The Sun.
London, England, 1831-06-08 00:00:00

POLAND.

" WARSAW, MAY 29,
" REPORT OF THE COMMANDER-IN-CMEF.
" The encounter of General Lubienski, oh the 23d inst.,
with the mass of the enemy, apprised me that Field Mar-
shal Diebitsvh was with his principal force on the right
bank of the Bug, and that at any moment he could rejoin
the Guards. On the other hand, General Chrapowski,
intrusted with conveying support to our Lithuanian bre-
thren, having joined them, had tsecured the object
of our expedition. I then save an order to em-
inence our retrograde ronvement before forces so supe-
rior to our own. On the 24th the reserve, under General
Pac, was at Stoczyn ; General IB.•.hinski occupied the
position of Crerwin ; General Lubienski, with the second
corps of cavalry and the division of General Henry Komi-
enski, was posted near the Nodborg, and General Gielgud
marched upon Louisa to occupy it. On the 25th, Gen.
Lubienski was attacked by the Guards from Tykoczin, and
from Chorocre ; at the same time the army of the Field-
Marshal arrived from the Nur. I gave orders for our troops 11
to pass to the right hank of the Narew, which was effected
on the evening of the 25th, over both bridges, in the most '
perfect order, Gen. Lubienski commanded the rear-guard,
and to cover the passage of the army he occupied the heights
of Zekun and of Lawy. In the morning of the 26th, the
positions of General Lubienski were attacked with great
impetuosity by the Field-Marshal in person. General
Lubienski retreated upon Ostrotenka, making a most
vigorous resistance. His march was stopped by the city
itself, which had been set on fire by the mortars of the
enemy; but after having passed to the right bank of the
Narew, our army attempted to destroy the bridge : placed
however, under the fire of the enemy, their success was
imperfect, and they could not prevent the Russians from
repairing it. This circumstance enabled the divisions of
gren idiers, under Prince Pzakowski, to pass over to the
right bank of the Narew. The enemy's division, protected
by a numerous artillery, placed on a position on the oppo-
site bank, commenced a vigorous fire. This protected
the division, and presented a serious obstacle to our attack.
Nevertheless, several of our regiments of infantry and
other divisions charged the enemy with intrepidity. The
combat was for a long time one of real sl.ughter. We
were unable to drive the enemy across the river, and on
his side, with the greatest efforts, he could not reach its
right bank; and the enemy, who had advanced in nu-
numerous columns, was obliged to retreat. Finally, the
Russians, exhausted, towards night retired from the other
side of the river, leaving only some sharpshooters on the
right bank, who also retrograded as far as the bridge.
Thus we remained masters of the field of battle.

" The battle ended at ten o'clock at night. I ordered
the army to proceed to Pultusk. This march was effected
without the least interruption on the part of the enemy.
We have not been able to ascertain our loss, but it is con-
siderable on both sides, both in killed and wounded.
" We have taken some hundred soldiers and several
officers.

(The report concludes with praise of the officers and
men, and a promise of a more detailed report.)
(Signed) The Commander-in-Chief,
" Paltask, May 27, 1831. " SKR Z YNECKL"
" BULLETIN.

