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he presumed the French army would attempt to pass.

"On the 26th, at break of day, the Emperor, after having deceived the enemy by different movements made during the day of the 25th, marched upon the village of Studezianca, and caused, in spite of an enemy's division, and in its presence, two bridges to be thrown over the river. The Duke of Reggio passed, attacked the enemy, and led him fighting two hours; the enemy retired upon the tete-du-pont of Borisow. General Legrand, an officer of the first-rate merit, was badly, but not dangerously, wounded.

"The Duke of Belluno, commanding the 9th corps, had received orders to follow the movement of the Duke of Reggio, to form the rear-guard, and keep in check the Russian army from the Dwina, which followed him. Partaunaux's division formed the

rear-guard of this corps. On the 27th at noon, the Duke of Belluno arrived with two divisions at the bridge of Studezianca.— Partaunaux's division set out at night from Borisow. A brigade of this division, which formed the rear-guard, and which was charged with burning the bridges, marched at seven in the evening. It arrived between 10 and 11 o'clock;-it sought its first brigade, and its General, who had departed two hours before, and which it had not met with in its route. His researches were in vain ;-some uneasiness was then conceived.

"All we have since been able to learn, is, that this first brigade set out at five o'clock, missed its way at six, went to the right in place of proceeding to the left, and marched two or three leagues in this direction; that, during the night, and benumbed with cold, it rallied at seeing the enemy's fires, which it mistook for those of the French army. Thus surrounded, it was taken. This cruel mistake must have caused us a loss of 2000 infantry, 300 cavalry, and three pieces of artillery. Reports state, that the General of Division was not with his column, and had marched alone.

"All the army having passed on the morning of the 28th, the Duke of Belluno guarded the tete-du-pont upon the left bank; the Duke of Reggio, and behind him all the army, was upon the right bank.

"Borisow having been evacuated, the armies of the Dwina and Volhynia communicated; they planned, an attack on the 28th, at break of day. The Duke of Reggio caused the Emperor to be informed that he was attacked. Half an hour afterwards, the Duke of Belluno was so on the left bank. The Duke of Eichingen immediately followed the Duke of Reggio, and the Duke of Treviso the Duke of Elchingen.

The battle became warm. The enemy wishing to turn our right, Gen. Doumere, commanding the 5th division of cuirassiers, which made part of the 2d corps that remained on the Dwina, ordered a charge of cavalry by the 4th and 5th regiments of cuirassiers, at the moment when the legion of the Vistula was engaged in the woods, to pierce the centre of the enemy, who was defeated and put to the rout. With the enemy's cavalry, which came to the assistance of its infantry, 6000 prisoners, two standards, and six picces of cannon, fell into our hands. On this side the Duke of Belluno vigorously and successfully charged the enemy, defeated him, took from five to six hundred prisoners, and did not suffer him to advance within the reach of the cannon of the bridge. Gen. Fournier made a fine charge of cavalry.-In the battle of the Beresina, the army of Volhynia suffered much. The Duke of Reggio was wounded, but his wound is not dangerous; he received a ball in his side,

"The next day (the 29th) we remained on the field of battle. We had to make our choice between two routes, that to Minsk and that to Wilna. The road to Minsk led through the middle of a forest, and of cultivated marshes, where it was impossible for the army to subsist itself. On the contrary, the road to Wilna leads through a very fine country. The army being without cavalry, deficient of ammunition, and horribly fatigued by 50 days march, carrying in its train all the sick and wounded of so many battles, stood greatly in need of getting to its magazines.

"On the 30th, the head quarters were at Plechnitsi; on the 1st Dec. at Siaike; and on the 3d at Molodetchno, where the army received the first convoys from Wilna.The whole of the wounded officers and soldiers, and whatever else could be of embarrasment, with the baggage, &c. were sent off for Wilna.

"To say that the army stands in need of re-establishing its discipline, of refreshing itself, of remounting its cavalry, of completing its artillery and its material; this is the result of the Expose, which has just been made. Its repose is of the first necessity. The material articles and the horses are coming in; General Bouchier has already more than 20,000 remount-horses in different depots. The artillery has already repaired its losses.-The Generals, Officers, and soldiers, have suffered greatly from want. Numbers have lost their baggage by the loss of their horses, and several by the effect of the Cossacks' ambushes.

