STATE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN OCTOBER. RUSSIA. Hmnd are the late events in Russia! To what a variety of emotions and re- In this general way, we venture to enter our feeble protest against what is now passing in the world. Relative to contemporary events, to arrive at truth is difficult, to attempt to direct the public judgment is presumptuous, and to oppose the passions of men is dangerous and unavailing! Let this then be our apology to our thinking readers, and to an inquiring posterity, for not expressing ail we feel at this crisis. In the march of nations, events mock the calmest an. ticipations; and we feel at this moment too keenly, perhaps, to reason with the coolness that is due to our readers. Be. sides, such is the desperate game now playing in the political world-such the ascendency and omnipotence of corrup. tion-such the barter of principles for subsistence-such the delusion created by a profligate press-and such the chaTacter of the faction, (the German and anti-British faction,) that for twenty years rekindled, the flames of war through hu has wickedly kindled, and obstinately rope, that we consider it prudent simply to record facts, and let them speak for themselves, to those who have hearts to feel, and intelligence to comprehend them! For our parts, we candidly confess, that we are friends to peace! We see no object to be gained by this war! We never saw any ground, any substantial, tangible, positive ground, for its com mencement. We never considered, nor ever can consider, hypothetical, conjec tural, or imaginary dangers, to be a valid ground for the positive and enormous evils of war! We consider too, that a people who are strong enough to carry on successful war, are strong enough to maintain peace. We feel it to be a solecism in terms, to break a state of peace, and make war to arrive at peace! In short, we would not have been the official advisers of that message to Parliament which falsely ascribed warlike preparations to France-nor the minis terial authors of the letters signed Can ning and Castlereagh, in answer to the pacific offers of Napoleon, for all the jewels of Golconda, or all the gold and silver of Peru! Such are our opinions➡ perhaps, in the judgment of many, our unhappy mistakes; but, as the existence of Britain and the lives of millions are involved in the issue of such deliberations, our error, if it be an error, may perhaps be charitably interpreted, and borne with, for humanity's sake! The experiment, (yes! the horrible experiment) of war has now been tried for ten years! Its results have been the ·Z23 to aggrandizement of France and the ruin of every government and country on the Continent! If there are men who think the time for pence, like the time for reform, can never arrive, it behoves the thinking and long confiding people of England no longer to deter the interposition of their powerful opinion. If their consciences and their distresses decide for PEACE-the public expression of their wishes will concede nothing to the Enemy. He knows and fears us too much to treat us as a humbled or degraded people; and he has suffered too much, and too long, from our hostilitics, to hazard our just resentment, by proposing terms inconsistent with our honour as a great nation. The people of England have therefore every thing to hope, and nothing to apprehend, from their exertions and petitions in favour of peace. We live too near the events be able to comment with freedom on the horrors and calamities of the Russian campaign, to prevent which Napoleon made his pacific overture to the British government on the 17th of last April, before he set off to Russia. It grieves us, however, to observe, that, instead of these dreadful events serving as an incentive to peace, our unprincipled newspaper writers avail themselves of them to inflame the people of England to further perseverance in the war! We certainly exhibit at this moment a comterpart of the temper of the Egyptians, and their king Pharaoh. Neither the state of our exhausted finances-of our ruined trade-of our destroyed currency of our conquered allies—of desolated Europe and America-nor the solicitations of our enemies have the effect of inducing us to put an end to a war which was begun without any recorded positive cause-and which affords no prospect besides the gratification of the unchristian and irrational passions of hatred, envy, and revenge!* The following Bulletins of the French army, under Napoleon in Russia, we presume, are sufficient appeals to the heads and hearts of our readers, and afford full exemplifications of the reasonableness of our feelings and conclusions. * Our readers, to judge with full intelligence, and free from prejudices of the momentary question of PEACE, or ETERNAL WAR, ought to refer to the Official Correspondence published in the Monthly Magazine for July 1803, for November, 1806, for February, 1809; and for August, 1812. We have charitably forborne to disgrace the official registers of the British govern ment by recording the tales, however ingenious, of Lord Cathcart and Sir R. Wil son, the noted author of the poisonings at Jaffa, and who, as a British agent, is in attendance, we believe, on the Russian army of Prince Kutusoff,* Sixteenth Bulletin. Viasma, Aug. 31. The head-quarters of the emperor were, on the 27th, at Slakovo; on the 28th, near Senlovo; on the 29th, in a castle one league in the rear of Viasma; and on the S0th, at Viasma; the army marching in three co lumns-the left formed by the viceroy, proceeding by Kanouchkino, Znamenkoi, Kosterectkovo, and Novoe-the centre formed by of Eckmuhl, the Duke of Elchingen and the the King of Naples, the corps of the Prince Guards marching on the grand road, and the left, by the Prince Poniatowsky, marching on the left bank of the Osna by Volosk, Louchke, Pokroskoe, and Slonckino. All the population of the towns retire 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. Seventeenth Bulletin. Ghjat, Sept. S. August, at Velitchero; on the 1st and 2nd of The head-quarters were, on the 31st of September, at Ghjat. The Ghjat river emppossession of the course of those waters that ties itself into the Wolga. Thus we are in flow into the Caspian Sea. 