Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-05-25

Cruces, and who had been for 2 days max
ing a most gallant resistance against the enc
my who surrounded him, to march out, that
very night, and after fighting his way thro
the French, to come and incorporate nm
self with his division which he effected
without losing a single mar or the least ar
ticle, as the enemy either had retreated, or
did not notice his escape until the next day.
Thus reinforced, he moved towards ota.
Coloma de Quaralt, where he had scarcely
assembled the troops which Castro had at
Montmaneu, and those which were in the
same town of Sta. Colomo, when he re-
ceiyed the unpleasant intelligence that the
French had entered Walls, with a design 70
intercept his retreat to Tarragona, and TO
cut off his communications with hat W
Under these circumstances, he hrst thought
of attacking Igualada, and next falling upon
Montbuy, posts where the French had only
a few men whom it would have been easyto
disperse but having held a council, which
was attended by his excellency Don Tomas
de Veri, who constantly accompanied him
during the whole expedition, his return was
resolved upon, not only because 1t was high
" important to maintain that point, but also
for the purpose of covering the country in
the neighborhood of Tarragona.
On the 23dhe began his march from Sta.
Colomo towards Montblanch, with . view
| to flank the left of Walls, which was occu-
| pied by the enemy, and reached Montblanch
on the same day, having previously sent to
the Coll de Lila a detachment OF hight
| troops, and Of armed peasantry from the
| neighborhood, under the orders OF an 9th
Ger in whom he conhded. /.
The appearance in his rear OF a few OF
| the enem's men who immed lately withdrew,
| turning, by the Coll de Cabra, towards the
| Pla and Walls, convinced gen. Reding that
their object was merely to r%econnoltre the
| strength and description Of his troops and
| accordingly, on the oath, he held a meeting
| of the officers most distinguished by their
| rank and abilities, in which it was resolved,
| by a majority of votes, to set the army IN
| motion without losing one and
that it should, that very night, pass the Coll
| de la Riba, or de las Morlas, and draw as
near Tarragona as possible, without court
ing an engagement, but, on the other hand,
without declining it, if a favorable opportu-
| nifty should offer.
And indeed, the army Immediately began
its march which the OF the pas
| ses and the bad roads retarded beyond what
was expected IN such a manner that, at
| five in the morning, the advanced guard,
commanded by general Castro, and one
half of the centre had already passed Vais,
leaving the enemy's fires on their right but
| the other half of the centre, and the rear un-
der camp-marshal D. Josef Joaquin MART,
still remained behind. All had hitherto pas,
! sed and continued to march in the best or
| der and the most profound silence, nor had
| any advanced party of the enemy's made its
| appearance ; but scarcely had the general
crossed a small bridge with his suite, when
a discharge ofmusketry was made close up
| on him, which occasioned a little confusion,
and wounded several individuals.
He Immediately began to collect such
troops as were following him, ordering, at
the same time, those which went before, to
stop and retrace their steps, for fear that
the enemv should cut off the half of the CEN
trail column and the whole of the rear with
the convoy of Wagons, ammunition, and
part OF the artillery. He took his station
on a rising ground pretty well situated for
the purpose, and had the satisfaction to see
that all the corps repaired, with the great
est speed and alacrity to the posts pointed
out to them. The artillery he directed to
be planted on three different points and
observing that the enemy were coming
down the heights of Walls in three columns,
he ordered several light parties, supported
by some cavalry, to advance for the pur-
pose of checking their progress and driy-