Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-03-17
LosD,N, DEC. 90, 1908.

LosDaN, DC. 80, 1903.
After a tedious interval of nearly a
fortnight, we are at lengh in possessi-
on of intelligence from Spain. Three
French Bulletins, the ,14th, 18th, and
10Th, and letters and papers from Co.
runna to the 18th instant, were yester-
day received. The former are the
most important. The last bulletin is
dated Madrid the 9Th of December, &
OF course contains later news from that
city than any that could have reached
Corunna.
| These bulletins do not afford much
military information. They are for
the most part filled with details of the
negotiation for the surrender of the
capital. The inhabitants were deter
mined tn defend Madrid and it was
with difficulty, it would seem, they
were persuaded TO abandon their in
tention. 1t appears that on the I'd in
slant 1t was summoned, for the first
time, by the Duke of Istria marshal
Bessieres.) The proposal excited so
much indignation, that one of his
aides de camp, who was the bearer OF
! 1t, narrowly escaped being torn to pie
(ces by the people, and was indebted
Tor his life to the interference of the
regular troops.
Another summons from gen. Ber-
'hier, was sent in on the night of the
Sd, by a Spanish officer IF rank, who
nad been taken prisoner ssSomosieria.
This pro iuced AN an5we, from Mar.
quis Castelar,, the captain general of
Castle, reqairlnga suspension OF hos
tllities, for the purpose OF consulting
the chiefauthorities. Their reply was
given on the morning of the 18th and
a third summons soon followed, con.
tanning a peremptory demand ofimme-
diate submission. In the evening OF
the same day, Don Thomas Morla and
Don Bernardo Yriate repaired TO Ber-
theirs quaters, where they were pre-
sented to Bonaparte and here one Of
those scenes took place with which in
the moment of success, his imperial
majesty has been generally accustomed
10 crafty his malice, his spleen, or his
vanity. He charged those persons, III
common with other eminent patriot,
Of having excited the inhabitants to op.
position; & after much violent abuse,
particularly of Don Thomas Morla,
who was reminded of the part he took
in compelling the French squadron al
Cadiz to surrender, he concluded with
a threat, that if they did not make UP
their minds by six O'Clock in the NOR.
ming of the 5th, to surrender the town
it should be carried by storm, and all
who defended it put to the sword. Or
the night fthe 4th, the troops & THEN
leaders evacuated Madrid, and ut ter
O'clock in the forenoon of the 5th il
was taken possession of by the enemy
and general Belliard, who commanded
the troops that surrendered to the Bri.
tish army at Cairo, was appointed
commandant. While the negotiation
was pending, the French established
themselves in one OF the suburbs ano
a breach having been effected in tht
walls of the Retro, it was carried by
storm, with the loss on the part of the
Spaniards of 1000 men.
| Previous to the surrender of Ma
drid, corps of French cavalry was de-
tached to observe the motions of Cas-.
tanos's army, which had advanced as
far as Guadalaxara. The duke of Is
tria, with an additional body O
horse, and the duke of Belluno (Vic
tor) with division of infantry, alter
wards marched to its support. TIL,
cavalry cane up with the rear guarc
of the Spanish army, under the com
mand of general Pena, and took 5o(
prisoners dispensing as it is said, th'
remainder. In the mean time, ano
Their corps, consisting of cavalry an'
infantry, was pushed forward, for tn
purpose of cutting off the retreat o