The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-10-11 00:00:00

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Ir,ra

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three reaps of the army under his co.urnann, and to advance
rapidly to Plasetici.s. in order to break the line of op/ratios
of the hostile army. Yon at the same fide ordered f‘.eneral
Sebastian; to proceed, by forced marehest with the4th corp..,
from Ntadridejos to Toledo. Your Majesty left Ma.lrill in
the esixht between the 9Vd and mod, with rim reserve. 00m-
posed of the Royal Guard nod the brigade of General MO-
not, formed ad the 12th regiment of infantry, the stst yeti-
some of the lira, and the /7th regiment of horse Osmium's.
fhe eiseassead of this reserve was entrusted to the (leoetal of
De”oles.

In proceeding 11 '.ravel-Careers your Majesty had a two-
fold object : to dwelt the march of General Wilsoo, who en-
deavoured to get in the rear of the lot corps, by Escalniurs;
and to form a junction with liarshal the Duke of Bellow,
with a view to enable him to keep the may in check till
the junction of the 4th corps, and till the resell of the march
of Marshal the Dake of Dalmatia Oinuld be ascertaloed.

Meanwhile, in the evening of the 2:14, Marshal the Duke
of Hellion informed plat Majesty, that, on the 224, the ad-
vanced guard of his corps of the army hal been ohliged to
quit Talavera de la Revaa, and to retire along the left bank
of the Alherche; that he was certain he should he attacked
on the 211 h, hr the combined armies of the English and
guest t; and that, unwilling to hazard the Ist corps agaiost
slick a tuperior force, he should march in the night between
Nse Vld and 'llth, mid proceed in two days In the left bank•of
the nuadarama, at its conflux with the Tagus, near Toledo,
in order to effect a junction with the 4th corps. Your Ma-
jesty will highly approve the mosement uf Marshal the Duke
of Reliant); for, if that Marshal had retreated upon Natal-
Camera, instead of retiring to Tnledn, the junction of the
lAt and lib corps would hare been rendered extremely diffi-
cult, and perhaps eyes, impassible.

It is likewise very certlin. Vial nattiest the Doke of Bet-,
Igoe bad formed a correct lodgment of the desigue of theeitei.'
•r. Orden found upon the Officers have proved. that the
lit corps was to hate been enaolced, ow the morning of the
21th, by the English army and that of Curita..in its positioo
an the Alherche, while Wibon'• corps Tina to have soden-
v oared to cut or its retreat towards Madrid, by advancing
from Escalonna upon Naval-Carnero.
Ynstr Maje•tc on receiving the letter ur Maratial the Date
of Bellow, took the resolution of proceeding also towards
Toledo, with your rese:ve, in order to forum a junction with
the lit and 4th corps, and to present to the essentv,.a body,
itsitinslnc, not from its numbers hat from its valour.
On the 21th, 'mem Ma!esty advanced with year reserve to
City:was, three leagues from Toledo.
The next day. the 9.3 th, on fixed your head-quarten at
Harps.

The fame day, General Srbastiani, after ably dieruistmr
his movement from Venegav, arrived with the 4th tiorps at
Toledo. Lastly, the Ist corps had taken a position no the
left hank of the Gurolarama ; n that all the troop wbich it i
was in your Majesty's power to oppose to the enemy, were
united.

Your Maje•.ty ordered a detachment to be left at Toledo.
to guard that city nod the bridges.

