tion for the coolness and serenity with which he withdrew this division to the left of the British army. The number of the enemy increased on the right bank of the Alberche as the day advanced, and every thing indicated his determination to give battle to the combined forces. As dusk approached, he commenced a furious attack by a cannonade, and a charge by the whole of his cavalry, on the right occupied by the Spanish infantry, with the apparent design of breaking through our ranks, posted as I have before described. This attack was received by an active fire, perfectly well sustained, both of cannon and musketry, which disconcerted the purpose of the enemy and put him to flight at a quarter past eight. During this time, a strong division of the French advanced by the valley to the left of the height occupied by the English general Hill, of which with very great loss, they obtained a momentary possession, but Hill returned to the charge presently with the bayonet, drove off the enemy, and recovered his ground. In the night the French repeated their attack, but without succeeding, and with great loss. At break of day, on the 28th, they returned with two divisions of infantry, but they were repulsed by the brave Hill, who could not be intimidated by their repeated attempts, or by the progressive accumulation of the forces of the assailants. General Wellesley, in consequence of these renewed exertions of the enemy by the valley, on the left side of the height, ordered thither two brigades of his cavalry, supported by lieutenant general the duke of Alburquerque, with the whole of his division of cavalry. The French, seeing this movement, sent sharpshooters into the chain of mountains to the left of the valley, who were attacked by the 5th division of my infantry under Marshal de Camp DonLouis Bassecourt, who dislodged them with much loss. The general attack commenced by the advance of different columns of the enemy's infantry with the intention of attacking the height occupied by General Hill. These columns were charged by two parties of English dragoons, under the command of general Anson, led by lieutenant-general Payne, and supported by the brigade of cavalry of the line of general Tanne. One of these regiments of English dragoons suffered very much; but this spirited charge had the effect of disconcerting the designs of the enemy, who sustained a very great loss. At the same time, the French attacked the centre of the army, where the English general Campbell was stationed, having on his right lieutenant-general Don Francisco de Eguia, the enemy was driven back by both these generals, who had their infantry supported by the king's regiment of cavalry, and by the division of lieutenant-general Don Juan de Henestrosa. This corps covered itself with glory in the charge that it made on the infantry of the enemy, during which it turned the column by which it was assailed; under which advantage, the English infantry, protected by the Spanish, possessed themselves of the artillery of the enemy. At the same time with these proceedings, the French attacked with fury the centre of the English army, commanded by general Sherbrooke. The foes were re ceived with extraordinary courage, and were driven back by the whole English division, with charged bayonets. But the English brigade of guards, which was carried on precipitately in the ardour of battle, advanced too far, and was in conse-> quence obliged to withdraw under the fire of the second line, composed of the brigade of cavalry of general Cotton, and of a battalion of infantry detached from the height by general Wellesley, as soon as he observed the remote situation of the guards. General Howorth, who commanded the English artillery, was distinguished for his extraordinary courage, and performed the most important services. Lieutenant-general Don Francisco de Eguia, my second in command was posted on my left, with the 3d, 4th and 5th divisions, under generals the marquis de Portago, Don Rafael Manglano, and Don Louis Alexandro Bassecourt, but the latter was ordered to support the division of cavalry of lieutenant-general the duke of Alburquerque, which was detached to reinforce the British army. The dispatches No. 4, 5, and 6, from these generals, are inclosed for the information of his majesty. I took under my particular orders the centre and the right, without neglecting, however, the superintendance of the rest, and with much satisfaction I noticed the conduct of the generals of the 1st and 2d division of the marquis de Zayas and Don Vicente Iglesias, as well Don Juan Berbuy, and lieutenantgeneral Don Juan Henestrosa, &c. as The loss of the enemy was very great. They left on the field of battle from four to five thousand men, and the number of their wounded is computed at 5,000 more. Two or three generals were killed, several wounded, and at least 400 other officers. We have taken 19 pieces of artillery, and many waggons of ammunition, and the rout was one of the most complete, considering that we were acting on the defensive. The English have lost general Mackenzie, brigadier-general Langworth, and other officers of distinguished rank and merit. The