must know that he holds both his property and life by a tenure far different from those who prefer the service of well-treated freemen; and he who dines to the music of groaning sufferers, must not, in the moent of insurrection, complain that his daughters are ravished and then destroyed, and that his sons' throats are cut. When such evils happen, they surely are more imputable to the tyranny of the master, than to the cruelty of the servant. The analogy holds with the French peasants: The murder of a seigneur, or a chateau in flames, is recorded in every news-paper; the rank of the person who suffers attracts notice; but where do we find the register of that seigneur's oppressious of his peasantry, and his exactions of feudal services, from those whose children were dying around them for want of bread? Where do we find the minutes that assigned these starving wretches to some vile petty-fogger, to be fleeced by impositions and a mockery of justice, in the seigneural courts? Who gives us the awards of the intendant and his sub-delegués, which took off the taxes of a man of fashion, and laid them with accumulated weight, on the poor, who were so unfortunate as to be his neighbours? Who has dwelt sufficiently upon explaining all the ramifications of despotism, regal, aristocratical, and ecclesiastical, pervading the whole mass of the people; reaching, like a circulating fluid, the most distant capillary tubes of poverty and wretchedness?"This is a picture drawn by the hand of a master; and, let it be observed, too, that the man, who drew it, had spent three summers, not only in travelling over, but in making an economical survey of, the kingdom of France. He had minutely examined into every thing relating to the government and to the state of the people. The army, the navy, the church, the taxes, finances, arts, manufactures, commerce, agriculture, soil, climate, amusements, manners; nothing had escaped him ; and the result was, this description. Does the reader believe, then, that the people of France wish to be restored to the blessed state here described? Does he believe, that the people of France are ready to bless the hour when our good, kind deliverers will set about their promised work? The credulity of the people of England is very great, to be sure, but one would imagine that it was not sufficient to make them swallow the assertion, that the people of France are worse off under the government of Napoleon than they were under that of 66 the Bourbons. But, might not the government of Napoleon be destroyed without restoring the old government? Certainly it might. It is certainly possible, though not probable; but, if the government of Napoleon be destroyed, it will give way to the restoration, not of the Bourbons, but of the Republic; and that would, I suppose, by no means suit the purpose of the "deliverers." The truth is, that France is a republic, except merely in name. There are no Nobility and no Clergy any more than there are in the United States of America; that is to say, the persons having titles and filling religious offices, have no privileges distinct from those of the people. They have no estates either. They have no hold upon the soil; and, of course, have no real power, or influence. The revolution has made a new distribution of property. It has distributed the great estates amongst numerous small proprietors. It has created, totally created, a middle class in society; and, though one man has the executive government in his hands, the society is essen tially republican, and all its manners are, and will be, those of a republic. To "de"liver" France would, in fact, be to deliver this society of its properly. It is, therefore, an absurdity to talk of it; and, unless France be "delivered," it is quite in vain to attempt the "deliverance" of the rest of the continent.- -Having given my reasons for believing, that the "deliverance of Eu"rope" is a project that must have been engendered in the head of a madman, I now return to my former subject, and beg those who have the powers of negociation in their hands, to reflect well before they throw away this most favourable occasion of offering terms of peace. If we are to get no nearer to the end of the war by this victory, what is the use of the victory? If, as it is asserted to be, this be the greatest victory we ever gained, what a prospect have we, if it be to yield us no chance of peace? -There is, too, another reason for offering terms of peace at this time. Such a step might, at once, make America decide for peace, if she be hesitating at the time when the news of such a proposition shall reach her shores. She will rather be disposed for war in consequence of our success in Spain; because, as I have before observed, she will not suffer us to be masters of Spanish America, if she can possibly avoid it. She will view our success in Spain with great apprehensions. She will see very clearly, that if we expel the French from Spain, we shall, in reality, be the masters of that country, and shall dispose of all its means at our will. I am, therefore, of opinion, that, as nothing could more dispose America to continue the war than the successes of Talavera, so it would be good policy to make those successes the grounds of treating, or of offering to treat, for peace. If America see us treating, or offering to treat, with France, the former will the more readily listen to terms of peace; and thus may this victory be the means of putting a stop to the bloodshed and misery of this long and terrible war, begun, on our part, avowedly for the island of Malta, but which has changed the face of the whole civilized world. -If the victory is to have this effect, it will be a great blessing to the country; but, if it only serve to urge our government on in a continuation of the war, with a view of finally oversetting Napoleon, I am convinced it will prove to have been one of the greatest misfortunes that could possibly have befallen us. WM. COBBETT: Bolley, 19th August, 1812. OFFICIAL PAPERS. Douro on the morning of the 17th; and assembled his army on that day at La Nava del Rey, having marched not less than ten leagues in the course of the 17th.