the inhabitants, during the last twenty-four hours, had saved many articles. They endeavoured to stop the progress of the flames, but the Governor had taken the horrid precaution to carry off or destroy all the engines.The army is recovering from its fatigues; it has abundance of bread, potatoes, cabbages, and other vegetables, meat, salted provisions, wine, brandy, sugar, coffee, and, in short, provisions of all sorts. -The advanced guard is twenty wersts on the road to Kassau, by which the enemy is retreating. Another French ad from the field of battle. It was then, amidst the strains of the Russian Te Deums, that the army arrived at Moscow. There they thought themselves conquerors, at least the populace thought so, for well-informed persons knew what was passing. Moscow is the entrepot of Asia and of Europe. Its warehouses were immense; every house was provided for eight months with necessaries of every description. It was only the evening before, and the day of our entrance, that the danger became known. We found in the house of the miserable Rostopchin some papers, and a let-vanced guard is on the road to St. Peterster half written; he fled without finishing it.- -Moscow, one of the finest and richest cities in the world, is no more. On the 14th the Russians set fire to the Exchange, to the Bazar, and the Hospital. On the 16th a violent wind arose. Three or four hundred ruffians set fire to the city in 500 different places at the same moment, by order of the Governor Rostopchin. Fivesixths of the houses were built of wood; burgh, where the enemy has not a single soldier.- -The temperature is still that of autumn; the soldiers have found, and continue to find, a number of pelisses and furs for the winter. Moscow was the depot of those articles. RUSSIAN BULLETINS. Official Intelligence from General Barclay de Tolli, dated Umolze, 9, (21) Aug. 1812. the fire spread with a prodigious rapidity: it was an ocean of flame. Churches, of which there were 1,600—above 1,000 palaces, immense magazines, nearly all have After my last official report to your Imfallen a prey to the flames. The Kremlin perial Majesty, very important events have has been preserved. Their loss is in- taken place respecting the positions of the calculable for Russia, for her commerce, army.- On the 3d (15th) August, a reand for her nobility, who had left all there. port was received from Major-General It is not over-rating its value to state it at Newerauskye, that the enemy, who admany milliards. About 100 of these in-vanced in great force towards Krasmow, cendiaries have been apprehended and shot: all of them declared that they acted under the orders of Rostopchin, and the Director of the Police.Thirty thousand sick and wounded Russians have been burnt. The richest commercial houses in Russia are ruined. The shock must be considerable. The clothing, the magazines, and the equipments of the Russian army have been consumed. They have thus lost every thing; they would remove nothing, because they always thought it impossible for us to reach Moscow, and because they were willing to deceive the people. When they saw all in the hands of the French, they conceived the horrible project of destroying by fire this first capital, this holy city, the centre of the empire; and they have reduced to beggary 200,000 respectable inhabitants. This is the crime of Rostopchin, executed by felons liberated from the prisons. The resources which the army had found are consequently much diminished; however, we have collected, and are still collecting a number of necessaries. All the cellars are untouched by the fire, and had pushed on his advanced guards to Lady; Lieut.-General Rajewski's corps. This the loss of our valiant soldiers; for which affair has already been made known to reason, after having successfully repulsed your Majesty by the Commander-in-Chief a severe attack, I determined, in the night of the 2d army, and serves as a new proof between the 5th and 6th (17th and 18th) of the invincible courage of your Majesty's to leave it; but still keeping possession of troops. Having ascertained that the enemy the suburbs, called St. Petersburgh, and concentrated their whole force at one point, with the whole army take possession of the and had even drawn Prince Poniatowski's heights opposite Smolensk, and to appear corps to their assistance, it was to be sup- as if waiting their attack.