Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-01-18

AN oNID tJlAZ.
EraeUutioR Of san Fer1a,do Ly tae Roytiists.
oihciai dispatch Of General lid.z to the Nice
President OF the State.
SIR-I have this moment IcceI. Ell am official
communication from the cOmnaudant OF tht
iIOnucr OF San Fernando, in!nraiin. me of IA,
evacuation OF that place by the enemy on the
miehi of the 18th instant. Tie marched immr-
dhs,ely 10 HAT place, and found "a quahIitS of
powder, 10 OJ5 nails Tor naval ser, ice. d ton OF
Wrought nOu, and The stores gcnS rally full o,
salt provisions. and grain te,ery description.
The Precipitation at the cnemN's iencat is
conspicuous Ia hiS not taking even time to
bum the place; The only damage which the,
erected on shore being To throw the artillery
into the Tiver; but the work, are in seriect
preservation Notwithstanding they had lou:
before established mmes TO blow them up
they also bnrnt The best vessel which they
had. have detached several parties IN OF der
toasccriain the direction of the eneni, Hi yht
and shall IN due time apprize You OF the result
OF my operations. j. A. PAEZ
Achacnas goth Oct. 1919.
cWcid dcspctch Of tie Spanish General Barrey
10, late commander la chief Of the Royal array
W Nelc Grenada, TO the Picer0y StmdnO-gir-
ing has account gf the battle of Vargas.
JioI excellent Su-Po>ted IN front of the
enemy la the plains of BONA, waited only
| Tor the abandonment of their position by the
| enemy in the expectation of liberaiinw the
country by single blow from all the disturb
| ance which he hid prohHced. Yesterday |
was htormed. that the enemy had actually
| crossed the river and we've marchiu. in the
! direction of II Saiitre- whereusom immedi-
ateiy ordered the kings battalion and The
| cavalry, TO cut off their march, and prevent
their occupation OF that place. This was eft
tected by dis!odsing the enemv's cavalry.
onr division continued its march until they
| had reached the pantano (marsh) of Vargas,
where the enemy halted, and mmed iately took
position OF the sides of the hills 10 the east
which are not so much elevated as those in
their rear.
took post on an elevated ground, in front
ct their position, and having previously re-
cannoitrcd he ground l gave orders TO col.
Lopez TO move with his battalion. aud occupy
the higher grounds in the enemys rear, and
attack them in that direction.
This gallant officer, Notwithstanding the
dliflruties of the ground, aud the formidable
nnmhero of the enemy, which attempted 10
arrest his movements, took possession of the
position TO witch he was ordered, overcoming
with tha hayonet, every resistance made TO his
Intrepid battalion not being able TO restrain
the ardor ot his troops, | ordered the cOmra-
Nv OF the grcnadiers OF the second regiment of
Nnmantia, To move up to his support and
attack the enemy in flank, which they eXecut-
ed notwithstanding severe tempest, which
commenced at the first moment of his move
ment. All the efforts of the enemy were
employed in vain 10 regain the position from
which theN had been driven and company
oi te same battalion. eInulatng THEN COM
''des of the grenadiers, Jslodeed the enemy
. second tint, aud drove them to The foot of
the dpcii,t,
The column of the reserve was INSTANTLY
ordered 10 rake the enemy in flank, while The
cavalry was ordered TO charge the enemy in
all tho deties through which hev were preci-
piiaiing themselves. Their situation " as VOW
such. that there was every reason to beiev,
not one ould escape hut desperation appear
rd TO have inspired them with resolu-
ton that has scarcely an example Their
'"t"ntryand cavalry were concentred in close
nroeI, while advancing from The denies thev
Dp"an 10 rrascehd the hills with an intrcp
and desperate fury; aud our infantry by toe
excessive ardor, as well as by the tatisuInr
nature "i the ground, were thrown INTO dIsor-
def, ana unable To arrest the march of thu
enemy, who did not nevertheless recover the
ground, but by great sacrifices Our corns
were hero reinforced by two more COMPANIES
OF The reserve. and the position was taken and
Tetaken times at the point of the bayonet
| Unfortunately reinforcement Of four more
| companies sent TO sustain our troops, mistook
| the road, and arrived only when il was 100
| idIP.
! his reRdered u necessary for me 10 detach
| the grenahieIs and The 9th and lih troops of
| dragons, TO make a diversion on the rear of
/ the enemy Tor which purpose the dragnonx
! were oIsnonuted, and embodied with the
| infantry, and The enemy was once more driven
! IRON his position: | was now confident OF the.
INSTRUMENTATION oftlIe enemy, as while tiey
| were assaulted ia front tie kInu's baitaliun
was 10 attack them simultaneously i'll the
! rear; hut the ammunition of our troops at
IiiS critical moment failed, and the ground
| presented IA thousand difficulties which were
aggravated by heavy rain, that etfe ctualiy
PUT STOP 10 our firing and The approach
OF The night Induced me to TecOncentrate The
troops, aud take mp position tor the night OH
tue heiu OF Datiie, there To wait The arrival of
-in;nuniiIOn.
lhe loss of the enemy was immense-bui
despair had precipitdted their officers and
soldiers IN our bayonets, where they met that
death which they had so much meriied. This
being The anniversary OF tile patron of SPAIN
(H. JdgO,) ~as Impossible 10 moderate The
aIdor nj amnesty of our troops, which nro-
duced some dismnion of our force we've il
hot Tor which the whole of the INSURGENTS
must have persisted. The infantry uerror,n.d
prodigIes, and the soldiers aud officers of ms
maJestys army conducted themselves like
heroes.
Tue ground did not permit the cavalry 10
dlSniay 'iifir Valor, the grenaders and The 9th
and 4th troops of cavalry distinguished Them
selves acting ds infantry.
Our loss has been irIiing, q soon AS ihe
different troops shall have made their returns
VIII nave the honor TO make il known 10 your
eXCrllcucy.
The enemy reiterated the same night. baIfa
league from the field of battle and took po-
SiIiOu' Covering his rear and right flank by an
lnaccesSiiie nIoTass. and hisIett by an elevated
gfonnd, very difficult Of access ! made re-
mark, int Bolivar, not dPDendiuv loo mncI,
on The devotion Of his IIOops. ALWAYS chose
positions the most critical ard dangerous in
order that deSperatiOA should supply their
want Of skill.
AS the conduct Of all my officers aud troops
has been distinguished lis NOT uOssible for me
to make ANY particular discrimination or sIIpp-
riority but shall mention to your exceiIency
those who had been very conspicuous in or
der mat they may obtain the distinction
~Wch ihey merit /; assuring your excel!encp,
iiiai ihere IS not an individual OF this army
WHICH isnot entitled to your consideration.
have ordered the field of battle IN be re-
cOmiOiiied, and considerable number nf
muskcts are already collected.
God preserve Nuur excelIeucy MANY vear.
JOSE MARIA RApYFVUC