"The Cossacks have taken numbers of isolated persons, of geographical engineers,

whe

who were taking positions, and of unattended officers, who were marching with precantion, preferring running the risk of marching slowly, than going with the convoys The reports of the General officers commanding the different corps, will make known what officers and soldiers have chiefly distinguished themselves, and the details of their memorable events.

In all these movements, the Emperor has marched in the middle of his guards, the cavalry commanded by Marshal the Duke of Istria, and the infantry commanded by the Duke of Dantzic. His Majesty has been well satisfied with the fine spirit shewn by his guards; they have always been ready to shew themselves every where that their presence was needful; but circumstances have always been such, that their appearance alone was sufficient, and that they never were in a case which required them to charge.

The Prince of Neufchatel, the Grand Marshal, the Grand Equerry, and all the Aides-de-camp, and military officers of the household, have always accompanied his Majesty.

Our cavalry was dismounted to such a degree, that it was necessary to collect the officers who had still a horse remaining, in order to form four companies of one hundred and fifty men each. The Generals there performed the functions of Captains, and the Colonels those of subalterns.

This sacred squadron, commanded by General Grouchy, and under the orders of the King of Naples, did not lose sight of the Emperor in all these movements. health of his Majesty was never better.

RUSSIAN ACCOUNTS.

The

Dispatches from Lord Cathcart.-(From the London Gazette.)

St Petersburgh, Nov. 30, 1812.

I have now to acquaint your Lordship, that General Field Marshal Prince Kutusoff Smolenski reports, on the 23d November, from Laniky Farm, that Buonaparte, with his guards, left Orsha on the 20th of November, and marched on the road to Kochanoff; and that on the 21st the remaining troops of the enemy marched out of the former place, leaving twenty-six guns, and some hospitals, in which were upwards of fifty wounded French officers.

Count Platoff is ordered to follow the army marching on Kochanoff.

A detachment under Major-Gen. Ermaloff, consisting of fourteen battalions of infantry, some cavalry, and two companies of artillery, is directed to move by Orsha to ranforce Count Platoff.

Jun. 1813.

The advanced guard of the main army, under the command of General Miilarodovitch, consisting of the 2d and 7th divisions of infantry, and the 2d division of cavalry, was to cross the Dnieper on the 23d, at Kopys, and was to direct its march upon Tolotchina to join General Ermaloff's.

The main army will cross the Dnieper at Kopys, on the 24th, and march by Starasel to Tsetzershioff, from whence it may be directed according to circumstances, either upon Bobra or Berezinoff.

General Wittgenstein reports, on the 24th of November, from the village of Cherai, that Admiral Tchichagoff was at Borisoff on the 24th instant, whence General Langaron informed the Count, by letters of the 22d instant, that General Count Lambert was at Borisoff on the 21st, where he defeated the whole corps of Dombroff'ski, taking six cannon, two colours, and three thousand prisoners, driving them upon the road to Orsha; that Count Lambert had also taken, at Kaidanoff, two guns, and from two to three thousand prisoners; and that, including the hospitals at Minsk, in the last eight days, upwards of 11,000 prisoners, and 24 guns had been taken.

Victor and Oudinot have retired from before Count Wittgenstein upon Borisoff; the latter is marching in pursuit of them, and on the 23d took eight hundred prisoners and many carriages.

Count Wittgenstein reports, that General Platoff is marching against the great body of the enemy's corps upon Toulochinow, by which it appears the enemy is inclosed on three sides: General Platoff in his rear, Admiral Tchichagoff in their front; and Count Wittgenstein on their flank.

A report was received yesterday of another general officer, whose name I have not heard, having been taken prisoner; and I have also understood that accounts are received that General Ertle was arrived at Egoumen.

The detachment under General Sachen is understood to be fully adequate to keep Prince Schwartzenberg in check.

The attempt to blow up the Cathedral of Smolensko failed, the match having gone out before it reached the mine.