—The 4th and light divisions of infantry, and Major-General Anson's brigades of cavalry, had marched to Castrejon on the night of the 16th, with a view to the assembly of the army on the Guarena, and were at Castrejon under the orders of LieutenantGeneral Sir Stapleton Cotton, on the 17th, not having been ordered to proceed further, in consequence of my knowledge that the enemy had not passed the Douro at Tora; and there was not time to call them in between the hour at which I received the intelligence of the whole of the enemy's army being at La Nava, and daylight of the morning of the 18th. I therefore took measures to provide for their retreat and junction, by moving the 5th division to Tordesillas de la Orden, and Major-General Le Marchant's, Major-General Alten's, and Major-General Bock's brigades of cavalry to Alaejos.The enemy attacked the troops at Castrejon, at the dawn of dayof the 18th, and Sir Stapleton Cotton maintained the post, without suffering any loss, till the cavalry had joined him. Nearly about the same time the enemy turned by Alaejos the left flank of our position at Castrejon.The troops retired in admirable order to Tordesillas de la Orden, having the enemy's whole army on their flank or in their rear; and thence to the Guarena, which river they passed under the same circumstances, and effected their junction with the army.The Guarena, which runs into the Douro, is formed by four streams, which unite about a league below Canizal, and the enemy took a strong position on the heights on the right of that river, and I placed the 5th, 4th, In the course of the 15th and 16th, the and light divisions, on the opposite heights, enemy moved all their troops to the right and had directed the remainder of the army of their position on the Douro, and their to cross the Upper Guarena at Vallesa, in army was concentrated between Toro and consequence of the appearance of the eneSan Roman.A considerable body pass-my's intention to turn our right.ed the Douro at Toro on the evening of the Shortly after his arrival, however, the 16th, and I moved the allied army to their enemy crossed the Guarena at Carteillo, left on that night, with an intention to below the junction of the streams, and maconcentrate on the Guarena.It was to-nifested an intention to press upon our left, tally out of my power to prevent the enemy from passing the Douro at any point at which he might think it expedient, as he had in his possession all the bridges over that river, and many of the fords; but he recrossed that river at Toro, in the night of the 16th, moved his whole army to Tordesillas, where he again crossed the 19. BATTLE OF SALAMANCA. War Department. -Downing-Street, August 16, 1812. Lord Clinton, Aid-de-Camp to the Earl ef Wellington, arrived this morning at the War Department with Dispatches addressed by his Lordship to Earl Bathurst, dated the 21st, 24th, and 28th ultimo, of which the following are extracts: Cabrerizos, near Salamanca, July 21st, 1812. and to enter the valley of Canizal. Major-General Alten's brigade of cavalry, supported by the 3d dragoons, were already engaged with the enemy's cavalry, and had taken, among other prisoners, the French General Carriér; and I desired the Honourable Lieutenant-General Cole to attack, with Major-General William An- gus, on the 11th instant; and the garrison marched to Madrid, to form part of the army of the centre. They were reduced to five days provisions.- I enclose a return of the killed and wounded on the 18th instant. Flores de Avila, July 24, 1812. My Aid-de-Camp, Captain Lord Clinton, will present to your Lordship this account of a victory which the allied troops: under my command gained in a general action fought near Salamanca on the evening of the 22d inst., which I have been under the necessity of delaying to send till now, having been engaged ever since the action in the pursuit of the enemy's flying troops. In my letter of the 21st I in son's and Brigadier-General Harvey's bri- | destroyed the fort of Mirabete, on the Tagades of infantry (the latter under the command of Colonel Stubbs), the enemy's infantry which were supporting their cavalry. He immediately attacked and defeated them with the 27th and 40th regiments, which advanced to the charge with bayonets, Colonel Stubbs' Portuguese brigade supporting, and the enemy gave way; many were killed and wounded; and Major-General Alten's brigade of cavalry having pursued the fugitives, two hundred and forty prisoners were taken.In these affairs Lieutenant-General the Hon. G. L. Cole, Major-General V. Alten, MajorGeneral William Anson, Lieutenant-Colonel Arentschildt of the 1st hussars, and Hervey, of the 14th light dragoons, Lieutenant-Colonel Maclean, of the 27th, and Major Archdall of the 40th, Lieutenant-formed your Lordship, that both armies Colonel Anderson, commanding the 11th, and Major de Azeredo, commanding the 23d Portuguese regiment, distinguished themselves.The