Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1809-10-09

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general Ma ksnzies disilion.
The az ,ck was made before the,
could be wi,hdrawn.; but the troop.
confiliine OF gen. Mackenzie's arc
Icol Doakin's brigades, and gen. An
lon's brigade ct cavalry, and fappar-
ltevt-5y zen. Payne, with the other
4 regiments of caval,yin the plain be-
tween faIa,eta and the wood, with
drew IN good order, but with fome
lois, particularly by the I'D battalion
SIT regiment in the wood.
Upon this occalion the ifcadine IS
and difcipline Of the 4jth regiment,
and of the srh battalion Doth regi-
ment were confpicuous; and | had
particular reafon fer being fatished
for the. manner in which maj gen.
Mackenzie withdrew his advanced
guard. =
AS the day advanced, the enemy
appeared in larger number on the
right of the Alberche, and it was OBJ
vious that if he was advancing to a
general attack upon the combined
army.
Cen. Mackenzie continued to fal,
back gradually upon rhe left of the
petition of the combined armies,
where he was placed in the iecond
line, in the rear of the guards, col.
Donkin being placed in the fame
iituation further upon the left, in
the rear Of the kings German Lc-
gion.
The ensmy Immediately common
oed its attack in the duik of the even
ing, by cannonade upon the left of
our petition, and by an attempt with
his cavalry to overthrow the Spandh
infantry poitcd. as ! have before fta-
ted, on the right. This attempt failed
entirely.
Early in the night he puihed d.
vilion along the valley on the left of
the height occupied by general Hill,
of which he gained a motnenrary
poGeflicn, but major general Hill
attacked it initantly with the bayonet,
and regained it.
This attack was repeated IN the
night. but failed, and again at day
light in the morning of the 18th, BY
two diviGons of infantry, and were
repulfed by major gen. dill.
Major gen. Hill has reported to
me in particular manner the con-
dua of the 2oth regiment, and of the
1T battalion 4Sth regiment, in thefe
different affairs, as well as that OF
major gen. Tilfon, and brigadier gen.
eral Richard Stewart.
We have LOTT many brave officers
and folders in the defence of this
important point in our petition a
mong others cannot avoid to men
ton brigade major Fordyce. and brig
adc major Gardner and major gen
Hill was himfclf wounded, but ar
happy TO fay but tightly.
The defeat of this attempt wal
followed about noon, by a genera
attack with the enemy's whole force
upon the whole of that part of tht
petition occupied by the Britiih ar
my.
In confequence Of the repeated at
tsmpts upon the height on our lief
by the valley, l had placed two brig
! AIDES of Brisifh cavalry in that valley
fupported in the rear by the Due d
Albuquorque's divilion of Spaniil
cavalry.
The enemy then placed light in
fantry in the range Of mountains
on the left of the valley, which
were oppcfed by diviiion of Span
ilh infantry under lieut.. general d.
Baifscourt. =
The general attack began by TIT
march of ieveral columns of infant
ry into the valley, with view t.
attack the height occupied by majo1
gen. Hill. Thefe columns we're i'm
mediately charged by the 1T Ger
man light dragons and 23d drag
oons, under the command of gen
Anton, directed by lieut.. gen. Payne
and Imported by gen. Fane's brigade
of heavy cavalry and although th'
23d dragons fuff:red con6dera5l'
LOIS the chirge had the efietf o
preventing the execution OF that par
OF the enemys plans.