The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-01-26

L
this poignant idea. If he was 10 resign his
command, and let the army regain Portu-
gal in the best manner it could; are minis
tcrs prepared for such an event T.? Are they
possessed OF any plan to terminate honOra-
bly, the campaign Have they another ge-
neral, and another Chatham, ready to de-
wise and execute plans?
The position Of our army is, in fact, a
very critical one reduced as it has been
by sickness and the fate of battles, the uni !
ted forces of Lord Wellington and General
Pill (whom we hope have formed a junCt-
on) do not amount to more than $4,000 Eng
lish and 10000 Portuguese. Soult is at Ma
drid, with sixty thousand men,. If that
Marshal combines his operations with Gen.
Souham, he will be able to bring against the
English army force Of near .100.0 600 men.
Under such circumstances. Lord Yelling
ton must necessarily fall back. He would
not even be able to hold out a. Salaman-
ca. but must retire again behind Ciudad
Rodrigo, the proof of which il, that very
Judicious precautions have been already ia
ken to that effect, by having the sick and
wounded removed from Madrid to Sala-
manca, OH the 25th ult. This circumstance
greatly afflicted the inhabitants of Madrid,
as it Indicated a reverse of all their
hopes, and the return of the French.
Let us, however, hope, that on this, as on
all former occasions. the weakness of our
cabinet will be counterbaianced by the ener-
gy of our troops in the field of battle.
We place entire confidence in the talents
OF Lord Wellington. to Illustrate all the uni
ted skilful manGuvres of the French gene
rails but we cannot avoid thinking that a
defeat is possible and that the terminate
on of the war in Spain, like our expedition
at Walchcren, would suffice to cast
dampness on the spirit of the most jealous
friend of his country.
From the London :. Statesman" of Nov %
ErtTact of q letter from British officer,
dated
Madrid, October %.
"I have already mentioned to you the
modification We experienced in receiving
orders to retreat 1 can neither express
nor depict to you the misery of the poor
Spaniards. When we came here after the
battle OF Salamanca. military commissi-
on was instituted, and great number of
eminent characters were strangled, accor-
ding to the Spanish usage, for having ma
infested too much friendship for the govern
ment OF Joseph.
Thus it was, that fear and not attach
ment. induced the people to take the new
oath of fdelity-which was administered
after Official assurances by the British and
Spanish authorities, thai the French were
forever banished, and that the government
OF the Regency was established upon
the hrmest basis. The results of such
premature assurances could not be other
wise than fatal. No one, unless possessed
OF heart harder than rock, could re-
train from feeling at hearing the lamenta-
tons OF those unhappy beings, Ga great
number OF whom are OF the highest circle
OF society going in crowds to the English
headquarters, to implore protection, and
speaking loudly against those deceptious
promises to which they were likely to be-
come victims, and stating their fears of
the punishment the government of Joseph
would inhict upon them for having Welded
to our menaces. Their situation is truly
pitiful - but our retreat will have most
fatal effect upon the common cause. 1t has
shaken the confidence of the people in the
protection they expected from the English,
and has proved, at least to the Spaniards,
that we are unable to conquer their coun-
try, and rescue it from French power.
g We are all surprised to hear it stated
that it is believed in England, that the go
vernment we have established is popular
2 in this country. Rely upon it, you are
much deceived. / am as we'll acquainted
with Spain IS most of the English officers
here; and | can assure you, in the most
positive manner, that the government of
Joseph is, of the two, the more popular |
among the Spaniards. The English army
costs tHem the same as the French army !; |
bnt the Spanish army and the Guerrilas, |
are real scourges, to theinhabtants, where
ever they direct their march. In a word, |
assure you, positively, that notwithstan
ding all you read in the papers in Eng
land. of Ladies who come to meet us, Of
their courtesy at balls and other places
OF amusement, we have found it quite the |
contrary, for in most of the towns through
which we have passed, the greater part of
the women had disappeared, and followed
the French in their retreat
1t is said we shall occupy anew our
old lines at Torres Vedras, for it is imposs
BILE for us to resist the united force of the
French who have actually in Spain I'D
wards OF 10000 men--Caffareli and
Southam, have upwards of 4O,0OO--Joseph
has with him corps of 1O,OO0-Soult and
Suchet, between them, have certainly not
less than 30, 900 including the corps under
General Decaen. What have we to op-
pose to them Forty thousand English to the
utmost. We hourly expect to be Joined bv
General Hill and after having made a pa.
rade OF fsrcing Soult to eyacuate Andalusia.
and raising the siege of Csdiz, we are ac
tually unable to prevent the French from
coming t;a=L - Sity, a nj even taking
1t, unless the corps under General Matt.
land be promptly ordered thther.
1t Isl measure, however, which Cannot
fail of taking piace--for il we re enter Por-
tugal, that corps must suppose re-em-
bark ON its return to Sicily"