The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-10-30

view. There remain spacious houses
whose fine situations are well calculated for
hospitals. The province of Smolensk is
very fertile and beautiful; it will afford
great resources in articles of subsistence e
forage.
Since the events of the war. the Russians
have made an attempt to raise militia Of
slave peasants, whom they armed with bad
pixies. There were already five thousand
of them assembled here they were OBJ
jects of derision and laughter even to the
Russian army itself. 1t had been made the
order of the day that Smolensk was to be
the grave of the French /; and that if it had
been thought proper to evacuate Poland,
it was at Smoiensk they were to fight in
order not to suffer this bulwark of Russia
to fall into our hands.
The Cathedral Of Smolensk is one of the
most famous Greek Churches in Russia
The Episcopal Palace forms kind of Sc
parate city.
The heat is excessive The thermome-
ter rises as high as 20 degrees. 1t is hot
BATTLE OF vALoNTINA.
On the 18Th at day break, the bridge
being completed, the Duke of Elchingen,
moved in by the right bank of the Borys-
theme. and followed the enemy. AT
league from the city, he met with the last
ui'iSioh Va tiiS SHSitiJ ) rear guard OF from
$ to 5000 men, posted on commanding
heights. He caused them to be attacked
with the 'bayonet by the 9TH regiment of
line infantry and the I'D OF the line.
The position was carried, and our bayo-
nets covered the field of battle with dead.
From three to four hundred prisoners fell
into our hands. =.
The flying enemy retreated upon the Cd
division which was placed on the heights
OF Valentino The first position was car
ried by the 18th of the line aud at four p.
M. the musketry commenced with the
whole OF the enemy's rear guard consisting
OF about $1,000 men. The Duke of A
srantes has crossed over the Borysthene
two leagues on the right of Smolensk !; he
found himself in the rear of the enemy he
could by marching with decision, inter
cept the high roads of Moscow, and render
the retreat of this rear-guard difficult
Meanwhile the other divisions of the enc
my's army that were not off. being inform
ed OF the success and rapidity of this first
attack, traced back their steps.
Four divisions came forward i'm this man
ner to support their rear guard, especially
the divisions OF grenadiers which till now
had not engaged--From FIVE to six thou
sand cavalry formed their right, whilst
their left was covered by woods lined with
sharp shooters. The enemy had the great
est interest in preserving that position as
long as possible; it was very fine one.
and seemed impregnable. We attached
no lees importance in wrestling it from him in
order to accelerate his retreat, and cause
all the Wagons Conveying the wounded
and other train, of which the rear guard
protected the evacuation, to fall into our
hands. This is what gave rise to the COM
bat OF Valontina, one of the brightest "a
ehievments Of our military career.
At six P. M. Gudin's division, which
had been dispatched to support the Sd
corps, from the rroment the powerful sue
conrs sent by the eneray to his rear-guard
had been perceived, defled in column upon
the Centre OF the enemy's position SUPPORT
ed by General Ledru's division, and afte,.
an hours combat carried the position
General Count Gudin, coming up with his
division, was at the very beginning of the
action struck by bullet which took off
his thigh he died gloriously This loss is
sensibly felt. General Gudin was one of
the most distinguished officers of the army:
he was commendable for his moral quail
ties, as much as for his bravery and intre-
|pidity. General Gerard has taken COM
mand of his division. 1t is stated that the
enemy has had eight generals Killed or
wounded one general is made prisoner
On the following day. at 3 A. M. the
Emperor distributed on the battle rewards
TO all the regiments that had distinguished
themselves and as the 127th, which is "A
new regiment, had behaved well. III M.
has granted it the right of having an ea~
gle privilege which that regiment had
not yet received, having not till now been
present at any battle. These rewards. pi-
ven upon the field battle, amidst the de- d
and the dying, the ruins, and the trophies
OF victory, presented spectacle truly milf
tary and imposing.
he enemy after this combat, mode so pre-
cIpitate retreat, that, in the course of the
10th, our troops advanced eight leagues
without ever being able to find any Cossacks,
& picking up in every direction some woun-
ded and Stragglers.
Our loss at the combat of Valentino has
been 600 killed and $500 wounded That of
the envy (witness the field of battle) is
treble. We made 1000 prisoners, the most
part wounded.
Thus the only two Russian divisions which
had not been participators in the former bat
ties OF MohiIow, Ostrowno, Krasnoi and
Smoiensk, have been routed in that of Va
lontia.
Every information we receive, concurs in
stating that the enemy is flying in all haste
towards Nose ow that his array has suffer-
ed much in the preceding combats, & that
it experiences besides great deserton.
The Poles are deserving, saying" You
have forsaken us without fighting what
right, therefore, have you now Of requiring
us to remain under Your coIors." The Rus
sian soldiers from the provinces of Mohilow
and Smolensk, take advantage also of the
proximity of their village to desert and take
rerN in fIai, csxy,,r