The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-06-20 00:00:00

THE. STATESMAN.

cleaning their arms, preparing their cartridge% mu
I testi,' animating each other, and persuading them-
selves of victory. mot having commenced the march
was vigorously and silently commenced ; not a man
separated, and' proceeding between the garri-
sons of Salvaterra and Vittoria nothing was to
be apprehended from the enemye—At break
of day on the 9th; so unfortunate for many
Frenchmen, as memorable for the soldiers of the
matchless BiLLASTPROS) the fourth battalion, under
the orders of its Commandent, Pon F. J. Asserts,
was situated in the neighboerhoodof Salenas, in the
territory of Guipuscoa, fronting the enemy's van
guard; the first battalion, commanded by Don K. DE
Mutinous, formed upon the left; the fifth, directed
by Don S. FERNANDEZ) on the right; the whole
formed in an oval, for the purpose of joining the
right of the sth with the left of the first, com-
pleting a circle that should embrace the whole con-
Toy, and force of the enemy. By the advice of -the
skilful Colonel CRUcuAGA, I gave general, orders
that no soldier should fall upon the convoy till the
battle was concluded, under pain of being shot ; and
Ithat after the first discharge, the three battalions
should rush in with the bayonet.
' The pleasure of the volunteers,' upon receiving an
order so gratifying to their hearts, was inconceivable,
and which was to promptly decide the action, con-
vinced of their superiority over the enemy in an at-
tack with the bayonet.
The French column marched with confidence, and
quickly found itself enveloped by balls, and before
recovering themselves, were in contact with my sol-
diers. Their great extension did not allow of their
being completely encircled, but in a moment their
vanguard was destroyed ; the remainder made a vi-
gorous resistance, but desisted the moment they ob-
served that my battalions (having settled their busi-
ness with the vanguard.), threw themselves impetu-
ously upon them with the bayonet, to which they
became victims. The security, order, and bravery
of my volunteers, formed a striking contrast with
the disorder, confusion, and alarm of the French.
In less than an hour the battle was concluded, and
my soldiers bathed in enemy's blood. The valley
resounded with the groans of expiring Poles and-un-
worthy Spaniards ; whilst, at the same time, the sol-
diers of the highly-deserving BALLASTEROS, threw
themselves round the necks of my volunteers. From
6 to 700 bodies were extended on the field of batttle,
506 wounded were conducted to Vittoria in 100 wag-
gons, 150 prisoners, and the whole of the convoy are
the fruits of this day, and of enaction concluded in a
single hour,—a result capable of satisfying the anx-
iety of my division for destroying the French. Bat
their pleasure in releasing 50 Officers and 400 brave
Spaniards, who preserved the honour of the Spanish
arms, is singularly great. Their satisfaction in re-
storing to their country such warlike men was so
abundant, that, in the name of the whole, CRUCHAGA
said to me, " My Geueral, give this spoil, in the
name of the division, to Don F. BALLASTMOS and
the country, for whose interests you have always
fought with so much glory."
Few moments have been so joyful to tile' as the
day of the 9th ; my arm is weary with exterminat-
ing; my eyes overrunning, with tears of pleasure at
the redemption of companions worthy of a better
fate.

[Here the General mentions, that DISLANDES,
Secretary to the intrusive Ktso, a ho was the bearer
of Important dispatches to the EMPEROR, and had
left his carriage, disguised as a peasant, was killed;
that his wife, two other ladies, ,and five children,
who fell into Ms power, were sent to Vittoria, and
then proceeds.]
We took the military chest of the 7th Polish in-
fantry, two flags, eight drums, and the correspond-
ence with which DxstAxnas was charged.
Nothing could have escaped if the Castle of Ar.
taban, constructed in consequence of the action of
the 22. d May, had not protected, with its four pieces
of artillery, all those who hastily resolved to retire
thither.

Our loss appears inconsiderable, which consists of
only five killed and fifty wounded; among the for.
mer, Sub-Lieut. Don a &UMW'S, deserves a distin.
guished place.
An action fought between Salenas and the Castle,
only three quarters of a league distant, where the
cavalry could not act, and so advantageously decided
in an hour, is a sufficient reason for this division re-
ceiving the best attentions of your Fjxceilency and
the Government.

FRANCISCO ESPOZ Y MINA.
Zildnendo, April 11.
To his Excellency Senior Del. G.
DE MENDIZ.VIEI6

Mr. Sugninas attended last night in the House of
Commons, and finished the explanation which he
was prevented, by illness, from giving on Wednes.
day evening, relative to his conduct during the late
Ministerial negociations. It will be seen, that the
charge brought against him by Lord YARMOVIII, if
it can be called a charge, was not denied, hut admitted
by Mr. SHULMAN. He knew that the hoipss of
lizaTroaD intended to resign their places in the.
lousebold, if LONISGREY and GRENVILLE came into
slice j and he justified his conc.ealment of this fact
:from these Noble Lords, on the ground that the Mar-
"dad Hsavroa D and Lord YAR.YOU'IIi WllOl4, Jo his ,
opinion, be yielding too much were they to rosigi
their dams, whop it was a wellanskwa feet that
they viers every way acceptable totheralics
sum from rhos they b$ turectij, wow' twit

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appointments. If Mr. SHERIDAN has adopted this
opinion on what he considers constitutional princi.
pies, it may be a question how far the censure which
has been passed upon him for the part which he acted,
ought to be justified. If it is constitutional in the
Sovereign to choose his Household, without
the Interference of the Cabinet, which we ra.
ther think it Is, both Mr. SHERIDAN and Earl
MOIRA may plead the Constitution in their
behalf. But, say Lords GREY and GRES-
, VILLE, the present Household improperly influence
the mind of his Royal . Highness, and this would
prove injurious to our vievh, if they were to be con.
tlnued in their places. This is denied by Earl MolitA
and Mr. SHERIDAN, who more than insinuated that
I ' Lords GREY and GRENVILLE wished the removal of
the Chamberlain and Vico.Chamberlain, that they
might subject the Niece REGENT to a controul In-
compatible with his high dignity ; and, if there was
any truth in what was said about an undue
influence, to substitute in its place one equally
arbitary of their own formation. These appear
to be the statements of the parties, between
which we do not find thitt sufficient facts have
yet transpired to authorise our giving a decided
opinion. We doubt much, however, after what
Mr. WaITIISIAD said of Mr. SHERIDAN last night in
the Iloese.of Commons, that it was ever his leteution
to sepatite from Ms form' friends, and to support
the present Ministry. His tending to Mr. WHIT-
BREAD in the country for the express purpose of
his coming to town to give Ms assistance in the
formation of a new Administration, is utterly in-
consistent with the idea of his deserting Mr. WRIT-
BREAD'S friends. Still there is a something connect-
ed with the whole transaction which renders it dill.
cult for us to divest our mind of the idea, that
there has been, at least, a want of candour on
the part of Earl MoinA and Mr. SIIERID.
and we regret this circumstance the m'ore,4hat
the vindication we anxiously looked for from the
Noble Earl, has been withheld from us, by the man-
ner in which the proceedings hi the House of Lords
were conducted last evening. The unfavourable,
reports in circulation, respecting that Noble Person•
age, require something more to do them away than a:
mere private explanation to his particular friends ;1
and, from the high opinion which we entertain of his
Lordship's character, we still hope that he will
adopt some measures to set himself right with the
public, who were formerly so much his admirers.

By the arrival of the Latirestima frigate from the
river Plate and Rio Janeiro, letters have bee►► re-
ceived from the former quarter to the Ist of April,-
and from the latter to about the '3oth of the same