Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-09-26
Head quarters at 3arasossG,
17th 3u1c, 1903" .

this action STATE, that the french were beat
en-, with the loss Of 5000 men.
Battle 5etween the Sbani0rds and
french, rear FnlIadchd.
The intelligence We have to communicate
to day is OF different complexion from that
which re have for some time had the hap
piness Of las-ing before our readers. ihe
Spanish patriots have sustained a check IN
Leon. Governments last niehs received dis
patches from Sir Ihonas Dyer, dated CT
The 18th, rom Benvvenso. They STATE that
a battle WAS fought On the 14ea between the
Spaniards uTader general Cnesta, ard the
French under general Lasso.iss. N'e stat
ed on Saturday, that general gpesta was II
Viiiepauda, and that il was bis intentions to
March against Valladolid, with q view of
cutting oil the communication between the
enemy IN the Moth Of Spain, and the troops
at Madrid. The French we're aware ofhis
intention, ans, Of The importance Of keeping
Vallsdolid if possible. They marched to
meet the patriots-thc battle took place at
hio Sceo, Near Valiasio.id-I'hc force OF
the patriots waa--
Infantry, 1900
CAVIAR, 500
be.*'es body Of peasants, and twenty six
pieces Of cannon. The French had IA
infantry, 10000
Cavalry, 1000
and very great quantity OF cannon. The
arIor ard ialpaiaasi.v o. the rev ieyes in.
tie patriot array were not 70 te restrained,
al consequently ,hey fell upon the French
and, in the first o1sst clI,oyc the enemy back,
capturing four pisces q cannon, which they
spiked. Bot tie battl4 being fought on an
e7llss@.sys plan, he patriots were rot abe to
secure their tanks, aud siseir cavalry was
much inferior t. the eneE1y's. i,ne latter,
II. Consequence were aoc to take them il.
flank ,anci tie patriots WHO had the advaa-
tase III TIC OFT ct, were not a,5le To preserve
It. They were, at(el. tour hours AMI d rail- S
fight, from ei.nt till hai past twelve, COM
PEELED TO re1l'-1t. G..tt ,nis ehey elected il
good order 70 sirntV>nto, under cover ofa
Spanish regiment Of cariinneers, leaving be-
Hind them i3 pieces OF cannon. iD>ut TIC
French Superior as the, were in cavalry, SIT
tered SO much iii ,1e t,altle, that they were
unable to pursuc ,hel,?, and tGey Dix. not even
enter Rio occo iii toni hours AFTER the Bat
tie. Il WIS rspoiie,.. chat the Frenc, gene
raj Lasolles was killed, rs his horse was ss;d
to have been found without rider. Gen.
Cuesta remained at Benevento when sir
Thomas Dyer sent ofFhis dispatches on he
10th, ard as rcn1orcements wefe pour;ng;n
from ali parts, it was hoped he would soon
be able to attack the enemy withevery pros
pect of success.
1t is undoubtedly of the greatest import
anee that the French should if possible be |
cut off from Madrid, butccreainIy the plains |
of Leon and Castle afford a great aeivan-
tage to the enemy, who have superiority I
of cavalry and artillery, aad who fight against |!
troops not yet completely disciplined.
It is witk regret that we communicate the
above intelligence but it was not to be sx-
pected that Aictory would attend the patriots
in every encounter. That In the outset they
should have made head at all against the
French is to be wondered at. Besides
there is nothing in this defeat dissraceful 70
them--far from it. There was no great
of numbers, and the enemy BY
being SO superior in cavalry, fought with |
manifest advantage. The Patriots behaved
with great courage--they were not thrown
into confusion-they retreated iagood or
ter, and the French did not dare to pursue
them. The enemy, we have no doubt, will
see no reason to be proud Of their success.
The affair of Rio Seco affords them a spe-
cimen OF the kind Of resistance they have to
expect in every - Spain. The defeat !