护 479 As illustrated in the Prosecution and Punishment of WILLIAM COBBETT. [480 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 June, 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 eack, 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 ont 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 Hampther 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 WM. COBBETT. Published by R. BAGSHAW, Brydges-Street, Covent-Garden. VOL. XXII. No. 16.] LONDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1812. [Price Is. 481] To the Freeholders of the County of Southampton. Gentlemen, Our triumph yesterday was as complete as even I could have wished; for, though the Sheriff did, at last, decide the disputed point as to the show of hands against me, there was, I believe, not a single individual present, who was not convinced that a majority of the numerous assemblage were in my favour; or, rather, in favour of the honour and freedom of the country. In the course of my address to you, and which you received in a manner which convinced me that success must finally attend our exértions, I made many assertions, which assertions, I will, in my next Number, prove to be strictly true. I am now absent from my books and papers; but, in my next, I will not only go fully into all the matters here alluded to; but will also lay before you a plan for effecting an emancipation from the trammels which now disgrace the Freeholders of this county. In the mean while, Gentlemen, I am Your faithful friend, WILLIAM COBBETT. Winchester, October 14, 1812. OFFICIAL PAPERS. NORTHERN WAR.--Sixteenth Bulletin of the Grand French Army. (Continued from page 475.) result of this small affair. The positions of the enemy were carried, and he was obliged to quicken his retreat.- On the 28th, the enemy was pursued. The advanced guards of three French columns came up with the rear guard of the enemy; they exchanged several cannon shot. The enemy was driven every where.General Count Caulincourt entered Viasma on the 29th, at day-break. -The enemy had burned the bridges, and set fire to several quarters of the city. Viasma is a town of 15,000 inhabitants: there are 4,000 burghers, merchants, and artisans; there are 32 churches. Considerable re [482 The sources in flour, soap, drugs, &c. and large magazines of brandy were found. -The Russians burnt the magazines, and the finest houses in the town were on fire at our arrival. Two battalions of the 25th were employed with much activity in extinguishing them. We got it under and saved three quarters of the town. Cossacks before they left it committed the dreadfullest pillage, which has made the inhabitants say, that the Russians think Viasma will be no longer under their dominion, since they treat it in so barbarous a manner. All the population of the towns retires upon Moscow. It is said there are now one million and a half of souls in that great city. They fear the result of these crowds. The inhabitants say that General Kutusow has been appointed Commander in Chief of the Russian army, and that he took the command on the 28th. -The Grand Duke Constantine, who had returned to the army, having fallen ill, has quitted it.A little rain has fallen, which has laid the dust that incommoded the army. The weather to-day is very fine-it will last, as they believe, to the 19th Oct., which gives us still 40 days' campaign. Seventeenth Bulletin of the Grand Army. Ghjal, Sept. 3. The head-quarters were, on the 31st of August, at Velitchero; on the 1st and 2d of September at Ghjat.The King of Naples, with the advanced guard, had his head-quarters on the 1st, ten wersts in advance of Ghjat; the Viceroy had his the same distance in advance on the left; and Prince Poniatowski had pushed forward two leagues on the right. Some discharges of artillery and attacks with the sabre were exchanged in each direction, and a few hundreds of prisoners were taken. Ghjat river empties itself into the Wolga. -Thus we are in possession of the course of those waters that flow into the Caspian Sea. The Ghjat is navigable to the Wolga.- -The City of Ghjat contains a population of eight or ten thousand souls. Many of the houses are built of stone and Q The brick. There are many parish churches, and several manufactories of linen cloth. It is perfectly clear that agriculture has made great progress in this country within the last forty years. It no longer bears any resemblance to the descriptions which are given of it. Potatoes, pulse, and cabbages grow there in abundance: the granaries are full. The present is the harvest season, and we enjoy now the same weather here as we have in France at the commencement of October. -The deserters, the prisoners, the inhabitants, all agree that the greatest confusion prevails at Moscow, and in the Russian army, which is distracted with a diversity of opinions, and has suffered enormous losses in the different actions. Some of the Generals have been changed. It appears that the opinion of the army is not favourable to the plans of Barclay de Tolli: he is accused of having made his divisions fight in detail. -The Prince of Schwartzenburg is in Volhynia: the Russians fly before him.Some sharp affairs have taken place before Rioga; the Prussians have always had the advantage.- -We have found in this place two Bulletins, which give an account of the actions before Smolensk, and of the battle of the Drissa. They have appeared sufficiently curious to be annexed to this Bulletin. When we shall receive the sequel of these Bulletins, they shall be sent to the Moniteur. It appears by their contents that the Editor has profited by those instructions he received from Moscow, "that the truth is not to be told to the Russian people, but that they are to be deceived with lies." Smolensk was set on fire by the Russians. They set fire to the suburbs on the day after the battle, when they saw our bridge established over the Boristhenes. They also set Fre to Dorohoboni, to Viasma, and to Ghjat; but the French came up in time to extinguish it. This may be easily conceived. The French have no interest in burning those towns that belong to them, and in depriving themselves of the resources which they afford. The cellars have been every where filled with brandy, leather, and every species of article that is useful to an army.If the country be wasted, if the inhabitants suffer more than a state of war warrants, the fault is in the Russians. The army rested on the 2d and 3d in the vicinity of Ghjat.It is positively asserted, that the enemy is employed in forming an intrenched camp in front of Mojaisk, and has established lines before Moscow.