Daily National Intelligencer

LATE FOREIGN NEWS.

Received by the schr. Water Witch, arrived at Norfolk from Bordeaux.

Twenty-ninth Bulletin of the French Grand Army.

MOLODETSCHNO, 3d Dec. 1812.

The weather was very good till the 6th Nov. and the movements of the army were executed with the greatest success. The cold weather commenced the 7th; from that time, we have lost every night many hundreds of horses, which died while mounted on guard.

Since our arrival at Smolensk, we have lost many horses belonging to the cavalry and artillery. The Russian army of Volhynie was opposed to our right. Our right quitted the line of operation on Minsk, and took for it that of Warsaw. The Emperor was apprized at Smolensk, on the 9th, of this change in the line of operations, and presumed how the enemy would act. However difficult it appeared to him to put himself in motion in this severe season, the new state of things compelled him to do so. He hoped to arrive at Minsk, or at least on the Beresina, before the enemy—he left Smolensk on the 13th, the 16th he arrived at Krasnoi. The cold weather which commenced the 7th, increased daily, and from the 14th, to the 15th and 16th, the thermometer was at 16 and 18 degrees below freezing, (Reaumur).

The roads were covered with ice, the horses of the cavalry artillery & baggage, perished every night, not by hundreds but by thousands, particularly those of France and Germany. More than thirty thousand horses perished in a few days; our cavalry were dismounted, our artillery and our baggage waggons were without horses. It became necessary to destroy a great part of our artillery, provisions and munitions of war. This army, in so fine a condition on the sixth, was very different on the fourteenth, almost without cavalry, almost without artillery and without waggons—we could not guard without cavalry more than a quarter of a league—notwithstanding without artillery we could not risk a battle or maintain a position, we must march. not to be forced to a battle, which the want of artillery and cavalry prevented us from wishing—we must occupy a certain space not to be turned, and that without cavalry which protects and unites columns.

These difficulties, together with excessive cold, rendered our situation distressing. Men whom nature had not gifted with that fortitude which places them above the frowns of fortune. appeared alarmed, lost their gaiety, their good humor, and saw nothing before them but misfortunes and catastrophes ; those whom she had created superior to every thing, preserved their gaiety and ordinary manners, and saw a new glory in the various difficulties they had to surmount.

The enemy who saw on the road the traces of this awful calamity which attended the French army, sought to profit by it. They filled up all their columns with Cossacks, who carried off, like Arabs in the deserts, the carriages and trains that were lost. This contemptible cavalry who make nothing but noise, and is not capable of breaking one company of voltigeurs, render themselves formidable by favor of circumstances. Notwithstanding, the enemy had reason to repent of all the serious enterprizes which they undertook. They were beaten by the Vice-King and lost many men.— The Duke of Elchingen, who with three thousand men, composed the rear guard, and scaled the ramparts of Smolensk, was surrounded and found himself in a critical situation—he extricated himself with that intrepidity which distinguishes him. After having kept the enemy at a distance the whole of the 18th, and constantly repulsed them, he made a movement at night, by the right flank, passed the Borysthenes and disappointed the calculations of the enemy. The 19th the enemy passed the Borysthenes at Orza, and the Russian army fatigued, after having lost many men, gave over this enterprize. The army of Volhynie had marched since the 16th upon Minsk, and was going against Borisow. General Dombrowski defended the head of the bridge of Borisow with three thousand men. The 23d they were attacked and forced to evacuate that position. The enemy then passed the Beresina marching upon Boli, the division of Lambert composing the van guard; the second corps commanded by the duke of Reggio, who was at Tchereia, had received orders to advance to Borisow, to insure the passage of the Beresina. The 24th the duke of Reggio encountered the division of Lambert, 4 leagues from Borisow, attacked and beat them, made 2000 prisoners, took six pieces of cannon, 500 waggons of the baggage of Volhynie's army and drove the enemy to the right bank of the Beresina. Gen. Berthier, with the fourth cuirassiers, distinguished himself by a handsome charge; the enemy only saved themselves by burning the bridge, which was more than 300 toises long

Nevertheless the enemy occupied all the passages of the Beresina; this river is 40 toises broad, and was filled with floating ice, but its borders are covered with marshes 300 toises long and which renders it a difficult obstacle to overcome. The enemy's general had placed his four divisions in different passes where he supposed the French army would attempt a passage. The 26th at day break the Emperor, after having deceived the enemy by divers movements made on the 25th, marched against the village of Studzianka and caused likewise two bridges to be thrown over the river, notwithstanding a division of the enemy were opposed. The duke of Reggio passed, attacked the enemy and kept them engaged two hours. The enemy retired to the head of the bridge of Borisow. Gen. Legrand an officer of the first merit was severely but not dangerously wounded; the army passed on the 26th and 27th.

