The Sun.
London, England, 1823-07-25 00:00:00

[MORNING POST.]

Inlll4r,lant Intelligence reached town pater..
day,, ria. Liverpool and Plymouth, iamouncing
that a severe action had been fought on the
16th and 16th instant at Corunna, between the
French under 9ourck, and the'Spanish Constitu-
tionalists under. Quiroga. and Sir Robert Wilson,
in which the enemy had been repulsed with
considerable loss, though not sufficient to prevent
him from renewing the attack the following day.
The ultimate result was not known ; for whilst a
letter from Boraeaux states the French to have
• taken possession of Corunna on the 161 h, the
• passengers' on boalll the Jug:aline say, that being
still in sight of the town on the evening of the
seventeenth, the firing continuing, and was be-
coming more heavy. Sir Robert Wilson, accord.
ing to some of the letters, had been slightly
wounded us early as -the 15th, though it appears
that he was, still able to retain the command and
to animate the resistance of the Spaniards, who
displayed a degree of resolution worthy of the
dause for which they fought. Colonel Light had
been severely wounded ; but comparatively few
of the Constitutionalists had fallen, as they were
protected by the walls of the town, whilst the
French being in a more exposed situation, are
reported to have lost between seven anti eight
hundred men in killed and wounded. The in.
habitants are represented as full of enthusiasm
in the cause of the Constitution, and as
having joined with great zeal and courage
in the defence of the place. According
to some reports Qairoga had retired with
five,-thousand men to make a diversion on the
flank of the enemy, leaving- Sir Robert Wilson.
with 3,000 men to maintain Corunna. Whether
thia was before or after the attack, is not men-
tioned, and indeed until another vessel arrives
it is impossible to know the exact state and re-,
suit of the contest. Al! that appears certain is,
that a severe one has taken place ; that the
enemy has at list met with spirited and deter-
mined opposition, and that whether he succeeds
or hot the issue, will be honourable and bene-
.

ficial to Spain; for it will create emulation an
resistance in other places.

[BRITISH PItESC)
The French Papers of Tuesday were received
by us exclusively on Wednesday night, and ap-
peared solely in our Paper of yesterday. Since
then accounts have been received by us from
Gallicia. Ow the 15th and 16th, the French
Gen. Bourck arrived with his division, amount-
ing to about 8,000 men, before Corunna, and
immediately attacked that place, but was, ac=
cording to all the accounts now before us, deci-
sively repulsed after most severe fighting, retir-
ing with the loss of near 800 men. Private letters
say that the French force attacked in columns
three different. times, and on each onset were
driven back with great slaughter, losing alto-
gether, in killed and wounded, near two thousand
men. We regret to say that in these aations Sir
Robert Wilson, who was most active and distin-
Luished, was wounded in the thigh; and Colonel
ight, who accompanied him as his Aid-de-
Camp, was severely wounded. The Spanish
troops, it appears, were commanded by the brave
Quiroga, by Sir Robert Wilson, to whom the
commend of one of the Spanish batteries was as-
signed, and by Senor Vigo, the Governor of Co-
rium. The loss of the Spaniards ii said not to have
been heavy. Five or six officers pre stated to
have been killed or wounded ; and the troops,
it is said, did not suffer much. This intelli-
gence was brought by the brig Auguste, from
Corunna, which arrived in ballast at. Plymouth,
with several passengers, on,the 22d, who, on
the approach of the French, army, left Corunna
hastily, and did not wait the, final result of these
actions ; but when they sailed, no fears, they
state, were entertained as to the fall of the place
and it was still determined to defend it to the las

