Star.
London, England, 1813-01-09 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

"00

(CIRCULAR.)
To Tgn SEL•.AIANDLL on orriCell COMAIANLI;Nn Tu;
LOCAL stiLITIA.
Whitehall, Dec. 4, 1819. .
Sia—lt being of the inmost consequence that the arms and
stores of the different corps of Local Militia should be kept in a
,sta,te of perfect security, and information hawing been received
that this is not the case in some parts of • the country, I am di-
rected by Lord Sidnionth to call lour particular and immediate
attention to it, and to request that you will report to me, for his
Lordship's information, the•precise situation'of your stere-room.
with your ovittion as to its state and means of security, and to
ree.ind you, that in c.tie tie building itself should not be of sum
dent strength to afford, in its present state, adequate means of
[protection and r:s•stancc, it is opet; to you, under the Aet, to
apply to the Lieutenantoy of the County to furnish g snore con-
ivenient place for your depot; of which, if necessary, you will uo
doubt feel it eapedient to avail yourself.
. I have also Lord Sidinoutb's direction to take this occasion of
impressing on you the importance of having your permanent Staff
and Non-commissioned Officers and drummers so quartered as
to be enabled, by their vicinity to your depot,• to afford imme-
diate assistance at all times, in ease of necessity ; and that you
will give to your Adjutant and Quarter-Master special instruc-
tions to exert the utmost vigilance in the execution of this essen-
tial part of their respective duties. -1 alas, Sir, your most obedi-
ent humble Servant, (Signed) 1. a. ADDINGTON.

STATE OF THE BRITISH ARMY IN PORTUGAL.
LETTER FROM THE MARQUIS OF WELLINGTON TO THE

COMMANDING OFFICERS OF BATTALIONS.

" SIR-I have ordered the army bito cantonments, in which
I hope that circumstances will enable me to keep them for some 0
time, during which the trcops will rezeive their clothing, neces-
saries, Bcc. which are already in progres4, by different lints of
communication, to the several divisions and brigades.
" But besides these objects, I must draw your attention in a
very particular manner to the s-ate of discipline of the troops.—
The discipline of every army, after a long and active campaign,
')ecomes in some degree relaxed, and requires the utmost atten-
tion on the part of the General and other Officers, to bring it
back to the state in which it ought to be for service; but I am
concerned to bade to observe, that the army under my comnitaisd.
has fallen off, in this respect, in the late campaign, to a greater
degree than any army with which I have ever served, or of
which I have ever read. Yet this army boa met with no disas-
ter; it has suffered no privations, which bat trilling attention on
the part of the Officers could not hive prevented, and for whkh
there existed no reason whatever in the nature of the service;
nor has It suffered any hardships, excepting those resulting frets.
the necessity of being exposed to the inclemencies of the weather
at a moment when they were most severe.

" It must be obvious, however, m every Oiliest., tbag from
the moment the troops commenced their retreat from the neigh.
bourhood of Burros on the one hand, and from Madrid on the
other, the Officers lost all command over their men. Irregulari-
ties and outrages of all descriptions were committed with im-
punity; and loons have been sustained which ought never to
have occurred.

" Yet the necessity for retreat existing, none was ever made in
which the trobps made such short marcb;s; none on which they
made such long and repeated halts; and none on wick the re-
treating armies were so little pressed on their rear by the enemy.
We must look, therefore, for the existing evils, and fot the situ-
ation in which we now find the army, to some cause besides
those resulting from the operations in which we have been
engaged.

" I have no hesitation in attributing these evils to the habitual
inattention of the Officers of the regiments to their duty, as
scribed by the ltanding regulations of the servic, and 'by the
orders of this artily.

