The National Register.
London, England, 1808-10-30 00:00:00

Me

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

operation was on the point of being carried into effect, bad
not the enemy, informed of our movement, retreated at
break of day, carrying off his artillery by way of hiondra
gun, and having in the town a small corps which brought
up his rear, and tell back as our army advanced. One Of.
ticcr, a Serjcant, and eighteen men, were taken prisoners,
a .d some killed.

Dectitration of a French Officer, taken Prisoner on the 12th
of October, when General Merlin evacuated Bilboa.
Queries.—Your name? Answered—Francis Joseph )sca-
lier. our age ? Twenty-three years old. Your native
place ? Srasbnrgh. Who is General of your division ? Ater-
tin. What is the name of your regiment ? The 3d Legion
of Reserve. What is the strength of your division ? From
4 to 5000 men—all infantry, with the exception of 80 horse.
To v4hat army does Merlin's division belong ? Merlin's
division forms part of the army commanded by Marshal
Ney. What service has your division performed since
it evacuated Bilboa ? The first lime, the 20th Septenibm.,
it left Bilboa, compelled by the Spanish troops, and retreat-
el to Durengo ; its advanced posts were first at Cuardiache,
and Oil the 24th at Mondragoo, where on the 21th and 25th
a reinforcement of BJOO men arrived ; on the 21th the
troops left Darengo, under the orders of Marshal Ney, and
returned to 'Whoa ; they immediately occupied the heights
of llero, and Achurri with 850 men, while the rest
took post on the left of te high road, while the light
troops; grenadier horse, etrisseers, and the Neapolitan
guards and dragoons directed their onrch to the town. On
the 28th, Ala:shill Ney detached a strong body of horse to
observe the movements of the Spanish army, the Frenc h
remaining in the same position ; on the 29th, Gen. Merlin
marched with 2(e)0 tutu to occupy the heights of Mirabelie
and Leues, where he remained till the first of October, by
orders of Marshal Ney, who marched to Vittoria with 8000
men ; the following day he returned to Bilboa. leaving some
advanced posts in the tOrmer place. At what • clock did Mer-
lin's division leave Bilhorton the 12thinst, and fur what reason?
Mer.sn's divis:on began to evacuate Bilhoa on the ; lth at
night, and continued doing so on the 12th at break of day
leaving only some advanced posts in the town ; the French
evacuated Bilboa, because they expected to be attacked by
the Spanish troops. How were you taken prisoner ? 1 was
taken prisoner by the Spanish troops, near the bridge of
Zoldacona where my detachment was posted to cover the
retreat of the other corps. What is the opinion of the French
Officers and soldiers respecting the present war. The
French Officers think it unjust, and occasioned by the am-
bition of Bonaparte, the whole nation is of the same opi-
nion, hut the soldiers are always satisfied if they fire allowed
to rob, because they do not reflect on the calamities attend-
ing war. Is Kiel; Joseph considered by the army as a good
general, and has he gut any strong party amoug the French?
• king Joseph does not possess any military talents, and ne-
ver commands an army, but the French respect him on ac-
count of the meekness of his character, and because he is
brother of the Emperor.—('orunna Mau of 0ct.22.
ConcsNA, OCT. 19.—Yesterday arrived here an extraor-
dinary courier from the Army of Biscay, with the interest-
ing intelligence that the French had evacuated Bilboa, and
that our head-quarters were there ; in the next number we
shall state at full length the circumstances which have oc-
eJrred. They write front Lisbon that the English, in num-
ber 14,000, with four thousand Spanish troops which were
there, have embarked fur Catalonia, to assist the brave
Catalonians ; with which reinforcements it is very probable
they have expelled the French rabble, which, under the
command of their Leader, Lechi, has so long oppressed the
capital of that principality.—(Corunna Casette.)
CORUNA, OCT. 19.---By his Majesty's Cabinet Courier,
Don Juan Lesqnerre, who arrived here yesterday, at three
o'clock in the afternoon from Madrid, which he left the 15th
inst. at ten o'clock in the morning, intelligence has been
received that Don Pedro Cevallos has been confirmed by the
Supreme Central Junta of Government in the (Alice of Prin-

OCT. 30,

eipal Secretary of State. Don Benito Ramon de Hermida
has been appointed Minister of Justice. Don Antonio
('ornelly Ferraz, Minister of War. Don Antonio limns,
Minister of the Marino ; and Don Francisco Sauvedra,
Minister of Finance.--7he same Paper.

CONLIN NA, OCTOBER. 22.—The Messenger has arritzd
from Madrid with an answer to the Junta, authorising the
landing of the troops, the disembarkation will commence
to-morrow, Sir John Moore's army began its march from
Lisbon on the kb inst.—By the Portuguese mail we base
received intelligence, that the division of the Marquis de
Valladaros continued on the 13th in Oporto, whither it was
called from Carballo, where it halted, to assist in disarmiii;
the French, who came from Almeida ; but on the arrival
of our troops the whole business was done.
A nvsJUcz, Oc.r. 12.—1 n consideration of the imminent
services rendered to the country by Don Joseph Palafot v
Melzi, during the sieF,e and blockade of the city of Sara-
gossa, which he gloriously defended with honour to our
arms and disgrace to our enemies, and to the general vote
of the inhabitants, who proclaimed him Captam-(ienera! of
the Kingdom of Arragon, the Supreme Central and Go-
verning Junta of the State have agreed to promoie him to
the rank of Major-General of the !loyal Armies, confirm•
ins; him in the command as the Captain-General of the said
kingdom, and President of its Audience.—Madrid Gazette,
October 1 4.

:MALAGA, OcT. S.—Lettere from Merida, of the 9gth ult.
confirm the intelligence that the French have evacuatid
both YelYes and Fort Lippe, and that Portugal is therefine
completely cleared of ate common enemy. The Spanish,
English, and Portuguese troops, who have so gallantly de-
feated him in that country, are now ready to march to 614
country, and do here the same.---('orunna Gazette, Oct. :2'l.