The National Register.
London, England, 1812-08-30 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

of the Tonnes, leaving a corps of observation before Salamanca. As
soon as Pitonaparte, who had advanced as far as Witehan, is ac-
quainted that lititusoff is marching to attack him, lie gives orders to
retreat The van-guard of the French is assailed near Wischau, and
obliged to retrograde behind A testeilitz, where Buonaparte had chosen
his field of battle. There was out one sensation in the Austro-Russian
army;—which %vas, lest the french should absolutely retreat as far as
Vienna, in order to save themselves behind the Danube. In the same
manner, there was not a French salclier who did not partake in the
silly presumption I.l* Maritima, of cutting off the English army of
Portugal, and forcing the troops to lay down their arne. Pompey,
so celebrated ft•r his trSunipliv, forgot he had to fight that Caesar, who
was the spoiled child of Fortune. Ile permitted himself to be in-
fluenced by the buasibigs of Isis Lieutenants; and quitting the heights,
where he occupied u strung position, he descended into the plain, at
the very moment when his etreasy was going to decamp fer the pus-
pose of entering a esnietry where he might subsist his forces. " hue
speeres ut movendis ca.stris cummediore frumentatia re uteretur, si-
nittlfitie in itinere ut aliquam occasionein dimicandi riandh:Lerettir."
( ('a.s. Coin. Bel. Cie. lib. 3. cap. lxxxv.)
These projects, so ridiculously cooLeived by the three Pompeys,
arc still mote awkwardly executed. Ahrtount does not light for vie-
tory, he thinks it certain :he manoeuvres to prefit it ;he possesses
binistif of the heights which command the right ttieg of the English
army ; lie takes no care of his mine I-or of his right ; all his atten-
tion is directed to Isis left, persuaded that the success of his atsack
must terminate the war in the Peninsula. Kututuil. had so alien be-
fore-hand received the compliments of the y oung ilusesian Noblemen
on the-captnre of Buoneparte, it lie turned the right of the French
army with the (lite of Ili, troops, that he conclieled by lolling him-
self with so chimerical it hope. He weakened lus centre and Isis tight,
to strike a grand blow with Isis left*, end force the art \, which had
destroy:ll that of Mack, to Iry down its arms ; or, at least, to retreat
in the greatest disorder. Pompey, in the first lust auce, displays more
prudence, by waiting the shock of Ca•ar's infant tv. 'I he firm cotin-
tenance of his legit)t s impresse• him tvit h the idea that his victory was
assured; and to throw is c bosiile army into disorder, he turns it on
the right with all lii, cavalry. Cesar had fore• ern this movement, and
had placed :ix cohorts to repel any attack which might have for its
object to molest the tight flank of his army, while his it ft was pro-
tected by the Ensiles's. During the time this corps de reserve wes
touting Pompey's cavalry, Caesar marched his third line which had
not yet been engaged. Victory decided in his favour. The whole 1.1
the enemy's army was either killed, taken, or dispersed.
Boons parte was delighted with the stupidity of Ktittisoff ; and to
increase the credulity and aggravate the fault of this General, he t r-
dered the corps of Davotnt to hold itself on the defensive against the
attack of the whole left of the Russian army, while with the elite of his
troops heieized the heights of Pratzen, overthrew the centre, and se-
parated the left from the rest of the army. From this moment the
battle was completely gained. Buonaparte, hy directing the left wing,
ttmsisting of the corps of .Marshal Soust and the insperiel guard, to
change their front to the right and advance,
.placed the left wing of the
Russians between two fires, And almost entirely destroyed it. Wel-
lington having less practice in war than the two other Caesars, ma-
noeuvred with more cirtumspection. Instead of attempting to cut
offthe left wing of the 'French which had turned his right, he caused
it to be turned by a body of infantry and cavalry. But if, like .Bitona-
parte, the Marquis of Wellington had forced the centre of the enemy
with the elite of his army,—and if, while he directed the same corps
against the right, lie had only left one body of light troops to make a
false attack on the left, the remains of the right and of the centre
would instantly have fled with the utmost precipitation towards Alba
de Tormes. 1t is evident, that the left wing of the Frencli, left to
itself, end surrounded by a victorious army, would not have endea-
voured' to prolong a struggle, become unequal by the success of the
English against the rest of the French forces.
Caesar's army, if we may always believe him, amounted to no
more thanhal‘ the number of Pompey's. He tells us, that he had
only two-aud-twenty thousand foot, anal one thousand horse s • while
he gives to his adversary five-and-forty thousand men, of which seven
thousand were horse. This estimate is not probable. Pompey passed.
tor the most expert General of his age ;_.,when C astir was only known
on accqunt of his excesses and intemperance. At the epoch of the
battle of Pitarsalia, however, 'the two great Captains had the most
prufontsa esteem for each other, with respect to military talent.—
Every Thing induces us to believe, that the numerical strength of both
armies* was nearly equal. Pompey had the advantage in point of ca-
val.y Case, in the discipline, and, perhaps, in the devotion of his
tromps-to hr's person.
Wellington and Marmont had armies equal in force ; but the Portu-
guese and Spaniards were inferior to the French in discipline. The
tiglish. General had much difficulty to overcome in order that he
might avoid-a kieat, which must have caused his ruin. He did not
dare to ma; qapvre for the destruction of the French. He began by
an.uting to *harnsell a retreat, that he alight provide for all events.

AITC7. 30,

The first advantage excites hint to charge the enemy. It evicen,
that he was at first repulsed, and that he owed his i!ood fortun.2 th.
successive attacks which he made with fresh troops. 1 t
besides, that the right of the enemy remained on the fie' I of L..
till n;dit. This obstinate resistance proves the value which i.u„;nt
he attached tc, the laurels reaped by the Allies in this sanguinary cob-
flict. It must be observed, that it is the first OFFENSIVE. battle ,v'tich
Wellington has gaMed. The gauntlet is thrown. Let the Sp.i •
b: organized,—let him receive reinforcements,—in a word, let :11.1
equal in numbers to his adversaries, and we may reasunably how.
a inc rc decisive result from the efforts of the Conqueror of Salain:;..
• The same fault was committed by the Archduke Charles at tl:c
battle of Wagiam.—liditor.