Several of the evening pa...
The Times, 1824-11-17T00:00:00

Several of the eveniing papers yesterday published a trans- cript from thc Jamaict Courant of SeptQmber 28, pur- porting to be an abstract of aii official (lespiatch whlicli ha(l appeared in the Planamrra Gazel/c of the 7th, relating to an actioni betwecn tlc Royalists and the Independents in Peru. The abstract is extreInely iniaccurate, aid(l gives a false view of the affimir betwvecn BOLIVAR ard CANTERAC, which seems to have becn little more than an affair of posts. Wc subjoin the official account at lcngtli SOUTH AMERICA. "OA=zETTE EXTRAORDINAIRY OF TIIE IsTIrUUS. " PANAMA, SEPT. 7, 1824. "By the Cojombian sclhooner Don Quixotic, in 17 clays from Huanchaco, and which anchored to.day in this barbour, the General Commandant and Intendant has reccivcd the following oflielal com- munication:_ "FEPUBLIC Ot r nU.-PM:FECTURE OF TIIE DEPARTMENT OF T.RUXILLO. " TItUXILLO, AUG. 18, 1824. "To the Intendant and General Commnandant of the Depart. ment of the Isth-mus of Panama. Sir,-It is with the greatest pleasurc that 1 havc thc honour to enclose to your Excellency the Gazette I?xtraordinaary of this city, -wh}ich contains the official statement of the brilliant battle of Junin, which I received last night. " Thin first success opens the door to the bcst founded and flatter. ing expectations, and is a presage of the conclusion of that war which blas laid waste thie rich counltry of Peru. Thc battalion of Zulia, the squadron of nuias, the Drageon Giuards, went into quarters the 'day after the action of Junin. " Although the report of the Secretary-Gieneral is excecdingly ac. curate, permit me to communicate to you several circumstances of Icsser note which have conic to: my knowledge by mcans of private letters from the army, which render this action stiil more glorious. " Alore than one thousand of the enemy's horse, who wvere advan. tageously posted, have been completcly routed by four hundred of ours. "4 Canterac, on his ride, and the Liberator, on ours, commanded their canlry in peogon. Caitem fled before the2 Iberator and aba felt his irresistible power. "The mavalry wsqs the flower of the Royal army, cud was comr- po4ed of veteran soldicrs, th;e nsost partof whom were Spaniards. - The contest was tetrible, aid our cavalry performed prodigies of valour. Canterac exerfed his urrtmost abllity and courage, but was compelled to fly in disgrace, witlh very few of those brave men who constitute(i glhnost the third part of those.whom he commanded. 'J'he l,iberator appeared' conspicuous in every place of danger; but his prescnce, which availed more than an army, created despair in Canterac and his veteran soldiers. The people here have received this news with transports of joy, which , am unable to describe. There is no one who has not been enlivened by the pure air of a liberty which he, with good reason, expects to see consolidated by that genius 'which has alone under- taker, to give them their country, peace,' and renown. ' I am, Sir, your most obedient humble eervant, " JOSEPH GABRIEL PEREZ. "TO TIIE COLONEL PREFECT OF THE DMPARTMrENT OF TRUXILLO. " Sir,-Under date of the 7th of this month, the Secretary-Ge- neral of lis Excellency the Liberator writes me the follewing:- "'OFFICE OF SECRETARY-GENERAL. " ' HEAD-QUAIITEnS, REYFs, AUG. 7, 1824. 'TO T1IE mItNXISTERaGEfERAL OF T3IE AFFAIRS OF PERU. " ' By the command of his Excellency the Liberator, I have the satisfaction to announce to yeu, that yesterday, at five in the after- noon, the Spanish army experienced a dreadful humiliation on the plains of Junin, two and a half leagues from thisplace. The cavalry, on wlich the enemy principally relied for the subjection of Peru under the Spanish yoke, has been beaten in such a manner that it I will not again present iLself on the field of battle. "' His Excellency, informed that the enemy had approached for the purpose of reconnoitring us with the whole of his forces united, began his march with the liberating arrny from Conrocancha, with the determination of bringing thentoi a decisive action. In the mean time the enemy, who had advanced as far as Pasco, retraced their steps by forced marches, in consequence of the notice they had received of tie direction wiich our army had taken. :His Excellency reckoned upon forcing them to a general engagement, by postirrg himself in their rear on the road, which tirey must have taken towards Jauja ; but the precipitate haste with which thiey marclrel enablel them to reach and even to pass the point in whichi we should have attacked them several liours before our army,, wlhich had a long journey to perform tlirough a rough and ineven tract of country, could comne up. Upon this his Excellency, observing that the enemy continucd their retreat without inwermission, and considering, on the other hand,that the opportunity of relieving this unforturate land from oppression, and of deciding the fate of the country, had escaped him, determin- ed to advance in person with the cavalry, which vas unider the com- mand of the intrepid General Nicochca, at a trot, and to post it in the Yery plain wlici was occupied by the enemy, hoping that when they perceived us, they would boldly seize thic opportunity which pre. sented itself of gratifving their desires; or tirat, viewing