The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-12-04 00:00:00

THE STATESMAN

planks, the front of which I had covered; but
which not being yet finished, was every where
open, and principally at the two little bastioes which
were to support it ; but were as yet scarcely marked
out. I, nevertheless, brought some pieces of cannon
there, which did us service. The battery de la
Thuillerie was taken and retaken three or four times.
It was defended by the troops of the Bth division,
commanded by the General of Division Maison.—
"The defence of this front of the attack does him in-
finite honour, as likewise to the corps charged with
its defence; that is to say, the Id and 37th of the
line, and the 11th of light infantry; as likewise
two squadrons of the 14th regiment of cuirassiers,
commanded by M. Remberg ; two squadrons of the
light troops of the Bth lancers and 20th clia!aseurs,
commanded by the Chef d'Escadron Curet, who led
the right of the Bth division, and whose conduct in
all the charges which he received or made against
forces so disproportionate as theirs, merits thegreatest
eulogiums. 'rise enemy deployed another of his co-
lumns before the front of the 6th division, commanded
by M. General Legrand. He principally directed
his attack against a battery which was not com-
pleted, on the left bank of the Polota, and which
thus became the centre of the division of Le-
grand. Three or four times he endeavoured to ob-
tain possession of it, and was always repulsed with
that loss which is ever experienced when such euter-
prizes cannot succeed. Up to the afternoon the ene-
my had not dared to attack the front of the right
bank of the Polota, some points of which were to-
lerably well intrenclied and finished ; but about four
o'clock they debouched from the road of Seibit and
Riga, and furiously and in a crowd marched upon
the left flank of the town, supported by the co-
lumn which debouched from the Naval road.
" I wished to have allowed all that fine ardour
to be spent upon two redoubts, constructed and oc-
cupied by the Bavarian artillery and troops, and ne-
cessary to their defence, commanded by General
Vicente; but the success of the 2d division, com-
manded by General Merle, as well as the 3d regi-
ment of Creates, in opposition to their settled dispo-
sitions, precipitated themselves before the Russians,
and fought that fury with remarkable bravery, order,
and sang froid. We, at least, brought the Russians,
who made this attack under the walls of the town,
where the carnage we caused them, from the morn-
ing, upon all points of their whole army, only ter-
.mioated with night. The Russians, notwithstanding
their superiority, left the ground heaped with corpses,
and did not succeed in any of their attacks.
44 Notwithstanding the success obtained on this
day. I was uneasy in the evening respecting the suc-
cess my cavalry might have met with upon the left
hank of the Dwina. Ou this day, I bad ileirlied*
myself of the greater part of my cavalry, to be
easy respecting my rear. In the, eveningv General
Carbitteau, whose brigade of horse, extremely fa-
tigued, had not penetrated beyond the Orschatz,
and had met, according to his account, with some ca-
valry and a few infantry. As he ssls perfectly sa-
tisfied in this respect, having, at his disposition
three battalions of Bavarian infantry, I waited the
following-day with much trauquillity. ,
46 On the :oth, at break of day, we saw the ene-
my in movement upon the line, occupied in rectify-
ing their position, and forming a half circle round
ours. About ten in the morning, an Aid-dc-Camp'
of General Carbineau arrived, and informed me lie
had before his brigade 5000 men, and 12 squadrons
lof cavalry. I lost not a moment in taking a regi-
ment out of each of the three divisions of the 2d
corps, taking in preference those which might be most,
easily withdrawn frem before the enemy, who would
I not then have failed to renew his attacks, and only
waited to do it, the appearance of this corps, the
arrival of which ho impatiently expected. Towards
noon, these troops defiled upon the heights behind
I'olotsk. The enemy clearly perceived the object of
this movement; but thought it was a kind
of reserve behind Polotsk. I assembled these
troops, under the command of General Amoy. I
joined to them the 7th regiment of cuirasseurs, of
Denmir's division, who had not hitherto met the
enemy in proceeding up the Dwina. At the same time I
ordered, that as soon as it was dusk, the whole of
the army should cross to the left of the Dwina. To-
wards the fall of day, at the moment in which we
began to withdraw the artillery from the advanced
works, some imprudent persons set tire to General
Legrand's barracks, which, in a moment, communi-
cated through the whole line, and gave the enemy
certain proof that we were retiring. Then he began
to lire from all his batteries, and threw into the town
a quantity of shells and other incendiary projectiles,
to set it on fire, in which he in part succeeded,
hoping by this to prevent our artillery movements,
and blow up our caissons.
" This cannonade and bombardment were support-
ed by a general attack. We saw each other as if in
full day-light, by the light of the burning ; and
this attack did not cease until the moment when the
last man had repassed to the left bank of the Dwina;
but, in the midst of these attacks, and the confusion
' caused by firing the tewo, the troops conducted
themselves with the most extraordinary bravery, and
the retreat was performed. in the best order.
'midnight all the artillery tette retired, aqd
body arthe troops had tossed over
Mp oaeleck in the' litoestitig• I .
reessiestoist With 'two regietefits,
44 Mt that pored ilko i.reOps; wh

