Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-04-26

y, ,,re. RIVER - miles nearly north OF Santa
rem. The position of general beresiofa' was
hel,iw the confluence of the Zczare with the
Tae,,,s, and consequently menaced the lett OF
the French and commanded the upper roaa
which leads through the. strong 'noun, ~:
country towards Gtarda and Aimelaa ana al
yidcd Rodrigo, which have seen aireaay o.s-
tinguishcd by tie military operations OIL inc
same armies.
The rear guard Of the French was ovrrtak-
en- and some skir-iishes took place, III winch
there we're some lives lost and prisoners taken
ON both sides the British light infantry are
reported as having suffered very severely, Out
they compelled the French to fly.
On the 7:h the main body OF the British
haultcd waiting Cor the division from Torres
Vedras 10 Join, and that day pushed their adj
vance on to Coldas.
The French retired in three columns rom
Thonar; and the British light troops cancup
with their rear guard, and several severe con-
ficts took place.
On the 9Th, the whole army was in motion,
and it was then supposed that the French had
occupied the strong position at the Pont dc
Murcclla, and ti,at they mean! TO make stand
there. A great number of pris ners were
made composed principally of persons e.
hausteei by fatigue, and apparently much ema-
catcd for want of food, and several descrtcrs
also came in 10 the British.
On the 9th, the British army was forced to
ha!t for want of provisions the French hay
ing destroyed every thing OF that description
on the whole line of their march, and Tor Sc
ycra miles every side. The French rad rot
reached Coirn5ra Ga the 9th.
On the 10th, a dragon CT the guards WHO
brought dispatches to an officer at Sants'rem
stated. that the advance of the British had
come in contact the preceding d..y With one
OF the French divisions, about stage distance
from Thomar on the Aarantcs Road, ne sad
the French had been taken SO much by sur
Prise, that they were seen leaping ifoin the
windows of the houses in which they had went
to rest. The British infantry were under or
dcrs for forced marches, since the pursuit be-
gan, and it ,vas not doubted ut that time, that
the whole body of the French would be CON-
PEELED TO fight.
The division Of general Hill was pushed
forward with great CELEBRITY, to intercept the
FRENCH III the passage Of the river.
1.-THE British army, the sudden retreat OF
the French was attributed to the desertion OF
lieutenant Burke from the British, as he YVES
supposed to have carried with him accounts
Of the large rcintorccments that had lately az
rived from England. Among tho prisoners
taken by the BRUSH iii their pursuit were some
deserters from their own army.
The army of Gen. Bc.csford having ahan-
doned the left side of the Tagus, great NUM-
bers Of people from that side crossed over
and sought refuge in the ruins of Santarem.
On passing up the Taeus, after the ewaeua-
ton of the lines by the British army, the line
Obedience is seen without disicuity, and there
is one deep broad entertainment from the IA
gus 70 Torres Neoras, and thence 10 the STD
ii he rear Of which, works the most formula.
die are erected at every point.
The operations thence to the 18th Of March,
~. have received TO minutes OF, further than
that Oil tia. date, the British mead quarters
were at Thomar on the Zeza-e the former
depot of the French; ard the French head
quarters was al Coilnbra, near sixty miles a.
part.
The +sh regiment Of infantry which had
lust arrived from England, rad joined gene
raj pcresford's division, and the Cd regi-
rnent had Joined lord ATellinston's division.
The t1ro following paragraphs, " copy lite
rally from the minutes Of British oTccr:
"rhc appearance Of the French prisoners
sufficiently shew the situation they mus. have
been in from want Of provisions, quite sna-
ciated, and broken down with hunger and f.
tigue.
"It was suggested that Nassena's game is to
draw our forces from Lisbon as far as posi-.
bic, to enable Soult who is coming from the
neighborhood of Cadz with strong force to
Join Morticr, in order to take poss@ ss.on OF
the province OF Alentejo, ard again bring the
war as near the capital. as possible"
Such is the account of the advces TO the
18th of March, from the armies. A vessel was
to sail the DAYS after the William Penn,
for This port which may perhaps bring later
at!,iccs the distance Of the headquarters Of
the two armies, however, does not indicate
any very speedy movement.
FROM THE WESTERN WORLD.
ST. Louis, (U l.. March II.