total of their officers, killed and wounded, is 260, and that of their rank and file 5,000. Our diminution is much less. Don Rafael Manglano was wounded, and 50 more of our officers were killed and wounded, and 1,150 rank and file. Our artillery was served with ability and fortitude, and the names of such officers, whose talents were most conspicuously displayed, are mentioned in the dispatches from the respective generals. I should be negligent of my own duty, if I did not communicate to your excellency, for the information of his majesty, that the conduct of the British general in chief sir Arthur Wellesley, and that of the ge nerals, subordinate officers and soldiers under his command, is above all praise. I have seen the enthusiasm with which these faithful allies have in copious streams poured forth their blood in the defence of our liberty, and no language can adequately express the sentiments of gratitude with which our breasts are animated. With the highest sa. tisfaction I have noticed my army hailing our companions for the vic tory obtained, and mingling with exclamations indicative of the warmest affection, the appellatives of our country, and Ferdinand, with those of our powerful and generous allies. [This liberal and spirited eulogy is succeeded by a list of the Officers and others of the Spanish army, who deserved the high reward of the approbation of their Commander, among whom is distinguished a lad of 16 years of age, who killed four Frenchmen with his own hand. We are sorry our limits do not allow our inserting the catalogue of the names of these brave champions of Spanish independence.] (Signed) GREGORIO DE LA CUESTA. To his Excellency Don Antonio Cornel. From the Government Gazette ex traordinary of Nov. 23. Two dispatches have just been received from the General Don Juan Carlos de Areizaga, dated 19th and 20th, in Turleque and Daimiel, both of which arrived at the same time. In the first he states, that the enemy having attacked our army in the centre and on the flanks at Ocana, but making their principal effort against our right with a view to turn it, an obstinate resistance was made for three hours, when they were repulsed by the division of the gallant Brigadier Lacey; but the superiority of the enemy's artillery caused a dispersion, which obliged our army to retreat under cover of our vanguard, and 6th division; that our loss is considerable, but the enemy's not less so, as he was repulsed several times by our infantry, and the brisk fire of the artillery. The Dispatch of the 20th is as follows: Excellent Seigneur-I arrived here this night, and to morrow I shall proceed to Santa Cruz, where I have directed the infantry should join, and the cavalry of this dispersed army will join in Manzanares, with the exception of a part of the second division, under the command of Brigadier Don Gaspar Bigodet, in order to check the enemy (whose advanced posts have this day reached Madridejos, and of whose main body I know nothing), not to permit his drawing near the Sierra Morena, and to preserve my supplies from La Mancha. Then, should it be possible for me, I will give your Excellency an account of our loss. I can, however, in the mean time, inform your Excellency, that it has been very considerable in good Generals and Officers, which is the best proof that these have distinguished themselves on this occasion with the greatest honour; following the example of the Generals of Divisions, who have given proofs of their skill in their good dispositions, and of their characteristic intrepidity. God preserve your Excellency. JUAN CARLOS DE AREIZAGA. Head-quarters, Daimiel, Nov. 20, 1809. Proclamation of the Junta, dated Royal Alcazar of Seville, Nov. 21, 1809. Spaniards!--Our enemies announce, as positively certain, a peace in Germany, and the circum. stances which accompany this notice give it a character of truth which leaves little room for doubt. They already threaten us with the powerful reinforcements which they sup pose to he marching to complete our ruin; already, probably elated with the favourable aspect which their affairs in the North have assumed, they insolently exhort us to submit to the cleniency of the Conqueror, and tamely bow our necks to the yoke. No, servants of Buonaparte! [the Address afterwards continues,] placed as we are by your baseness, between ignominy and death, what choice would you wish a brave nation to make, but to defend itself to the last extremity? Continue to rob, murder, and destroy, as you have done for these twenty months past; increase that incessantly eternal hatred and thirst for vengeance which we must ever feel towards you. Shall we fail at the feet of the crowned slave whom Buonaparte has sent us for a king, because he burns our temples, distributes our virgins and matrons among his odious satellites, and sends our youth as a tribute to the French Minotaur! Think not, Spaniards, that the Junta addresses you thus to excite your valour by the arts of language. What occasion is there for words, when things speak so plainly for themselves? Your houses are demolished, your temples polluted, your fields ravaged, your families dispersed, or hurried to