enemy did not make any further attempt on our left; but having reinforced their troops on that side, and withdrawn those which had moved to their left, I brought back ours from Vallesa. On the 19th in the afternoon the enemy withdrew all the troops from their right, and marched to their left by Tarragona, apparently with an intention of turning our right. I crossed the Upper Guarena at Vallesa and El Olmo with the whole of the allied army in the course of that evening and night; and every preparation was made for the action, which was expected on the plain of Vallesa on the morning of the 20th.But shortly after day-light the enemy made another movement in several columns to his left; along the heights of the Guarena, which river he crossed below Canta la Piedra, and encamped last night at Babilafuente and Villamela; and the allied army made a correspondent movement to its right by Cantalpino, and encamped last night at Cabesa Vellosa, the 6th division, and Major-General Alten's brigade of cavalry being upon the Tormes at Aldea Lengua.During these movements there have been occasional cannonades, but without loss on our side. I have this morning moved the left of the army to the Tormes, where the whole are now concentrated; and I observe that the enemy have also moved towards the same river, near Huerta.The enemy's object hitherto has been, to cut off my mmunication with Salamanca and Ciudad The enemy abandoned and were near the Tormes; and the enemy crossed that river with the greatest part of his troops in the afternoon by the fords between Alba de Tormes and Huerta, and moved by their left towards the roads leading to Ciudad Rodrigo.- -The allied army, with the exception of the 3d division and General D'Urban's cavalry, likewise crossed the Tormes in the evening by the bridge of Salamanca, and the fords in the neighbourhood; and I placed the troops in a position of which the right was upon one of the two heights called Dos Arapiles, and the left on the Tormes below the ford of Santa Martha. The 3d division and Brigadier-General D'Urban's cavalry were left at Cabrerizos, on the right of the Tormes, as the enemy had still a large corps on the heights above Babilafuente, on the same side of the river; and I considered it not improbable, that, finding our army prepared for them in the morning, on the left of the Tormes, they would alter their plan, and manoeuvre by the other bank. -In the course of the night of the 21st I received intelligence, of the truth of which I could not doubt, that General Chauvel had arrived at Pollos on the 20th, with the cavalry and horse artillery of the army of the north, to join Marshal Marmont; and I was quite certain that these troops would join him on the 22d or 23d at the latest.During the night of the 21st the enemy had taken possession of the village of Calvarasa de Ariba, and of the height near it called Nuestra Senora de la Pena, our cavalry being in possession of Calvarosa de Abaxo; and shortly after...daylight detachments from both armies attempted to obtain pos under Lieutenant-General Leith, which I placed behind the village of Arapiles, on the right of the 4th division; and with the 6th and 7th divisions in reserve; and as soon as these troops had taken their stations, I ordered the Hon. Major-General Pakenham to move forward with the 3d division, and General D'Urban's cavalry, and two squadrons of the 14th light dragoons, under Lieutenant-Colonel Hervey, in four columns, to turn the enemy's left on the heights, while Brigadier-General Bradford's brigade, the 5th division, under Lieutenant-General Leith, the 4th division, under the Hon. Lieutenant General Cole, and the cavalry, under LieutenantGeneral Sir Stapleton Cotton, should attack them in front, supported in reserve by the 6th division, under Major-General Clinton, the 7th division, under MajorGeneral Hope, and Don Carlos D'Espana's Spanish division, and Brigadier-General Pack should support the left of the 4th division, by attacking that of the Dos Arapiles, which the enemy held. The 1st and light divisions occupied the ground on the left, and were in reserve.— -The at session of the more distant from our right | I reinforced our right with the 5th division, of the two hills called Dos Arapiles. The enemy however succeeded, their detachment being the strongest, and having been concealed in the woods nearer the hill than we were, by which success they strengthened materially their own position, and had in their power increased means of annoying ours.- In the morning, the light troops of the 7th division, and the 4th Cacadores belonging to General Pack's brigade, were engaged with the enemy on the height called Nuestra Senora de la Pena; on which height they maintained themselves with the enemy throughout the day. The possession, by the enemy, however, of the more distant of the Arapiles, rendered it necessary for me to extend the right of the army in Potence to the heights behind the village of Arapiles, and to occupy that village with light infantry; and here I placed the 4th division, under the command of the Honourable Lieutenant-General Cole; and although, from the variety of the enemy's movements, it was difficult to form a satisfactory judgment of his intentions, I considered that, upon the whole, his objects were upon the left of the Tormes. I therefore ordered the Honourable Major-tack upon the enemy's left was made in the General Pakenham, who commanded the 3d division, in the absence of LieutenantGeneral Picton, on account of ill health, to move across the Tormes with the troops under his command, including BrigadierGeneral D'Urban's cavalry, and to place himself behind Aldea Tejada, BrigadierGeneral Bradford's brigade of Portuguese infantry and Don Carlos D'Espana's infantry, having been moved up likewise to the neighbourhood of Las Torres, between the 3d and 4th divisions.After a variety of evolutions and movements, the enemy appears to have determined upon his plan about two in the afternoon; and under cover of a very heavy cannonade, which however did us but very little damage, he extended his left and moved forward his troops, apparently with an intention to embrace, by the position of his troops, and by his fire, our post on that of the two Arapiles which we possessed, and from thence to attack and break our line; or at all events to render difficult any movement of ours to our right.