-The enemy, posed, his real intention was to anticipate after garrisoning the town, skirmished the us in Dorogubush, or any other point by whole day with our Yagers, who were which he might obtain possession of the posted in the suburbs of which during the Moscow road. Taking this into considera- whole evening; they attempted to take tion, we determined, together with Prince possession, but were constantly driven back. Bagration, that the 7th army should oc- Nevertheless, during the night they succupy Smolensk, and remain on the right ceeded in throwing a bridge across above bank of the Dnieper, and by that means the suburbs and in repairing the old one in cover the march of the 2d army to Doro- the suburbs.—At 7 p. m. when no furgubush. In the night between the 4th ther attack from the enemy was expected, and 5th (16th and 17th) this plan was ex- a part of the army which formed the 2d ecuted.-The 6th corps, to which was column of the 2d and 3d corps of the caattached the 3d division of infantry, took valry, and 5th and 6th of infantry, and possession of Smolensk and all the out- a part of Major-General Newerowkye, unposts.The 2d army, which put itself der General Docktorow, put themselves in in motion on the same night, took its po- motion, and continued their march through sition 15 wersts from Smolensk, and sent Sakilena, Bisklow, &c. At 9 p. m. the the irregular troops towards Jilnce and first column, consisting of the 2d, 3d, and Rosbowl to observe the enemy. Mean- 4th divisions of infantry, and of the first while the enemy concentrated their whole four of reserve of cavalry, under the comforce, and brought 150,000 men against mand of Lieut.-General Kutusow, marched Smolensk. On the 5th (17th), at one by the way of Krachatschens, Gedonow, p.m. they attacked our troops, who were &c. to the high road of Dorogubush, but drawn up on the road from Krosno and the troops under the command of Majorother points round Smolensk, but after an General Baraskorf who garrisoned the Peengagement, which continued without in-tersburgh suburbs, marched on the 7th termission for three hours, they were repulsed at every point. At 5 p. m. after bringing a strong column of their forces, and an uncommonly numerous artillery forward, they attacked the city in every direction, but all their efforts and endeavours were vain; although they drove back our advanced troops even to the ruins of the walls of Smolensk, and appeared determined to storm the city, our valiant troops not only defeated them back to such a distance, that at night our advanced guards were placed without the walls. The attack of the enemy was very impetuous, but they received their recompense in their loss, which was so incredibly great that ours bear no proportion to it, although we had 4,000 killed or wounded. -Our intention in defending Smolensk was to arrest the enemy, and prevent their arrival at Jilna and Dorogubush, and thereby give Prince Bagration time to arrive, without opposition, at the latter place; the further defence could have been no longer useful, but only on the contrary have occasioned (19th) two hours after midnight, and formed the rear-guard of the front column. General Platow detached part of his light troops, and formed a chain of detachments from Smolensk to Porilschiji, in such a manner, that we could approach with both columns to the Dnieper, and that these detachments should approach each other and form a mass, which could be freely used on all sides. On the retreat of Major-General Korf, at three p. m. the enemy began to pursue, and at the same time detached a great part of his troops in the high road to Moscow, and scarcely had the 2d corps passed the village of Gidennowo, where the road divides, one of which leads to Moscow, and the other to Bridichens, to which the first column marched when the enemy drove back the rear-guard, which was on the high Moscow road, and whilst they were furiously advancing to take possession of those points which the rear-guard of Major-General Korf's division had to pass. To prevent any danger to this General's detachment, which co vered the retreat of the army on the main road, and was still at six wersts' distance from the second corps, I ordered MajorGeneral Prince Wirtemberg to defend this post with some troops of the 4th division, and the necessary quantity of artillery, till Major-General Korf should arrive with his detachment. Notwithstanding the immense superiority of the enemy, the Prince of Wirtemberg kept possession of this post till Major-General Korf, with his detachment, joined him, and then protected our retreat. The enemy, who did not succeed in this operation, now began to force Major-General Korpon's corps, which we posted along the great road to Moscow, and to pass troops from the left to the right of the Dnieper, above his position, to become masters of the