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. 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 esta fire to Doroghoboni, to Viasma, and to Ghjat z blished over the Boristhenes. They also set but the French came up in time to extinguish it. This may be easily conceived. French have no interest in burning those towns which belong to them, and in de priving themselves of the resources which The *The reports and statements of the Rus sian Gazettes, as well in former wars as in the present, prove that veracity is not a Russian virtue. Yet, silly and contemptible as these Russian falsehoods are, they have served as the basis of a thousand misrepre sentations in the venal London papers, and as a means of abusing the public credulity, and keeping the war faction in countenance. It concerns us to observe, that the respectable character of Lord Cathcart is the dupe of this Russian vice. Of his colleague, the author of the Jaffa romances, we need express no sympathy. they 1 The 5th, at six o'clock in the morning, the army put itself in motion. At two in the afternoon we perceived the Russians formed, with their right upon Moskwa, the left upon the heights on the left bank of the Kologha. At 1200 toises in advance of the left, the enemy had begun to fortify a fine height between two woods, where they had placed 9 or 10,000 men. The emperor ⚫ having reconnoitred it, resolved not to lose a moment, and to carry this position. Orders were given to the King of Naples to pass the Kologha, with the division Compans and the cavalry. Prince Poniatowsky, who had marched on the right, was in a condition to turn the position. At four o'clock the attack commenced. In one hour the enemy's redoubt was carried, with the cannon; the enemy's corps driven from the wood, and put to fight, leaving the third part on the field of battle. At seven in the evening the firing ceased. On the 6th, at two o'clock in the morning, the emperor surveyed the enemy's advanced posts; the day was passed in reconnoitring. The enemy were in a position much contracted. Their left was weakened by the loss of the position the day before: backed by a large wood, supported by a fine height, crowned by a redoubt, planted with twentyfive pieces of cannon. Two other heights, crowned with redoubts at 100 paces from each other, protected their line, as far as a large village which the enemy had destroyed, to cover the ridge with artillery and infantry, and to support the centre. Their right extended behind the Kologha, in the rear of the village of Borodino, and was supported by two fine heights, crowned with redoubts, and fortised with batteries. This position appeared strong and favourable. It was easy to manœuvre, and to oblige the enemy to evacuate it, but that would have been renouncing our object, and the position was not judged sufficiently strong to render it necessary to avoid fighting. It was easy to perceive that the redoubts were but half formed, the fosse shallow, and neither palisaded nor defended with chevaux de frise. We reckoned the enemy's force at about 120 and 130,000 men. Our forces were equal, but the superiority of oar troops were not doubtful. On the 7th, at two in the morning, the emperor was surrounded by the, marshals in the position taken the evening berore. At half past five o'clock the sun rose without clouds; it had rained the preceding evening. This is the sun of Austerlitz,' said the cmperor. Though but the month of September, it was as cold as a December in Moravia. The army received the omen, the drum beat, and the following order of the day was read: Be "Soldiers! behold the field of battle you have so much desired! henceforth victory depends on you; it is necessary to us; it will give us plenty, good quarters for the winter, and a speedy return to your country. have yourselves as you did at Austerlitz, at Friedland, at Vitepsk, at Smolensk; and that the latest posterity may speak of your conduct this day with pride,that it may say of you, He was at that great battle under the walls of Moscow.' "At the Imperial Camp on the Heights of Borodino, 7th Sept. Two o'clock, A.M." The army answered with reiterated accla mations. The ground on which the army stood was spread with the dead bodies of the Russians killed the preceding day. Prince Poniatowsky, who was on the right, put himself in motion to turn the forest on which the enemy rested his left. The Prince of Eckmuhl marched on the skirt of the forest, the division Compans at the head. Two batteries of 60 cannon each, commanding the enemy's position, had been constructed in the night. At six o'clock, General Count Sorbier, who had armed the battery on the right with the artillery of the reserve of the guard, commenced the fire. General Pernetty, with 30 pieces of cannon, put himself at the head of the division Compans, (4th of the 1st corps,) who skirted the wood, turning the head of the enemy's position. At half past six, General Compans was wounded; at seven the Prince of Eckmuhl had his horse killed. The attack advanced: the musketry commenced. The Viceroy, who formed our left, attacks and carries the village of Borodino, which the enemy could not