" I am (as from questioning the zeal, still less the gallantry
and spirit of the (Meers of the army ?—and I am quite certain,
that as their minds can be convinced of the necessity of minute
and umlaut attention to twderstand) tacolleats ;gad wry LAO

Alin lion the ceders which have bean issued for thOperforManee 1
of their duty, and that the strict performance of this ditty is ne
eossary to enable the army to serve the country as it ought to be
server!, they will in future give their attention to these points.
" Unfortunately, the inexperience of the Officers of the army
. has induced many to conceive, that the period duciag which an
army is on service is one of relacation from all rale, instead of
being, as It is, the period during which, of all others, every rule
fog the regulation and controut of the conduct of the soldier, for
the inspection and care of his arms, ammunition, accautrement',
necessaries, and field equiptpenta, and hi, horse and horse sr'
pointtnepts, for the receipt and issue and care of his provisions,
and the regulation cf all that belongs to his NA, and the forage
for his horse, al
be,most strictly stranded t 0 by* Officer of
his company troop, If it is intended that an patty, n British
army hi particular, shall be brought into the field of battle, In a
state of efildeney to meet the enemy on the day of trial.
" Then are the points, then, to which I most earnestly in-
deli you LO turn your attention, and the MOW= of the Officers
of the regiments under your command, rortuguese as well as '
English, daring the period in which it may bp to my patTer to
leave the troops in their cantonments. The Commanding Otfi-
-1 Cers of regiments must mime the orders of the army, regarding
the constant inspection and soperimendance of the Officers over
Ithe conduct of the men of their companies ip their cantonments;
aid they must endeavour to inspire the Non-commissioned Orr
: ten with a sense of their situation and authority; and the Non
' : Anunisaioned Olken must be forced to do their duty, by being
masts/Ay under the thew and superintendence of the Officers.
Brthese means the frequent and discreditable recourse to the
authority of the Provost, and to punishments by the sentence of
Costs-martial, will be prevented ; and the soldiers will not dare
to commit the offences and outrages, of which there are too
• 1 many complaints, when they know that their Officers and their
. 1 Non-commissioned OffiCere have their eyes and attention turned
1 : %Awards them.

• "'The Commanding Officers of Regiments must likewise en-
force the order. of the army, regarding the constant, real, in,
spection of the soldiers' arms, ammunition, accoutrement', and
necessaries ; its corder to prevent at all times the shamefel waste
of ammunition, and the sale of that article, and of the soldiers'
necessaries. With this view both should be inspected daily.
" In regard to the food of the soldier, I have frequently ols-0
served and lamented in the late campaign, the facility and cele-
;icy with which the Frhicb soldier: cooked, in comparison with
those of our army. •
0 The cause of this disadvantage is the same with that of every
other description-the want of attention of the Officers to the
Ordefs of the Army, and to the conduct of their men; and their
eonsequent want of authority over their conduct. Cett..in men
of each company should be appointed to cut and bring in stood,
others to fetch water, and others to get the meat, &c. to be
tooked; and it would soon be found, if this practice were daily
enforced, and a particular hour for seeing the dinners, and for
the men dining, named as it ought to be equally as for the pa.
rade, that cooking would no longer require the inconvenient
length of time which it has lately been found to take, and that
the soldiers would not be exposed to the privation of their food at
the moment at which the army may be engaged in operations
with the enemy.
• " You will of come give your attention to the field exercise
and discipline of the troops. It is very desirable that the soldiers
should not lose the habits of marching; and the division should
march 10 or 12 miles twice in each s4.ek, if the weather should
permit, and the roads in the neighbourhood of the cantonments
of the divisions should be dry. But I repeat, that the great ob-
ject of the attequon of the General and Field Officers must be,
to get the Captains and Subalterns of the regiments to under-
stand; and Co perform the duties required from them, as the only
made by which the discipline and efficieney of the anpy eau be
Festered, and maintained during the next campaign.
'I I have the honour to be, Sir,
" your most obedient servant,
(Signed) " WELLINGTON.,

•
• Frenada, Nov. ES, MS.'
o To —.--, or the Officer commanding the
The Marquis of WELLINGTON has been appointed
Governor of Gravesend and Tilbury, in the room of
the late Lieutenant-General MUSGRAVE ; and Sir
GEOltriE PnEvosr is to have the command of Sir
Tuoties's regiment, the 76th.