DIORNINO CHRONICLE.] •
Two vessels have arrived from Corunna, one of
which left that place on the 15th, and the other
on the 17th inst. The reports. brought by the
first are both vague and contradictory in them-
selves, and indeed entirely•superseded by those
of the second. We publish them nevertheless as
they have been received, and proceed to state the
conclusions we have ourselves drawn from the
several papers we have before us.--On the 13th
ult. Cerunna had a garrison of 3,500 men, and 'in
addition to this, between 6 and 7,000 Spanish
troops, according to the enumeration in our Paper
of ;Tuesday, were posted in the vicinity at
a' place called •El Barge, near the bridge
over the Mero, and in the villages on
the road leading 'to St. Jago. The fact is, the
positions of, the army of Galicia were, at the I
above date, exactly the same as those held -by
Sir John Moore on the 15th, 16th, and 17th of
January, 18.09, and 'at the time he 'was retreat.
ing before the French, positions whioli he had
selected for the purpose of covering the embark-
ation of his troops. Generals Quiroga and Wil-
son were then daily expecting the advance of the
French, and as it now turnsout,with just reason,
under a determination to defend•the surrounding
lilifs,and ground between the Meroand.the town,.
on the principle that, if once abandoned, the
city would be exposed to a gulling fire, in Case
the French. were able to bring up artillery ; but
.with which, nevertheless, it was well known they
were scantily provided. Coriinna'is surrounded by
two' ranges of hills, in the form of an mph,.
theatre, the lowest nearest the town, and the
other higher ones about foil). tulles' (l• annt. With
so Small a force, it would be necessary to aban-
don' the exterior hbigths to-the .Fieneh, as other-
wise, particularly on the left flank, the enemy
might have been able to penetrate to Corunna
or obenpy the inner position,' by which means
any advanced force would be turned. Such
then would' be the positions of the, two armies
thd moment the French adVatiCed-;' and 'if any
cannonading took' place' op' the 15th, it must
have been' directed against the village of El
BUrgo'; but the idea of the French bombarding
the town, if *Corunna. is meant, is ridiculous,
'not only on account of their distance on the
15th, but because they were nut provided with
mortars to throw:shells ; and if they had, there
was no time to mount them. The • fact is, they
Could not have cannonaded Corunna, unless they
had been in possession of the heights of St. Lucia;
precisely the same the.Spanislr army was posted
to defend ; and before they could have gained
them, some hard fighting' must ,have taken place.
—Our own conception is, that, the attack was
made by the- French on the inner heights imme.
diately round Corunna, and. defended by the
Spanish force under the orders of Generals
Quiroga and Wilson, and, under all the cir-
cumstances, we conclude that the French must
haYie been repulsed with considerable loss. This.we anticipated, and we trust that this action,
which spews that the Spaniards are ready to
fight when commanded by men deserving of their
confidence, will be the forerunner of many bril.
liant exploits in •alicia, if the French do not
deem it more prudent to withdraw to Madrid ;
in which case they have a very harrassing retreat
to undertake.

[MO It NI ni HERALD.]

The accounts yesterday from Corunna are ex-
tremely interesting, but unfortunately, from the
hurry and confusion with which the vessels
sailed, and with which also, the accounts were
written from Plymouth, where the vessels ar-
rived, the event is still involved in doubt. There
is no ascertaining, nor even judging upon deci-
ISIVO probability, whether the French did or did
not obtain possession of Corunna. It is true
their occupation of the place is positively asserted,
but this is incompatible with the rest of the context
of the same statement. The general report is that
the French were beaten with great loss—and this
negatives their finally retaining possession. Neither
is it likely that a place of such strength, and
prepared for resistance, even numerously garri-
soned—should have been taken so suddenly. It
is moreover known that the French were ill pro-
vided with besieging artillery. It would be 'use-
less, however, to indulge in conjecture as the re-
sult must be soon known. One fact is clear—

that there has been sharp and severe' fiihting,
not only on the 15th and 16th=• the actions 91

which are the subjects of the accounts of yesier-
day—but on previous days also. The Paris
Papers in their Madrid news, dated' the 16th
mention that a partial but keen engagement had
taken place between the French General
Huber, commanding the advanced • guard of
General Bourck, and some of the troops
of Quiroga. The French, of course, claim the
victory. It is stated that Sir Robert Wilson and
Colonel Light, who went out with him, were.
both wounded, as well as several Spanish Offi-
cers. Quiroga shared the •commae'd with Sir
Robert—and whatever has been the
,issue, there
appears no doubt that the affair has been ho-.
nourable to the Spanish army, and to their foe
reign auxiliaries.. Corunna was the chief depot
of the foreign volunteers. Their experience and
gallantry has probably contributed to thegood
conduce of the. whole force. The fact that several
officers, and even superior officers, were wounded,
is, of itself, not a proof that the loss of the Spaniards
was, considerable. The officers would naturally
as an example to an army, containing so large a
proportion as militia and volunteers—and most
probably it is to his personal gallantry that we
may refer the wound of Sir Robert Wilson. We
wait with anxiety the result of this affair. The
great difficulty is, how to recognize the capture
of Corunna by the French, with the faCt of their
being defeated with great loss.

