The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-10-31
CHE Gnquirer.
RIcHMoND, OCTOBER 81, 1909.
New means Of destroying an Army q,

New means Of destroying Gn Army -
The Editor of the N. Y. Eveniae Pos,
assures us, on the credit of =. an inteiGsenf
Spanish oshcer lately from Spain," that it is
-. a hofriess ATTEMPT for Bonaparte ever Ia
think of eonguering that country--that he
may overrun it, but never can subjugate it
that it is not, how yer. by opposing large ar
mics to large armies the Spaniards erhect
to succeed. but In the less splendid but equal.
iy destructive mode of warfare, which con-
sists in cutting off every individual that
sfragSies from his camp, so that the French
will never be able TO consider themselves
masters Of foot Of ground more than is
actually and Immediately occupied by their
army--and that the country is so entirely
devastated. that not even Refreshments can
be found for the traveller within 100 miles
OF Madrid-and that it is a fact, that the
French army subsists entirely on provisions
and forage brought all the way from France. ("
Such then is the last refuge of the Spanish
nation. But woe be to the cause, which
trusts to such expedients
Mr.. Coleman and his friend "tle intelli:
gent Spanish officer"--have "tuo strings to
their bows"-two wings to their hopes.
Either the French are to be cut up, one BIZ
one-or, they are to be sfarped OUT of the
has not been devised tor the destruction of
An army, since the times when the hosts of
Assyrians were overthrown by the mice
stealing into their camps, during the night,
and gnawing up their bowstrings.
The Spaniards. who had not the spirit to
meet their enemy in the field, are then
to destroy the whole, by cutting off eve
ry man of Them that struggles from his
camp! This sly mode of ambuscade and
assassination is to be their substitute for va
lour and resolution in the field: This is surely
saying very little for the honor of their coun-
first doubt, however, which
strikes us, is, why was not this ingenious pro-
ject for destroying an army never discover
ed before! A single assassin lurking about
the skirts OF camp, might have saved all
the expence of regiments and artillery. A
Bobabil might be match for an army II
is wonderful. that this mode of tactics was
never previously tried upon the French in
Italy, the peculiar region of the stilettoes,
ON the mountains of Switzerland, OF in the
plains of Austria. But it would be peculiar
ly wonderful. if the French officers, who are
distinguished by the regularity of their dis
cipline. would suffer their troops to struggle
into the midst OF danger-or that they, who
are so ready to provide for the safety of their
men on other occasions, would not have re-
course TO such precautions and punishments,
as would drive these prowling wolves from
the skirts OF their camps. Besides, an expc-
dient of this description would necessarily
consume considerable time. Allowing two
men per night, it would take more tna., 68
years to destroy an army of $4,000 troops.
Years would elapse in this process of dila-
tory murder-untill those few keen spirits.
who had risen to resent the wrongs of their
4 nxa Aor
and retire to " the dull pursuits of civil
life" Meantime, the Spaniards themselves
would recruit the ranks OF their invaders
The French yoke would grew familiar and
easy. The conquered would incorhorote
themselves with the Victors--and all this
murderous spirit of resentment would gra-
dually melt away.
But the French, it seems, will not escape
famine, though they may eschew the szuord."
And 1t IS thus, that political fanatics, who
always Consult their prejudices alone, have
shut their eyes against the most obviou.
truths !-Were these men ignorant, that the
French armies have tho most perfect COM
in the world-that they have never
wasted, like Sir. A. Wellesley's army, DAYS
without their due "ailowance of provisions"
and two days together without any food-that
even during the severest of their trials I'M
der Dupont. they had always something to
eat 4! Are these men SO superstitious as to
believe, that let the Spanish territory be
" oyerrun" by the French, the land will be
cursed with sterilty, and will deny her
fruits to the victor, who industriousy soli-
cts her favours Has Italy denied her u.
suai olive to Murat-or has the soil of France
withheld her vines from the dominion of
Napoleon! The truth seems rather to be.
that the government of Joseph will give a
new spring to the agriculture and art. Of the
Spanish nation-that, as soon as confidence
q peace shall be restored, the men will return
to their old occupations-and every thing will
become more abundant, except monks and
lnquisitors, because the spirit of the French
enterhrfze will give new impulse to the
for1ior OF the Spaniards.
But should the land have denied her fruits.
are not the coasts open to the French AT
this moment many of the sea ports are in
their possession-and in few weeks more
the whole of the Atlantic coast will be under
their direction. Will they not throw open
these markets to provisions, if they should
want tiem-and will foreign merchants be
so insensible to their interests, as not to brave
even the terrors Of a British feet, in the
search of their exorbitant profits We
learn, that provisions arc now uncommonlv
cheap at Cadiz and Lisbon, although Sir A.
is said at this moment to be hunt
ed by all the dogs Of famine. In their stu
alton, however, the French would not be as
fnrUeyors for their troops. as the
Spanish Junta have proved to hei,. allies.
The Spaniards must trust to other expe-
dents than these, for their emancipation
and the American people must look to other
sources OF information, than to Mr. Coleman