~-

put under, the orders of General:.Antey, and who
had succeeded, io„ the evening, in confining the
enemy in the defiles near to Solouk, but were not
yet in sight of M. Dc Wittgenstein's army. With
these troops,, there was a column of Bavarians,
about t$ or 700 men strong. I re-united the whole
under the command of M. Merle, to whom I gave
orders to march immediately against the front of
.General Steingel, and to repulse him o ith vigour,
and to throw him past the Onschatz, as I could then
support this attack with another part of the army, if
it.shoulcl become necessary. At the moment that
these troops put themselves in motion, they fell in
with those of the enemy.
" The corps of M. de Steingel was broken, and
after a great loss in killed, driven to the other side of
the Pulota, leaving in our hands 12 or 1500 pri-
soners, among whom were 18 Officers of different
ranks; and among others, a Captain of an English
vessel, employed in tho Etat-Major of M. Steingel,
and who said he had been three weeks in the Rus-
sian service. This affair gives great honour to M.
Count Wrongel, who directed it, and to General
A mey, who seconded him well.
" I owe the greatest eulogiuma to the good con-
duct of the troops, to the zeal and intelligence of
Officers of all ranks, and of the whole army, who
have seconded me well ; among whom I shall mention
Messrs. the Generals Legrand, Merle, Baron lan-
reneez ;my Chief of the General. Staff Auhr

...y .uhrey,
Commander of the Artillery of the 2.1 corps; Dede,
Commander of the Engineers ; and M. the Adjutant
Commandant Dalhignac, who have en this day ac-
quired new rights on his Alajesty's favour. I shall
have the honour to address to your Highness, in a
few days from this place, a list• of the Officers
who, by their good conduct, have merited prefer-
ment.
" Our loss is not very considerable is compari-
son with that of the enemy, which is enormous.
General Legrand has had a horse killed under him, I
and received two contusions. General Guicheew,
Aid de Camp to his Majesty, is among the number of
'• the wounded.
" I have the honour to inform •our Excellency,
that a ball which I ha►e received in my left foot, and
which hinders me from marching, or mounting on
horseback, will oblige me to quit the command of
the corps d'arm6e, for ten or twelve days. I have
given it up to General Legrand. I reckon upon re-
maining at only one march from the corps d'armee,
to be ready to resume my functions, hoping to be
still useful to the corps el'armee by my council, if
Gen. Legrand approve them. But I expect in a few
days the Duke of Reggio, and the 9th corps under the
command of the Duke of Bellow), is in march. Our
junction effected, we will briskly push the Russian
army."

(Signed) •' The ritarsh4l-Gleneral St. CYR."

OPORTO, Nov. 25.—Our last accounts from the
Allied Army say, that the head-quarters were ex-
pected to be in Fuente de Guinaldo on the 2Uth or
21st inst. where it was generally supposed they-would
remain.

The retreat is spoken of as a most masterly one.—
Unfortunately, the gallant Lieut.-Gen. Sir K I'A;AT
was taken prisoner.
The French force is estimated at 85,000 infantry
and 7000 cavalry. It is, however, impossible that
they can exist in their present positions, as the coun-
try cannot afford them transport, shelter, or provi-
sions; the want of the latter will be found particularly.
severe, the whole country from Burgos being ex-
hausted.

It be seen by our Parliamentary Reports that
the Thanks of both Houses were unanimously voted,
last night, to the Marquis of WeLLINGTos and his
brave Army ; and it was intimated by Lord Cvsn.t.
REAM! that something further would be done for his
Lordship in a pecuniary way. The Public may,
therefore, prepare their minds to hear of a proposi.
tion of that nature being soon brought forward.; and,
in the present flourishing state of the country, and
agreeable prospects; a few thousands more or less
cannot be an object!! Sir F. Beaver; in venturing
to express a doubt of the great merits of the Mar-
quis of IYF.I.I.INCTON'S plans, during the campaign, has
Incurred the displeasure of the Morning Post, which
has given vent to Its feelings on this oceasion.—We
are fully sensible of the military skill displayed by
our Noble Commander at the battle of Salamanca;
" but," as Sir FRANcts justly observes, " defect
there must be somewhere; and either Lord Wxl.-
' LINGTON bad no; the means Of victory put into his
hands, of with those means he had completely
failed."

It might be deemed presum(►tnous in us even to
hazard au opinion upon this subject at present ; but
it is of too much importance to this nation to
be passed over in silence, and we understand it will
undergo an ample investigation in Parliament, there-
fore we shall wait for further information, and in
the meanwhile only obser►e, that as success is al-
most uniformly considered the standard pf applause,
DEFEAT ought to be submitted to investigation.
TALLtYRAND is restored to full favour, and so is
FOU CHY : to these NAPOLEON added Castaacluas,
,cut of his
the cow
NW's/ and
tQ » 9614,

. . .

,

.n

.: ~ _ ...

,
t

r..:-r+

rt order. At to form au immediate Regency ou the ere
.4d the 'whelp fall.
at half-past, Captain Jetents-FAIRPAX MU sworn hito
imispfatet eland of the Omsk ingifsi consigned to
13•Dgai.
*lea were sr NvAtot giseciactioe ilivoittted
ritio Ord lisinewild, • • - •