The fate of Marshal Ney has not been ascertained.

I have the honour to be, &c.
CATHCART.

Visc. Castlereagh.

St Petersburgh, Dec. 6, 1812. My LORD, I have the honour to transmit the report of the defeat of Victor's corps by General Count Wittgenstein, on the 27th Nov.

It

It would seem that this corps had altered its direction from Borisof, and was proceeding up the left bank of the Beresina, when it was charged by Count Wittgenstein. The 16th, at day-break, the Count pursued Buonaparte on a road leading to Wilna, still upon the left bank of the Beresina.

A bridge had been thrown over the river, at a place about 30 versts from Borisoff, where there was an advantageous position for the enemy's rear-guard, and for covering the passage.

In this day's march the French lost the whole of their equipages and plunder, and were vigorously and repeatedly attacked at the bridge.

The position on the left bank being continually reinforced by fresh troops, was contested till night, when it was evacuated, and the bridge was destroyed as soon as the rear-guard had passed. There is a cross road from this point which leads to the great road to Wilna, and it was the intention of Count Wittgenstein to pursue, as soon as he either received pontoons, or reestablished the bridge.

General Platoff had already got to the right bank, probably to Borisoff.

Admiral Tchichagoff's quarters appear to have been at no great distance, but no particular report of the distribution or movements of this part of the force has as yet been received, since the affair of Count Lambert.

It appears, however, from the conclusion of Count Wittgenstein's last report, that he expects the concert and support both of the Admiral and of Count Platoff.-General Mallarodovitch was stated to have arrived at Borisoff when the last accounts came away.

The headquarters of the main army were still advancing on a line parallel to, and to the southward of the main road from Smolensko to Minsk, but considerably in the rear of the present operations.

There are long defiles to pass on the road from Borisoff to Minsk, as well as that upon which Buonaparte is supposed to be marching and it scarcely appears possible that the remains of his army can get thro' these difficulties in presence of so many troops, with artillery and cavalry, regular as well as irregular.-I have the honour, &c. CATHCART.

Visc. Castlereagh

Proceedings of the operations of the Russian Army, from 13th to 16th Nov.

Nov. 13. The Aide-de-camp General Count Oscharoffsky, as he was proceeding on the 12th, with part of the detachment under his command, from Schkloff towards Mohilow, was informed by some of the in

habitants who had left that place, that the enemy's troops which had remained there, had threatened to set on fire all within their reach; in consequence of this information, Count Oscharoffsky, without loss of time, ordered on the Cossacks from Paltawa, mounted the riflemen, and arrived before night with his cavalry and artillery, in time to save the town, from whence he immediately drove the enemy-thus at the same time relieving the place, and many large magazines which it contained, from the danger with which it was threatened.General Mallarodovitch reports that, on the 12th, he shall be with part of his van-guard at Tototschin.-The grand army halted at Kopys.

Nov. 14.-General Platoff reports, that on the 12th, some of the enemy's troops, which had separated from the corps under Marshal Ney, and had taken the road to Loubawitntz, surrendered, to the number of eight hundred men. The enemy's loss in prisoners was, indeed, so very great, that he found it was unnecessary to make any particular report on the occasion, as it seldom occurred that he took less than a thousand prisoners each day.

On the 13th, General Platoff reports, that Lieut.-General Martinott having attacked the enemy, with Maj.-General Koutenikoff's brigade, as he was marching on the high road, killed 500 of them, and made 400 prisoners, amongst whom was Gen. Dseworofsky.-Head-quarters at Staroselije.

Report from the General of Cavalry, Count Wittgenstein, to his Imperial Majesty, dated Staroc Borsioff, Nov. 29.

Yesterday I had the honour most submissively to report to your Imperial Majesty, on the defeat of the corps of Marshal Victor, from whom the troops of your Majesty took 4 cannon, 2 standards, 67 staff and other officers, and 3000 prisoners, independently of a considerable number in killed and wounded. After this victory, there surrendered the General of Division Parthenaut, the General of Brigade Biller, the Chief of the Staff D'Elert, General Canins and Blamont, five Colonels, 15 Lieut.-Colonels, 224 Officers, and 7800 privates; among these were two whole regiments of cavalry, fully mounted, the one a Saxon regiment, and one of Berg. I afterwards resolved on attacking Napoleon himself; which I did not fail to perform on the same day.

