Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1813-08-06
Whole No. 74o.

my on the lSth, 2Oth ana xZd, ana or THO
positions of the army on the esd
The Emperor AieSander and King of
Prussia, attributed the loss Of the battle of
Lutzen to the errors committed in the di-
rection of the combined force, and above all
to the difficulties attendant on the OPERATE
ons of from l50 to 10000 men, acting on
the offensive. They resolved to take up
the position of Bautzen and Hochkirch al
ready celebrated in the history of the seven
years war to concentrate there all the REIN
forcements expected from the Vis,ula and o.
Their points in the rear to strengthen this
position by every means which art could
furnish, and there TO encounter the risque
Of another battle, OF which all the proba-
biiities appeared to be in their favor.
The Duke of 1'arentum tMacdonaldD
commanding the llth corps, departed from
Bishopswerden on the l5th and, in the
evening of that day, was within cannon
shot of Bautzen; there he reconnoitered
the enemy's army He took up a position.
From thh moment the different corps of
the French army were marched upon the
camp of Bautzen.
The Emperor left Dresden on the 18th;
he slept at Horta aud on the 18TH, he ar
rived at ten o'clock in the morning before
Bautzen. He employed the whole of the
! day in Accommodating the cnemy's positions.
We learnt that the Russian corps under
i Barclay de folly, de Laugeron. and de s
Sass, and the Prussan corps of Kleist, had
formed junction with the combined army.
and that its force might be estimated at from
/ $50 to 10000 men,
On the evening of the 10th, the encmy's
+ position was as follows: their left rested
upon mountains covered with woods. and
perpendicular TO the course of the Spree,
about q league from Bautzen Bautzen
sustained their centre. This town had been
intrenched around, and covered with re-
doubts The right of the enemy rested up
on some little fortified hills which defended
the openings of the Spree. This very strong
position was bat a first position
We perceived distinctly at 5000 yards i'm
, the rear, earth freshly thrown up, and works
which designated the second position. The
left again rested on the same mountains, at
1000 toises in the rear of those of the first
position. andconsiderabfy advanced IN front
Of the village of Hockkirch. The centre
rested upon three entrenched villages, where
SO many works had been thrown up that
they might be considered at strong places.
A marshy and difficult ground covered
three fourshs of the centre. Lastly, their
right rested behind the first position, upon
villages and little hills enirenched in the
same manner
The front of the enemy's army in the first
and second position, stretched league and
a half long
After this reconnaissance, 1t was easy to
conceive how, notwithstanding the loss of q
battle like that of Lutzen, and after eight
days of retrcating, the enemy might still
have hopes from the chances of fortune
| According to the expression of Russian Of
| fcer who, when asked what they intended
to do, replied: We neither intend TO ad-
vance nor to dr0,c back---to which French
officer answered: III pressnt goa havs it
in your poscer TO do the first, in fen
days events wiU shor whether goa are
masters Of the latter. The headquarters
of the two allied soyereigns was at the viii
| lage of Natchen.
| On-ihe 10th the position of the French
army was as follows
Upon the right was the Duke of Reggie
| (Victor) resting upon the mountains on the
left bank of the Spree, and separated from
| the enemy's left by the valley. The Duke
of Tarentum (Macdonald) was in front Of
Bautzen, on the road from Dreaden. The
Duke of Ragusa (MarmonD YVES on the left
of Bautzen, opposite to the village of Me
menschuz. General Bertrand was upon the
left of the Duke of Ragusa, supported by q
windmill and wood, and threatening to
debouchs from Jaselitz upon the right Of the
enemy.
The Prince of Moskwa (Ney,) General
Lauriston, and Gen. Regnier, were at Hay
eHwerda, upon the Berlin road, out Of the
line and behind our left
The enemy being informed that consi-
derable corps had arrived by the way of
Hayerswerdsr, doubted whether the Empc-
ror's intention was not to turn the position
of the right to change the field Of battle