- -At the battle of Krasnoi, Colonel Marbeuf, of the sixth light cavalry, was wounded with a bayonet at the head of his regiment, in the midst of a square of Russian infantry, which he had penetrated with the greatest intrepidity. We have thrown six bridges over the Ghjat.-/Moniteur, Sept. 18.) The following are the Russian articles alluded to in the Seventeenth Bulletin. Military Intelligence. On the 4th (16th) of August, the Emperor Napoleon, at the head of his whole army, 100,000 strong, made his appearance before Smelensk. He was received about six wersts from the city, by the corps of Lieut.-Gen. Rayewsky. The battle commenced at six o'clock in the morning, and at noon became most bloody. The courage of the Russians overcame numbers, and the enemy was overthrown. The corps of Gen. Doctorow, which had arrived to replace that of Rayewsky, attacked the enemy on the 5th (17th) at day-light, and the engagement lasted till night-fall. The enemy was resoldiers, full of that courage and intrepipulsed at every point, and the Russian dity which animates them in the defence of their country, fought with desperacy, invoking the assistance of the Almighty. lensk was a prey to the flames, and our -But during this time the city of Smotroops took a position between the Dnieper, the village of Peneva, and Doroghoboni. reduced to ashes by the enemy, cost them -The capture of Smolensk, which was more than 20,000 men. The inhabitants had all left it previous to the battle. The loss in killed and wounded on our side The brave Geamounts to 4,000 men. nerals Skalen and Bulla are amongst the former. We have made a great number of prisoners, and whole battalions of the enemy's army were obliged to lay down their arms in order to escape death. Three overthrew sixty squadrons of the enemy' regiments of Cossacks and three of cavalry horse, commanded by the King of Naples. Report of Lieutenant-General Count Witt genstein to his Majesty the Emperor, dated Oswec, July 31 (Aug. 12), 1812. I have received information from my advanced posts, that the enemy was making every effort from Polotsk to carry them, and by prisoners and deserters, that the French Grand Army was constantly receiving reinforcements of Bavarian and Wirtem ciency of boats being collected at Long Point for the conveyance of three hundred men, the embarkation took place on the Sth instant, and in five days arrived in safety at Amherstburg. I found that the burg troops.I received at the same time from the Minister of War, intelligence of the junction of the two armies, together with orders to attack them immediately in flank.I accordingly detached four squadreas under the command of Major Be-judicious arrangement, which had been dragni, whom I directed to observe every movement of Macdonald's army, and give me notice thereof. I advanced against Oudinot's corps, which I met on the evening of the 29th, four wersts from Rochoaowa. Having immediately made the necessary arrangements, I yesterday vigorously attacked him, with the help of God.After eight hours' constant fighting, the enemy was routed and pursued, till night came on, by his Majesty's brave troops. -We have taken three officers and 250 soldiers. The loss of the enemy, in killed and wounded, has been considerable. Their cuirassiers, particularly, have suffered much, in consequence of their attempts to take our guns. I caused them to be pursued by the Hussars of Grodno, who distinguished themselves on this occasion. We have lost 400 men in killed and wounded, among whom we have particularly to lament the death of the gallant Colonel Dennissen, who commanded the 25th regiment of chasseurs, and who was killed by a cannon-ball.- -I mean to pursue the enemy to the Dwina. SURRENDER OF THE AMERICAN ARMY. adopted immediately upon the arrival of Colonel Proctor, had compelled the enemy to retreat, and take shelter under the guns of his fort: that officer commenced operations by sending strong detachments across the river, with a view of cutting off the enemy's communication with his reserve. This produced two smart skirmishes on the 5th and 9th instant, in both of which the enemy's loss was very cousiderable, whilst our's amounted to three killed, and thirteen wounded; amongst the latter I have particularly to regret Captain Muir and Lieutenant Sutherland, of the 41st regiment; the former an officer of great experience, and both ardent in His Majesty's service. Batteries had likewise been commenced opposite Fort Detroit, for one eighteen-pounder, two twelve, and two five-and-an-half-inch mortars; all of which opened on the evening of the 15th (having previously summoned Brigadier-General Hull to surrender); and although opposed by a welldirected fire from seven twenty-four-pounders, such was their construction, under the able directions of Captain Dixon of the Royal Engineers, that no injury was sustained from its effect.The force at my disposal being collected in the course of the the 15th, in the neighbourhood of Sandwich, the embarkation took place a little after day-light on the following morning, and by the able arrangements, of Lieut. Dewar of the Quarter-Master-General's Department, the whole was, in a short time, landed without the smallest confusion at Spring Well, a good position, three miles west of Detroit. The Indians, who had in the mean time effected their landing two (Continued from page 478.) intelligence received from that quarter admitting of no delay, Colonel Proctor was directed to assume the