The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-09-15

suSO q SoibS - - OF Course necessary 10
leave behind large force not only to |
perform fhe ordinary duties of the garri-
son, but TO man the lines and 10 protect
the retreat OF the sallying force in the e.
vent OF its being compelled 10 retire.. -
Yet according TO the French accounts the
sorlie was made by or 5000 men under
the protection of so pieces of artillery
A few days ago the French said there vas
no artillery in Cadiz. In fuller French
| official detail which we have received,
The following is the account given of the
arrangement of the sortie:
"The right column, about 9 900 strong,
passed the canal by the fort of ST. Pelri.
| Three other columns debUuched by the
bridge OF Suazo one consisting of be-
tween 9 and 5000 men, with artillery,
took the direction of Chiclana another,
consisting of between 1900 and 1900 men
and $50 cavalry, advanced on the re
doubt of Belluno; and another, amounts
ing to between 1900 and 1900 men,
marched on the mills of Oslo, which was
fortified and occupied by company OF
sharpshooters. The fifth column, con-
sisting Of between 1000 and 1900 men,
left the Caracca to march on the redoubt
RuffiD and finally, the sixth, amounting
to upwards Of 1000 men, issued from the
| Trocadero."
FROM this account, those who are ac-
quain.ed with the neighborhood Of Cadiz
will see that the Spaniards yet possess
point on the main land-viz. the Troca>
dero, from whence a sortie was directed
(agaiDst the French force at Puerto Real,)
besides the Carraca, which is an island
from the isle OF Leon. The progress of
the narrative, however, will show more
clearly what The nature of the close
blockade, which the French say they
have established, must be. None of the
columns, according to the French &C
count, proceeded far, except the column
which proceeded along the road 10 Chi
clana, and that which issued from the
bridge OF SaDti Petri indeed, it should
appear that all the other sorlies were in
tended merely 10 call off the attention of
the French from the attacks of those
two columns,which were directed against
Chiclana. The following is the French
otficial account of the progress of these
corps
"The column which had advanced
along the road of Chiclana, presuming
that the fortified house situated in advance
oil the town, was abandoned marched on
with great confidence to cries of"Viva
! kiego." On arriving at within 25 PAGES
OF the house, 1t was received by the fire
oil the troops who occupied it. and of the
sharp-shoo!ers stationed In its rear. The
column then attempted to deploy,but gen
count de Betsy, who had TWO ba,tsIions,
and three pieces of artillery of the guard,
masked IN the wood, gave orders Tor FIR
ing, and marching on the column, forced
II no retire. Ii was pursued nearly to the
! canal and suffered great loss.
"Ihe column that issued from point
near the fort of st. Petri had arrived with
IN gun shot OF the chapel of St. Anna,
near Chiclana, and the prince de Carigna
no, who occupied that point with bat.
TALON OF the Goth, Immediately engaged
1t. Protected by various ubslacles,it had
maintained Its ground for upwards of an
hour, when gen Betsy, having driven
back the troops that had marched upon
| him, advanced with battalion upon ST
Anna. This last column then experien
! ced the fate of all the rest. II retired in
| disorder, and with difficulty regained its
boats, which our troops attepted to seize,
Notwithstanding the cross fires from the
tort OF 81 Petri battery, and two gum
boats. Its line was very near the boats. :"
In order to understand these accounts,
1t is necessary TO observe that the BRIDGES
of Suazo and Santi Petri, from which
'hese columns respectively issued, are
thrown over the channel which divide |
the isle OF Leon from the lan6 sic miles
distant from each other. The column
from the bridge of Suazo had about five |
miles to march to Chiclana, inclininr to |
the right ;-the column from the bridge /
oil Santi Petri, Eve miles incIiDng 10 the |
Ielt, crossing the bridge Of the mill of
Almanac, and leaving the scene of the
gallant action OF Barrosa. VIVA, is to
be remarked is, that both these columns
reached ChIclana, or ST. Anna, which is
to close it that one Of them maintained
itself there for an hour and that they.
hnaiIy retired, without any part being
cut off, and without losing any prisoners;
at least, If the French took any, thew
have the modesty not to notice them. #
must be manifest to any one who will
look to the map of the country before
The isle OF Leon, that no effective block.
ade can be established; for if there had
been any French troops on the road from
the bridge OF SaDtl Petri to ConiI, a CO.