Ou the 2604 your Majesty ordered the whole army to pass
over the bridge of the Goad:lmmo, and advance upon Tor-
rijos. The Ist corps opened the march. General Latour
Maubourg commanded the whole of the cavalry of the Ist
corps, to which yonr Majesty had
.joirwri the divbinn of light
coy:dry, ander 3eneral Mctlin, st bids bad previously been
attached to the 4th corps.
On the 25th, Cue.ta's army took up a position at Raota
011 ala; it was to continue its march on the 26tb, to advance
upon Toledo, with a view to attempt a junction with Vene-
ta& The English army had not yet quitted Talavera, bat
bad pit.hed it advanced guard to Casiletass, on the left bunk
of the Alherche. Wilson's corps had confirmed its move-
ment, and had !wished Its advanced posts to Naval-Carnero.
BATTLE OF ALCABOK.
On the morning of the 26th, the advanced Card of the Ist
corps met a few cavalry at Torrijo', whom it pursued.—
They retreated upon Alcahon, by the defile of Oliveras.—
The enemy bad formed in the plain of A Icabon ; his right
wai appuf ed upon the Chapel of Domingo, and his left
nu the road of Domingo Peeves. He presented too
thotband cavo:ry, suppoesed by six pieces of cannon.—
All the cavalry commoded by General Latest Man-
boort formed paralted to the enemy's line, and marched up to
it ; the latter maintained itself Is some time hi its position,
hut as soon as it sow the columns of infantry advaare,lt begin 1
to retreat. General Latour Sluubourg caused it to be dowdy
pormsed. At the defile of Alrnbon, an enr,otensent of ca-
'airy took place, under the direction of lien. Merits, ems-
itsandiag the light motley of the army, ist which the dragnons
of Villavieinsa were completely destroyed by the9d Hnestol,
*ad a squadron of the 541; eh:messes. firth Beaumont, who
coo mended this chore, eseested it with skill and bravery.
This General was ably seconded by Col. Bonnemals, cons-
mosalhig the sth Isom chmoestr., and the clef d'etrainne,
Ilubini de Cosibise. commanding the ed bumf*. The des-
truction of the dragoons •of Villovlciom struck great terror
into the rest of the enemy's troops, and, firom that moment,
they Iltnagbt only of retreating. The ground was vaned and
intersected by ravines, which prevented this corps from bring
entirely destroyed. tt. was commanded by Lagos, and form-
ed the advanced tweed of Curates army.
The rest day (the 17th), the Imperial Army advanced
upon Talavera ; Cuesta'sanoy had retreated along the right
bank of tbe•Alberebe„ aad joined the English army near Ta-
lavera.

Meanwhile, the advanced guard of the Ras ash army, com-
posed of a corps of about 10,0(k) men. vi bu had passed the
111 GUMMI'', had marched forward to cover the retreat
of Curates army; this advanced guard was met b}• the ea-
' miry of the Ist corps, and, after a few carman shot. it retired
precipitately along the right bank of the Alberche.
Theist carps had concentrated itself on the plain above the
Alherelw, at not". m. The 4th a►rpt. and the reserve sue-
cesslvely arrived. Irani she plain of the Alberche were
perceived am% ements of troops no the plaim in the rear, and
to the north of Talavera; bat the force and disposition of the
eoesy's army could net be ascertained, the Intervening space
between the Alherrhe and Talavera. mod the plain above
that town, being covered n ith olive-trees and oak wood
It WAS by favour of these woods that the enemy masked his
dispositions.
The Duke of &liana, who had passed over the ground nn
which the enemy was tnamettyring, observed to your Majesty
t►at this army, instead of reirratiog, as sore imaglaed, was
taking a position, its right supported upon Talavera, and its
I• ft on the mountain which answers to the hollow of Tietnr.
This position is fortified by a hill, which, towards the Last,
presents a very deep declivity, and which, sinking toward
the West, by a mach more gentle slope, joins a rmge of hil-
locks, extending In the direction of Talavera. Beiweeo the
principal hillock and the aroma tin, is a valley about 900 fa-
thoms in breadth. /lire commences a ravine, w hies rum
from north to south, and w hich. covering that twenty's left and
centre, terminates in the valley of Talavera, at the begianing"
of the olive-trees, on which the moths?. rtgitt was supported.
This right had in its (rout eariossineilleuts of grwad.ofwhkh
the moms; emitted himself, 'fiber by emstreetisig storks Or
fnensiarebattis, to render it the 111°4 di fffttatt to cothe at him.
two easy mods, passable fa, artillery, lend from theAlberehe
prnitim ; arid ii the kigh !tied free; talavers,
Mitt commeneetalhiCapasii4 ealdpo de Seines ; ya► fol

