The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-12-09
From ht .\c,e ior6 Ddifg .hp.fiis,r

-
, American gentleman IN SPAN, and contain,
IA account ~ The march of his army from
Malaga In AImrna, aud the 1 .tare of il
10y the French. IL WAS immediately after
tins event that Gen Rltso tell INTO the
hallds OF ms enemies. As it contains the
onl, authentic details nftho-e occurrences
that we have met with, we have no doubt
II Will be read vita interest.
Er'ract from n letter, dsted Mt -, IN
=" the house Ot'the Fj>conde de Miranda"
" II were To write yoll, my dear sir, all
the incidents and circumstances which have
taken place, from the time we ielt Malaga
on the Sd inst up tn the 18th, when our
army WAS entirely destroyed in Iodrr, it
would make up u lltle volume more like
romance than reality but, from the VERY
awkward position in which write this,
am unable To give you many particulars.
On our arrival at Nerjo on the 5th instant
our leader varied The direction cuastwisc,
aud we brtook ourselves To the mountains
on our 'eft, where never an army had pas
sed before, and where we had TO pass by
deties one by one. Night coming on. our
&"tenturons commander, who always kept
at the head olathe column, set fire To the
| brushwood and trees as we went along, in
order 10 give light, and to show the troops
j, the pathway he had taken. After sur.
mounting innumcrable obstacles by climb
! ing over the most tremendous rocks, aud
crossing the most terrific rasines, we at last
found ourselves IN champagne country,
aud within four leagues of Grenada.
| In the middle of The night of the 9th, we
were challenged by the centres of Il GO.
lnmn of French cavalry, who, however, did
not make their appearance any more until
our ARR al al Monte Frio at mid day, hen
about 500 Of their !ancers and cavalry
showed a disposition to attack us in our
quarters. Our chief ordered the cavalry
| regiment of St Jago, and the infantry re-
| gilnent of Valcntia, To attack them, which
was executed hrascly by driving them back
and keeping them in check until Our div.
sion had cit the town. In that affair we
had five men very seriously Il may say
mollally wounded. was among the last
who evacuated the town, and ! left the
poor fellows bleeding prolasely from the
stabs of the French laucers. That night
our division contnu its march Cor prlcgo;
and at day break on the 10th inst. we ieil
ia with the outposts Of Ballasteros's army.
We cndeavorrd to parley, which ended in
our driving in their guerilla parties. until
we came upon the main body, situated IN
the immediate ncighhurhood of Prlcgu.A-
Here very warm FIRE took place between
Their sharpshooters and ours ; and here
one of the Generals ald-dc-camps was
mortally wounded by my side II was 1t.
Col. Luke. He WAS shot thru' the breast,
the hail D1sslny puf "A hI4 h1ck
At this moment the General order
ed me to bring forward an infentry
regiment. which MAS formed "A lit
tie in the rear ; and while was leading
them on at the large of the hayonet, and
within few yards of BalIasteros's men,
the voice ran IL halt-fo Gen Ballasterns
was ON the field in search of RiegeSs was
present at Ike meeting Of these two gene
rails. They embraced and our chief, in
the most energetic terms, called upon him
in the name ef his insuted country, tn DIN
With his forces against the foreign invaders.
He answered that he should consult with
the chiefs of his army: and, in the mean
SINE when the firing had ceased, the two
armies ran into one anOther's arniS. | wtpt
among the many hundreds, for joy; and
the 2 armies entered pci nell into Pricgo,
! together. But all orr h"pes were presently
! blasted for in the course of the afternoon,
while onr weary troops were at repose,
Balasteros mart he'd off all his men IN va
rions directions for Cdbra and Luccna !;
otherwise ii il probable all his men would
have Joined us That night we continued
our march, and arrived the next morning,
| the lth inst. at Martos,
| i. 20 ,,rh ODD
! the mex, day arrived at Jaen amid the ring
ing of bells and WAS. Next day, the 18th
inst. about noon, the alarm was given that
the French in considerable force were APP
preaching the city. Our chief called 10
arms, and we took up fighting positions on
the road to Mancba. The enemy opened
upon us a Iiscl, fire of flying artillery hlcn
was presently supported by their cavalry
and infantry, in close column. We retired
gradually, taking up position after position
until near the town of Mancha and, be-
fort arriving at the river, our heroic chiei
made stand. when their lancCrs aud some
cavalry came up in the most gallant style,
and made a charge upon our cavalry regI-
mcnt of st. Jago. In a moment they were
overset by the superiority ot the lancera.--
| WAS in the act of anlmating company al
our Cassadores, who were making most
destructive fire on the enemy, wheni found
my SELF in action with French draeson ON
my right, who suffered & Immediately al
ter, French officer, at full gailup, gave me
a severe Iunge in my left side, with his aa-
bre The brave fellow who struck me,
considering it a mortal wound, immediate
" offered me- his hand, and in French, told
me to go with him where would br taken
care of A. that Iastant heard my name
called upon by an officer Of ours, who See
ing me prisoner, came to rescue me. The
Frensh officer LIT go my hand and regret