command, and his force was soon after increased with 60 rank and file of the 41st regiment.In the mean time, the most strenuous measures were adopted to counteract the machinations of the evil-disposed; and I soon ex-miles below, moved forwards and occupied perienced the gratification of receiving voluntary offers of service from that portion of the embodied Militia the most easily collected. In the attainment of this important point, Gentlemen of the first character and influence shewed an example highly creditable to them; and I cannot on this occasion avoid mentioning the essential assistance I derived from John M'Donnell, Esq. His Majesty's AttorneyGeneral, who, from the beginning of the war, has honoured me with his services as my Provincial Aid-de-Camp. A suffi the woods, about a mile and an half on our left.The force, which I instantly di rected to march against the enemy, consisted of 30 Royal Artillery, two hundred and fifty 41st regiment, fifty Royal Newfoundland regiment, four hundred Militia, and about six hundred Indians, to which were attached three 6-pounders and two Spounders. The services of Lieut. Troughton, commanding the Royal Artillery, an active and intelligent officer, being required in the field, the direction of the batteries was intrusted to Captain Hall, and the ma rine department; and I cannot withhold my entire approbation of their conduct on this occasion.I crossed the river, with an intention of waiting in a strong position the effect of our force upon the enemy's camp, and in the hope of compelling him to meet us in the field; but receiving information upon landing, that Col. M'Arthur, an officer of high reputation, had left the garrison three days before, with a detachment of 500 men, and hearing soon afterwards that his cavalry had been seen that morning three miles in our rear, I decided on an immediate attack. Accordingly the troops advanced to within one mile of the fort, and having ascertained that the enemy had taken little or no precaution towards the land-side, I resolved on an assault, whilst the Indians penetrated his camp. Brigadier-General Hull, however, prevented this movement, by proposing a cessation of hostilities, for the purpose of preparing terms of capitulation. Lieutenant-Colonel John M'Donnell and Captain Clegg were accordingly deputed by me on this mission, and returned within an hour with the conditions which I have the honour herewith to transmit. Certain considerations afterwards induced me to agree to the two supplementary articles.-The force thus surrendered to His Majesty's arms cannot be estimated at less than 2,500 men. In this estimate, Colonel M'Arthur's detachment is included, as he surrendered, agreeably to the terms of capitulation, in the course of the evening, with the exception of 200 men, whom he left escorting a valuable convoy at some little distance in his rear; but there can be no doubt the officer commanding will consider himself equally bound by the capitulation.—The enemy's aggregate force was divided into two troops of cavalry; one company of artillery regulars; the fourth United States regiment; detachments of the 1st and 3d United States regiments, volunteers; three regiments of the Ohio Militia; one regiment of the Michigan territory.--Thirtythree pieces of brass and iron ordnance have already been secured.- -When this contest commenced, many of the Indian na tions were engaged in active warfare with the United States, notwithstanding the constant endeavours of this Government to dissuade them from it. Some of the principal Chiefs happened to be at Amherstburg, trying to procure a supply of arms and ammunition, which for years had been withheld, agreeably to the instructions received from Sir James Craig, and since re peated by your Excellency.From that moment they took a most active part, and appeared foremost on every occasion; they were led yesterday by Colonel Elliott and Captain M'Kee, and nothing could exceed their order and steadiness. A few prisoners were taken by them during the advance, whom they treated with every humanity; and it affords me much pleasure in assuring your Excellency, that such was their for bearance and attention to what was required of them, that the enemy sustained no other loss in men than what was occasioned by the fire of our batteries.The high sense I entertain of the abilities and judgment of Lieutenant-Colonel Myers, induced me to appoint him to the most important com. mand at Niagara; it was with reluctance I deprived myself of his assistance, but had no other expedient; his duties as head of the Quarter-Master-General's department were performed to my satisfaction by Lieutenant-Colonel Nicholls, Quarter-MasterGeneral of the Militia.Captain Glegg, my Aid-de-Camp, will have the honour of delivering this dispatch to your Excellency; he is charged with the colours taken at the capture of Fort Detroit, and those of the 4th United States regiment. Captain Glegg is capable of giving your Excellency every information respecting the state of this province; and I shall esteem myself highly indebted to your Excellency to afford him that protection, to which his me rit and length of service give him a powerful claim.--I have the honour to be, &c. ISAAC BROCK, Major-Gen. P.S. I have the honour to enclose a copy of a Proclamation, which I issued immediately on taking possession of this country. -I should have mentioned in the body of she is a fine vessel, and recently repaired, my dispatch the capture of the Adams; but without arms. Camp at Detroit, Aug. 16, 1812. CAPITULATION for the Surrender of Fort Detroit, entered into between MajorGen. Brock, commanding His Britannic Majesty's Forces, on the one part, and Brigadier-General Hull, commanding the North-western Army of the United States, on the other part. Art. I. Fort Detroit, with all the troops, regulars as well as militia, will be immediately surrendered to the British forces under the command of Major-General Brock, and will be considered prisoners of war, with the exception of such of the militia of the |