The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-02-28

."S oattie WIS fought, Oct the TACT Is 100 tttc.
ANA the consequence is, thatSir John Moore,
was Instructed to begin his retreat on the
2oih ult. from Salamanca back on Pori ugal.
And Sir David Baird, IN Gallicia. Here,
we are IN the utmost CONSERVATION. The
stores are now eGbarking h, e., and we are
tod that they are to be se:t round TO Figo,
asst is not thought advisable to trast the re-
enDarEation at this port. There is the ut
mo>t reason to appretlend, that Gen. Hope,
who is arrived at Madrid, with the cavalry
and artillery belonging to General Moorc's
army, will be cut off. He must be so, if it
De true, as we hear, that both Moore and
bard are retreating."
Another letter says-"The effects of that
wonderful machine which Bonapar,e wieids
with snch dextcrity, are now beginning to
display themselves, He did not begin to act
till he had brought 20 000 men, under his
most accomplished Generals, to the rein
iorcei1ent OF his army, but had before been
able to Keep the patriots at bay. In a fort
night ne has dcne his work. He began by
the dispersion of Blake, and we this day
learn, that he has, with equal facility, dcs-
troyed CastaNos. We have now nothing left
for 1T. Sir Ibha Moore is az Salamanca,
without horse pr artillery. Gen. Hope is at
Madrid vita horse, but without foot AMI
Cen. Baird IS at .Astorgh with his horse, in
SNdiI uNIlt iOI SSTNiCC. IltN
are dying daily in numbers, and the high
ways are ssreved with their carcascs. No
thing can.eqinl the dismay which prevails
mere. God kIows how cur armies will get
OH certainly cur artillery must be left be
hind, tor the p'or beasts Of horses, that re-
main alive, areunft to drag the guns thro'
the exccrabie pads"
CogUNNA, Nov. OF.
I'VE are still in a state Of suspence res
Pecttng the situation of Gen. Blake and his
army. 1t is, i~cwever, ascertaiued, that
ne has suffered severely, in consequence OF
me haseness and cowartice of mary of his
oflcers. Gen. r in particular. is &C
cnSed OF having betrayed the trust and CON
hdence repGsed in him. He was u~nfortu-
nate!y entrusted With the command in the
cen[re OF me army, and shortly after the
battle commented, he tre9cherously made
an opening tor tie French troops to march
through, which they did, to the astunish-
ment or Gen. Bike, and tire confusion Of
ms men. Inc dscomfeiture OF the whole
army, IS attributed to this Infamous act OF
Ueachery. t. gurd against such conduct,
General Blaze has superseded several ge-
herA %oihcers, and N;hers of inferior rank.
VIII" nave been succeeded by scrgeauts and
eorporais OF military capacity, kIied merit
"eXperience The appointment ft,ese men.
Vorank IN the army appears to meet with
general appreciation.
"Ihisis a very fife populous country, the
men are active, robust and strong notwith-
standing which, the recruiting goes on verY
slowly. there is no stimulus the men
want encouragement 10 join the armies OF
thetr Country. The recent accounts are suf-
hclcnt tc dishearten dcm, for however de
piorab!e their present condition may be,
fhey are unwilling to exchange it for danger,
n~akecncss and starvation"
DECEMBER 1.
can order appeared this day for raising
400 600 men, in the different provinces of
pam cut am sorrY to say, the govern
ment does not appear 20 possess sufficient
ways and means 20 provide or = third of tie
number. Our army has already suffered
much for want OF proFisionsup The county,"
LONDON, Det. 10-Two o'Clcoi.
Intelligence has been received from spain
OF events Of a more disastrous nature than
orr gloomy torebodiggs led us with pam TO
a~pQrehend. The defeat Of Gen. Blake.
which turns out, according TO the informant
On we had received. to have been complete,
| appears, according to the Intelligence nov
arrived, to have laid open the central body
OF the Spaniards, under Cas:anos and Pa!a-
fox, to the skilful operations of the enemy ;,
ana MS army too, II the evil tidingS are not
~nntoundcd, has been completely defeated, if
not destroyed. We stated in ? late Paper,
that the retreat of Blake By leaving unco-
yered the left of the Spanish line, would rem
der necessary the retreat of the Whole army.
We fear that this obvious policy has not
been pursued, and that Bonaparte has thus
been enabled to destroy the whole central
division IS the Spaniards.
ihe Intelligence. as it has been given to
the public IS to the following purport.
Intelligence has been received from
Ger. Sir D.. Baird, dated Astorgo, the 29th
ult. by which it appears, that the amy uudcl
General Castanos had sustained a defeat,
the particulars of which however, had not
been received. General Sir ] Moore had
directed Sir ] .vid Baird to lie. embark at
Vigo, and proceed Immediately to the Ia
gus, Tor the purpose of Assembling the Bri-
fish army in force, and enabling it 10 act in
sncl a manner as circumstances might
point out, for the support of the common
cause"
1t is further stated on pi..ate authority
that tic transports at Corunua, had. on the
I'd instant, begun TO taac Oh board the heavy
baggage belonging 20 the British army under
the orders of General Baird. = It is asscr-
ted that the most ample means had been
provided for the secure retreat Of the whole
81 our force. We trust. as the necessity for
the decentralization is apparent hat theaC-
count OF there being sufficient mcars is cor.
rect. for we ai.c fciI in tyyn or ti,r.c. otb..