The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-09-01 00:00:00

OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS OF THE WAR.

need quarters, Julio, 18 (Aug. 90),.1814.
The corps of General Doctorow, which had been
charged to watch the movements of the enemy in the
neighbourhood of Beschenkovitschi, when it saw a!
part of their troops marching off, began, on its side,
,
to cuter upon movements which delayed its march. I
It thence became necessary to enable General Doc- I
torow to cross the Dwina, for the purpose of form..
ing a junction with the army at Witepsk, on the
left bank of that river. In order to accomplish this, r,
the Commander in Chief considered it as highly ne-1
cessary that the enemy should be more kept in check!
at that place, whither Count Ostermann, en the 13th
(25th), with a force inferior to that of the enemy,
bed repelled him ; and Lieut.-General Konowniayn
received orders for thin purpose. He reinforced the
corps of Ostermann, and his division was engaged in
/tittle the whole of the 14th (26th). Our troops dis-
played as much valour as steadiness. The enemy I
did not gain upon them a single foot of ground.—
Lieut.-General Kritiownizyn repelled all their at.;
tacks, end did not retire from the place till night,
when he received orders to take up the position
chosen by the General in Chief for a general battle.
Genteel Dodorow, in the mean time, crossed the
Dwine, and arrived et the same spot. The whole'
rear guard arrived, wilder the command of Major- I
General Count Von Pahlen. They were drawn up
10 wersts in advance of the principal position, and the
enemy must have been compelled to retreat. During
this, however,. the Commander in Chief received ac- !
counts, by a courier, from Prince Bagration, who
informed him, that while advancing to approximate
the first army, he had found Mohilow already in the
possession of the enemy ; and that for the safety of
bia troops, be had changed the direction of his march
upon Orschs, ani had taken the route to Mstislaw
and Smolensk. The day before, his advanced guard
bad had a battle, in which Lieutenant-General Ra-
jewskji defeated the advanced troops of Marshal Da-
ceust, and pompelled them to retreat 12 wersts.
These accounts changed the original plan of the
Commander in Chief ; and instead of giving battle in
the vicinity of Witepsk, he determined to march '
upon Smolensk, and the rather because Marshal I
IDavoust, with his whole force, could now take that
direction. He commenced this bold movement while
Cie rear-guerd was still engaged in the hottesifight.!
manoeuvred in the face of the enemy, and march.'
ed ca. in three columns. The Commander in Chief
particularly ascribes the success of this undertaking
to the able arrangements of Count Von Pahleu,
who, while he covered the whole of the army, dis-
played on this occasion, as on every other, the most
brilliant talents and military knowledge. Our troops
displayed aoonishing valour ; they made the most of
eriiy position ; the bank of the little river Lute.
c6ssa was defended with so much ohstinacy, that the
enemy lost there an immense number of men. Count
)n Pahlen fieit royed, during the march on the 16th,
seven French squadrons, which had advanced unt
some small defiles, and fell into an ambush in HS
neighbourhood of Taponowschisna.
This day the Second and third columns have joined
at l'oretschie; the hist column, which marches upon
ILosna and lit.dna, rovers their march. -
Geueral oho is not more than two days'
march non) us, has received orders to place hinsseit
in advance of Smoleosit, to cover the inevements of
the that aripy. Prince liagratiost an his side, pin
rapid march to Smelettsk.
At:welding to the accounts reeeiersi from LINO,
sant-Genteel Ceettt Wittgegsgein, he watiueed je
remain et Drime, He reports that Major-General
11E11111,w, who bed been dispatched to the Milo aiJo
of tke Doha, had 4544,4 'hi Fro*, PAIR*
100 4 thews prieunere.
The Gonsmaader of the int separsfs twos, Roos
lienaptzPoPens! going Wittgengets, states, in • re-
pose or !Ist July (Id 4 Uses% se felteerst—
fo colleFtrie.“ of Imperial Orders, do sage en.
.711000 !If PO wiN 41004,4 t 0 afd StSfitelp Ire,

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