The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-06-13

except about 10000 were killed, captured dpur-
Ted. SO that ,hey ceaisd TO be formidable. The
troops employed yainf them were not 10 numerous,
but the eeerty aud eonfentanecuinels of their opera
tons was iuch that, after the battle of Jena, the
i4th o. October, the Pralisns were never able to
rore9 force iuHicient 10 make nand.
The FRENCH forces, tho viGto-ions, were weaken
ed y oacs ia battle, natural cauies and tie occspa-
ton ofpof,, fJehat the further they advanced the
mere feeble they BECAME On the other hand, the
Rutian armies, with which they had not yet enga-
ged, had fu0ained loes. The further they advsn-
eed the more powerful they became. The Ruflian
military eifabliihment computed to more than
i've hundred thouiand men, 5u. their donrnions
vera extentve, it no. reafonahle iuppose that
they could bring more than 100000 men TO meet
and oPpoie the viGors. This numb than
double that which it poflible for Bonapar,e to
conceErate beyond the Vitula, until he could derive
fueeours from France and for this there had been
iuficiept time.
Thefe fa9s no doubt induced Napoleon, after croft
fling the Vtula to fesk the repofe which, might be
expected, ccnliderng the feafon and climate Re
pole and delay were necehary, not only to obtain
iuccour but to remit his cavalry, refreh his
my and iecure the woundt5 In the time the
Ruiiansvery wiley determined oenPloythe advanta-
ges, oil their iuperorty in numbers Of their vi
gorous contributions, of the fatigue OF the French for
ces, and TO compel them either recrois the Vtua,
or to mset de1ru9ion in battle: and tnele the
cauies which gave rife TO the BATTLES of PuuS, Col
iyTn and Eyiau, with other affairs of leis moment.
Every confederation of Gafety and policy dictated
the Ruilian government, to make bold efforts with
out delay and 1t is no more than uee TO fay that
their plans were not only wifey conceived blu, brave
iy attempted 1t is true they failed, but no nnputa-
ton ought to be made aganft them that account.
Perhaps bis tory cannot record plans more bold and
grand, or execution more brave: But it was the
fortune OF the Ruhians to engage enemy, equally
brave, but nilful, more enursd TO the details
and terrors OF war; and more eonientaneous in their
action.
Afar the battles of PultuGr and Colyn,in, and the
retreat Of Bernadotte. Bonaparte had before him
ehoieeof being attacked in his quarters meeting hi,
enemy OH their way he preferred the latter and
heaes it happened that the Ruilians were eough, az
Eylau' inlssad OF being oppofed at Wsrfaw.
With reipeet TO the important and deltruaive bat
tie OF Eylau which totally frurated the RuiIan pre-
Jet there is, and perhaps will ever be much sncer-
tsinty Good policy may indeed iuaify each COM
nander from giving full ard candid ftatement but
there are, Tome prominent and undenable circumlan-
Ses winch Juttity eiuits and coucuioRs. Thne which
now occur are as follow "A little time before the
battle, Of Eylau public fefival waE celebrated on
account OF the ton Of three Rufian armies Bux-
hewdens, Benningiens and Toltoys, thief. armies
were laid, in the whole, TO amount TO about 10000
men hehdes theie, there corps OF Prulians o.
about rs OF $4,000 men, and alnloR, perhaps quite
as niany OF Savage, called ColIacks. Such were the
forces, with which it was intended TO attack and
break up the quarters of the French ar.ny-the whole
OF which, including all their potts beyond the Vilu-
la, could not then exceed 10000 men.
The account of the battle, given by Cen Beuuipy
len, itates .ha, the French army amounted to 10000
nlen--he iays that his army, in confederation of
detachments was 10000 ftrong, that he was reufor-
sed by the Pruilians during the aion and ulfo isys
much about the Cohacks. l, is not ncceiary TO
charge the Ruiban commander with nlifreprefentar-
on or untruth bat we may allc few oueilions.--
Where were all the ref cf the troops who competed
the armies, whole union was celebrated by a fefti
val Z If he had troops, why did he nor
bring than into the field or If Ionapart. vv.s
10 rapid IN his movements, that time was nor al
lowed; why were they NOT brought forward after
the battle of Eylau, while the French occunied rbe
groundf The aniwer is obvious--the whole RulIian
forces were engaged in that derruaive comba,
and notwithstanding their bravery Baron Bennington
was fortunate in finding place of fafe,y in KoncC
burg. He fsys that he went there 70 repofe his
troops but man of common understanding will fun
pote that he went there to avoid victorious es.mv
by whom he had been forely beaten.
Bennington admits that he loft 1000 kied-and
iPeaks Of imall number Of wounded. AS reflects
the number of killed, it is likely that he is nearly COR
rect AS to the wounded it may be inferred that he
mtaken that there has been an error in tra,0a-
ton. Experience has long taught us that in modern
wars there are generally four times as many wounded
as are killed--but let fupPotc that the number of
wounded were as three is one--hen the killed and
wounded in that battle would be about 10000: and
this is probably the reaon for taxing -<6eE in
Konig!burg.
Baron Bennington ALTO fays that the French len
$4,000 in killed and 1900 in wounded. befdes
prifoners Now if this be true, if the French armv
at the beginning conii(ed 81 $4,000 and no more then
according to his account they loft half in this irv!e
batte-while the lois Of the Ruans was much leCs-
Then let u9 ak why Baron Bennington after having
killed, wounded and taken one half of the French
army, could Juitiiy to he ioveregn to his country
and to his own military character to abandon his
dead, his cannon the field Of battle & to lurrend.r
them all to Daa7aj6cS and dabled /se, and Eel RI.
Pef lin q fortified to7ca'
Every Of the mot plain understanding ybo
can comprehend the difereNce between advancing
and retreated between the cpen field and walled
city, will be able to anfwer thefe aueGious and
what is more, they will be aufwerd in xvav
which will fhew that after the battle of Eylau tb.
Rufiians not able keep tho feId.-Au
ihat can be ia!d, is, they not routed-but
even this, It's likely Ysould have been their fate Is
they had held the;r petition until the neyt d,y
they rereated in the night from all which il ma
be inferred, that Konigiberg was to 'thsm place
Of jflf-iy, las well tebsj:.
We have Teafon to expect by every mail further
and more interei'ing accounts, from thefe n,ghty
armies Upon their iucceiles and diiaaers, depeud
the future defines OF Europe, and perhaps of the
world. How much then is it to be defirsd, that a /
rational and iubitan;al peace, may not only elofe
the cenes OF blood. bur 1--WE civil;ood