• [N EN •
We Were. not a little amused with an Evening
Paper of yesterday, (Not THE SUN), containing,
in page 2, an article headed in Roman capitals
" Repulse of the French at Corunna;." and in
page 3' another article equally conspictious, and
headed in similar capitals, "The French are in
possession of Corunna." It is hard if Readers
cannot be pleased who haVe thus a choice
of information in the same- Paper. As to'
the fact, we will not pretend to ascertain
it from such, contradictory authorities • but we
shall simply state the. grounds on which pre-'
sent information rests.' Two vessels. !lei() ar-
rived from Corunna—the Margaret, which
reached Liverpool on the 224 instant, and 'the
Augusta, which on the same. day canfe..into'
Plymouth : intelligence Was also received front'
Bordeaux ;. nor must we forget to :mace a'
Madrid article of the 16th instant in the: French'
Papers. The last mentioned article says that au
officer had that moment brought Intelligence of a
sharp
.action which .had .taken place between the
French troops and General Quiroga, who had
been completely defeated and that
_General
!Luber, commanding the vanguard of .the French;
had entered Ferrol. The latter part of this state-
ment is confirmed by the letter of a passenger on
board the Augusta, who says, " Ferrol! was un-
derstood to have been entered on the Pith,.ahout
nine a, in." The first affair with Quiroga, there-
fore, must have taken place on the: 13th, or
14th at latest, and Quirovt must have retreated
towards Corunnft. The Margaret and. Augusta

both appear to have -sailed. in ' great hurry
and confusion •on the . 15t1i, and to' have
broUght away many . fugitives (some: of them
-Officers !) who were eager to escape from the
French. . The Margaret appe'ars to have got
clearof the land.on the'lsth, but the AuguSta is
'said tor.haire' remained in sight of the coat. It
'is agreed by botlrV'esseli' that the French troops
'attacked' the Spaniard's on' the 15th-, and' drove
them into the -.town of Comma.. The ac-
'counts by the Augusta purport that, after this,
cc ri fire was opened from the fortifications, and
continued with little interrtrtssion during the 15th
and thVfollowing day." The Bordeaux Intel&
Renee. is d'ated on the'l7th, and states, that 46 the
French entered Corunna. with° 16th, after a' se-
the Constitutionalists under
n were completely over-
thrown:" This, however, is by no means consistent
With the account• from the Augusta, which says,
44 on the morning of the -17th., being Still itisi4lit
of the town, the quantity of stnoke aPOtiiit.i,tO7
be more 'extended . and very .:heavy." Preen
these differences in the statentents we must, in
some degree suspend our.opinien'ai to the result.

10,..01•.,...

SINGULA CiacumsTANci;—We have heart
he following account so well authenticated tha

the extraordinary facts which it contains .may
be relied on as correct :—.Some days agb a
young Lady of most exquisite beauty and pro.
portionable symmetry of person, •happened to
call in the usual nititmer at a Lady's shop
not 100 miles, or yards either, from Sackville-
__

street. There she• happened to be recognized by
an old Gentleman of very interesting anti gentle-
man-like appearance, who upon . the. beautiful
incognita having ordered some articles to be sent
home, which she paid for, and having gone away
herself, made very minute inquiries of the lady
in the shop, who the personage was that hid just
gone away ? He received at first a very cool re-
ception, but on pressing the lady to say a few
words to him in private, he related the follow.

iug story, with looks of anguish and anxiety. He
said he was a native of ,the sister island, and
amassed a large fortune ; that he had but one
child, a female, upou whom he lavished most
profusely the best education and accomplishments
which the country afforded. It so happened
that some time ago she had privately left his
house; and that in a disconsolate state, he tra-
versed every
part of the Continent in vain, and
had not seen her since until the moment he en-
tered the shop. For, said he, with eyes stream-
ing with anguish, " that Lady, Madam, is my
daughter! !" -
Her address was immediately.
point.,
out
ed by the respectable Lady of the shop,
and thither the father hastened ! But here comes
the strangest part of all, for behold the fair fugi-
tive denied all knowle'dge or acquaintance with
her own father! and absolutely and positively
refused to have any conversation with him ! !
The father now seemed more disconsolate than
ever, resorted to the Official Authorities for as- j
_•

si3tance and advice, and all we know is, that
when he returned to where his daughter had
lodged, he found she had'clecamped, end left him
in melancholy conjectures to pursue his forlorn
and uncertain pilgrimage until time or remorse
gt
ui triavie ipso
41.1eerasr ta---isoi fwinioetd
alive,
ya r
kt lie.,
ossw,
may find their way to this lost and unnatural fu.
lwedhgoewoiftlh' eurnpliaa:
ventage anti birth.--(drnsugh Volunteer.)

PERtI.