points which lead to the great road before the arrival of the 2d corps. The 3d and 4th corps were already drawn up in order of battle at this place, but in order to detain the enemy, the advanced guard, under Major-General Tutschkow, was sent against them. It was already four wersts from the high road, on which the 2d division of cavalry and Major-General Korf's detachment must pass. Not long after, Major-General Tutschkow was much pressed by the enemy, and was supported by the 3d and 4th divisions of cavalry, in order to assist in repelling the furious attacks of the enemy. -At six, p. m. the enemy attacked Major-General Tutschkow with their whole force, consisting of Davoust's, Ney's, a part of the Viceroy of Italy's, and with the cavalry of the King of Naples' corps, endeavouring, by every possible exertion, to drive him from his position. In the mean time, Major-General Korf's detachment, and the second corps arrived on the high road, from whence I also sent a part of the troops to support General Tutschkow. This action, which lasted from one, p. m. till ten at night, was hot and bloody. Your Majesty's troops acted most gallantly, and notwithstanding the immense superiority of the enemy, kept possession of this, to us, most important point.Our loss on this day is very considerable, but that of the enemy greatly exceeds it. We had cavalry attached to our left flank, which, notwithstanding the superior number of the enemy's cavalry, repulsed several desperate charges. At one o'clock of the morning of the 8th (20th) the army put itself in motion, taking the direction of Solowjewo, whence yesterday a part of the troops had passed the Dnieper, and the remainder to day.The whole army will take a position in the road, half way to Dogorobush, where the 2d army yesterday arrived. The greater part of the irregular troops are on the right bank of the Dnieper, and keep up the communication with the detachment of Adjutant-General Baron Winzengerode, who has been ordered to take post at Duchawischteschine.In these different engagements we have taken 500 officers and soldiers prisoners, and the irregular troops have during the same time made 800 prisoners. From General Barclay de Tolli, dated the 26th August. After dispatching my most submissive report to your Majesty on the 9th (21st) August, I received information that the enemy had crossed to the right bank of the Dnieper with his whole force, below Smolensk, and sent forward part of the 4th corps under the Viceroy of Italy, towards Duchowochtschina, and was, with the remainder, in pursuit of the Army under my command. The rear was on the 9th under the necessity of retreating entirely to the passage of the Dnieper by Soloujow. The first army, which on the evening of the 9th, marched out, the following morning took a position near the village of Uswat, on the right bank of the Usha, after having strengthened the rear-guard under General Platow, and commanded him to detain the enemy as much as possible. On the 23d a small alteration was made in our positions. The 2d Army, which had marched from Dorogobush, took a position on the left wing of the 1st Army, leaving behind it a strong detachment of infantry and cavalry near Dorogobush, on the right bank of the Dnieper, under the command of Major-General Newerouske. In the mean time both rear-guards had joined, and at every step detained the enemy, nor did they retreat towards Uswat till the evening of the 23d.The enemy approached, reconnoitred our position, and endeavoured to turn our left flank, whilst they approached from the side of Duchowochtschina towards Dorogobush, and appeared so near that Prince Bagration feared being cut off from the road to Julna, by which, in case of misfortune, he must retreat. At night, between -the 11th and 12th (23d and 24th) both armies retreated on the road to Dorogobush. The 2d corps took a position on the right bank of the Dnieper, and Major-General Newe(To be continued.) 