•

lOw it for half a league Ina foresi of oats, and tojet to it
you must ford the Allseielielbk.t* Colder*.
A 'few musket-shot fired on the right of the army, and the
dust which wan aborts-eft thing from theforesr of oaks.,in
the direction of Casa de Volinas, caused it to be presumed
that the eamay had there a corps of his advanced guard.
Your Majesty, ht coasegaerice, ordered Marshal the Osskeof
Bellows to f,wd the Albert*, and swot* the advatield guard
,of the hostile 'nay. The Marshal immediately complied
with your Majesty's command:. The diviiion of (lateral
Laplisse ads-awed upon Casa de Salinas. General Raffm's di-
whims was directed to support, on the right, the movement of
that of General Utilise. The 16th light itifantry, which
headed the divisiooof the latter, soon opened a Are of mus-
ketry, which was briskly kept up for at hour. The enema
had at this point 6000 men, supported by 4 pieces of cannon s
he was nevertheless obliged ,to retreat. Groecal Chao:iron
Rousseau, who directed the 16th regiment, Julicioasly took
advantage of a spot, not so much covered with trees, and
ordered that regiment to charge with the hay ooet. It obey-
ed with all the intrepidity by which it is distinguished. The
enemy was soon completely routed, and thought only of
running to join the main body of Isis troops. The di% jaif/11 of
V ilatte also forded the Alberche, and followed the direction
of IMO under the command of General ROM). The brigade
of light ra‘alry, under General Beaumont, supported the di-
visiou of General Lapis... When the advanced guard of the
enemy's army was driven from Casa Salinas, the first corps
continued to advance.

While Marshal the nuke of Bellow attacked the enemy's
advanced guard at Casa de Salinas, Gen. Latour Maubourg,
and Gen. blorlln's division of light cavalry, passed the Al-
berthe, rind formed in the plain, between the high rood of
Talavera and that of Casa de Salinas. This moveusect was
11.100 follow ed by the Ith corps and the reserve, who forded
the Alberche in close colorant, by brigades. The division of
diagoons, commandCd by Geo. Milhaud, was directed 'to co-
ver the left of the infantry of the 4th corps, and to watch
the• high rood of Talavera. In this order, the army ad•
yawed-to whhincannon shot of the eaerny'v army.
Meanwhile the divisions of Lapisse and Raffia bad cleared
the oak forest. The country began to open, and the move-
, dents of the enemy might have been easily distinguished, had
It sussAseen so late. It was acvertiseless perceived, that a
corps of 10 or 124kk1 men was hastening to reach Its po-Ition.
The artillery of the dst corps, which was as forward as the
divisions, did considerable mischief to these tromps, sad
threw them into the greatest confusion. This disorder was
general airing the wise'e of the enemy's line, which bad Dot
3et had aalicient time to form.

rda.shal the Duke of Belton conceived, that if, by favour
of the darkness nod the cogitation which prevailed in the nor-
tri's army, the hillock could be taken, on which that army
supported its left, and n idch might be considered m the key
of its position, the enemy would as be able to maintain him-
self in it. He, in coasequessee, ordered General Ruffin to
take the hillock with his three regisaeuts; at the same lime
directing General Vilatte to support the attack, nod General
Impisse to make a diversion on the centre of the enemy's
army, but nitboat engaging. Marshal the Duke of Helium
bas it:formed your Majesty that the 9th regiment of light
infantry. which headed this attack. and which kept it up with
its chiumrteristie bravery, was not supported. In the darken'
which prevailed, the 41th regiment bad mistaken the war, mid
the march of the 96th was i:npedial by •the parmge o the
ravine. The enemy, fully sensible of the importance of the
hillock, had there posted several bait:diem, which he rein-
forced with other troops, m soon as he sae. it attacked. The
form of the hillock enabled bin, speedily to send amistaixvb
while our troops had to pies a sr ry difficult and steep piece
of groond. The 9th regiment had ocatly reac:ied the summit
of the hillock ; some men were even hillas just at the top;
Ant being obliged to renew the engagement with fresh troops,
it was compelied to retire to mid-way, where it maintained
Itself. The Duke tie Bellow) adds, that this regiment &e-
-ntitled great glory in this afittir. Its Celoorl, M. Meunier,
particularly dislingalshed himself; be received three musket
balls.