the grave. Shall we consent to the total destruction of our holy religion in which we were born, and which we have so solemnly sworn to preserve? Our country is laid waste, and we are insulted, and treated as a vile herd of cattle, which are bought and sold, and slaughtered when our master pleases. Remember, Spaniards, the vile and treacherous maimer in which this Usurper tore from us our King. He called himself his ally, bis protector, his friend; he pretended to give him the kiss of peace, but his embraces are the folds of the serpent, which twine round the innocent victim, and drag him to his cavern. Such perfidy is unknown to civilized nations, and scarcely practised among the most barba rous. The Sovereign we idolizę is condemned to groan in solitude, surrounded by guards and spies. Amidst his sufferings, he can only silently implore the valour of his beloved Spaniards for liberty or vengeance, There can be no peace while these things subsist. That Spain may be free, is the universal wish of the nation. That Spain may be free, or that it may become an im mense desart, one vast sepulchre, where the accumulated carcasses of French and Spaniards shall exhibit to future ages our glory and their ignominy. But this wretched fate is not to be feared by brave men. Victory, sooner or later, must be the reward of fortitude and constancy. What but these defended the small republics of Greece from the barbarous invasion of Xerxes? What protected the capitol when assailed by the Gauls? What preserved it from the arms of Hannibal? What in more modern times rescued the Swiss from German tyranny, and gave independence to Holland? What, in fine, inspires at present the Tyrolese with such heroic resolution, that, though sur. rounded on every side by enemies, and abandoned by their protectors, they take refuge in their rocks, and on the summits of their mountains, and hurl defiance and defeat on the battalions of the conqueror of Dantzic. The God of armies, for whom we suffer; will give us success, and Hh conduct conduct us through all the dangers that surround us to the throne of independence. Spaniards, the Junta announces this to you frankly, that you may not for a inoment be ignorant of the danger which threatens your country; it announces it to you, with confidence that you will show your selves worthy of the cause which you defend, and of the admiration of the universe. [The Address goes on to exhort the Spanish nation to submit to every privation, and make every sacrifice to save the State.] When the storm rages, the most valuable treasures must be thrown into the sea to save the vessel from sinking. Perish the man whose selfishness can render him wanting in his duty, or induce him to conceal what is necessary to be distributed among his brethren, for the common defence! Perish a thousand times the wretch who can prefer his own interest to the delivery of his country! All such the state will severe ly punish. Our enemies omit no means which can be employed for our destruction, and shall we neglect any which can conduce to our preservation? There are provinces which have driven out the enemy from among them, and shall not those, who have not yet suffered from such a scourge, sacrifice every thing to preserve themselves from it. Our brave soldiers endure the rigours of winter, and the scorching heats of summer, and nobly encounter all the dangers of battle; and shall we, remaining quietly at our homes, forgetful of their incalculable fatigues, think only of preserving our wishes, and refuse to resign even the least of our luxurious enjoyments? The victory must be ours, if we continue and conclude the great enterprize we have undertaken with the same enthusiasm with which we began it. The colossal mass of force and resistance which we must oppose to our enemy, must be composed of the forces of all, of the sacrifices of all; and then what will it import, that he pours upon us anew the legions with which he has been successful in Germany, or the swarm of conscripts he endeavours to drag from France? The experience we have obtained in two campaigns, and our very desperation, will consign these hordes of banditti to the same fate which the former have suffered. If some of the Monarchs of the North have consented to become the slaves of this new Tamerlane, and at the expence of ages of infamy have purchased a moment's respite till their turn shall come to be devoured, we are resolved to perish or triumph. The alliance we have contracted with the British nation continues and will continue. That nation has lavished for us its blood and its treasures, and is entitled to our gratitude, and that of future ages. [The Address hus concludes] Kere was drawn, never to be sheathed, the sword of eternal hatred to the execrable tyrant; here was raised, never to be lowered, the standard of independence and justice. Hasten to it all ye who wish not to live under the abominable yoke, ye who cannot enter into a league with iniquity, and ye who are indignant at the cowardly desertion of deluded Princes, hasten to us. Here the valiant shall find opportunities of acquiring true honour; the wise and virtuous obtain respect, and the |