The enemy approached the passage of the Beresina in great force, and stopped there to defend it with the greatest obstinacy, in order to save his artillery and baggage ; without being disconcerted by his great

efforts,

apparent to the empire. The topics introduced into the Address of the Senate by Count Lacepede are the late conspiracy, which was defeated, and the attachment of the government and people to Buonaparte and his son the King of Rome. The inva sion of Russia is but slightly noticed; and the Address concludes with mentioning the alacrity with which the conscripts marched, and the determination of the people to make new efforts to conquer an honourable and solid peace. The Council of State afterwards presented an address, in which, alluding to the 29th Bulletin, they say, "Let our enemies exult, if they please, in the material [artillery and equipments] losses, which the rigour of the season, and the severity of the climate occasioned; but let them calculate our forces; let them learn that there are no efforts or sacrifices, of which, after the example of your Majesty, the French nation is not capable, in order to realise your glo. rious plans."-Buonaparte, in his reply, thanks them for the people's attachment to his son, which he attributes to their conviction of the advantages of a monarchy, alludes to the stormy period of the Revolution when the principle of insurrection was proclaimed to be a duty, as a dissuasive against the horrors of anarchy, and concludes by panegyrising those magistrates who are ready to perish in defence of the Sovereign, the Throne, and the Laws.

efforts, I drove him back the distance of three versts. The engagement lasted the whole day. To-day I compelled him to cross the river near Stoudenzie, where, after having passed it, he burned the bridge, but having received pontoons from Admiral Tschichagoff, I am at this moment occupied in getting them thrown over the river. I shall pass it immediately, and act in conjunction with him and General Platoff. Yesterday we took from the enemy one field-piece, and made 1500 prisoners. Today we took 12 pieces of cannon, and a considerable number of them he cast himself into the river. I have also taken a number of officers and men, others are continually arriving, so that I have not as yet been able to take any account of them; they bring in besides so many carriages belonging to Buonaparte, as well as to private individuals, that the distance of half a verst is covered with them, so as not to allow persons to pass either on foot or on horseback. I have been obliged, therefore, to dispatch three companies of militia to clear a passage only for the troops. Upon these carriages, most of them lately the property of Moscow families, we found, besides a great booty for the troops, a quantity of church plate, and other effects, which the enemy had stolen at Moscow. In reporting this most humbly to your Imperial Majesty, I lay at the same time at your feet the standards which I have taken from the enemy. We have lost during these days, above Senate met, when a Senatus Consultum was 3000 men.

(To be Continued.)

FRANCE.

BONAPARTE'S RETURN TO PARIS, AND
DECREE FOR RAISING 350,000 MORE
SOLDIERS.

Bonaparte, after deputing Murat, King of Naples, commander of his army, left it at Smorgony, on the 25th November, and travelling through Poland and Germany under the assumed title of Duke of Vicenza, arrived at Paris on the 18th December; where, according to the Moniteur, he was received by the Parisians with unbounded demonstrations of joy.

On the 20th, Napoleon, on his throne, received the Senate and the Council of State; when some complimentary speeches passed between them. The speeches of the Emperor dwell on the idea of his death, and intimate, that it is necessary for the regeneration of France that his system should survive himself; in answer to which the Senators propose to bind themselves immediately by an oath to the little King of Rome as heir

On the 11th of January the Conservative

agreed to for placing 350,000 men at the disposal of the Minister at War, viz. 100,000 to consist of such of the conscripts of 1809 to 1813 as have not been called upon; 100,000 cohorts, who are no longer to be considered as forming a part of the national guards; and the remaining 150,000 men to be raised from the conscripts of 1814.

SPAIN AND PORTUGAL.
LORD WELLINGTON'S JOURNEY TO CADIZ.

Since the publication of our last number we have no accounts of any hostile operations in the Peninsula. The season, it appears, has put an end to all active movements, both armies being seemingly worn out with the fatigues they have already endured, and requiring, of course, some refreshment and repose.