5111 " As illustrated in the Prosecution and Punishment of WILLIAM COBBETT. -(512 In order that my countrymen and that the two sureties in the sum of 1,000 pounds each; world may not be deceived, duped, and cheated that the whole of this sentence has been executed upon this subject, I, WILLIAM COBBETT, upon me, that I have been imprisoned the two of Botley, in Hampshire, put upon record years, have paid the thousand pounds TO THE the following facts; to wit: That, on the 24th KING, and have given the bail, Timothy Brown Jime, 1809, the following article was pub and Peter Walker, Esqrs. being my sureties; lished in a London news-paper, called the that the Attorney General was Sir Vicary Gibbs, COURIER: "The Mutiny amongst the LO- the Judge who sat at the trial Lord Ellenborough, "CAL MILITIA, which broke out at Ely, was the four Judges who sat at passing sentence Ellen"fortunately suppressed on Wednesday by the borough, Grose, Le Blanc, and Bailey; and that "arrival of four squadrons of the GERMAN the jurors were, Thomas Rhodes of Hampstead "LEGION CAVALRY from Bury, under the Road, John Davis of Southampton Place, James "command of General Auckland. Five of the Ellis of Tottenham Court Road, John Richards "ringleaders were tried by a Court-Martial, and of Bayswater, Thomas Marsham of Baker Street, "sentenced to receive 500 lashes each, part of which Robert Heathcote of High Street Marylebone, "punishment they received on Wednesday, and John Maud of York Place Marylebone, George a part was remitted. A stoppage for their knup- Bagster of Church Terrace Pancras, Thomas "sacks was the ground of the complaint that ex- Taylor of Red Lion Square, David Deane of St. "cited this mutinous spirit, which occasioned John Street, William Palmer of Upper Street "the men to surround their officers, and demand Islington, Henry Favre of Pall Mall; that the "what they deemed their arrears. The first Prime Ministers during the time were Spencer "division of the German Legion halted yesterday Perceval, until he was shot by John Bellingham, "at Newmarket on their return to Bury."- and after that Robert B. Jenkinson, Earl of LiThat, on the 1st July, 1809, I published, in the verpool; that the prosecution and sentence took Political Register, an article censuring, in the place in the reign of King George the Third, and strongest terms, these proceedings; that, for so that, he having become insane during my impridoing, the Attorney General prosecuted, as sedi- sonment, the 1,000 pounds was paid to his son, tious libellers, and by Ex-Officio Information, the Prince Regent, in his behalf; that, during my me, and also my printer, my publisher, and one imprisonment, I wrote and published 364 Essays of the principal retailers of the Political Register; and Letters upon political subjects; that, during that I was brought to trial on the 15th June, the same time, I was visited by persons from 197 1810, and was, by a Special Jury, that is to say, cities and towns, many of them as a sort of depuby 12 men out of 48 appointed by the Master of ties from Societies or Clubs; that, at the expirathe Crown Office, found guilty; that, on the tion of my imprisonment, on the 9th of July, 1812, 20th of the same month, I was compelled to give a great dinner was given in London for the purbail for my appearance to receive judgment; pose of receiving me, at which dinner upwards of and that, as I came up from Botley (to which 600 persons were present, and at which Sir place I had returned to my family and my farm Francis Burdett presided; that dinners and other on the evening of the 15th), a Tipstaff went parties were held on the same occasion in many down from London in order to seize me, per- other places in England; that, on my way home, sonally; that, on the 9th of July, 1810, I, toge- I was received at Alton, the first town in Hamp ther with my printer, publisher, and the news-shire, with the ringing of the Church bells; that man, were brought into the Court of King's Bench to receive judgment; that the three former were sentenced to be imprisoned for some months in the King's Bench prison; that I was sentenced to be imprisoned for two years in Newgate, the great receptacle for malefactors, and the front of which is the scene of numerous hangings in the course of every year; that the part of the prison in which I was sentenced to be confined is sometimes inhabited by felons, that felons were actually in it at the time I entered it; that one man was taken out of it to be transported in about 48 hours after I was put into the same yard with him; and that it is the place of confinement for men guilty of unnatural crimes, of whom there are four in it at this time; that, besides this imprisonment, I was sentenced to pay a thousand pounds TO THE KING, and to give security for my good behaviour for seven years, myself in the sum of 3,000 pounds, and a respectable company met me and gave me a dinner at Winchester; that I was drawn from more than the distance of a mile into Botley by the people; that, upon my arrival in the village, I found all the people assembled to receive me; that I concluded the day by explaining to them the cause of my imprisonment, and by giving them clear notions respecting the flogging of the Local Militia-men at Ely, and respecting the em ployment of