Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-04-07

ments made by our hon. council If appoint
ment. ly. 4 roper. Il
FROM SPAIN. ~ ~
We have been favored with the perusal
of letter from very respectable gentle
man dated Seville, January s, which states,
that intelligence had been received there
from the patriotic armies, announcing, that
after three severe conflicts with the French,
victory determined in favor ofthscomblned
Spanish and English forces. 1he loss OF
the French was computed at st,o00'men.
We should feel some hesitation in giving
the foregoing the sanction of OUT currency,
but for the corroboratlon which 1t derives
from the verv strong coincidence ofaccounts
from other quarters.
The same gentleman who furnished the
above,s in possession OF Malaga Extra
Gazette, dated January s., which says that
surgeon general tgencral Moore's army
had reached Gibraltar express, with dis
patches for the governor of the place, giving
an account of three desperete engagements,
which terminated in the complete defeat OF
the French, who lost 5000 men. In con-
sequence Of this intelligence grand salute
was given from the fort at Gibraltar. This
complete accordance Of circumstances, rem
ders the account highly probable.
Phil Gaz.]
In looking over our English papers we
meet with frequent notices of the swarms OF
French privateers that infest the channel.
Seven lugger privateers and two brlgs,
mounting 20 guns each, had got out OF St,
Maloes, the former to cruise IN the channel,
and the briggs off cape Finnisterrc. Several
captures are also mentioned.
[Ibid.I
aSPANLyRNAFF,ALRS.-"To place too
strong reliance On the militia Of acountly is
the general fault of visionary politicians.
Courage, honor, personal strength, and pa
triotic motives may do very well for alittle
time; but they will soon give way to stea-
diness. concert, superior discipline and tao
tics. The experience of all great generals,
from Carthagenian Hannibal TO Russian SUI
warrow, proves the truth OF this assertion.
There is scarcely an instance where levies of
militia, suddenly raised, have ever made
any long stand against regular troops. 1t
is real service and the practice OF tactical
KNOWLEDGE, that will make soldiers, better
than all the theory which can be invented.
The Prussians, before the battle OF Jena,
were considered the best soldiers In Eu-
rope the English had adopted their disei-
pline and tactics; and, to be sure, as Tar as
mere proficiency in the manual exercise, ex-
ternal appearance and accurate manenvres
went. they were excellent troops. But the
new tactics Of the French were too much
for them = and they had been out OF prac-
tice for many years |: the consequence was,
they were cut to pieces by Napoleon. Ia
our revolutionary war we were almost al
ways beaten when we came to action IN the
onen field; and it was the true policy of
Washington to retire to heights and other
strong defensive positions, where he in
trenched himself, and would never give bait
tie if he could avoid it, but upon terms de-
cidedly advantageous to himself.
The policy, which the Spanish generals
are pursuing, is evidently tie best, which
they could adopt. They carry on kind Of
partizan warfare they do not concentrate
their whole army, and hazard the fate of
the county uponth issue Of general en-
oapement. The battles of Austerlitz and
lena, speak lesson to them, upon the
subject, too striking to be disregarded.-
If they are attacked they defend them
selves as well as they are able, but retire
| when the danger of entire defeat becomes
I apparent. thus the FRENCH make a pro-
gress in the country; but the Spaniards,
sometimes successful and sometimes worst
ed. are learning to become good soldiers,