The duke Belluno commanding the 9th corps had received orders to follow the movement of the duke of Reggio, to compose the rear guard, and to detain the Russian army of the Dwina which followed him. The division of Partouneaux composed the rear guard of this corps. The 27th at noon the duke of Belluno arrived with two divisions at the bridge of Studzianka. The division of Partouneaux left Borisow at night; one brigade of this division which formed the rear guard, and which was ordered to burn the bridges, set off at 7 in the evening, it arrived between 10 and 11 o'clock, endeavored to find its first brigade, and the general of division, who had set out two hours before. The search was fruitless—they then became uneasy. All that we have been able to hear since is that this first brigade set out at 5 o'clock, missed their way at 6, took the right instead of the left and went two or three leagues in that direction; that in the night and chilled with cold. it was roused by the fire of the enemy which they took for the French army ; thus surrounded, they must have surrendered. This cruel mistake has lost us 2000 infantry, 500 horses and 3 pieces artillery; it is rumoured that the general of the division was not with his column but had marched on ahead. All the army having passed on the morning of the 28th, the duke of Belluno guarded the head of the bridge on the left bank, the duke of Reggio with all the army were on the right bank. Borisow having been evacuated, the armies of Dwina and Volhynie communicated, they concerted an attack; the 28th at day break the duke of Reggio caused the Emperor to be informed that he was attacked; an half an hour afterwards the duke of Belluno knew it on the left bank, the army was under arms. The duke of Elchingen went to the assistance of the duke de Reggio and the duke of Treviso followed him. The fight became brisk, the enemy wishing to break our right, gen. Doumerc commanding the 5th division of Cuirassiers and composing part of the 2d corps who remained on the Dwina, ordered a charge of the cavalry by the 4th & 5th of the Cuirassiers, at the moment when the legion of the Vistula was engaged in the woods to pierce the centre of the enemy, which was beaten and put to route. These brave Cuirassiers surrounded successively six battalions of infantry and put to route the enemy's cavalry which came to the assistance of its infantry; 6000 prisoners, 2 colours and 6 pieces of cannon fell into our hands.

The duke de Bellune caused the enemy to be vigorously charged, made 5000 to 6000 prisoners, and drove them out of the reach of the cannon of the bridge. Gen. Fournier made a handsome charge of the cavalry. In the battle of Beresina the army of Volhynie suffered much—The duke de Reggio was wounded, but not dangerously, by a ball which he received in his side.

The morning of the 29th we remained upon the field of battle. We had two routes to chuse; that of Minsk, and that of Wilna. The road to Minsk is through a forest and uninhabitable marshes, and it would have been impossible for the army to subsist. The road to Wilna on the contrary is through a very fine country. The army, without cavalry, with but little ammunition, very much fatigued with 50 days march, bringing after it the sick and wounded of so many battles, required rest. The 30th, the head quarters were at Plechnitsi; the 1st of Dec. at Slaiki. and the 3d at Molodetschno. where the army received the first convoys from Wilna. All the wounded officers and soldiers. and every thing that incumbered us, such as baggage, &c. were sent to Wilna. The result of the exposition just made, is, that it is necessary for the army to recruit itself, to remount the cavalry, to provide artillery and obtain provisions. Its greatest want is rest. The provisions and horses have arrived.

General Bourcier has already more than 20,000 horses in the different depots. The artillery has repaired its loss. The generals, the officers, and the soldiers. have suffered much with fatigue and want. Many have lost their baggage in consequence of the loss of their horses—some by the ambuscades of the Cossacks. The Cossacks have taken many stragglers, and engineers employed in making drafts, and wounded officers who marched without precaution, preferring risks, than to march with the convoys. The reports of the general officers will shew those officers and soldiers who have most distinguished themselves. in the details of these memorable events. In all his movements, the emperor has marched in the middle of his guards—the cavalry commanded by marshal duke of Istria, and the infantry commanded by the duc of Dantzic. His majesty is satisfied with the good conduct that his guard have shewn—they have always been ready to go wherever circumstances required— but circumstances have always been such, that his simple presence has sufficed to inspire confidence and ensure success.

The Prince of Neufchatel. the grand marshal, the grand master of the horse, and all the aid-de-camps and military officers of the household of the emperor, have always accompanied his majesty.

Our cavalry was so dismounted. that we could scarcely unite the officers who had horses, to form four companies of 150 men each. The generals performed the duties of captains, and the colonels those of sub-officers. This squadron, commanded by gen. Grouchy, and under the direction of the king of Naples, never lost sight of the emperor in all his motions. The health of his majesty was never better.