The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-06-14

Lost 1900 men and slain more than double that
iuumhss offhe enemy. On shs sssAs aay mo
| Hetman, Platoff, attacked the posts between
Hassena and The grand army, but made ne e
semps 10 prevent Dasout, on the left q My,
| rom coming to his assistance. The latter,
upon hearing the cannonade, Immediately sei
his troops in motion for that purpose. On the
same day, and in conformity with general
| plan, the positions of Marshals Soult and
Bernadotte were attacked. and the enemy
repulsed in both instances. On the 9th, be-
ing more concentrated, they resumed the at
tack on Ney's corps. This officer did not wal,
for them, but though they we're now three or
four times bis number, charged them and drove
them back. Having sent on his wounded and
baggage to Deepen, he coolly resumed bis re.
treat, pursued by the Russians. Having
reached small lake, the latter divided their
forces. Ney seized the opportunity. and
charged the enemy. They retired. and anoro'
ed him time to rea:h Deepen where, planting
his cannon in front of the bridge, he Kept tne
enemy at bay, until the whole of his corps
had passed over in safety: This action OF
Marshal Ney is regarded as one ofthe boidest
on record, and it received the unq ualihed ad'
miration of Napoleon himself. The latter
hearing of this attack in few hours alter 1t
had commenced, left orders for Mortier, Lam
mes, Murat and the guard to follow, and set
out Immediately for Deepen. BY the 9th, ne
had united the corps Of Davout, Ney and
Souit, and the imperial guard and cavalry,
making in all 10000 men. Bernadotte's
corps was left to watch the Prussians under
Lestocq, who had fallen back to cover kon-
igsberg. The Russians, finding that their at
tacks had failed everywhere, fell back upon
the Allie, which they crossed by four bridges,
and resumed their positions at Heilsburg.-
Tie French army crossed in pursuit. and on
the lob, Soult and Murat attacked the posi-.
ton of Heilsburg. 1t was $4,000 French
against 10000 Russians. The day must have
gone against the French, but for the arrival of
Lannes. The French on this occasion lost
1000 men killed or wounded, the Russians
$4,000. Napoleon, arriving late, slept in his
cloak, in drenching rain, on the field of bat
tie, determined to renew the attack on the
morrow. But the Russian General, finding
rhat he should be overpowered, retreated On
the 18th, along the right bank of the Allie. Ne
poleon was in no hurry TO pursue him. The
ALE is long winding stream, and the road
along its right bank to konigsberg, is several
days. march longer than the road which runs
on the left bank through Eylau, and about
half way between the ALE and the Passarge.
This road Napoleon resolved to take, being
COW inced that his doing so would compel
Beningsen to cross the Allie for if he did not do
so, he must certainly loseS Konigsberg. He
sent on the corps fSoult and Davout to Kon-
igsberg, with half the cavalry of Murat, while
he himself with the rest of that cavalry, and
the corps Of Ney, Lannes, Mortier and Berna-
dotte, 1.-THE latter commanded by Victor,) took
a position at Eylau. This town is one march
from Friedland, where the road to Konigsberg
crosses the river, and is two marches from
Konigsberg. Napoleon believed that Bening-
sen would cross at Friedland, since it is ths
nearest point on The Allie to Konigsberg. In
that event, the corps of Murat and Davout
could fall back on him, and offer an overwhelm-
ing front to the Russians. If he kept on the
right side of the Allie, and followed its wind
ings, he would join Soult, Davout and Murat,
| cut off the Prussian corps of Lestocq, seize
Konigsberg, and let Beningsen, deprived of his
resources, and having lost his communica.
lions, maneuvre as he would
All the intelligence received on the 18th
confirmed the French Emperor in the belief
that the Russians were about to cross the river
at Friedland. He sent the corps of Lannes
and Mortier in that direction, and joined to
item Oudinot's division, Grouchy's cav
airy, and some of the cavalry that had been
left by Murat. Lannes, arriving near Fried
land about one o'clock On the morning of
the l4th ,fperceived large body Of the en-
envy who had just crossed The river. At three.
it having become light enough, he attacked
them, though 10000 strong, with such troops
as he had at hand. The action gradually be-
came quite brisk, troops coming up on both
sides, until finally the whole Russian army,
$4,000 men, had crossed, and the whole of the
forces under Lannes, $4,000, had arrived. By
taking advantage of some wooded heights, and
other natural obstacles, he managed to keep
the enemy at bay for many hosrs. He sent
did after aid to announce TO Napoleon the fact
that the whole Russian army had crossed
These aids met the Emperor galloping to the
scene of conflict, having left the guard far be-
hind. As he passed along the long line of
troops marching in all haste towards Fried.
land, he reminded them that il was the anniyer-
sary of Marengo. To the division of Dupont,
which had covered itself with glory in the
campaigns of 1866 and the present, but
which had never acted under his immediate
eye, he expressed his pleasure at the prospect
of seeing them fight for once. Everywhere he
was saluted with the widest enthusiasm. The
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