Harpers-Ferry free press. [volume], September 24, 1823, Image 2

About Harpers-Ferry free press. [volume] (Harper's Ferry, Va. [i.e. Harpers Ferry, W. Va.]) 1821-1824

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.u'-i 111 III in ii nn i
IMPORTANT FROM SPAIN.
NEW-YORK, SEPT. 11.
By I he ship Caroline Ann, Baush, in
38 days from Belfast, we have received
files of the Dublin Evening Post and of
the. Belfast News Letter, to the 1st Aug.
inclusive, containing London dates of the
29th July. The Dublin Eveuing Post of
the 31st Julyfafter giving an extract from
the Drajieau Blanc, a paper published at
Paris, announcing the march of Mina at
the head of 9000 "men for Upper Catalo
nia, has the following spirited remark : ■
« Mina, the indefatigable, the glorious
Mina_who, the reader knows, had his
legs frozen oxf—at one time, and died of
vomiting blood a few days after, has sud
denly appeared once more in the rear of
the French army, at the head of nine
thousand men. We have not heard whe
ther he climbed inaccessible precipices
to take his present formidable position,
but there he is, in Catalonia, between the
French army and France I It is quite de
lightful, also, to find, as we do by the
Drafieau Blanc, the French leading ultra,
that they are denouncing each other.
Marshal Moncey is, in fact, denounced as
incompetent—-almost as treacherous; and
Donnaclieu, of whose exploits we used to
hear so much, has gone to the waters of
Bargea, to cure an old wound !”
The Dublin papers also contain the
Spanish official account of the battle of
Molinos del Rey, fought about the begin
ning of July, in the neighborhood of Bar
celona. In this affair, the enemy are stat
ed to have lost 800 killed, and about 2000
wounded ; that of the victors was so small
that the report states it would not have
been noticed, “ except to do justice to
the memory of 50 brave Spaniards, who
have sacrificed themselves for their coun
try and liberty, and. as many others who
are wounded.”
The London Courier of the 28th July,
^‘.distinctly and positively” re-asserts all
tHafit had previously slated respecting
the French government having it in con
templation to withdrrw its troops from
Cadiz and to take up the line of the Ebro,
and that the chief, if not the only reason,
for adopting this su:p, will tye “ the diffi
culties that have arisen, not of a milita
ry, but of a political kind.” Still it is ad
mitted to" be possible, “ that the threat
©f retiring beyond the Ebro may super
sede the necessity of doing so.”
The London Courier of the 29th says
that the French, in the affair before Co
runna, lost 800 killed and 2000 prisoners.
A letter from Dayuimg corrtzrrn-s-the' gra
tifying intelligence that a body of the
Swiss Guards, conveying money from
Madrid to Cadiz, was attacked near
Templeque, and received a severe check.
It does not appear that they lost the mo
ney chests. An affair of still greater
moment occurred at the Pont de Suaro,
near Cadiz, in which the French lost 500
men, and the Spanish Royalists 2000.
A letter from San Lucar, dated July
13th,says that all communication between
Cadiz and its neighborhood had been cut
off. Sir W. A’Courl, who was then at
Seville, was believed to have received or
ders to proceed to Gibraltar.
An article from Lisbon, dated 15th Ju
ly, says “The steam-packet Lusitania, a
vine vessel, of 80 horse power, which plied
between London and Oporto, struck on
a rock off Evigeva on the 11th alt. 1 here
were 200 passengers on board, of whom
SO perished, having left the vessel too
soon.”
THREE DAYS LATER.
NEW-YORK, SEPT. 13.
By the arrival this forenoon of the
regular packet ship William Thompson,
we have received our regular files of the
London Morning Chronicle and Courier
to the evening of the 30th July inclusive ;
also, the Liverpool Mercury of the 1st
August.
FRANCE AND SPAIN.
The most important article of intelli
gence brought by this arrival is a con
firmation of the report conveyed through
the last Paris papers, that the French
had withdrawn their army from before Co
runna, and retreated, although the direc
tion taken by General Bourck and his
discomfitted troops was not known at the
time. It was thought not improbable
that the enemy would retire into the As
turias to reinforce themselves by the
troops of General Huber, which, accord
ing to the latest accounts, were advancing
m that line. But in no direction whate
ver could a retreat be effected without
great loss, and, perhaps, total destruction ;
as the Spaniards, in consequence of the
happy turn which their affairs had taken
at Corunna, were every where in motion,
harrassing the invaders in their disgrace
ful flight. The attack on that city was
the result of the treason of Morillo, who
had persuaded the French generals that a
rapid and bold attack might put an end
to the war in Gallicia.
