The National Register.
London, England, 1812-09-06 00:00:00

SEPT. 6.

manceuvred in the face of the enemy, and marched olriu three coin Mils.
Commauder-in-Chief particularly ascribes the success of this tin-
dertaking to the able arrangements of Count Von Pitmen, „I„), while
he covered the whole of the army, displayed on this occasion, us on
eve V other, ilie most talents and military knowledge. Our
troops display o
ed astonishing valour ; they made the mst. of every po-
sition ; the hat.k of the little river Lutchessa was defended with- so
much obstinacy, that the enemy lost here an immense number of urea.
Count you Pottlun destroved, during the march on the i 6th, seen
French squadr, ns, which had advanced out of some small dtfi es, and
tell into an ambush in the neighbourland of Taponowsehlsna.
This day the second and third cohinuts have joined at Poretschie ;
the first column, which marches upon Lemur and liudna, covers their
march.
Ge neral Plntow, who is not more than two days' march from us,
ftta reteived orders to place himself ih adv•ince of Smolensk I. to cover
the movements of the first army. Prince itragration, on his side, is
in rapid march to Smolenski.
According to the accounts received from Lieutenant-General Count
bomstein, he continued to remain at Dtissa. Ile reports thit Major-
General lirdnew,•who had been dipastched to the tether side of the
Dwitta, had attacked the French, and made seven hundred of them
prisunt ri.

The Commander cf the first separate corps, Lieutenant-General
Count Wittgenstein, states, in a report of the ‘llst of July (August t 3),
as follows :
In
consrluence of Imperial Orders, the corps entrusted to me was
destined to act separteely. I remained, therefore, on the bank of the
Wind near the outworks of Pokaiee se, to observe the enemy, who
was opposite to me on the other side of the river; and, having destroyed
a bridge in the night, se•.t forward my cavalry to scour the country,
which hi the course of eight days, made prisoners Brigadier-Cieneral
St. Jerrie!, eight officers, and a thousand men ; and nearly destroyed
four regiments of the enemy's cavalry ; viz. the 7th and 11th French
chasseurs, the B.h Humans, arid the 10th chasseurs, both Peilikh regi-
ments. At long, h, on the 17th (i9th) of July, 1 was informed by my
detachments front Disna, that Marshal Oudinot (the Duke of Reggio),
who had there passed the Dwina with his corps, was marching on Se-
!resell ; from Dunaberg, [ received advices that M.Donald had crossed
the river at Jacubstadt, and taken a direction towards Luzyn ; and ac-
cording to the intelligence afforded by a French officer of the Staff, who
was a pdsoner, both corps were directed to cut me off from the road to
Pskowa. • _ .

Under these circumstances, t resolved to attack the nearest enemy
at the village of Klastiza, on the road to Sebesch. I, therefore, moved
on the before mentioned viltirge'of Klastiza, and dit.covered about five
verso from the village of Jakob off, the corps of Ondinot, which was ,
marching against me directly from that village. I immediately took
Inv resolution. Thanks be to all bountiful God, and praised be the
victorious Russian troops, alter one of the most obstinate and bloody
battles, which continued without intermission for three days from morn-
ing till night, I succeeded in defeating the artful and powerful enemy
of our native country. The corps of Marshal 0 _ tic.not, whiOr consisted
ol three of the best divisions of French infantry, is completely beaten,
brought into it situation of great danger, and has retired in confusion.
It only saved itself by means of. woody situations. aid by the passage
of small rivulets, the bridges of which were termed and destroyed ; and
by those means threw impediments in the way of every step we made,.
and opposed the celerity with whieh we followed theta.
The Generals of division Le Grand and Verdier are both wetinded.
I shall follow them on the Dwine towards Pol tzk. This engagement of
three days has crowned the Russian army with new laurels, and the
corps entrusted to me has by its spirit and valour performed prt•digies
that I have nut at present leisure to describe. Undismayed by the ac-
tive itnd determined opposition of the enemy, it overthrew and annihi •
hated with. the bayonet, and by the operation of the artillery, every
thing that was brought against it, consisting* of batteries and cannon of
large calibre. All the villages and fields through wl,ich we have
marched are' covered with dead bodies. We have taken three thou-
prisoners, of whom five-and twenty are officers ; two field-pieces,
several ammunition chests, the rn al and private bagtiage, including
toe camp equipage of the General. As soon as I have driven hint
tier the Dwina, I am determined, while I leave him on the other &de,
to move against and attack the corps of Marshal 11auolonaldj and, as
I lu'liet with God's help, and the spirits of our troops raised by the late
'lliccess, to accomplish something equally fortunate. I shall also en.
d,•avour to disengage our preconcerted hire of operations from Th e
enemy ; by winch means he must retreat towards Riga. The loss on
'.'"f side is not snot I. prticularly as we have to lament that of the
,r'tave llajor General Koine..., whose legs were carried off' by a cannon
ttall. He is since dead. I myself received a spent ball in my etletl;,
but the wound is not dangerous.