F4ENCH P 4 PER 8, •

PARIS, JANUARY 4,

The day before yesterday his Imperial Majesty,'
accompanied only by his Excellency the Grand Mar-
shal of the Palace, made the tour of the Basilique of
Notre Dame and the buildings of the Archiepiscopal
Palace of Paris. His Majesty afterwards visited the
works of the General Depot for Wine, the Monu-
mental Fountain of the Elephant, the Exchange, &c.
Yesterday his Majesty the King of !tome took aa
airing in his carriage.
The following is the copy of a letter from General
Molitor, addressed to the Minister at War : •
" Amsterdam, December 26, 1812.
" Monseigneur—The 29th Bulletin of the Grand
Army has raised to the highest degree the ardour of
the troops of the 17th Military Division, and also their
seoriments of love and devotion to the Emperor.—
The Sd, 76th, 77th, 78th, and 88th cohorts of the
Ist ban of the National Guard, solicit, as an especial
favour, to be sent to the Grand Army. I herewith
join the request of these troops, by praying your Ex-
cellency to lay it before his Majesty. This prayer
was not made after deliberation, but by a motion
equally free as spontaneous, and which, at the same
time, electrified all the Officers, Sub.officers, and sol-
diefs of these fine kohorts. (Signed)
41 General Motiroa,"

AJACCIO (ISLE OF CORSICA), DEC. 14.
Ttre privateer la liatrole, of Marseilles, Captain
Roux, has on the Ist of this month captured on the
coast of Barbary the English ship Sisters, of 456
tons, manned with 30 men, which was bound from
London to Malta, with a cargo of sugar, coffee' &c.
The Batrole and her prize entered this port on the
13th instant.

POSEN, DECEMBER to,
Yesterday and the day before, a considerable co-
lumn of fresh troops passed through our city to join
the Grand Army..

LEIPSIC, DECEMBER 22.

The passage of the troops which are proceeding to
join t}e Grand Army daily continues.

FRANKFORT, DECEMBER 29.

The Duke of Bassano arrived here at half-past
five this morning. His Excellency alighted at the
house of Count liedouvelle4 and at two o'clock in
the afternoon set out for Mayence.
His Highnebs the Hereditary E'rince of Nassau
Weilbearg arrived here yucerday, wiU Daroo

Ran andastron Nordhausen. His Highness is going
to Hildbourghausen.
Os the same day passed Barron Perrin, Aide-de.
camp to General Loban, coming from Gumbennew;
M. de Castilanne, Aide-de•eamp to General Count
Narbonne M. de Lendres, Aide-de-camp to Count
Montbrun, on his war from the army to Paris, &c.
&c. and a French courier, on his route from Konigs.
bets to Paris.
DSc. SO.--The passage of people returning from
the Grand Army continues, We yesterday saw pass
Baron Lauriston, proceeding from Konigsberg ; 14.
Blolete, Auditor of the Council of State, from Wilna;
Messrs. Leman and Chaise, Aides-de.camp to Mar.
shal the Duke of Reggio, and several other persons
attached to the Emperor's household.
RATISBON, DECEMBER ts.
We expect here to=day the SA brigade of the 55th
division coaling from italy. It marches in two ce.
-lnains, forming together s,Sfe: infantry, aid 13300
horse.
ARMY OF CATALONIA.

JLXTBACT OF A LETTER TO Ills EXCELLENCY THE

TER AT WARE 7ROM M. GENERAL COUNT lIIICAEN,
COMMANDER IN CITIF:F 01? TljE ARMY OF CATALONIA.
Gerona, December Is.

scMooseigneur—After the expedition of General
Maurice Mathieu into the camp of Tarragona, of
which I have had the honour of giving your. ExCel-
lency information, I occupied myself, on his 'return,
with the means of throwistg into Barcelona a Oonsi-
siderable quantity of provisions, on horseback, and
at the same time prepared myself to return. to Gem.
na, where my presence is necessary. for some days, in
order to render my correspondence with your Excel;
lency more regtilar, and to regulate the affairs of
Upper Catalonia.
4, I in consequence gave orders to General La.
marque to send to St. Celoni the convoy intended fix
Barcelona, to cause it to be escorted by 5000 men,
and to take the necessary dispositkns for having the
whole apernbled on the 12th at the appointed place.
In the interval which the execution of these orders
naturally caused, I received information that the ent.
my was forming junctions at Caldas and St. Felice
da Codinas.