Accounts from Lisbon, of the beginning of this month, inform us that the allied army was in cantonments, between the Tagus and the Douro, with its head-quarters at Freynada. The French army was also spread out in cantonments; Soult's army occupying the valley of the Tagus, with its

bead

head-quarters at Toledo; while the army of Portugal, under Souham, occupied the whole extent from Salamanca to the Douro, and beyond that river to Valladolid and Burgos.

The army which had landed at Alicant was still inactive in that quarter; but a reinforcement of troops having arrived, it was supposed that an attempt would be made against Suchet in Valencia.

During the interval of rest which the season had allowed to the troops, Lord Wellington had undertaken a journey to Cadiz, for the purpose of submitting to the Regeney a plan which he had in view to increase the energies of the Spanish Government, to give full effect to the military operations of the allies on the opening of the ensuing campaign.

To this end, the Marquis recommended that the nation should be divided into four departments, at the head of which to be placed a Captain and Intendant-General, of his Lordship's appointment. The latter would be required to receive all monies ordered to be raised by Government for the maintenance of the Spanish armies, the organization of which was to be completed under the direction of his Lordship, who agreed to pay over all balances he might have in hand at the end of the year to the Government.

The plan was sent to the Regency by way of memorial, accompanied by such observations as his Lordship deemed expedient to make on the occasion, to prove the necessity of its adoption; but for all this, the plan was rejected, without the substitution of any other in its stead-the Regency at once declaring, that to accede to the wishes of the Marquis would be incompatible with the principles of the Spanish Constitution.

·

His Lordship, it is stated, in speaking upon the subject, used the term Spanish cause,' for which he was contending, to which the Government is said to have replied, that the cause was no more Spanish than it was British.

Lord Wellington left Cadiz for his headquarters on the 22d December.

STATE OF THE BRITISH ARMY.

At the close of the late retreat from Burgos, Lord Wellington addressed a circular letter to the commanding officers' battalions, calling their attention to the discipline of the army, which, his Lordship says, has fallen off in the late campaign to a greater degree than any army with which he had ever served, or of which he had ever read! "Yet this army (continues his Lordship,) has met with no disaster; it has suffered no privations, which but trifling attention on the

part of the officers could not have prevented, and for which there existed no reason whatever in the nature of the service; nor has it suffered any hardships, excepting those resulting from the necessity of being exposed to the inclemencies of the weather at a moment when they were most severe. It must be obvious, however, to every officer, that from the moment the troops commenced their retreat from the neighbourhood of Burgos on the one hand, and from Madrid on the other, the officers lost all command over their men. Irregularities and outrages of all descriptions were committed with impunity; and losses have been sustained which ought never to have occurred.”

This irregularity the Commander-in-Chief has no hesitation in attributing to the habitual inattention of the officers of the regiments to their duty as prescribed by the standing regulations of the service, and by the orders of the army, though he does not question their zeal, still less their gallantry and spirit. He strongly impresses an amendment in this respect.

A letter from Freynada says " I am sorry to state, that we have not fewer than 12,000 British sick in the hospitals. Their illness has arisen principally from the harrassing marches from Madrid. Many of our best officers are applying for leave of absence on account of indisposition. Our cavalry is dreadfully cut up: the horses die fast, their food both in quantity and quality differing in this country so much from what it is in England."

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

CAPTURE OF THE MACEDONIAN FRIGATE. (From the London Gazette.)

Letter from Captain J. Surman Carden, late Commander of His Majesty's Ship the Macedonian, to J. W. Croker, Esq. dated on board the American Ship United States, at Sea, the 28th October 1812.

SIR, It is with the deepest regret I have to acquaint you, for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that his Majesty's late ship Macedonian was captured on the 25th instant, by the United States ship United States, Commodore Decatur, Commander; the detail is as follows:

A short time after daylight, steering N. W. by W. with the wind from the southward, in latitude 29 deg. N. and longitude 29 deg. 30 min. W. in the execution of their Lordships' orders, a sail was seen on the lee beam, which I immediately stood for, and found her a large frigate under American

Co

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