" On the 26th a sanguinary battle was fought at Ostro-
lenka. Malevolence will no doubt be ready to exaggerate
our loss. It is our duty to anticipate the false reports
which it will endeavour to propagate. We therefore
hasten to announce the results of this battle.
" We have sustained a reverse. Our troops are retreating
upon Pultusk. They fought the whole of the 26th,
against the whole united forces of General Diebitsch. The
attack of the enemy was vigorous ; the resistance of the
Poles most obstinate. Courage, however, was obliged to
give way to numbers. Ostrolenka was taken by assault,
and our troops repassed the Narew.
" If the Russians have obtained a success in causing our
retreat, they have paid dear for it. The death of the brave
General Kicki, and of General Kaminski, grieves us.
Several superior officers are several wounded. All have
done their duty.
" The Commander-in-Chief, in executing the plan
which he had conceived of assuming the offensive, and of
advancing into the Palatinate of Augustowo, was alive to
all the dangers of that expedition, but lie was also aware
of its importance. In throwing troops into Lithuaiiia—
in carrying succours to the insurgents—in furnishing them
with officers, cannon, arms, and ammunition, be did more
than if be had obtained a victory. A victory would not
Live sufficed to consolidate our independence, but a levy
en masse in the Polish provinces, the co-operation of all
the Poles in the work of the regeneration of their country
secures to us results of the greatest importance in a military
and political view.
" The intelligence which we have received from Li-
thuania announces the success of the insurgents,—paints to
us the enthusiasm and general devotion of the country,—
and at the same time explains the precipitate march of
Marshal Diebitsch, who, in directing all his forces upon
Ostrolenka, resolved, at all risks, to cot off our communi-
cation with Lithuania.
" Podolia has already risen. The insurgents are ad_
vancing in Volbynia. Balia, Tuberex, are in their hands
The ranks of the Volhynian patriots will increase daily. •
" The check which we have experienced has not altered
in the least our military position. From this day all the
Poles will form only one army, and those who perished
on the banks of the Narew will find avengers on the banks
of the 'Niemen and of the Dwina."

(From the Times Private Correspondence.)
BERLIN, MAY 29,

I announced to you in my last letter the rapid re
treat of the Russian Guards, and the entry of the
Polish troops into Ostrolenka. The latter soon
proceeded farther, and on the morning of the 20th
May, General Gielgud took possession of Lomza,
shortly after General Jonkowskf had entered Snia•
dow. On the approach of the Poles, the Russian
corps under General Sacken had abandoned the
town, and withdrawn to Stawiski, leaving, without
firing a shot, the fortifications at Lomza, the erection
of which had cost so much labour, to protect the
Polish troops in their new acquisition. More than
a thousand prisoners were found in this town, the
greatest part of whom were either sick or wounded,
as well as a depot of arms, money, articles of war,
and a great quantity of provisions. No sooner had
General Gielgud taken possession of Loreza than ,
the Generalissimo, who had directed all the opera-
tions against the Guards, endeavoured, by advancing
suddenly on the road to Tykoczin, to intercept
the flight of the Russian column, or to force the
enemy to come to an engagement. The Russians,
however, advanced with uncommon speed, and they
were but a short distance from Kicki, when their
rear-guard was attacked by the Polish General. An
adjoining wood seemed well adapted to favour their
retreat, but was insufficient to screen them from the
valour of the Poles. They were soon forced to
abandon their position with great loss; a whole
Russian battalion was completely dispersed, and the

