Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-01-13
Gen. Grand Provost OF the
Army LOUER.
JEEN. Gen. Chief Of the
staff. ofthe Major General
exercising the functions OF
Imperial Proeureur.
Count NiONTIHOU.

Five weeks have now elapsed SlnCc IL
was our painful duty to present TO the
pyhllc the nineteenth bulletin, contain
ing The account of the capture OF Mos
COW by the French. Staggered as We
were by the reception ot that document
"a document loudly pronounced at the
time t. be hctitious--a short eXamina-
ton too well convinced Us OF It's anthem
ticity; bot, at the same time we express
ed a confident opinion, that Bonaparte
had not seized this important post,
without leaving behind him an enemy,
from whom he had every thing to dread"
We anticipated /" a desperate exertIon
on the part of the Russians" 10 regain
it; & what we anticipated has at length
happened Moscow is again Russian
ti,y. Praise and honor to the brave
Kutuscw, and to the enterprizlng Win.
zingerole The modern Attila is drl-
ven from his spoil, The French eagle
30 longer hovers over the palace OF the
ancient Cars
To take cool and temperate view OF
those great commissions, which shake
the foundations Of empire, in the pre-
sent day, is ne easy task. Carried a.
way by TIC sympalhieS of patriotism; On
the one side, anS by the natural adml-
ration Ok talent, on the other, 1t IS not
mere difficaIt to obtain true evidence OF
the state of facts, than to weigh and ap-
preciate it when obtained This is GER
tain, that as the campaign draws toward
a close, the plot thickens-ths posinsns
of the armies become more critical-the
golden balance, in which the ancients
feigued the fate of empires to be weigh
ed, vibrates with more deep and awful
pulsation Now, for the first time in
the revolutionary history of France, the
French bulletins become light and tri.
fling. No less thar five of them bave
successfully appeared, without record
ing a single battle gained, city cccu.
pied, or a movement of any sort materi-
ally conducting to the success or failure
Of the main undertaking. 1t were vain
to deny to BoDaparte the praise off dar'
ing and adventurous spirit, beyond what
is given to most mortals all. that his
fortune has ever demand ID of him, he
has done, and done without hesitation or
fear but the natural error Of such
mind is an error of excess. Going far
beyond the line Of ordinary boldn=ss (not
to say prudence), he has been led, on
the present occasion, into difficulties,
to which We should scarcely End pa
ralel, in the exploits of L" MacedoniA's
mailman, or the Swede." Nothing short
OF his own peculiar impetuosity could
have thrown him into SO hazardous a
situation as Moscow and when there.
he met with two occurrences wholly con.
trary to all his expectations lie could
not, in imagination, have anticipated The
conAagration of nine nths of the city
and he did not, in reality, expect re-
lection of his ovcrtures Of peace. On
this last head, we have learnt a curious
anecdote. Almost immediately after
entering Moscow, Bonaparte sent a mes
sage by Russian gentleman to the En-
peror Alexander, CouChed in the most
amicabis and even familiar terms. He
said there was nothing he wished for
mere, than to renew his friendship with
the emperor, for whom he had ever che
rished tie highest esteem, and with
whose personal "ishes he should at all
times be happy to comply that had
Alexander requested him Sot to enter
Moscow, he would not have entered ii;
that he Was even now ready 10 quit tho
spot, if such was the desire of soye-
reign, whom he was anxious to obiige.
Insiort, that if Alexander desired Peace,
he had Only 10 say so, and peace should
be that instant concluded" This bait
might have taken with almost any indi-
vidu:l, sooicr than with the Emperor Of
Russia. He remembered the fawning
looks, the aa;te,iug words, the feigned
humility Of TiIsit-and he felt, that it
was not for Simon to betray second
Troy. 1t is needless 70 say the friendly
offer was rejected. Ever since that Pc
rcd, il hes been the labor Of Bonaparte
10 persuade the world, that he is we'll
accommodated and we'll supplied in his
present positions, thsugh at the same
time he has labo' i, no less assiduous.
~, to improve hi, accommodations, and
to augment his supplies. Impedcd in
these efforts by the generals NVinziDge.
rode and Ku,usow, On the north and on
the south, after throwing two large DO.
dies Of 1000 men each on me northern
road, he seems to l!uve attempted de-
cis!ve blow on the south, By reinforcing
Tie advanced guard under Murat (Which
had man9uvred in>that direction for a.
bove three weeks to $4,000 men 1t
was intended. that Victor, with hi. corps
trenH S"olcnsk, should join Murat bu,
kntns"w jndiciohsly anticipated this
movement, by attacking the latter, who
"as too far from Moscow to receive
timely sUnDort from the main arny