the inferi. ority of our cavalry, they weuld hazard an action to save the whiole of their arry. The event answered these expectations; for, through a blindl confilence in their cavalry, the enemy charged our horse in a situation Yery disadvantageouns to us. The shock of these two bo. dies was tremendous, and at the end of the different corrflictg, in wiich botir parties seemed to obtain the advantage, the enenmy's ca. valry, thoughi superior in number and better ilmounted than our's, waS put into confusion, beaten, and dIriven hack with slauginter to the tiles of thieir infantry, whicn, during the action, ha;d continued its niarclr towvards Jauja, and was mnany leagrres from the field when thic battlc was decided. Our cavrtlry has evinced a courage wiich rrry pmn is rrnrable to express, and which can only bc conceived by re- verti:rg torges of chivalry. " ' Tire rcsurlt of this brilliant battle has beea W33 dead on the field, amongst ,Jlroin were tcn cihiefs and officers.Morc than 300 well-equip. ped horses liave bcen taken. " ' Tie loss oit our side in killed andi wounded is but 60; amiong thIc fornier. Catptain Urbina, of the Ilorte-grenadiers of Colombia, and Lieutenant Cortes, of tirc 1st Regiment of the Cavalry of Peru, Anriong tire latter, Brigadier-taencral Nicochea, with seven wounds, none of whichi are dangerous; C:lonel Carbajal, of the Horse-grena- diers of Colombia; the (Commandanrt Sobersi, of lite 2d1 division of the reginierit of Peru; illajor Philip Brrml and Captain Perrrza. both of the Cavalry of Colombia. The first and twvo last sliglitly, but the bcconrl ratlier severely : of thie rest, few are in danger. The war of Peru wonild have been concludedi yesterday, if the enemy's infantry had not continued its marcil withotit ceasing at a rapidi pace, and if ours liad been able to fly, as we rnust have done to have reacdiret theni, because all burrned with the desire of destroying their enemnies. They liave taken warning by experienee, anti thirer terror is so great, that since yesterday nmorning they hIave not ceased marcci- ing, not even duritig the night. '- ' To.morrow t*ic arny will continuc its operations, aud I flatter myself that I shall very soon date my communication to yout ftomtr the valley of Jauja. I congratuhlttc you and the wihole of Pert, on the sucscrn of yesterd;ty, which, as it is the beginning of the cani- paign, augurs a still more fortunate result. Tie land of the Incas is wet witir tire blood of ticir oppressors, and will willingly offer to the oppressed the beautiful plains in wlinch the precious tree of li- berty has arisen; and those who have becn contquerors for fourteen years will not leave tliese hiumniliated inliabitants without bringing to their recollection the crines wliielt tlrey have corriinitted in the timc of their prosperity. His Excellency wislies that yoru would circulate tirc infornsation anrmong all ti,e people anti autltoritics of the country. "' THOMAS HERES, " ' Secretary-Getreral of the Interior.' ' Filled with joy wliicli my hleart cotlui not resist, at couteniplat- irsg thie fortutc ot' tny couintry thus confirrnierl for ever, I transcribc the forogoing for your Lordshtip to circulate to the aurtiloriticS under your control, anti that tire people of thiat praiseworthty departracrrt may knrow that victory has begun to crownr, in a decisive manner, their incessant sacrifices ; and to the end that it may bring to tiheir recollection the singular circumstance that the samec day, tire 7th of August, in whicir his Excellencv tire Liberator cmbarked for Peru, lic announced the first triumphi of the ILiberator's arns ; and that this brilliant victory being celebrated ir proportion to iLs import. Alrce, rmay exalt tire public gratiturle to those brave men whlo have fought undler the coinmnaud of Iiis Excellency, as well as tliosc noble passions which are necistomcd, in similar caecs, to transport the l.earts of those to whom tliere is no grcater good upon earth than liberty. I coorgratuliate you, as a son of Colombia, and thio wliole repub. lic, for Peru is iridebted to its arms far evet victorious ih this hieroic action. " JGSEPI'1 SANCIIES CARRION. " Peruvians! Already our forteitc i8 sectre. Iet urs give glory to rirose bratvc onen who hiave sealed the liberty of Peru witis their blood. Ict us give glory to tic immortal Bolivar, w*io lias caused the palmi of victory to spring up from the bottom of the precipice! Tyrants fly with fear, and find no asylum in flight. The soldiers of' liberty follow, and who can escape from their valour ? Intrepid Necociiia, valiant Carbajal, and you heroes who have signalzctd yourselves in this menirorable engagemnent, you will ever be remem- bored withi cratitude by your country, and your namnes will be perpe. tuated witir glory! 0 mrrost glorious day of Augast ! you will ever be gratifying to the wliole continent of America, and your menmory will ever be celebrated by future generations. Alniost at the samc instant, int wichl several years before the hero of Colombia had ga- thered laurels en the plains of Boyaca-almost at the same instant in whichl the year before he sailed for the first timc from G uayaquil for tlicse sbiores, hic has novwLannihilatcdt the laughty poower of Spain, thrown down tlieir detested banners, anrd seceired tirc liberty of Perut."