_
oOn the 11th, I caused a brigade of reserve, al.
ways commanded by General Espert, to break up
from its cantonments, near to Barcelona, and 1 wens
with it to Santa Perpetua, to threaten Caldas.
" The General of Brigade Devaux with 1,500
men of the garrison of Barcelona, left that place on
the same day, and went to take position at St. An-
dre. The reports of my emissaries informed•nie,
that the enemy, on the first news of ow movements,
had fallen back on the Garega.
66 On the 12th, at break of day, I caused the bri-
gade of Espert and Devaux to depart, and I con-
ducted them on the same day to Cardeden, where,
on account of the bad'weather, they did not arrive
till it was very late. The roads being very difficult
for a certain. number of carriages, which had come
from Barcelona, and were carrying to Gerona the
wounded men, and those capable of recovering, which
are sent off for France.
" On arriving at Cardeden, the inhabitants hi.
formed me that a column of about 2 or 5000 men had
crossed that village between seven and nine o'clock is%
the morning, directing their march 00 St. Celonissat
that-another column, which they ltelieved to be still
.4trenger, had at the same hour passed by Villa Major
and followed the mine direction. I felt that it was
' the enemy's intention to dispute the passage of the
.Trento Pesos, with the convoy of Gerona, f endea-
voured accordingly to communicate with Beurmann's
brigade, which was on the same day to arrive at Cet
lons i andat the same time I pushed forward a re.
ctintioissance of cavalry on the road to Villa Major.
This reconnoissance fell in with a patrol* of Spanish
hussars, who fled with full seed after the first fire of
.cerbines‘
" ht four o'clock in the morning I put the troops
in march. I caused the. convoy for Barcelona to be
parked at Linas, under the guard of General De-
vaux, and I marched with Espert's brigade towards
the heights of Trento Posos whete we arrived at break
of day. The enemy, informed: of our arrival at Car-
deden, .bad given up his projest, and has posted him-
-self on the heights of St. Stephen, joining Mount
rCeigne, and to the road whiCh leads to Vich by Vil..
: ladrau. General Beurmann being informed by me,
I engaged without difficulty the convoy in the Trento
Posos—he was not disturbed but by some tirailleurs,
who were repulsed by the detachments of the rear-
guard, 'and the junction was effected about nine in
'the morning. Whilst the convoy was filing off, I
went to observe the position of the Spaniards, and
soon perceived them descending from the heights
into the plain of St. Estive, and retaking the road to
Garega. .
66 I had for a moment hopes of forcing them to
battle, and for that purpose I sent General Espert,
with seven battalions, to occupy Villa MajOr, dispos-
ing my other troops towards Linas, in such manner
as to be able to *larch immediately, if the enemy.
should accept the combat ; but scarcely did 1-e per.
ceive the head of our columo, than he hastened to
regain the position he had quitted. Not then having
any hope of reaching him, I decided on keeping him
in that position, in order to ensure the peaceable
march •of the convoy, which left Cardeden on the
14th, at break of day, and arrived at St. Andre on
the same evening,
" I added the 79th regiment to the troops of Ge-
neral Devaux, in order to prevent myself any inqute.
tude on that head, and to augment the force winch
I leave with General Mathieu, during my stay in
Upper Catalonia. The convoy entered Barcelona on
the morning of the 15th. .
" The reconnoissances sent to Villa Major on the
14th, at break of day, perceived the Spaniards re-
treating on the road to Vich. General Espert
marched towards C4ioni by Saltt Esteve, and I en-
tered that town with the brigade of Brun:atm; by
Lines and Trento Poses.
" M. Lacy had openly declared that be would
take the convoy, and to succeed in doing it, he bad
united all the disposable tr.it.ps under him. He had
without doubt hoped to find it weakly escorted : bet
as if he believed this operation could n. ; be effected
without some danger, ne •us always kept himself
out of danger, and tranquilly viewed from we
heights that convoy file rakt him, the pillige of
**hick be had promised his soldiers... 4 lure, Ice. _
(Molitor, Jar. 4.) (Signed) " Couui Ditcsrai.".