Star.
London, England, 1809-10-16 00:00:00

111,11: IN 31'..-11;.'.

CON7RI:fiI frC:7l the S 7. IR of Sat.ir:.!try )
Lutcrx OF 'IIIF 11OVEMENT Tito `O:COND, FI:?Til,
AND SIXTH CO'tl'S, 'EOM II VCKS OF TUE DUERO,
AND TOE K:NIV))M OF 1.1!ON, TO TUE TAGUS.
The Id corps of the army was fixed at Zamora,
Salamanca, and Toro.
The sth corpi-was at Medina del Campo and Val-
ladolid.
The 6th corps occupied Benarente, Astorga, and
Leon.
On the 20:11 July, apprised of the movements made
by the English army on the Tagus, I ordered Mar-
shal the Duke of Treviso to collect the sth corps at
Salamanca. At the s:irne time, I directed the greater
part of the 2d c,,rps to be ccucentrated in the vicini-
ty of that citv, and I give notice to Marshal the
Duke of Elchingen to hold himself in readiness to
march with the with corps.
Oa the 24. th, Marshal Jourdan informed me of the
;unction of the English army with the Spanish army
of Cuesta, at Talavera de In Reyna, from which
place the first corps had been obliged to retire ; he,.
at the same time, acquainted me, that it was the
King's intention that I should advance. as speedily as
possible. upon the rear of the enemy, proc.erding. for
that purpose, towards Plasenc:a. The troops of the
three corps of the army, being on their march, in or-
der to unite at Salamanca, fresh orders were imme-
diately dispatched to accelerate their movement. On
the 27th, Marshal the Duke of Treviso commenced
the march with the sth corps, which I reinforced with
2000 dragoons of General Lorge's and La Houssaie's
divisions.
On the 30th, the 2d corps followed this movement
—and, on the 31st, the 6th carps arrived at Sala-
manca, which it quitted the Ist of August, and fol-
lowed the direction which the two other corps had
taken.
On the 29th, the advanced-guard of Marshal the
Duke of Treviso fell in with the advanced posts of

the enemy at Lacalzala, and pursued them to Bijas
and Col de Banos, where three Spanish battalions,
forming near 3000 men, attempted to defend them-
selves, and to blow up the bridge over the river,
called Cuesperde-Hombre ; but they were soon dis-
persed by the 1)t brigade of the Ist division of infan-
try of the sth corps, commanded by General Girard.
Nevertheless, the dispositions rendered necessary by
the presence of this feeble detachment, retarded the
march of the column, and Marshal the Duke of Tre-
viso could not reach Plasencia before the Ist of Au-
gust ; there he found 350 English sick in the hospi-
tal, and took some prisoners. The preceding day, it
number of convalescents of the same maims, and the
rear of a convoy which was in that town, bad left it
to rejoin the English army at Talavera.
'the occupation of Plasencia was of the highest
importance to the imperial army, since it intereeFted
the line of operation of the enemy's army, and af-
forded us facility to manoeuvre upon his rear, if he
continued his march upon Madrid, or if he even kept
the position of Talavera. We lcained, that, on the
28th, a battle had taken place at the latter town ;
and that the enemy, though he pretended to have the
advantage, still acknowledged that he had sustained •
immense loss. Intercepted letters likewise apprised
us that his situation at Talavera was most disastrous.
The 2d corps of the army arrived at Plasencia on
the 2d, and in the morning of the 3d. The same
day, the sth resumed its march, proceeding towards
Naval Moral. It was followed, on the 4th, by the
2d, and the same day the 6th arrived at Piasencia,
whence it departed on the sth. Thus the three corps
of the army being united and in cclumn upon the road
which the enemy had pursued in his march upon Ma-
drid, was prepared to give him battle, and to attack
him, wherever he might be, with the certainty of
'access.
On the 4th, M lal the Duke de Treviso took a
position at Naval Moral, and trade `ome prisoners on
his march. The reconnoitring parties which he sent
towards the Tagus, near Almaraz, brought intelli-
gence that the bridge of boats, which tad been con-
structed by the Spanish army, was destroyed, and
that there remained on the left bank seven or eight
boats, which the enemy employed to throw parties
upon the 'tight bank. The reconnoitring phi ties
which had been towards the bridge cf Arzo-Bisro,
reported, that they had faen in with a strong co-
lumn of the enemy, in which :hey had distinguished
a great number of cavalry, cannon, and baggage ;
that they had learned, that, at Oropesa, there was
also another column, which seemed to be m:uuruver-
ing upon our left, along the foot of the mountain,
and that Talavera de la Reyna was still occupied by
the Spanish army. The reconnoitring parties were
brought back by a strong detachment f cavalry,
which was sent out of er them.
This intelligence, ad.!ed to the reports of s-veral
deserters, induced a belief that the enemy La.l bep
his retreat, and Marshal the Duke of Treviso even
thought that he ought to be attacked. The 12d corps
accelerated its movement. On the nth it was at Ca-
satejada, and on the 6th it took a pr,s;tien on the •
heights between El Gordo and la Puebia de Nacia-
dos ; while the sth pushed on beyond Valvedejas,l
and the 6th reached Naval Moral.
The advanced guard of Marshal the Dula: of
Treviso won with tlie enemy hayond the bridge of
Arzo-Bispo ; he was immediately attacked, and
ohlted to pass precipitately to the left bank cf. the '
'ragas, where a great hustle was observed. The
English army appeared entirely cooped up in the de-
nies, and had passed. tas;ond the bridge of Arzo-
llispo. While the Spanish army cc Cue:,ta effected
its retreat by the left hank, and fca aned in several
lines opposite to the bridge, several cannon shot were
rlchanged from either bank, but without effect ; it
was late, and, that day, nothing more could be at-
tempted.
On the ;th, the enemy chewed the whole Spanish
army, formed in several lines, and apparently dis-
posed to defend the passage of the Tagus. The bridge
was barricaded and defended by twotowers, manned
with infantry, as well as by several batteries, with
embrasures, connected by a covered way, upon which
passing the bridge. These
she road conducted, after
obstacles, which would ba-ie rendered the operation
dirncnit and sanguinary, if they could not have been
partly obviated, rendered certain dispositions neces-
sary. To this end, Colonel Garbe, of the Engineers,
was ordered to erect immediately two batteries at the
1)10 of the village of Am-Pismo, to play upon tbe