Letters have been received front Arequipa, in
Peru, dated 3d. of 'march, and also Cusco —Ga-
zettes, containing the Royalist official accounts of
the late defeat of the Independent army of Peru,
under General .ALvaitazio, of which some parti-
culars had already reached this country. The
letters add, that. General ALVARADO, after his de-
feat,Jetiredito Iquique, a sea-port to the South
of i
Are.arand belonging to the Province of Ata-
camai where he was again attacked and defeated
by General Ox;tANETA 'who had been stationed
latter Province. In this action the re.
-Inaba:of-the Independent troops are represented
16'4[14 beetl broken, their leader escaping
,with only aifew..followers and his Staff. Gene-
MIS VALDES' and CANTERAC are said to have al-
ready left Moquega with nine battalions of in-
fantry and eight squadrons of cavalry, in order
to "attack Lima. The consequence of ,this ad.
vantage had
.been, that the whole of the coast
from- Canete to Iquique had fallen into the hands
of the "Royalists. Two vessels, having on board
part of.Ar.vanano's troops which had escaped
from the first action, put into Pisco, and were
shipwrecked on entering the port; only thirty
,men escaped, who fell into the hands of the
Royalist Commander, BARANDILLA. - •
The following is the Royalist account of the
battle of Torata
,i'OESEItiI. VALDES TO THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF.
" rn the morning of this day my advanced posts discovered
that the enemy had broken up his encampment, and was marchs
ling towards us with his whole forces. Having, in consequence
thereof, disembarrassed myself of the baggage and-cattle of
the army, I resolved to wait for the enemy In Yacango, and
defend the positions along the road which appeared to be ad-
vantageous. By half-past nine the fire had already commenced
on •both sides, and the enemy would have paid very dear for
the ground be gained, if a false report which I received from
the rear had not informed me that the enemy also held the
heighti of Valdivia, which compelled me to recede; -which I
did, after ordering-the Chief of my Stag, with three companies
of the Gerona regnient and the cavalry, to march towards the
aforesaid heights and occupy them. - he above officer duly
performed the service, and again joined me in Zabaya, assuring
inc that there was nothing to fear on the above, point. In con.
sequence of this, and certain also that your Excellency was
near. I,did not hesitate to dispute the ground with them in a
InbrieObtitinate manner.
" The enemy advanced hit battalions in two directions, sup.
ported by a reserve.. The firing on all sides soon became quick
and horrid, but he had advanced very -little at half-past three,
When yoo Eicelliney arrived, took the corrunand, and they
were deflated, &c. •
" Height; of Valdivia, Jan. IV, 1823."
FRoM GENERAL. CANTEIFAC TO'THE VICEROY OF PERU.
" From the &fife of Yacango to'the heightiof Valdivia, the
ground is a aeries of successive heights which General Valdes
knevi how to avail himself of, and when at half-past three I
joined him, I found our troops were occupying the last heights
of Valdivia-. Our left was then formed by the bigtalion of the
centre, part of thb regiinentpf (Gerona, and Mir right by .three
•ibilipanies of Gerona, a corps of mounted chasseurs, and the
rordisitrrierofthe cavalry in the rear. • The enemy, commanded
byQgneral, Alvarado, bad their right' resting on the town of
Torata, consisting of the Peruvian legion; his centre, situated
on a height, and accessible only in front, and separated from
the right and left by deep defiles, waslormed out of two bat.:
lalions of the River Plate, and the left, also separatedfrom the
centre bx• other defiles, was supported by the 4th and 11th re-
giments, and in. the rear his cavalry was posted.
" Our position Was strong, and never could have been taken
by the'enemy ; nevertheless, trusting to the superior numbers,
they made the attempt, by advancing the 4th and 11th bat.'
talions to the' height occupied by our right, which I ordered to
-beltuNirttesthy.three.companies of Gerona, instructing' Colonel
7:4.-incner to angels. immediately. The order was obeyed, and
the brave men of- Gerona, not satisfied with repulsing the
enemy, attacked bins with the bayonet, and forced lam to re.
treat with Considerable loss. Sensible that we ought to avail
otuselVes of this advantage, I agreed with General Valdes to
attack the 'else* along his whole front, and for this purpose
the mounted chasseurs moved down, as well to call'the atten-
tion. of thq battalions of the River Plate, and prevent the latter
from flanking the Gerona battalion, as to'improve so favOurable
an opportunity. General Valdes came down with two cons.
parries of Gerona, commanded by Colonel Echezarraga; the
centre also moved forward, together with the dragoons of. Ar-
