The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-11-03

the army extends itself from Antwerp along
the Scheldt, to the island of Cadsand protect
| ing the Northern frontier Of our empire
Ercry persons question is-Vhat are the
instructions of the English s-for by the pre-
cautions taken to defend Antwerp, all their
attempts will be rendered abortive. Under
these circumstances, the Emperor has Civ.
en- the command OF both these armies to the
Prince OF Ponte Corvo, and the two corpssof
observation now at Vessel and Reypel, care
under the orders of Marshals Kellerman &
Money!"
The advices by the brig Joseph arrived at,
Boston. from Malaga in Spain. gives articles
from that place of dates as low down as the
18th Sept. 3, :.
Malaga is about 80 miles south Of Seville
which, from the badness of the roads, il tax es
four or five days in ordinary seasons to travel
in ourpaper of Friday, we gave the several
distances of the positions on the theatre of
war from Seville, by ordinary and Indirect
routes.
The principal circumstance of this intell-
tsence, however, is that the British General.
issimo had arrived at Badaioz, which is eX-
pressy stated to have taken place on the
Sd of September. The Boston editor, who
gives the ne We states that he was there mere
ly on q visit. This fact, whether on a Uisit or
not, is the only one that is really interesting
in the advices; for the Malaga accounts, Of
September 10, are only repetitions of the al 4
vices IF The French movements before the
battle OF falavera, which we have already
received, at the same time that we received
sir Arthur's account Of his Negative success
at Taavera. ! 49,
We have had adviCes before Of the arrival
OF Soult at Salamanca, on his way to the Ia
gus; for Salamanca is 76 miles north Of
Placentia, which is not in Estramatlura but
in Leon, 5 miles from the northern line of
Estramadura Galisteo, mentioned in the
recent adviccs, is town one mile within the
borders of Estramadura. and 90 miles s. w
OF Placentia. The country is broken and
mountainous in that neighborhood, land the
iagus breaks with violence through a chasm
in the hills at Aloguera, II miles south of
GaliSteo; the occupation of Galisteo, must
have been by an advanced corps only, per
haps the advance of brigade which might
have been sent to occupy the important po-
sition and pass at Venta Ia Bares.ca IL miles
5. w. of Placentia and east of Galisteo-
an excellent position, whether for depot
ortor offensive operations. being nearly op
posite the mouth of the Alamontc river
which flows from the S. E. through the plain
OF Iruxillo, and falls into the Tagus, 81 miles
above Alcantara, to which there is a naviga-
tion for small craft
These are the positions, however, which
were occupied in August and the junction
OF the corps on the frontiers of Estramadura,
particularly at Orapesa. we have already had
In the proclamation of King Joseph, who says
that tie ID, 5th, and 9th corps formed a
! JUNCTION with the 1st corps on the 9TH Aug.
at Orapesa; and that the Cd and 5th corps
were in pursuit of them into La Mancha.
l. Is is confirmed by sir Arthur's letter, who
says that he passed ihe ragus at the Bridge
de hrcobispo, and took a secure position at
Deiitosa, at the foot of the mountains Of La
Mancha
Ahe Malaga accounts state, that nothing
new had taken place on the 18th September
III La Mancha this is the next fact, under
the date OF the 18th September, that iftrue,
is important; yet we cannot but note, that if
the armies of England and Spain were forced
to cross The Tagus after the battle of Talave-
ra, as sir Arthur admits in his letter of the
sth August it they were forced to take
position on the 9Th of August at Deleitosa.
south OF the Tagus, then the appearance of
sir Arthur on the Sd Of September at Bada
Joz, Is very like sir Guy Carieton's appear
ance at Montreal, after he had taken leave of
ot. johns at Champlain sir Hugh went out
OF 81 Johns at night, with muffied oars but
he British garrison capitulated in "a hours
after here indeed we learn from Malaga,
OF date the 18th September, that on tile 18th
OF the same month, the armies retained their
former positions. We do not believe this
The nature OF the country for'bids belief, that
they could hear at Malaga, in FIVE DAYS from
the north side of the mountains of La Man
cha or the Tagus and when we learn, and
we cannot doubt the fact, thu sir Arthur was
at Badajos OH the Sd September, we are led
to ask "what is the inference ?'' How
can this be?" How does BadaJos stand in
its military relations to the armies In the
first place it is in the line Of retreat in the |
second 1t is 65 miles 5 w. of the position of
the British army on the 9Th of August !; and |
indicates three things the first, that a re
treat by the Tagus had been found impracti |
cable; 2dy, that the retreat was TO be at |
tempted by the Guadiana, in nearly the di-
rection anticipated in the Aurora of FRIDAY |
last; for Badajos is but 25 miles below Me-
rida on the Guadiana /; 3dly, that the army
had lett the general, or the general the army |
1t would then seem by these circumstances |
that the design of retreat toward Seville was
also desperate since Badajos i. above 40
miles further to the westward than Seville
the Country along the Guadiana to its mouth |
at Ayamonte in the bay of Lagos, is noun |
famous, thinly peopled and little cultivated |
However, the correspondence of British |
officers which we have received through Bri- |
fish newspapers, never forward to publish
their miSfortunes, affords US many lights ON |
the state of the armies
The London Courier, a paper in the paw
OF the treasury, of date Goth August saws,
that at " Deieitosa, to which sir .drthur had
retreafed," the troops were supplied with