The National Register.
London, England, 1811-11-17 00:00:00

AL REGIST

Don Mariano Moreno, with a detachment of 2CO iufantry and
so horse, in order to observe the enemy and his movements on
the high road, making frequent reconnoitrings in front. .On the
519th the enemy's scouts advanced to Torres Torre•, whence,
having no doubt discovered our position, they returned to their
former posts,

" On the 00th, at eight in the morning, the Officer before.
mentioned sent me notice that the enemy was advancing in force,
and that his advanced guards had already began to fire. I im-
mediately gave orders to the column under the command of
l.ieut -Col. Don Antonio de los Rios to hasten his mai ch to sup- .
port 111th, and repulse and pursUe the enemy, if his force per-
mitted. At nine o'clock I again received advice that the van-
guard of zhe enemy amounted to 2200 infantry and 200 horse, un
which account it was judged proper to retreat by the high road.
Considering therefore that the column of V.ios, consisting only
of the battalion of Avila, 145 men of the regiment of Caritseua,
and 100 of the battalion of Daroca, with 60 horse, might be sur-
rounded by so superior a force, I found it indispensible to orcier
it to take post on the heights on the right, and sustain itself there,
while I, with the remainder of the infantry and cavalry, held the
enemy in check. 'l-his Officer immediately formad a close co-
lunm, and, leaving in hi, rear-guard the part of the regiment of
Carinena which he had with him, under the coil-invalid of the
Captain Dun Joaquin Sierra Chaudi, began, his.retreat, which
he executed without difficulty, protected by that force, which
fought witii the greatest bravery, while the ,cavalry, under the
orders of Col. Dom Bernardo Morena, protected that of the tie-
taehtnent of Soneja, and held the enemy in check in his rapid
march to Segorbe, with an uncommon serenity, promptitude,
and valour. At this time, after having dispersed the cavalry •
under the command of Lieutenant-Colauel of Hussars of Arr..-
gun, Don Francisco Romeo, in the high-road, in platoons, with
200 men of the regiment of Carinena, for want of a more adean-
tageotts situation, and the rest of that regiment, under their Col.
Don Ronson Gayan, in order of battle on the left of the same, 1
ordered the Brigadier-General Don Manuel Carbon to take the
position of Rios with th 4 battalion of Daroea, which scarcely
amounted to WO men, and to act as circumatances mighfrequire,
and to join the former if he were prevented from taking that po-
sition, as was the case. These dispositions did not in any way
alter those of the enemy, who hastened by the highway his
march, notwithstanding the incessant and lively fire of our in-
fantry in its well-conducted retreat, till the latter having arrived
at the head of the bridge, and being reinforced by another com-
pany of the regiment of Carinena, under the orders of Captain
Arazun, they not only stopped the progress of the enemy, but
obliged him to take shelter behthd a house in the vicinity of the
same.
" In this situation I endeavourpl to send orders to Brigadier
M. Carbon to fall upon the left of the enemy, and attack him
with all his force; but, as the distance war great, and he had
occupied the Gardens with strong parties, the passage was ab-
solutely impossible, and the precipitation with which he fell
upon our centre would have rendered all diligence useless, in
effect. Notwithstanding the well-directed discharges that the
battalion of Corinena, proceeding upon a column of French in-
fantry, which, with increased numbers, attacked it in front, and
another which threatened it from the neighbouring height, our
cavalry could not sustain the attack of 400 horse, who-fell upon
them, and would have destroyed them if this brave corps, which
had orders to retire by the high road, supported by the same, had
not made a discharge which checked them, and, at the same mo-
ment, countermarched by the only road which remained open,
entering the city at the same time as the enemy, without a single
man having left his post, and incessantly pursuing that march,
from position to position, till they bad placed themselves in
safety.
" The cavalry made the greatest efforts to face about, but the
bednes4 of the ground, and the advance of considerable forces by
our left, did not admit of this manoeuvre, and there remained
no other resource than abandoning the high road.
" In this action we have lost Officers cot muck merit, who will
long be regretted by the Cortes, and soldiers who may be, held
up as examples; but if we consider the forces which attacked us
amounted to at least 5100 infantry, and 450 horse, and that ours
scarcely consisted of 600 of the regiment of Carinena, and 230
cavalry, it will be easy to conclude what the conduct of out
troops must have been. I can assure your Excellency that there
was not a single man who didmot fulfil his duty ; I saw (Veers
;; and soldiers dispute the honour of offering themselves to the
1 greatest dangers; and although wounded, not abandoning their
I posts.

greatest dangers; anuanuoubo _
posts. It would require much time to particularize them all to
your Excellency, because all were heroes, and ail have readered
themselves worthy of the national gratitude.
" I cannot exactly state the loss of the enemy; but If the well•
directed fire of our infatitety• for two hours and a half which they
disputed on the ground, and the regular retreat made by the dew
tachment, without ceasing to combat, be considered, IC must
bav been tossidtrable; and io this inualiesto Duals ps-.

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