Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-05-06

notice THAI the tnemy. hao -
On the min, and was advancing 'o"s'us '"e
Al enns;.lert,l that position as the key OF
Az, IS S,n,; Petri I immediately counter
,,.,chca In order to support the troops ieft ior
a. a.,e.,ce and the .l.,Crity with which TINS
~. executed, served as Eayora-
e.. 49,, II was, however. impossible IN
80. i,,,r;cate and difficult ground to preserve
=, IN. columns, and there never was q
Vine 70 restore 1t entirely. :.
~, before we, gould get ourselves quite
di.,n,anyIcd from the wood, the trocrs on
tbe B1rrosa Hill were seen returning from H.
while the enemy's left wing were rapidly as
cendiny. At the same time his right wing
stood On the plain, OH the edge OF the WOOD,
withiu cannon shot. A retreat In tire lace OF
such An enemy, already within the reach oi
the easy communication by the sea-oeach'
must hare involved The whole allied arm! III
sll the danger of being attacked durus 'no
unavoidable confusion OF the different corps
arriving on tire :.arrow ridge OF befmcsa
nearly At the same time. :
Tyus,ine to the known hcroism OF the brl.
fish troops, regardless OF the numbers aiia
p.xition OF their enemy, an immediate att"ck
was determined OH. Major Duncan soon o.
,r,aard a powerful battery OF ten guns IN the
ccn,re. Brigadier general bikes with the
brigade If guards, lieutenant colonel Groves
foi ,ac esth) flank battalion, lieutenant Nor
costs two companies OF the I'd rite corps,
and manor Arcnooa with part VI tho 9th
E.o< Ssepar..ed from the rogiinentm the WOODY
tosrn:d on the right
Col. Waca,iy's brigade, with three eonlpa-
MES Of the Coldstrc@m guards, under lieut..
col. JACKSON, (scparaed likewise from his bat
,a,ion ia the wood and lieut.. col. Barnards
A.nk battalion formed on the left.
AZ soyn az the infantry was thus hastily
sox tpccther, the troops advanced to a more
favorable position, and kept up 4 most des-
tructive Are.
fhe right wing proceeded to the attack Of
general RafHn's division on the hill, whiie
Esf.. Coz. Baval's ttalion, and lieut.. colonel
Busres'. detachment of the Goth Portuguese,
ws.s warmly engaged with the enemy's trA!-
leu-s on our ie:t.
t3en. Layal's division, Notwithstanding the
havoc made by Major Duncan's battery, con-
t;nued to adTAnce i: very imposing MASSES,
c,s,.cd his Are Of nuskesry, and was only
csrcked b., that Of the left wing. The let,
wing now .sdvsnce.i firing most determined
.c1sr..: b. the three companies OF guards, and
tao ST.. regiment, supported by ali the re.
u.i0d:r Of ;he wing, decided the defeat OF
general i.avul's division.
The eagle of the Sth regiment af light in-
fsativ, which suffered immensely, and now
itzer, rewarded this charge, and reaia'h.d III
possession OF Major Cough OF the S7th rc~l-
ment. These attacks were jealousy support
ed hy col. Belson with the 2sth regiment, and
lieut.. col. Provost with part OF the 67th
A rcserye formed beyond s;le mario" val
lev, across which the enemy vas Closely FuT-
sued, ny, shared the same tate, a.id Vas rout-
e& bv the Sans means.
Mcan,aailc the RICH. wing was not less sac
cessful; the ei.cnv. confident OF success,
me-. zen. Dukes on the ascent of the hiH, and
the con,..s. Was sanga!ixlry but the undaunt-
sd.pefscveesncc. Of she brigade OF guards, OF
ksY,cnan,. calal,ei Brownies bltt.I CT, aud .!
lieut. col. Norcots's and major Andsrson's de.
iach,nesss, osercamc every obstacle, and &C.
neral RuSn'y division was driven from the
heights in cosfusion, leaving two pieces Ct
cannon. -. :.
No expressions Of mine could do justice 20
the. conduct of the troop throughout. No
thing less N,an the almost u"p Arallelsd ex.,r-
tioaS Of every. officer, the Mrineiblc bravery
OF every soldier, and The most determined dc.
so,Ion TO the homer Of his t..ajessy's arms, n
ali. could have achieved this Erili,ant Sucees3l
against sa.ea forniaa ne en.',y, 50 posted.
8 In less thNi an hour anu "a halt fr.,sn the
coniNencemssa Ut the action. the enemy WAS
IA fen retreat. The retiring divisions Met,
ksited, and seemed irctiard 10 sorrn new and
more advanced, Dositios, but GU. avCi icry
tia:csly dGspersud them a
The exhausted state Of the troops made
pursuit impossible. Position WAS taken on
the eastern side of tho. I'LL !; and ,we were
strengthened on our right by'shs return OF tie
twa Spanish b.s,a;ions fka, had been attached
before to my division, but which had iefs en-
the hill, and which had been ordered TO re-
Grc.
These hstsalions (Ivaloon Guard and Ciu-
dad ReaD ,nsde every effort TO come back in
tmS, when Ii MAS Saawn that we were ensag-
Ri. ~.
Understand too fror7, cren Hyh;,.innban,