is still in
front of Lam'', and resolved on pursuing his attack this day.
'flue cannonading and musketry is already violent in the direction
of Scoilly and Lenilly.
have the honour to be, &e.
(Signed) H. LOWE, Colonel.