Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-12-19

bodies has We fear, terminated to the ads
vantage Of the French.
This intelligence has been communicated
in a dispatch from lord Morpeth. His lord
ship mentions that the action which took
place on the 14th inst. was most severely
contested. The Prussians sustained great
loss. The Duke Of Brunswick was wound
ed, and had been taken to Magdenburgh.
His Prussian majesty is stated to have had
two horses shot from underhim. These
arc the only particulars which have reach
edus.
The following are the circumstances
which appear to have led TO this general
engagement as extracted from the Ham
burg mail, due on Wednesday, which arri-
we'd Yesterday morning.
Hostilities rs it has been before stated,
began on the 9th instant but no affair of
Importance took place until the 10Th or
11th, when very warm action was fought
at Saalfeld Prince Louis Ferdinand, who
commanded an advanced corps of the left
wing of the Prussian army, was stationed
at the town to defend the passage ofthe Saal.
His orders, it is said, were to maintain his
position to the las textrem,ty for the purpose
of affording the Prince of Hohcnlohe an
opportunity of executing bold movement
which nc had planned against the right
wing of the enemy. Prince Louis bravely
performed his duty, defending the bridge
during the greater part of the day against
a force three times more numerous than his
own; he had only 5000 men under his COM
nand, and the French were estimated &C
20,oo0. In the end however,, the enemy
prevailed. Prince Louis was killed, the
passage of the Saal forced, and the Prussi-
ans forced to retreat, with the loss of Sc
veral men, and some cannon. These are
w.
have been able to extract from the mail
respecting the result of this first affair,
which was produced by an attempt of the
French to turn the RICH wing of the Prus-
SLAMS, and destroy the considerable maya
zines which they had formed at Nuren-
burg.
The enemy encouraged by this first sue
cess, pressed forward with their character
lstic impetuosity, which brought on an ac-
ton in which it appears that a large pro-
portion of the respective armies were en-
gagged. We cannot, from the accounts
brought by the Mail ascertain the day on
which this battle was fought, but the re-
suit oft is stated to have been decidedly in
favor of che Prussians. Upwards of 10000
French are reported either to have fallen
IN the field, er to have been made priso-
ncrs. The Official account had not reached
Berlin when the post of Hamburg left that
city, but the fact is placed beyond all doubt,
by short note which was received from
her Prussian majesty.
During the confusion Incidental to so gen.
eral an affair, attended with such conse-
quences, small corps of French cavalry,
which was separated from the main body,
penetrated to Leopsic and employing
very allowable russo de guerre, ordered
quarters to be provided for several thou
sand men, and extracted small contribu-
ton from the town. This was on the mis- ht
of the 18th it may be, therefore, presumed,
that the action in which the prince of 1o-
hcnlohe was so successful, was fought early
on that day. 1t is probable that series of
actions took place up to the 18th, when the
general engagement was fought, Che result
of which has been un'avorable to the Prus-
slams.
Sixty thouiand Russians are said to have
entered the Prussian territory. If they
have advanced as far as Silesia they may
prevent the French from following up their
successful they have only entered South
Prussia, we fear they will not reach Sax
ony, in sufficient time TO enable the Prus-
slams 10 maintain possession of that country.
His Prussian majesty addressed pro-
clamation to his army, the same day on
which his manifesto was published. Ii has
all the energy and spirit of that admirable
composition. Every circumstance, every
sentiment, which could excite the cntbusi-
asn and increase the ardour of the army,
is compressed into this vigorous appeal to
its loyalty and heroism.
An Austrian courier, who arrived yes
terday morning from Vienna, met, at Dcs-
sau, Prussian officer on his way to Berlin,
who had been sent from the army with the
intelligence that, after different affairs of
posts, in one of which prince Louis Ferdi-
nand lost hislile, prince Hohenlohe, by well
:. planned manoevre succeeded in cutting off
$4,000 men from the main French army, the
greater part Of whom were made prisoners
Preparations were making at Megdcburgh
TO receive 5000 Of them. The affair took
place near Jena.
WASHINGTON CITY, Dec. Is.
Extract of letter from a public charac-