Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-03-28
From she Freeman's earnal
= He w Ar IN SPAIN.

We repeat that the possession OF Maorlu'
bv the hostile and hitherto triumphant army
nf Bonaparte, IS not the conquest OF SPAN,
nor even of the provinces OF Old ana new
Castle. The latest bulletins are not rePiete
with information of interesting nature 70
me amateurs of military science. Indeed
that description of state papers, aside rom
! their ridiculous exaggeranons, always
abound with petty and almost childish de-
tails. Evidently they are not the produc-
tons of a military mind. Perhaps 1t Is not
improbable, that, when the splendor OF sue
cess shall have ceased to dazzle tt eyes OF
those who behold the great events CT the
present time, and the powers OF cool exa-
mination shall be called into exercise, the
pretensions Of Napoleon the Great to the
character of the first scientific General the
Age, will be thought rather questionable.
AS General Bennigsen IS said TO have re-
marked, there is no variety, there is a per
feet samencss in his operations. With him
rn- cyef d'euvre Of the military art is to
vutFa,lk his enemy, which is little more than
10 overpower him by numbers. We speak.
of his recent campaigns only. His first O.
nerations IN Italy were certainly wonderful
There he was opposed by tar superior num-
hers, and whatever Fortune may have done
fer him his own talents must have power
fully contributed to his unexpected and un-
precedented triumphs. ltwould be foolish
to deny that he is a man OF elevated genius.
Ii would be no less absurd to say that he
does not possess acquired abilities OF un-
common eminence, as well military as pc,
litical. Still we may be permitted to doubt
whether he is possessed of the profound and
perfect military science of Hannibal,
Marlborough, Frederick, or even Mo-
reau.
A,.Austerlitz and Jena, Napoleon could
have found no difficulty in carrying into ex-
ecution his favorite system OF outtlanklng
and getting upon the rear of the enemy
In both those battles ms numbers were de-
cidet:ly superior, and he, was not opposed
by commanders of any considerable militia
nv skill. The battle OF Austerhtz was cal
led the battle of the Three Emprrors, but
two of tlse three were mere cyphers. The
Austrian and Russian armies were dlspE
rited and almost defeated before the contest
commenced. AT Jena he had no opponent,
victory over whom could add a new tlnge
of verdure to his laurels. The Duke OF
Brunswick was worn out with age, the
King of Prussia was profoundly ignorant OF
the art o: wars the youngPrlnces oiPrussia
were mere Hotspurs and mad dnth0nies.*
In both those battles, all was ignorance IN
decision, presumption, on the one side =
all was knowledge, energy, calculation, on
the other. Events could not have been
different from what they were but by the
aid of miracle. They might, indeed. have
been in some measure, different, had the
Emperor of the Gauls been opposedsby the
Arch Duke Charles and Bennigsen, instead
of Emperors, Kings, Dukes, who scarcely
knew the right of an army:fnom ats left, or
It's van from the rear.
These remarks are not intended TO de-
tract, in an illiberat manner, .from the mi
litary merit of the Emperor Napoleon
That merit is. confessedly and most indis-
putably great. We may say sof hina, as
Cicero said of Pompey, So many and
different wars, against such variety OF
foes, not only carried on, but completely
terminated by this one man, sufficiently
proclaim, that there is no part of military
knowledge in which he is not an accom-
plished master. Industry in business, IN
trepidi,y in danger, vigor in action, prompt
ness in execution, prudence in council, all
these qualities appear in greater lustre IN
him, than in almost all other generals. -
As in the case of Pompey, SO IN that OF
Bonaparte, Italy is witness TESTS est lta-
la and an immortal witness too, TO his
tale nts and his glory. France IS witness
(testis rt Gaia nor as it was to the fame
Of Pompey, who, says Cicero, cut her ar
mics to pieces TO make road tor the 10