Star.
London, England, 1809-01-10 00:00:00

' genius and policy,-are iisefic ; 2114, wilick, while
k justly jealous of its national honour and independence,
looks principally to the substantial security of those
blessings, and regards as. insignificant those petty
contentions which, originating in courtly pride'and!
vanity, frequently terminate in bloody wars and
they, therefore, think- that this Proclamation ought
not, in the present situation of Europe and this coun-
try, to remain as the -Only, or even as the principal
barrier to the restoration of our amicable relations
r with the British nation.
Your Committee therefore ask leave to report the
following Resolutions :

Resolved, that the Senators of this Contrnon‘vealth, in Con-
gress, be instructed, and the Representatives thereof requested,
to use their strenuous exertions to procure an immediate repeal
of the various laws imposing an Embargo on the ships and vessels
of the United States, as the only equal and effectual means of
affording permanent relief to the citizens of this Commonwealth
from the aggravated evils which they now experience.
Resolved, That although this Legislature would cheerfully
support the general government in this prosecution of a just and
necessary war, yet they cannot' perceive the necessity intimated
in the Message of the President to Congress, of continuing the
Embargo, or resorting to war. That it is not the policy of the
United States to engage in a controversy with any nation, upon
I •
points of diplomatic usage, or equivocal right, provided substan-
tial reparation for injuries can be obtained; and that the revoca-
tion of the Proclaruation interdicting the British ships of war
from our waters ought not, in the opinion of this Legislature, to
, be deemed an inadmissible preliminary, which should obstruct
the alustment of the controversy between the United States and
Great Britain.
'ln the House of Representatives, Nov. 150808.
Read and accepted. Sent up for concurrence.
TIMOTHY Bicztow, Speaker.
• In Senate, Nov. le; 1808.
Read and concurred. H. G. (Pris, President.

SPAIN.

The following particulars are selected from letters
received from British Officers, some of which are da-
ted the 28th ult.

" It having been learnt that Marshal Soult was at
Carrion de los Condes, about five-and•twenty Eng-
lish miles north of Palencia, with a strong force, Sir
John Moore,• whose main body was at Zamora, and
his cavalry advanced to Tordesillas, turned to the
Northward, for the double purpose of covering Sir
David Baird, who was advancing from Astorga, and
of attempting to cut off Soult and his division. They
' accordingly approached Carrion ; but before General
Moore could effect his purpose, he found that the
main body of the French army, from Madrid, com-
manded by Naptileon in person, was advancing upon
the British army, and at no considerable distance
I from it. _ _