Events have shewn how much this ene
my to his country was mistaken, and that,
instead of the province which he aimed
at subjecting to foreigners, being placed
in that degraded state, his plans had ter
initiated in its being again fried from the
enemy. Every thing- had been suppres
sed in the Paris papers respecting the
disasters of the army in this (juarter, ex
cept the account of the first attack, which
compelled the Spaniards to refire within
the walls, and in which the French had
nothing to boast of. The truth; however,
had, in some measure, transpired, and
so generally was a defeat of their army
believed in the French capital, that a fall
had taken place in the funds.
Advices from Corunna to the 22d July
positively state, that, after the retreat of
the French, Sir Robert Wilson proceed
ed to Vigo, to make preparations to give
the French a warm reception, as they
were expected to make another attack on
that side. The defenders of Corunna had
determined to follow up their sue esses.
A letter from Bayonne, dated the 22nd
July, contains a number of details respect
ing the operations of the Constitutional
guerrillas, from which it appears that
they were increasing in activity. Chale
co, one of their intrepid leaders, had ac
tually surprised Araujuez, only 25 miles
from Madrid, and carried off the entire
garrison; and the: Empecinado had en
tered Vittoria and Valladolid, and releas
ed a number of patriots who were im
prisoned at these places.
The late fire at Madrid is said by the
royalists at Paris to have been the result
of a plot of the Liberals to destroy the
Duke d’Angouleme, while the Liberals
accuse the Regency of having contrived
the scheme for the purpose ot laying vio
lent hands on all suspected persons. It
is also said in the Etoile that the people
of Madrid wished to massacre all that
professed opinions contrary to loyalty,
btit that this was prevented by the Royal
Duke.
THE GREEKS.
According to the latest accounts receiv
ed in London, the Greeks were fully jus
tifying the sympathy which had been eli
cited for their cause in England, by pre
paring and opposing every possible re
sistance to their oppressors.
IMPORTANT FROM CADIZ.
NEW-YORK, SEPT. 13.
The following are extracts of a letter
from Cadiz written by a Spanish gentle
man, ior4nej;ly_a_resident here, to a re
spectable, commercial house in this
city. It contains not only the latest in
telligence from Cadiz, but the account
which it gives of Spanish affairs general
ly is most exhilarating affd fully corrobo
rates all that we have said of this inter
esting subject. It will be seevuthat ac
counts had been ***«•»-* Cadiz on the
1st August, of the advanced guard of
Ballasteros and Molitar having been en
gaged ; but, contrary to the report circu
lated by the French at Gibraltar, victory
decided in favor of the Constitutionalists.
This renders it extremely probable that
an engagement had actually been fought,
and the want of certain information re
specting it at Gibraltar can only be ac
counted for, on the ground that the ene
my were anxious to conceal their defeat.
The letter from which the following ex
tracts are taken, was brought by the
Trimmer, from Gibraltar.
CADIZ, aug. 1, 1823.
The situation of this place is neither
better nor worse than when I last wrote
you. The French have been four months
in the country, and I conceive their cause
daily loses ground. The character of
the Spaniards is not to brook subjection
to a foreign power; and though they
have in the first place yielded, it has been
more the effect of the seductive arts of
their own countrymen than by the force
of the enemy’s arms. A re-action will
ultimately produce the effect of their to
tal destruction.
In Catalonia, there is no end to the
fighting-the Spaniards always successful.
In this province, Ballasteros is now gain
ing ground, and we look to active mea
sures soon. A sally that was made here
from the lines, shewed that our men know
how to fight. They marched up to the
enemy’s parapets without firing a shot
till they reached them. All the force em
ployed on our side was not more than
3000 men. The French, however, in their
oudetin, stated our loss to have been from
2 to 3000, limiting theirs to five hundred.
Fhe latter part I believe. On our side,
we had killed about 20, and wounded
about 200—no prisoners. There are ac
counts to-day of the advanced guards of
Ballasteros and General Mollitar hav
isig met, when victory decided in favor
oi the former, a he defection of Moril
lo is quite an extraordinary event, as it
lias produced no alteration in the army,
which ail abandoned him, as did AbisbaFs
ou a former occasion.
Provisions are not scarce. The place
is constantly supplied from Gibraltar.
s A rumor prevails in Germany, that the
Archduchess Maria Louisa is about to
contract a second marriage.
Letters from Cadiz state that theFrench
General besieging that place sends in dai
ly iresh provisions and delicacies, for the
King and Royal Family, which the Cortes
permit.