Poles themse\ ves, although victorious, lost 1.30 men.
On the 21st, at break of day, the Generalissimo
matched on to Tykoczin, and upon approaching it he
gave orders to the French Colonel (Lengernnann)
to make an immediate attack on the town and on
the bridge leading over to right side of the
sarew. The Ceirr.';e4 at the head of 300 men,
supported by a detachment of the 2d regiment of
Chttseurs, conducted the attack with Much eciAage,
,and having had his horse killed under him,he rushed
on, nevertheless, on feet, sword in hand, and was
the first to throw himself on the bridge. The
Restiene were unable to resist the impetuosity of
the assailants, by whom they were se clioseiy pur-
sued, that they were unable) in their retreat, to
destroy the theee principal bridges over the
Narew, Supported by their artillery and 'chas-
teurs, they e ere enabled to keep up their defence
on the last bridge until evening ; but during
the night they were obliged to abandon even
this last position. The Poles have taken
within the last ten days in the different encounters
which have taken place, upwards of 600 prisoners
from the Guards, independent of those taken at
Lonita; and have finally compelled thetas to retire
beyond the frontiers of the I,htgrlom of Poland. On
the 21st General tiebitsch, having left Siedlec,
passed the Bug, near Granna ; he then advanced
against the corps under General Lubienski) atatiohed
near Nur, and consisting of some thousand men,
and surrounded him its the night. The Russian
Quarter-master, General Neidhart, summoned Lu-
bienski to surrender, as he was evidently deprived,
by the superior number of the troqs around him, of
every means of retreating. Lubienski answered,
that every w - Was open to Polish bayonets, and
commencing Immediately an attack on the nearest
column of the enemy, he soon re-established his
communication with the army. Some Polish de-
tachments have advanced between Ciechanowiec
and Sufoi against the detachments of General Die-
Litsch's corps, which are passing over the Bug in
great haste, in order to join the Guards on the
other side of Bialystock. In fact, the Russian
Guards have retired on all sides with precipitation.
The Polish detachments all along the Bug have ad-
vanced beyond the frontier, of the present king-
dom, and at Ciechanowiec they found consi-
derable magazines of corn and forage. The
Russians are also withdrawing from the dis-
trict of Podlachia. General Uminaki took Siedlec
on the evening of the 23d, and a part of his
cavalry pursued the enemy towards Miendzyrzecz.
On the whole, the loss of the Russians, and of the
Guards in particular, must prove fatal to them at
this moment', unless they be able by some sudden
movement to retrieve their long declining fortune.
The great and indeed extraordinary change which
has taken place in the state of Polish affairs has also
operated %et.), potvtrfully oa public opinion in this
city. When the chief of the invading army poured
200,000 men into the emaciated bosom of Poland,
—when the 300 cannons of Grochow had resounded
throughout Europe,—few were found sanguine
enough to entertain the hope that Poland could even
for two months sustain the whole weight of the
northern Colossus. But the event has shown at
least the exaggeration of such apprehensions, and if
at Grochow and Wawer the Poles have proved that
they could resist superior force, they have proved at
Demby and at Iganiec that they knew also how to
annihilate them. The whole country from Siedlec
ro Tykoczin has been freed by their late exertions
from the ravages of the enemy, and whatever may
be the ultimate fate of this magnanimous people, it
must be admitted by all parties that they have already
done enough to entitle them to the unbounded ad-
miration of posterity.

BERLIN, JUNE

It was lately my pleasing task to give you a slight
sketch of the rapid and glorious triumphs of the
Polish troops; but, alas! the inconstancy of fortune
is proverbial, and even the stupendous efforts of this
army of heroes has proved insufficient to win her
exclusive favour. The last accounts from Poland
are of the most distressing nature. General Die-
bitsch having effected his union with the Guards,
crossed the Narew on the 26th of May, and fell with
his whole forces on the Polish army, under Skrzy-
necki, in the neighbourhood of Ostrolenka. The
Polks,although attacked by an enemy so far superior
in number, were true to their ancient renown, and
performed prodigies of valour. The oldest generals
on both sides were, it is said, actually astounded at
the animosity, almost bordering on frenzy, which
prevailed in both armies, and many have declared
that in the whole course of their military career
they never witnessed such a furious engagement.
From the imperfect information we have received, it
would appear that in consequence of the great tnul-
titude of the enemy, which continued like an
overbearing torrent to pour down on the devoted
Poles, the Generalissimo gave the signal for re-
treating, not without having made the Russians pay
dear for the advantage they had obtained. Indeed,
it has been reported,but I know not with how much
truth, that the number of killed on the side of the
Russians was greater than on the side of the Poles.
No prisoners were taken during the battle, and the
number of the dead on both sides amounted to
20,000. It is stated in some accounts that the
Poles had only 4,000 men killed, among whom
were Generals Kicki and Kamienski, Colonel
Goyenski, and several other officers. Among the
wounded were Generals Bozustowski, Pac, Skar-
zynski, 11Ialachowski, and a great many other staff
officers. It is, no doubt, difficult, until the arrival
of more ample information, to form a confident opi-
nion on this subject; but the sudden retreat of the
Generalissimo, who on the 27th had transferred his
head-quarters to Pultu,k, arid on the following day
to Praga, does not augur well for the Polish cause.
The Russian troops have re-entered Ostrolenka, and
the Polish General Gielgud is, in consequence of
these movements, cut off from the main army. Thus,
by one of those great vicissitudes so common in hu-
man affairs, are the Poles, who only a few days ago
were driving before them tire troops of the Auto-
crat, and had forced them to abandon their frontiers,
preparing again to defend the walls of their capital.
It is a subject of regret to many that Skrzynecki
should have accepte I battle against the whole forces
of Diebitsch, when he might have inflicted great in-
jury on the enemy, well aware of his perilous posi-
tion, without the risk of a general engagement. But
in the absence of more accurate information, this
opinion must not be relied upon, and may, perhaps,
be the offspring of disappointment.