"• At this time Romana had not advanced. In-
deed, the letters from which our present accounts are
taken speak of no Spanish force near.
" Sir John Moore, finding his numbers too few
to risk an action with Napoleon, immediately ordered
a retreat ; and on the 2ith,.the head quarters of the
British cavalry were at Benevento, covering the re-
treat of the infantry.
•
44. This retreat had been so far conducted:with suc-
cess, that not one of,the infantry had suffered in it ;
though the enemy pressed them so close, that the ca-
valry had frequent opportutkities of .distingnishing,
themselves. Indeed, scarcely a day passed in which •
they were not engaged in Skirtnishes n'lillt Ai adv.ati:
ced guard of Napoleon's army, and which it Was
learnt from prisoners taken lit these skirmishes., was
commanded by Marshal Ney. - •• ' •
" Of the many skirmishes between the British and
French cavalry in the Coarse of this retreat, the fal-
lowing arc the chief 1, .
" On the 21st tat: before Sahagun, the 15th Lights
Dragoons gallantly
.attacked a large body of French
cavalry, took 13.Olficers, 160 men, 125 horses, and
some mules. •
" In an affair which the 7th Light Dragoons had 1
near Carrion de los Condes, Lieutenant-Colonel (en'
seconde) liPerrison had his arm broken by a coup de .sa-
bre from a French officer ; all his party, however,
were taken prisoners ; and soon after the French offi-
cer died of the wounds he had received from Colonel
Kerrison, who is coming home.
" The 18th Light Dragoons have also acquitted
themselves very brilliantly : 30 of them attacked 100
French cavalry, completely routed them, and took
the officer. prisoner.
" And on the retreat to Benevente, a squadron of
the 10th, under Colonel Leigh, attacked the advance
of Ney's corps from Madrid, defeated then:, and
killed and took many prisoner.
" It is worthy of remark, that in every rencontr
between the English and French cavalry, the Eng-
lish have been invariably successful, although the ad- .
vantage of numbers has been generally in favour of '
the enemy.
" The British cavalry have suffered severely in this
, retreat, from the severity of the weather; • There had
l been some heavy showers of snow, with smart frost in
the nights, though by day the weather was very
warm. The plains of Leon are extensive, and pre-
sent a pleasing diversity of cornfields and vineyards;;.'
but not a tree to be seen for many miles.. The cot-
tages, however, are of the most wretched description;
I
small mud huts of one or two rooms, with only straw
for fuel, and few other necessaries. Provisions and
forage scarce." J..
When these letters were sent off (on the 28th). it
was believed in the army that they would be able to
reach the mountains and fortify the strong passes in
time to secure themselves from being compelled to
an action with the very superior numbers by which
they were pursued. They had, during their retreat,
. broken down the bridges in their rear, to retard the
march of Napoleon. We hope it is not true, that the.
empty transports which were sent to Vigo and Co-
runna, upon the alarm of the last retreat, had sailed
1 for England ; for in that case they would, ere now,
I have reached Falmouth.
SABAGAN, DEC. 25.
The British Cavalry is conducting itself in a way
that must meet•universal approbation. It has been
partially engaged several times, and each time has ac-
quitted itself with honour. The 18th have had three
brushes with the enemy, die two first mentioned in
a former letter, the latter took place two days
In this 'eaptain 'Janes and Lieutenant Sir's=
ago. thirty men, attacked.-
TOO
fret' Webster, with about

of the enema, killed 20 andioade five prisoners. The
18th lost six or eight men and horses.
Lord Paget had an affair with the enemy's cavalry
at the head'of the 15th, most honourable to that Re-
gime& The following are the details :
Having ascertained that General.of Brigade, the
.I,fitrquis de Lavalle, with 7 or 800. cavalry, -was in.
this place (Sabagan) Lord P..determined upon en-
deavouring to surprise him. For this purpose he
ordered the 10th, with four guns, tinder General
Slade, to march along the right- bank of the river
Cea, and to present themselves before the . town at
day-break, to give every sort of alarm, and to push
into the town if practicable, in order that the enemy
might be driven into the plain on the other side. Lord
Paget marched with 400 of the 15th, and one Captain
and twelve men of the 7th, at one o'clock, A.M. on
the left bank, with the intention of placing himself
between Sabagan and Saldana. About half past four
o'clock, his advanced guard fell in with a patrole,
charged it, and took five prisoners ; but the rest es-
caping, and fearing that they would give the alarm,
he was obliged to push on in order to be in time to
cut them off. His Lordship arrived exactly in time;
he found the enem'y, a little before day-break, formed
without the town, and judged them to be between 6
and 700 ; but from every testimony of the prisoners,
there were7so. As soon as they could clearly discern
us, they moved off from their left, in order to gain
a bridge over a small river nearly parallel to our line
of march, and to our right. Lord P. formed a'co-
lumn of divisions from the right, and trotted along 1
parallel to their march, but a good deal behind them. ,
They frequently endeavoured to cross his Lordship's
-column, and' he as frequently receded from them, in
order to preserve the parallel, and to prevent their
taking him in flank. They changed their direction
several times, and his Lordship did the same, always
igaining.upon them and closing a little. At length,
finding that they could not get off, they halted and
termed—Lord P. moved on sufficiently to gain their
head, halted, wheeled into line, and attacked. The
march in column and the attack, were perhaps as or-
derly and as fine movements as ever were made.—
' The enemy stood firm, fired some pistols, and re-
ceived us. We broke them, killed several, wounded
nineteen, took prisoners two Lieutemant-Colonels, one
I Captain, ten Lieutenants, about 160 men, 125 hones,
some mules and baggage. Nothing could exceed the
gallantry of the attack. All rushed on, and so com-
plete a melie never was seen. So entirely were the
squadrons intermixed, that it was impossible to dis-
tinguish friend from foe. Lieutenant-Colonel Grant
is a fine fellow indeed s he is slightly wounded in the
head, and I believe killed the officer who gave him
the cut. Jones, the Adjutant, a most gallant little
fellow, has received a severe wound in the head. I
hope he will do well. There are 22 men wounded,
some very severely, but none I hope dangeroitsly. It
-is most unfortunate, that in consequence of falling in
with the patrole, Lord P. felt obliged to push on.—
This threw out the 10th, who were most eager to
engage. His Lordship, had ordered them, as soon as
they had ascertained that the town was evacuated, to
send .two squadrons to their left to a post where he
knew the enemy had a strong piquet ; but finding by
the report of the pistols that 'we were engaged on the
other side of the town, this order was ne;lected, and
they rushed through it, and just came in time to see
the pursuit. Lord P. sent them east in different direc-.
leions to make prisoners, and they brought in several.
We march this night to attack Soult at Carrion
and Saldana. We shall probably overset him ; but
I cannot disguise my opinion, that the only good
result to be expected from our operations, is the pre.-
servin& unsullied the honour of our arms. Spain, iii
my opinion, is conquered, nor is it morth saving ;
such apathy, such ignorance, such pusillanimity never
before existed.