defend, that village being on the left bank of the Kologha. At seven the Marshal Duke of Elchingen put himself in motion, and under the protection of sixty pieces of cannon, which General Foucher had placed the evening before against the enemy's centre, bore upon the centre. A thousand pieces of cannon spread death on all sides! At eight o'clock the positions of the enemy were carried, his redoubts taken, and our artillery crowned his heights. The advantage of position which the enemy's batteries had enjoyed for two hours now belonged to us. The parapets which had been occupied against ús during the attack, were now to our advan tage. The enemy now saw the battle lost, which he thought had only commenced. A part of his artillery was taken; the rest was withdrawn to his lines in the rear. In this extremity he attempted to restore the combat, and to attack with all his masses those strong positions which he was unable to protect. Three hundred pieces of French cannon, placed on these heights, thundered upon his masses, and his soldiers died at the foot of those parapets which they had raised with so much labour, and as a protecting shelter. "The King of Naples, with the cavalry, made various charges The Duke of Elchingen covered himself with glory, and displayed as much intrepidity as coolness. The Emperor ordered a charge of the front, the right in advance; this movement made us masters of three parts of the field of battle. Prince Poniatowski fought in the wood with various success. There still remained to the enemy his redoubts to the right. General Count Morand marched thither, and carried them; but at nine in the morning, attacked on all sides, he could not maintain himself there. The enemy, encouraged by this advantage, made his reserve and his last troops advance to try his fortune again. The Imperial Guards formed a part of them. He attacked our centre, which formed the pivot to our right. For a moment it was feared that he might carry the village, which was burnt; the division Friant advanced thither; eighty pieces of French cannon immediately arrest, and then overwhelm the enemy's columns, which stood for two hours in close order, under the chain-shot, not daring to advance, unwilling to retire, and renouncing the hope of victory. The King of Naples decided their uncertainty. He caused the 4th corps of cavalry to make a charge, who penetrated through the breaches which our cannon shot had made in the condensed masses of the Russians, and the squadrops of their cuirassiers; they dispersed on all sides. The general of division Count Caulaincourt, governor of the Emperor's pages, advanced at the head of the 5th regiment of Cuirassiers, overthrew every thing, and entered the redoubt on the left by its From this moment there was no gorge. longer any uncertainty, the battle was gained. He turned upon the enemy the twenty-one pieces of cannon which were found in the redoubt. Count Caulaincourt, who had distinguished himself in this fine charge, has terminated his career. He fell dead, struck by a bullet a glorious death, and worthy to sian horses, have been counted on the field of battle; 60 pieces of cannon and 5000 prisoners have remained in our power. We have had 2,500 killed, and thrice that number wounded. Our total loss may be estimated at 10,000 men; that of the enemy, at from 40 to 50,000. Never was there seen such a field of battle. Out of six dead bodies, there were five Russians for one Frenchman. Forty Russian generals were killed, wounded, or taken; Genera! Bagration was wounded. We have lost the General of Division Montbrun, killed by a cannon-ball; General Count Caulaincourt, who was sent to occupy his place, was killed by a shot of the same kind, an hour afterwards. The Generals of Brigade Compere, Plauzonne, Marion, and Huart, were killed; seven or eight Generals were wounded, the most of them slightly. The Prince of Eckmuhl has received no injury. The French troops covered themselves with glory, and displayed their great superiority to the Russian troops. Such, in a few words, is a sketch of the battle of Moskwa, fought a few leagues in the rear of Mojaisk, and twenty-five leagues from Moscow, near the little river Moskwa. We fired 60,000 cannon shot, which are already replaced by the arrival of 800 artillery carts, which passed Smolensk previous to the battle. All the woods and villages from the field of battle, to this place, are covered with dead and wounded. We have found here 2000 killed or amputated Russians. A nume ber of Generals and Colonels are prisoners. The Emperor was never exposed; neither the foot nor horse guards were engaged, or lost a single man. The victory was never uncertain. Had the enemy, when driven from his intrenchments, not endeavoured to retake them, our loss would have been greater than his; but he destroyed his army by keeping it, from eight o'clock till two, under the fire of our batteries, and in obstinately attempting to regain that which was lost. This was the cause of his immense loss. Every one distinguished himself. The King of Naples and the Duke of Elchingen were peculiarly conspicuous. The artillery, and particularly that of the guards, surpassed itself. The actions which have rendered this day illustrious, shall be made known in detailed reports. Nineteenth Bulletin. Morrow, Sept. 16. After the battle of the Moskwa, the French army pursued the enemy upon Moscow, by the three routes, Mojaisk, Svenigorod, and Kalouga. The King of Naples was on the 9th at Koubinskoe, the Viceroy at Rouza, and Prince Poniatowski at Feminskoe. The head quarters were on the 12th transmitted from Mojaisk to Peselina; on the 13th they were at the castle of Berwska; on the 11th, at mid-day, |