The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-01-27 00:00:00

SOUTH AMSIIIC.f.

Letters from Trinidad have been lately received ; and
t ,
convey the most pleasing intelligence respecting the
South American cause Our Readers will peruse the
following extracts with interest :
Fetract of a Letter from Trinidad, Nov. 13 :—" You
will bad by A. Ant ktter, that the Royalists hold out
a
sums hopes that general Torre, whose head-quarters
were at Cucuta. would be able to advance into New
Grenada and beat tbeneral 13elivhr ; but the knowing
account, copied from the Curacoa Papers of •2d October,
1 that be has been beateu from thence, er compelled
to retreat from it :
" CIITIMeOA, OCT. 2.—Accounts from Maracaibo state,
that the town of Cucuta, about three days journey from
the former place, has been occupied by the Independ-
ri under Bolivar, who Is said to be on his return from
Santa Pe, having left a strong force behind bits to Bar-
r son that place. A great number of people had arrived
at Maracaibo with their property, with which they fled
un the approach of the Independents at Cucuta."
Hers we hate no accounts direct from Bolivar later

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thati 28th August, at which time he had marched an I
clay for Popaysn, another for Santa Martha, and a
third was returning to the Apure, by the road of Cucuta,
to joie Pars. Bolivar has sent down to Angostura
MI MI dollars for the purpose of purchasing arms. We
hive this montant beard that San Fernando de Apnre
ha I been taken by lien. Pars; this we have bees ex-
pecting for some time. It opens the whole commerce
of the interior to as, and its advantages, in a military
point of view, are incalculable. lam in correspondence
with most of the British officers in the Patriot service,
and the accounts they give of the promising appear.
ance of affairs is tents. cheering. Colonels Musson and
Stopford assure me they will be in Caracas in less than
three months. Derereux's troops are landing at RUM-
raids, near Cumana, and if they attack that place it
must fall.
Nov. It —The second September mail is arrived, but
1 have aot a letter. But '1 have to :old, that a vessel
is hut strived from Angostura, and the Master reports
el; capture of San Fernando. This was a natural con-
sequence of Commodore Dias's victory. We have ac-
counts front Curacot. of the 2d of Goofier, that Cucuta
his been ocenpied by General Souhlette, who commands
a aivision of the Independent Army. Fudu roc de
Madero. The Spauish emigrants from Cucuta load ar-
r:ved at Maracaibo, which is near Curacoa.
The British Legion is iu high health and spirits at
Maturin. I have seen most satisfactory letters from
l:ilonel Blomet, who commands it, and also from Culo-
re: Stopford, who is on military business at Angostura;
i• will march soon. 1 except Dee rrrrr 's troops are j
..sere too by this. Colonel Woodherre writes, that,
• '.its of recruits and lots of cattle' have arrived I
there.
Parr or Seam Nov. S.-a-Who could have conceived
t' fit the Indepandeot army, reduced to act on the
!Sallies on the Apure and the Arauca, would have
C. en able, without exposing their cause to ruin iu
`...neauela. to attempt the conquest of New Linimula
Frabably there were a few on this side of she water, as
•hat, who did not consider it, with the force it was
u Aertaken, as of greater risk than any calculation could
-.-.1.-rant. Three hard-fought battles, which have added
kingdom to his former military fame auJ reputation,
.it him in possession of Saute P., and in commtinica-
t or, with the whole of the country. The battles of
Boyars and Maipo. so similar in their circumstances sue
•vansequencev, will, I trust. be celebrated to the latest
costa:lly hy a free and grateful people.
How much more important is the tellies; of Santa Fe
.thwn that of Caracas: Had the Spaniards been driven
firs: out of the latter, how easy would they have ram
s-awn to Carthagena, aid concentrated their forces; but
is come from Carthagena to Caracas with troops by sea.
•• hit tabor, hoc opus est.- as you are will aware. But
General Bolivar has saved them the trouble of such
ral,ulations at present, Italia% enlisted almost all the
hoya'istaortay (his prisoners) in New Granada, consist-
kit chiefly of s•enesuelans; and securing the Spaniards,