The Ist carps took* posi•inn nt the foot of the hillock.
Your Majesty bf vows-tat in the centre of the reserve.
within eatonnt-shot of Tallivera.

It had been ascertained in the evening, that the enemy bad
made Talavera an anattackable rut. it hadlikeivise been
areertnined that the centre of the enemy's army was covered
by rugged ermine, with olive trees and vine... This
was, moreover, fortified by am, aballis and Geld-work: t
while the resista..ee of the obtacles. which Slaribal the
Doke of Minim encountered hi the attack ce the hillock,
proved how difficult it would be to force the enemy's left.
No iiitefligroce was yet received of the march of 111 tribal
the Duke of Dalmatia; and it 114811 resolved to attack the
enemy.

The next secotant in order is that of the Battle
of TALAVERA, of which, want of room con-
strains us to defer a full translation till to-morrow.
Thu following is, however, the substance of that
memorable engagement
The battle commenced a ith the attack on the
height.
" 7'he attack of Me height not having been sue-
cessful," it was determined to make a general
attack on the British line in front—and the Duke
of Bellamy was ordered, at the same time, to re.
new the attack on the height, with three divisions.
General Sebastiani was ordered to form the first
division in two lines. The division of Laval (pert
of that division) was ordered to form in echelon
in the rear; bet by accident formed in front, and
at the iustant of deploying, was attacked by
15,000 men ; hut forming a square on the left, he
in his turn attacked and routed them. An Eng-
lish regiment clubbed their erns and surrendered
as prisoners, when the French Colonel being
killed, they disengaged themselves, and only 100
men, including a Colonel, Lieutenant-Colour!,
and Major, were taken—the Colonel is since
dead of his wounds. The attacks on the height
were obstinately maintained —" lint in spite of
" the valour of the troops, anti the intrepidity
" of General Lapisse, this division could not
" maintain itself upon Me height." Lapisse was
killed in the attack.
The retreat of this division having uncovered.
Sebastiani's division, the enemy made
three dts.
tinct attacks, which were all repulsed. General
Belair with his brigade overthrew the troops op.
posed to him. level again (ammo a square, to
support the division of Sebastiatii, stopped the
whole right of the enemy, and gave tine to the
second brigade to form in close column.
" While the 4th corps was bravely fighting,
" the Duke of Bellena himself rallied 1,31,i.5c•;
" division, and ttlitl led it to the foot of the
" height." The Britith then reeutred to make
charge of cavalry, against the Pettiest corps of in.
Wary which catered the link Talley.
I'"The 2341' Ehglislv Light Dragoons, which
" headed the charge—in spite of the fire of the

Wei)

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" 27th trench Regiment, and the battalion of
44 grenadiers, passed ,between the divishins of
" Vilatte and 11,131fiir."
General Strolls, with the 10th and 26th horse
chewers, manoeuvred to let them pats, and charge
them in the rear- the route was complete, 64 there
" escaped 'only five men of the 23J regiment of
" Light Dragoons; all the rest were killed or
44 taken."