LATEST FilOiVi liwRUrL.
kbV-yokk, sept. 17.
From our correspondents of the offices
of the Patriot, Daily Advertiser, ,and
Statesman, of Boston, we have received
slips conveying the late .intelligence re
ceived at that port by the ships Topaz
and America, from Liverpool, whence
they bring dates to the 12th ult. We have
p-iven copious extracts from them,
The general complexion is certainly
more and more favorable to the Spanish
cause. Evers Madrid appears to have
been menaced by the Constitutionalists.
Old Moncey is tired of the war, and wants
to go home; and a division only, and not
the whole of Ballasteros’ army, appear
to have suffered severely in the battle
with Gen. Molitar. Corunna held out,
as did all the other fortified places ; and
the war appears only now to be com
mencing on the part of the Spaniards,
May all the wreaths of Victory, whether
of laurel, of olive, of palm, or of myrtle,
encircle their glorious brows.
The Paris Constitutionnel contains an
article dated Perpignan, July 31st, giv
ing an account of an affair which occur
red on the 2 5th, in which the French bad
the worst of it, losing many officers and
men. French accounts say that the gar
rison of Barcelona is constantly making
sorties, which anuoy their troops and
keep them constantly on the alert. That
the service is very hard and occasions
much sickness. They will probably find
the service much harder and the sickness
more fatal before the objects of the invad
ers are accomplished.
It is said, that Marshal ivioncey, dis
heartened at the little success which has
attended all his efforts. has written home
to express his anxiety to retire from the
contest. The French Ministry, however,
have refu-a d to accede to his request.
Letters from Perpignan state, that
Marsha! Moacey was about to remove
his head quarters to Mataro, and the
Commissariat Department, &c. to Gero
n'a. Mataro is IT miles N. E. of Barcelo
rin, Gerona is 47 miles N. E. of Barce
lona, and 44 miles south of Perpignan,
The Etoile announces, under date of
the 1st of August, from Madrid, that Don
Inigo Lad res., one of the deputies and
most moderate of the Cortes, has been
named Governor of Cadiz ; and that the
Colonel of Artillery, Alpuente, has been
named Minister of War. lie is also
thought to be attached to the moderate
party,
Letters from the frontiers of Spain an
nounce that, the Empecinado entered Sa
lamanca on the 28th July.
It appears by the London Courier of
Au£>;. 10, that, from Madrid accounts to
July 29, the Duke d’Angouleme had de
parted for Seville.
Lord Nugent was about to proceed to
Cadiz to join the Spanish cause.
Arrivals at Trieste from Mytelene,
June 21st, informed that the troops land
ed at Cavisto by the Captain Pacha, have
been completely routed by the Greeks.
The Greek fleet of 120 sail is in pursuit
of the Turkish fleet.
The London papers of August 11th
contain a document, purporting to be a
recent correspondence betweenSir Robert
Wilson and Morillo.-—-On the 25th of
last month Sir Robert addressed a letter
to Morillo, announcing his arrival that
day at Vigo, and soliciting a personal
interview, to lay before him a proposition
“ which he flatters himself will lead to
a general pacification55—to which appli
cation Morillo yields assent. The cor
respondence continues on both sides, to
the 30th, but without the desired inter
view. On that day Sir Robert Wilson
transmits two proposals; in the first of
which is the following passage :
“ England offers her mediation, but
without the departure of the invaders.55
He then proceeds to suggest—
“ The occupation firo forma of a Spa
nish fortified place like Corunna or Vigo,
by the British government, as the medi
ation on behalf of Constitutional Spain.”
The questions which have arisen from
a perusal of this correspondence have
been, whether it was genuine or spurious;
if genuine, whether Sir Robert Wilson
acted with authority from the British go
vernment, or whether it was on his part
only a ruse de guerre to gain time. For
answers to these queries, we must be con
tent to wait until the next arrival.
It appears that Corunna remained in
the quiet possession of the Constitution
alists as late as the 1st ult. and was gar
risoned by 4000 men. It was declared
treason and punishable with death in Co
runna even to talk of capitulation. One
individual had suffered in consequence.
NEW-YORK, SEPT. 16.
We learn, by letters from Colombia,
that the Congress of that Republic ad
journed on the Tth of July, after having
ratified the Loan contracted in England
by Mr. Zea, and authorized a negotiation
for a new loan of thirty millions of dol
lars. The letters state that the Senate
refused to confirm the nomination of Mr.
Ravenga as Minister to England, and at
present acting there as the agent of the
! government.