German Troops; and, finally, which is more than a compensation for my losses and all my sufferings, I am in perfect health and strength, and, though I must, for the sake of six children, feel the diminution that has been made in my property (thinking it right in me to decline the offer of a subscription), I have the consolation to see growing up three sons, upon whose hearts, I trust, all these facts will be engraven. Botley, July 23, 1812. WM. COBBETT. Published by R. BAGSHAW, Brydges-Street, Covent-Garden. #1 VOL. XXII. No. 17.] LONDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1812. [Price 1s. 513] TO THE FREEHOLDERS OF HAMPSHIRE. Gentlemen, Letter I. [514 Sheriff accordingly. He, however, had determined otherwise; and, I am far from supposing, that he did not decide according to the best of his judgment. I confess that the point was a nice one; but, I remain firmly convinced, that the majority, by the To those of you who were present at the view, was for me. And, here, gentlemen, Castle of Winchester, on the 13th instant, I beg you to bear in mind, that, so far from I ought to offer an apology for addressing any exertions having been made to draw upon many of the topics, on which I am people together in support of me, I had not now about to address you; but, as many of asked one single soul to vote for me, not the Freeholders were not present upon that even the tradesmen in this village, who occasion, it appears to me necessary to re-work for me constantly, though I was appeat, in substance, much of what I then had the honour to address to the county assembled; and, with regard to those of you who were present, I owe the re-assertion and the proof of certain facts, which were stated by me, and which were denied by Mr. George Rose. I propose also to take this opportunity of clearly explaining to you the meaning of what has recently been published, in a letter of Sir Francis Burdett and in a letter of the Marshal of the King's Bench, relative to certain emoluments, said to be received, by the Chief Judge of the Court of King's Bench, Lord Ellenborough, and which, for obvious reasons, inust be considered as not only a very interesting, but also as a very important subject. Gentlemen, as to the meeting at Winchester, and the proceedings thereat, it will be borne in mind, and especially by the sons and daughters of corruption, FIRST, that there was a larger meeting than any man had ever before beheld at Winchester, not only upon such an occasion, but upon any occasion; SECOND, that every possible exertion had been made by the other candidates to assemble together persons to prevent, by all possible means, my voice from being heard; THIRD, that, in spite of these pre-concerted measures, I did obtain a hearing during more than an hour and a half with very little interruption; and that, FOURTH, I had, upon a show of hands, so great a number, that it was thought and asserted by many respectable gentlemen, that the show was decidedly in my favour, For my own part, I sincerely thought so, and I made a representation to the High prized of their having been canvassed, on behalf of the other candidates, by a Mr. EYRE, of Landford, in Wiltshire, of whose conduct and motives I shall speak more at large upon a future occasion, and whose success, in this instance, was certainly not such as to encourage him in the pursuit of such practices. It has, Gentlemen, always appeared to me, that, to canvass individually, especially where the person canvassed is employed by, or is a tenant of, the person canvassing, or is, in any shape, within the reach of his power, is not only a very mean, but a very base act. I do, in short, look upon it as an act of corruption of the worst kind; and, therefore, I have heard, with no common degree of indignation, of a Land-owner at Southampton, who, in consequence of some of his tenants having, in opposition to his requisition, voted for Mr. Chamberlayne, has given those tenants notice to quit. This is an act of baseness for which a man ought to be held in universal abhorrence; he endeavours first to induce men to vote contrary to their consciences; he does all that lies in his power to induce them to take a false oath; and, being unable to accomplish this. detestable purpose, being unable thus to corrupt the objects of his temptation, he, in the most foul way, punishes them for their virtue. But, Gentlemen, I beg to impress it upon your minds, that no apology can be offered for a tenant, who is, out of fear of his landlord, induced to give his vote contrary to the dictates of his own conscience. The voting at an election is a duty, which the R |