" The line occupied by the enemy at the cow-
" mencement of the action was new for the must
" part occupied by the Imperial army."
" At last there was every appearance that one
" more vigorous attack would overthrow (culbu.
" ter) the army of the enemy, and give our ca.
" valry an opportunity of debotiohrng -1-it was too
" late to undertake this operation, and your Ma.
" jesty appeared disposed to •make the at.
44 tempt neat morning, when ,Some °Sews
"4 announced, that the first corps, was fumed by •
" the right, and that it could no longer retrial° in
" the position which it occupied. Other office.es„
" on the contrary, reported that tile Doke or
" hielluno was of opinion that, the 'cues 's
•
" army could nut resist a fresh attack. n
C' this nneertainty, your Majesty wrote to .t e .
" Duke of Helium", to ascertain the truth ; aie.
66 all bivanached. close by tour Majesty, in the
" persuasion that the action would be renewed
44 next morning, or at least that your Mialiesty •
66 would not take a contrary coon., after lairi96
" observed the dispositions of the enetityli IlitatY.
" But, at break of day, your Majesty sons.
66 awakened by General Sebastani, olio had
" retired on the reserve with the 4th corps; be. •
" cause the first Corps had retreated en•Casalegs‘s, .
" by the sides of the maintains. Further delibe-
" ration was useless—it became necessary .to
..
" follow that movetornt. The reserve •and 04
" 4th c.•rps put themselves in sharch. Th. di.' ••
" vision of Milhaud formal the rear-guard.
" The movement was made deliberately, &ad in
" good order. The enemy did not follow." Of
the lon of artillery there is no mention.
" In this battle the artillery has displAyest fa&
" usual courage and valour. The loss of the o
" bitted army may be estimated at 10,000. a
" English Gots. Mackemrie and Lan / gworth ha a
" been killed, a third General is woonded, semi!
" Officers of distinction have iterished, sad 'sight
" clays after the battle, WO Officers and 4000 eel
" wounded ; were found at Talavera. The lots
" of the Imperial army is also considerable—it
" consists of 600 men killed, and about 4000
" 4 wounded; two.thirds of these last being Irwindale!
" bot slightly, will quickly return to their corps.
" The Wth, at nine in the useralag, the army
" was reunited on the left bank of the Alberehe.
" The army of the enemy had not been entirely
" overthrown, but it had sustained so cousi.
" 4 derable a loss, that it epos not likely soon Irs-be
" in a condition to resume offensive operations.
" That was a suffident reason for awaiting them.
" rival of the Doke of Dalmatia, who would
44 have begun the destruction of this army, if a
" had not Made haste to retire oa Sim loft hash '
" or tt, 'rages." • -
The " GO H: bat" •9f 'Toledo ; the " I/Ogg/et' of
Al:nanscirl; rind the report of the moVentroti of
the several French corps, form the remaining
subject, of this Report, ail of which mu sitaitgioa
in our future numbers.

GOITENBURGH MAIL, and SPANISH
PAPERS.

-••..--

TRIESTE, Arc. 25.—8 y order of General Ba.
ratotay d'llilliers, Commander in Chief. of
this, Carniola, and Trieste, the Empeaerieapo.
Icon's decree respecting the Land webs' has Wear
published, it purports as follows t... The militia
called Landwehr is dissolved ; all ituliVidialt ertmt.
belong. to it that return to their homes within a
fortnight, at most, enjoy a general amneill the
officers of the said Landwehr, who ao..ll'ile
u Rhin the speeiied term, arc ponistted•wifis trig!
coufiseation of all their moveable and iostioveable
property, and their houses polled &An. .14141 f
places that furnished meei• Ike.' to the mfirtisfeball
recal them....(Nweue VW*, •
BA!lgs OF TILE !HUN, 3ilat:tl.—Whtfl Platt
secretly left Berlin with his corps, a ecimmisilon
was appointed to inqnire int ) his crime, 'and the
circumstances attending it. The inquiry is noels
terminated, and the commission prono'isnced furl
fentence, that Major Schillshall be shot tßut.the
Officers who went with him are exempted trioni
this punishment, because he told them he was we:
thorized to this step, and as they were obliged to
obey according to the laws of military subordina.
tion, but all the Officers who followed him af.
terwartls, and then returned, are to be arrested
and confined in fortresses for three months.—
(Correspoodeol.)
RATISEON, Seer. 15..-. The Vienna Post of the
10th instant, Mentions that owing to the ncgocia.
iio4ll with the Court of St. Petersburg, the ermis.
tine has horn again prolonged for one month, and
that the Emperor Napoleon is going, in the in.
teml to make a journey to the Scheldt.—(Nueue

Zeilung.)
tirocroot.w, SEPT. 29... The conditions of the
Peacu ',duly concluded in Frecierickshemos have
not yet transpired ; nor is It likely that it will be
known till the treaty is sanctioned by the ratifies.
tion of the two high contracting parties. Allah*
reports in circialation on the terms of pacification
must therefore, as yet, be considered as •agms
rn~i goer.
COPFKIIAGEN, Scri. Is.—The ..110ogeet cue.
tains the following article from this elty ••.Mesa:,
tieliti ships continue insinetsse teOPtiot of eihoton
trOducel whit+ etnnnti tlti•refurr, het etrrieeite
ere loog a considcribie ?all In the paces. The

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