nl.ll the exception of the very few who escaped, and to
o:uta he will not give an hour's rut.
In Venesuela things wear an equally pleasant pros-
Sect ; 300,000 dollars in gold have been forwarded from
arta Fe to Angostura, of which 100,000 had already
arrived, to purchase muskets, Lc. I have au official
dispatch of Commodore Dias before me, dated at Apa-
too, Ist October, giving an account of lois having cap.
'Laval the whole Spanish flotilla of ten gun-hosts on the
awls ~September, armed with one iron and five brass
igume3 d four swivels, together with GOO cartridges
far t aro. 5,000 musket cartridges, one drum, four
c nails, and all cite correspondence of the enemy
at quarter. The Spanish Commandant anti SO men
sy.. killed, and those that got on shore, including 1200
ss.idi ••• were punned by Col. Pena, of General Paes's
army ; a. ' Dias writes, he does not think one can escape.
General P la the western army on the Apure,
ard Dias, wan ost-emotain, the flotilla.
General ?defines commands in chief the eastern army.
le this all the lititish are to be employed. General
Bermudez. second in command, is gone to bring the
troops over from Margmitta to Astoria. 'they are to
iand at the port of F.smeralda, near Curiae., which
General Marino has occupied to protect the disembarka-
tion. Peer and Merino will form a junction to open the
cat psign by marching on Caracz", and will probably
be reinforced by 2,1M0 men from New Granada, under
Gweral Souhlette, by way of Cucuta and Merida. This
division is gone also to look after Latorrr, who would
try to get to Carthegetia.
A great many non•commissioned officers and deserv-
injprivates frdm the British Legion and Colonel Crs-
s have been-pfordeted Poe tit mei elfimetwisi the
latter, recruited already to IMQ strong (front a detach-
ment of IMO) with natives, who are anxious to serve in
it, although ell the officers rife foreign.
Morino dispatched General Latorre with the regiment
df Navarra to take the command in New Granada, by
way of Merida. lie arrived at Cucuta on the 4th Au-
gust; hut on the Inth General Bolivar was in possession
of iltrreyro, lois army, and Basta Fe.
Dias, who has risen entirely by his valuer and merit
as an excellent sailor, is a Margaritanean, sad may, even.j
in relation to his countrymen, be styled " 6reee prom 1
lee breves." The glorious and niemotalole action he
hoed at Pegapos, at the entrance of the Orinoco,
where he defaated three times the her of Spanish
gun-boats, and thereby very much facilitated the taking
of the place, established his naval reputation. By this
lost victory ha has blasted in a moment all Morillo's
schemet en the Apure and Guayana, which he has been
planning for the last twelve metal's. The gun, bests ire
question were consaracted with great expellee ind iron-
b':e at a place called El Bief; on the river Called La
Pertagnesa, whkh falls into the Apure. Having takes
She flotilla, it is expected he will next destroy the ar-
senal at the ENO. The prises are of a,large six., well
finished, sad well adapted for the double purpose of
ii.glitiog or conveying troops. The tire hundred sol-
diers were destined to increase the garrison of Sao
Fernaade, which tan only receive provisious hy eta
ter ; se I will, probably, mote fall new, as it did be. •
fore, when theft flotilla was destroyed by this vet y MS.
How ti nth does Vette:nil* owe to the valour and per
triotiem oft doom brave islanders!' Qat of them, whiney
as a trend me years ago, jocosely says--" The Spa-
onirda I.are destroyed nilthe sheep its the island, and

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Arisimendi all the 15paaiards ; so if you require a supply
pf either, you must apply elsesellere." 00111e1 after
%nxds gate a good account of the Vandals, who under-
Morino, spared neither sex nor age. They are both
native* of that island, become so celebrated 6y the glo-
rious and successful efforts of their countrymen under
their guidance and codimand. allerlllo s otru dispatches
are a wonninent to their fame! But he suppressed the
account of the women and children butchered by his
troops, and the poor little Chtayacaree Indian, whose
hands were cut off, bound up, And in this state lent
into the city, as a pledge of the fate of the inhabitants,
if they resisted. Bat how miserably was this butcher
disappointed.