. . BENEVENTE, DECEMBER 28.
Since last I wrote to you, the cavaliy has had some
further successes. About four days ago, a small pa-
trole of the 18th fell in with a French, picquet of nine
men, who all laid down their arms. On the same day
Lieutenant-Colonel Kerrison, in making a patrole,
saw at a considerable distance one of the enemy ; he
immediately advanced with Lieutenant Crawford,
and a few men. The French patrole, consisting of
an officer and 12 men, immediately made off. • Co.
lonel Kerrison, Lieutenant ' Crawford, &c. gave
chace. These officers, with only two men, overtookl
' them. Kerrison engaged the Officer with great gal-
: hoary, and wounded him so severely that lie died be-
; fore he reached his support. The French Officer, in
a desperate thrust, broke Kerrison's arm with the hilt.
of his sword. The twelve men were taken.
On the 26th, in passing Mayorga with the cavalry,
, Lord Paget heard that a party of the enemy was in ,
the town. On reconnoitering, he discovered two squa-
drons stithout, and a small party in the town. Lord
Paget ordered up two squadrons of the 10th. He
advanced with one through the town. At the gate,
they tired but did no harm. The enemy retreated
to high ground. His Lordship ordered one squadron
to attack, and supported with the second. When
within 200 yards, the first squadron slackened its pace.
Lord Paget, thinking they were hesitating, rode
througfi them, and ordered the charge. The French
stood us very firmly, and fired their carbines, by
which we lost two horses killed, one wounded.—,
The charge was beautiful, And in the greatest order,
and: the result was, several men killed, twenty-one
tleSperately wounded, one officer and about one bun-
dred men prisoners, and fifty horses taken. What
-Lord Paget had considered as hesitation, was the effect
-of the most perfect coolness. Colonels Leigh and
Quinton, who were both in front of the first squadron,
finding the horses a little blown, checked, in order to
recover their wind. All distinguished themselves.—
Lord Paget was loud in his praises, and he particu-
larly noticed Captain Howard and Captain Newport,
1 who behaved most gallantly. We had • not one man
' touched.
This morning a picquet of one officer and thirty
men of the 18th, was attacked by about 120 French
cavalry. The 18th took an officer and two men.—
They have some wounded, and were obliged to fall
• back, but the enemy did not attempt to pursue.
You will hear that the army is falling back. I
really believe it is high time to do so. The -enemy
are coming on in every direction, and in great force.
We have, by.our movements, made.a.great diversion.
If the Spaniards prilifit by it (of 'which,l have no ex-
' etation whatever) more may,l4 done, if not, it will
apparent to every one that the cause is hopeless.