equipa and those of the Union, under the orders of Colonels
Horne and Puyol, leaving as a reserve the 3d battalion of
the grenadier guards, commanded by Colonel Vidart. The
brave mounted chasseurs, led on by their Colonel Gamma,
advanced on the Peruvian Legion, and notwithstanding the
galling fire they experienced, several. of our brave men fell
fighting among the ranks of the enemy, . Colonel Gamarra,
borne away by his zeal, at one time occupied the right of
the enemy, in spite of his heavy fire, end there died covered
with glory.
" General Valdes at the same moment attacked the River
Plato Battalion, whilst .two companies of Gerona„forced the
position held by the 4th and 11th battalions, led on Colonel
Ameller, who us the attack had three horses killed under him.
During this operation, I ordered Colonel Espartero, with the
centre and the battalion under his command, to, attack the
right of the Peruvian Legion, and notwithstanding no more
than two.companies had cleared the defile through which they
were marching, the bold Espartero advanced on the enemy;
his soldiers fired once, and rushed on to the charge. At this
same moment I ordered a squadron of Arequipa dragoons,
commended breolonel Horne, also to charge the legion. This
they did so effectually, that the lances and sabres of our dra.
goons reached the enemy at the same moment the bayonets of
the centre were spreading death in his ranks. The complete
defeat of the enemy on this point greatly contributed to the
Victory.
" The attack made by General Valdes, in which he was
slightly wounded, and had two horses killed under bhn, also
had a glorious result. The river Plate battalion was-forced to
abandon their grounlj, although superior in numbers. In short,
the victory was complete; and the Liberating Anny of the
South fled on all points, and our troops occupied its positions,
which we found covered with dead, wounded, and with mus-
kets. • Our movements were adequately supported by our artil.
lery.—Headspuirters in 'rorata, Jan. 19, 1823.
(Signed) "JOSE CANTERAC."'
c, GENERAL CANTERAC TO THE VICEROY OF PERU.
" In the morning of the 21st our troops commenced their
march towards Moquegua, the vanguard commanded by Gen.
Valdes, and the rearguard under the orders of Brigadier Monet.
Within a league and a half of 11loquegua I advanced with
General Valdes to reconnoitre the enemy's positions. and found
him strongly posted ; 'his right resting on a line of rugged rocks,
his right covered by a deep and wide defile, and his left sup.
ported by the heights, forming an amphitheatre round the
-town of Illoqaegua, on which lie bad mounted three pieces of
artillery,. • .
' " The positions, in fact, could not be stronger ; nevertheless,
in no way disheartened, I ordered General Valdes to advance
with the division under his orders, and take the heights on the
enemy's right. I then personally went to arrange the order of
advance for the rest of the troops, which I formed into firur
parallel columns ; the two to the right of cavalry, and the other
two of the battalions of Cantabria and Burgos ; the latter under
the orders of Brigadier Monet.
" 1 moved slowly on by the main road, affording time for the
movement of our left, and arriving within cannot shot of the
enemy, I filed to the left, until I saw that Gen. Valdes was in
possession of the heights I had ordered him to carry ; when I
opened my front on the enemy's centre. In this march, the four
columns received a heavy fire from the enemy's cannon, al.
though our loss was not great. Our own four pieces of ann.
cry were placed on the right ; although not much used, so
vigorous was our attack. General Valdes, notwithstanding the
difficulties of the ground, which the enemy defended first by a
company of diasseurs, and afterwards by, a battalion, succeeded
in his attack, and having carried the height he formed in ca.
!limn. I then detached the cornpanies of Masseurs belonging
to the regiments of Burgos and Cantabria, which attacked the
enemy in front. The first squadron of guards advanced rapidly
by the main road to support them, as well as the Ist and 2d
squadrons of the Union, as well as the remainder of the cavalry.
"At the same moment the enemy experienced a general at-
tack, which it would be difficnit to describe in an adequate
manner. Time brave Valdes fell on his right, and the heed-kit
of Burgos and Cantabria defeated the enemy's centre. 'she
lat battalion of grenadiers, under a heavy fire of grape shot,
charged the enemy's infantry and cavalry, and soon after his
artillioy, fell Into our hands. The enemy soon after were in
full retreat, pursued by General Valdes along the road of Rin.
conada. The loss of the enemy's infantry must have been
great, for in Torata he had 4,000, and not more than 1,000
can have reached the sea shore, and out of 500 cavalry he has
only saved 180, Ste.
" Aloquegua, Jan, 22, 1821±,