Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-07-12
Fran the Freeman's Jeurnal

the unfortunate issue of the battle OF Tude-
Ia, which was lost not through the miscon-
duct of general Cas,snes, but ofhis officers,
that of Ocana wa the most disastrous to
the patriot cause in Spain. What has
not general Ariezaga to answer fo,! Re-
Jecting the prudent counsel of veteran SOL
diers. and almost holding the fate of Spain
n IN his hands, instigated by the most bind
infatuation, he madly risked every thing by
a battle which he was solemnly warned to
avoid, and which, as was forsseen, he lost.
The letter Of tie baron Crossard will be
read with interest By military men especial
~, bur with Advantage by all. The time is
probably approaching, when AMERICANS
TOO will Fave TO act on the DEFENSIVE. If
this should ever unfortunately be the case,
The sound general maxms Of CrossarG, al
though they were thrown away ou the
wrrtcbed AriSzags, may profit others. At
any rate, such an important document ought
not TO be consigned TO oblivion.
When Ariezaga took the fatal resolution
ofquitting his position at Santa Cruz, and
seeking the Frenchin the plains, the follow.
ing memorial and remons,rance was deli
vefed to him by baron Crossard, the COM
missioner from the court Of Vienna. The
irreffagable Arguments advanced in it were
thrown away upon this unfortunate nlan.--
:. Santa Cruz DE- IA zarsa, Mev. 6, 1909.
. Fo his fxcelleney the general in chief don
Juan Carlos de Ariezaga, in his head
quarters at Santa Cruz de la~Zarga.
!" Possessing too slight claim to the con-
fidence of Jour sxcelltncy to be personally
infofnsdsof your present and ulterrcr inten-
lions, the situation of your army, that of
the CO operating corps, and also tha, of the
enemy, | can only form my opinion by what
Isee andby the reports of those whom eve
~ appearance ecneufs to accredit. If am
so confide in these reports, your exeellency
is solved TO march against the enemy, to
offer him battle.
"s Upon this supposision, should be TN.
worthy of the confidence withwhieh have
been honored by the supreme governing
junss 9th Kingdoms of Spain and the In
dies, and also OF your excellency's esteem,
if ] had not atthe present moment, the firm
ness respectfully to submit TO YOU the re-
Aecnons suggested by that resoiutiou.
Yesterday your exccllency concurred
with mt as 10 the danger there would be In
putting ,ohazard the affairs OF your coun-
4 try, and OF thus compromising the Interests
s OF Europe, so intimately united with those
of Spain. You appeared tome fobe .ensi-
bly, impressed with the honor of delivering
Madrid and Castle, by continuing the same
grand movements by which YOU have hi
thsr.o driven the enerny before. you !; and
seemed to be very little influenced by the
glory of gaining q battle, the success Of
which is almost always owing more to
chance than 60 the talents of the general -
whereas the success acquired by movements
crown his trophies, by attesting his genius.
But as bsftle5is the last resource of a ge-
neral, permit me-, with view to a Just de-
cision, to state the causes which authorize
aresource 20 the chances of an engagement.
8 A general offers battle when he finds his
supplies cut off, or obsrructed; when, by a
combined operation, he is sure of totally
destroying the enemy when, either from
the quality of his troops, or the advantage
of the ground, he possesses manifest and
decided superiority whsn it is necessary
10 anticipate the arrival of reiEiorcemeGts
expected by the enemy, and whose junction
would reduce him 10 an impossibility of
keeping the, field when it is of-importance
40 relieve bssieged place; when the con-
sequences OF defeat can, in no case, coun-
tervailshe advantage s,har would result from
victory IN short, when his object cannot
be obtained bur by bsttle.
These. sir. II Il am not mistaken, are
she principal situations in which every thing
may be abandoned to The hazard Of bat.
Gle. But. am ofcpinion your excellercy
10 IN no one Of these situations.