--The extension of his line to his left however, and its advance upon our right, notwithstanding that his troops still occupied very strong ground, and his position was well defended by cannon, gave me an opportunity of attacking him, for which I had long been anxious. manner above described, and completely succeeded. Major-General the Hon. Edward Pakenham formed the third division across the enemy's flank, and overthrew every thing opposed to him. These troops were supported in the most gallant style by the Portuguese cavalry under BrigadierGeneral D'Urban, and Lieutenant Col. Hervey's squadrons of the 14th, who successfully defeated every attempt made by the enemy on the flank of the third division. Brigadier General Bradford's brigade, the 5th and 4th divisions, and the cavalry under Lieutenant-General Sir Stapleton Cotton, attacked the enemy in front, and drove his troops before them, from one height to another, bringing forward their right, so as to acquire strength upon the enemy's flank, in proportion to the advance. Brigadier-General Pack made a very gallant attack upon the Arapiles, in which, however, he did not succeed, excepting in diverting the attention of the enemy's corps placed upon it, from the troops under the command of Lieutenant-General Cole, in his advance. The cavalry under Lieutenant-General Sir Stapleton Cotton made a most gallant and successful charge against a body of the enemy's infantry, which they overthrew and cut to pieces. In this charge Major-Gene ral Le Marchant was killed at the head of his brigade; and I have to regret the loss of a most able officer.- -After the crest of the height was carried, one division of the enemy's infantry made a stand against the 4th division, which, after a severe contest, was obliged to give way, in consequence of the enemy having thrown some troops on the left of the 4th division, after the failure of Brigadier-General Pack's attack upon the Arapiles, and the Honourable Lieutenant-General Cole having been wounded.Marshal Sir William Beresford, who happened to be on the spot, directed Brigadier General Spry's brigade of the fifth division, which was in the second line, to change its front, and to bring its fire on the flank of the enemy's division; and, I am sorry to add, that while engaged in this service, he received a wound, which, I am apprehensive, will deprive me of the benefit of his counsel and assistance for some time. Nearly about the same time Lieutenant-General Leith received a wound, which unfortunately obliged him to quit the field. I ordered up the 6th division, under Major-General Clinton, to relieve the 4th, and the battle was soon restored to its former success. -The cue my's right, however, reinforced by the troops which had fled from his left, aud by those which had now retired from the Arapiles, still continued to resist, and I ordered the 1st and light divisions, and Colonel Stubbs's Portuguese brigade of the 4th division, which was re-formed, and MajorGeneral William Anson's brigade, likewise of the 4th division, to turn the right, while the 6th division, supported by the 3d and 5th, attacked the front. It was dark before this point was carried by the 6th division, and the enemy fled through the woods towards the Tormes. I pursued them with the 1st and light divisions, and MajorGeneral William Anson's brigade of the 4th division, and some squadrons of cavalry under Lieutenant General Sir Stapleton Cotton, as long as we could find any of them together, directing our march upon Huerta and the fords of the Tormes, by which the enemy had passed on their advance; but the darkness of the night was highly advantageous to the enemy, many of whom escaped under its cover, who must otherwise have been in our hands.- -I am sorry to report, that owing to this same cause, Lieutenant-General Sir Stapleton Cotton was unfortunately wounded by one of our own sentries after he had halted. We renewed the pursuit at break of day in the morning with the same troops, -I am informed that Marshal Marmont is badly wounded, and has lost one of his arms; and that four general officers have been killed, and several wounded.Such an advantage could not have been acquired without material loss on our side; but it certainly has not been of a magnitude to distress the army, or to cripple its operations.--I have great pleasure in reporting to your Lordship, that, throughout this trying day, of which The official returns only account for eleven pieces of cannon; but it is believed that twenty have fallen into our hands. + The prisoners are supposed to amount to ascertain their numbers exactly, from the adseven thousand; but it has not been possible to vance of the army immediately after the action was over. |