Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1822-09-28

Il is an interference TO prevent the great
foundations Of society from being again
broken up and laii waste.
COLOMBIAN REPUBLIC.
Operation Of the line against POERlOa
CaBELLO.
TRANSLATION.
To the Commander IN Chief of the Depart
n,ent of Venezuela.
Head Qua rters. at the foot OF the Mountain,
August ls@, 1899.
Mosr ExcELLENr SlR:
On the 9Th inst. | received dispatch,
informing me that body OF 600 OF the e.
nemy's men had occupied San Felipe,
and was marching towards Porto Cabello.
/ Immediately on the 7th commanded The
battalions Anzoategui, Grenadier, and the
Militia of Valencia, and the squadron oil
Dragons, to move. On the 9th placed
the division, from the entertainments Of
Aqua caliente on the Palito, in order to
cut offthe enemy in any direction he might
appear. On the 9th was informed by
the guard kept at the foot o. the mountain,
that body Of 800 of the enemy's men APP
peared at the summit; but Colonel Wood
berry moved from Valencia with num-
ser of men, some militia and horse. which
stopped the enemy. On the 10th ! receI-
we'd new dispatch telling me that the e.
nemy was coming down with a superior
number Immediately ceuntermarched
With the grenadiers and fifty dragons.
and in that night | arrived at the foot oil
the mountain, where the enemy had his
advanced guard. Col. Mourique remain
ed with the rest Of the army, and with Or
ders to place militia battalion OF Valencia
in the entertainments, for the purpose OF
cooperation with me the next day, which
was accomplished about halt an hour alter
the action commenced.
Yesterday morning, at break OF day,
strong body composed ofl800 men under
the immediate command OF Gen. Francis
Thomas Morales, descended the bill pre-
cipitateIy and dividing into Guerri)las on
the right and lett, charged Our centre with
an enormous mass.
The first activity was occupied by a
small body Of our guards protected by two
pieces of artillery. which they fired inces-
sanity.
Atseven o'clock in the morning, the fire.
inc became general on all sides and was
continued with great ardor. In the mean
time the enemy employed all his skill on
the right OF our line, detaching directly
opposite TO it a body composed OF tour
hundred Cazadores. selected from the
whole corps, and which may be consider
ed as the elite of his army.
Col. Rondon, with two bodies OF troops,
one of Grenaders, the other of Guards and
a piquet of Dragons, sustained our lett,
and made vigorous charge, which COM
ple,ey entrapped the guerrilas of the en-
envy, while Col. Maurique, following The
movement Of Col Rondon, simultaneous
ly charged the enemy's centre, which was
thrown into confusion, and he was compel
led to fly 10 the mountains. Commander
Nina, destined with detachment OF horse
and two companies to repsl the body OF
Cazadores, which was approaching, our
right, seeing that the principal body OF
the enemy had retreated, thought lmme-
diateIy OF cutting them off by means oil re.
peated charges, but they formed an I'M
penetrable mass, and succeeded in occu-
plying the activities on their flank, not
withstanding the corporation OF the infan.
try, who also endeavored 10 prevent their
retreat. There remained in our power,
four officers and more than fifty men.
The enemy continued his retreat as far
as the stations which he originally occu-
pied, pursued by Col. Maurique, who de-
prved him of the first ACTIVITY. AT this
time it was thought necessary to issue or
ders for the return uf the troops, who were
engaged in an unequal combat. in conse-
ouence of the iMpregnable positions Of the
enemy, which was accomplished by III o.
clock.
Notwithstanding the enemy employed
his whole force, there were OnIyt engaged
on our part, small corps OF the army, the
battalion of Grenadiers and that OF Dra-
goons. The remainder of our force, and
that brought by Col. Maurique was kept
as corps &c reserve. Our loss consisted
of IA killed and wounded, among Abe for
mer the lieutenant of Dragons, John De-
az, and the ensign OF hor Sc, Santos Gerpi-
dor, and among the latter, have the mis-
fortune of naming Col. Rondon, who re-
ceived muskel ball in his right ancles
At dawn this day, the enemy occupied
the same positions as yesterday. We en-
deavored to provoke bis advance, with re.
peated shots and guerrilla OF infantry, bu:
he. did nothing more than abandon the first
height and retire further into the noun
tain.
All which is respectfully communicated,
SC. SC. (Signed)
JOSEPH ANTONIO PAEZ.
Since the above was prepared, we find
in the Aurora, received this morning, the
following detail of the operations OF the
respective armies down TO the Goth Of Au-