WARSAW, MAY 26

The Gazelle of this day contains the official
report of the Generalissimo Skrzynecki of his ma-
nceuvres and combats from the 12th to the 21st—
that is, from the occupation of Tykoczin, to the re-
treat of Field-Marshal Diebitsch upon the Bug.
His report is dated from the village of Alt Modzele,
Mav 23.
The Warsaw State Gazette says, that on the 21st,
towards evening, our infantry were incessantly fight-
ing about Tykoczin, where they dispersed the batta-
lion of the Russian grenadiers of the Guard, who
elide ivoured to defend a long dike behind the town,
in the marshes of the Narew. Our attack was so
violent, that the Russians were unable to demolish
the bridge in their rear, and our advanced guard at
once passed the Narew. It was there that Colonel
Langerman (General Lamar que's aide-de-camp),
who had just arrived, had the opportunity of distin-
guishing himself. His horse was shot under him,
and he fought on foot at the head of a battalion
which charged at the point of the bayonet. The
same day our troops met, between Ciechanowiec
and Suraz, some of Diebitsch's detachments,
who were hastening to join the guard at Bialy-
stock, which they beat. A Russian corps of
several thousandr men, with General Sacker), is
cut offretreatinf throughcommAunuigcautsitoonw Nov:
pursuedth theby Guards,
General
enaendi
Sierakowski.
Theßussiansininre entirely evacuating
Podlachia. General
IJ
entered Siedlec on
the evening of the 23d. A part of
islvdalry were
pursuing the enemy on the road to si
The offensive movements of the Generalissimo were
executed with such great skill, that it was only on

the fourth day that the Russian cOnimandcr dis-
covered them : it brought the whole of our army to
t central line of operation, so as to make our head:
uarters on the 23d at Sniadow. After having
passed the Bug, Diebitsch directed his whole force
against the corps of General Lubienski, composed of
several thousand men, *hich he surrounded in the
night b;:- a much superior force. The Russian Ge-
neral Neidhardt demanded the surrender of General
Lubienski, whose retreat was, he said, in all its
avenues cut off; and the reply of our General was,
that he would open his passage with Polish blyonets,
which he speedily accomplished, in the most distin-
guished manner.
The corps of General Rudiger on the 17th re-
treated from the province of Lublin, on the Bug, to
take a position near Brezc. The news of the insur-
rection in Volhynia, Podolia, and the Ukraine is
confirmed.
Letters from Leipsic of the 28th announce the
capture of Bialystock by the Polish troops.
The Poles ftrid the greatest misery wherever the
Russian troops were cantoned—the whole country
is, in fact, exhausted. The movement of the Rus-
sian commandant is a complete and deliberate re-
treat : he found it impossible to execute his intention
of taking either Praga or Warsaw.
On the 21st there were only 107 cholera morbus
patients in Warsaw, and the deaths were not four
a day.
General Dtvernicki was not removed to Presburg,
as the German papers stated.