FROM HAVANA AND SPAIN.
BALTIMORE, SEPT. !'/•
The fine schr. Dart, Capt. Breck, atriV'
ed here last evening in eight days from
Havana. From our correspondent there
\ve have received files of the A"oticioso
and Hiario to the 6th Sept, inclusive. A
letter to the editors, dated on the 4th
inst. mentions that the principals in toe
late conspira’cy are in custody, among
whom are the “ anticipatedGovernor, A
rairal, IntendeDt,” Sec. The writer sup
poses there have been at least one hun
dred persons arrested, among them nu,
ny negroes and mulattoes. There was
said to be scarcely a case of fever, not
withstanding there were many strangeis
there,
At the time the Daft sailed, affairs at
Havana were perfectly tranquil. .
The U, S brig Spark, and two small
schooners arrived the day before.
Our translator, to whom we handed the
papers, informs us that those of the 6th
inst. contain the notification of the decla
ration of war by Spain against France ;
then, for the first time only, it would
seem, officially communicated by theSpa
nish government to the Captain General
of Cuba. . J
The last papers are uncu.- «un ,
ficial bulletins'of the Spanish armies, re
ceived by recent arrivals at Havana irom
Cadiz. The last Cadiz dates are to the
22d July inclusive.
A Barcelona date of July 20th states,
that a severe battle had been fought in'
Catalonia. TheSpaniards were command
ed by Mina. In this battle, the Baron1
d’Eroles was so severely wounded in the
breast and hand, that he was not able to
reach Vich. Ro?ri:iigosa was also wound-,
ed, and the sanguinary Tarragona was
killed. The destruction was great on
both sides, but we are waiting (says the
writer) with great impatience for the offi
cial accounts. The Spanish troops cov
ered themselves with glory.
The above is all the information that
the lateness of the hour would permit our !
translator to furnish for this morning’s
American. },•
CAPTURE OF A FRENCH FRIGATE,
Extract of a' letter,dated Gibraltar, Aug. 9„
“ Cadiz will doubtless hold out, and re
ceives daily supplies of provisions from
this place. A frigate, which pursued
their boats too near the coast, became a
prize to the Spaniards by being becalmed
within the reach of the guns of San Pedro,
u Geneva! Ballasteros has beaten the f
Frenqh up the coast, and taken 2000 pri
soners, and it is said a great part of theirn
artillery . These e.ir«n »n stance's, with the
addition of Sir Robert Wilson being at *
Corunna with a considerable force, shew e
that Spain is not yet to be despaired
More French troops have'entered SpBfoyf
and they must be fed by us.”
—-»* mam —
FROM HAVANA—IMPORTANT.
Declaration of War.
By the schr. Dart, arrived here in eight
days from Havana, we have received from
our attentive correspondent at that place
papers to the 6th inst. one of which con
tains a formal declaration of war by the
authorities in Cuba against the French go
vernment. Arrests continued to be made
at Havana. The place, however, conti
nued tranquil.—\_Balt. Chron.
Blowing Up of Porto Cabello. |
By the schr. Dandy, arrived at this
port, in 14 days from Laguira, informa
tion is received that an Express had
arrived before her sailing, which stated,
that the Spanish garrison of Porto Cabel
lo w'ere engaged in blowing up the whole
ol the fortifications, castle, out works,
&c. and that Commodore Laborde was
there with his frigate and corvette to take
off the troops. The two French ships of'
war were off Laguayra, from which it
was supposed that an understanding ex
isted between their Commodore and La-5
borde. A ship oi the line from Holland
had arrived for the Colombian govern
ment. She had valuable stores on board,
and is represented as a very fine vessel.
[Balt. M. Chron.
Captain Boddily, of the schooner Dan
dy? arrived at Baltimore oh Thursday
night from La Guayra. When Capt. Bod
dily sailed from La Guayra (August 27)
it was reported there that the Spanish
foiccs in Porto t^civello were enga.g*ed itx
dismounting the cannon,_ &c. preparato
ry to an evacuation of that post, which
was the only one in Venezuela remaining
in possession of the Royalists. This gives
the finishing stroke to the annihilation
of the power of Old Spain in the Repub
lic ol Colombia, and leaves the latter free
to arrange and perfect the wise and libe
ral institutions which she has so happily
begun. *
1 here is a male dwarf now exhibiting ;
himself at the New England Museum
(Boston,) by the name of Stevens, who is .
about 20 years of age, and measures but ,'
37 inches in height. He was born in Ly-“
i man, Maine, and is an intelligent and *
f agreeable little fellow.