Norfolk Gazette And Publick Ledger

His retreat but the advances of Soult were menacing cause for the movement. The joint force of Soult and Ney being probably not short of 60,000 men a retreat across the Tagus will indeed be the means of safety left open to him. According to the extracts from the foreign papers which we gave yesterday, the English head quarters were on the 8th at Deleitosa, considerably to the south of the Tagus, and about 20 miles from Talavera. Private accounts add that he was continuing his retreat in the direction of Merida and Seville, and that part of his army had already reached Truxillo. We hope that the accounts may prove correct, as he will be in the best sources of supply, and sure of effecting his retreat to the coast. Stores of every kind, it is added, had been sent off to him from Seville, Cadiz, and various other towns together with horses, mules, and other means of conveyance, of which he was so much in want. Our readers will do us the justice to admit that we never amused them with all the benefits that ministers expected to derive from a match to Madrid. We can therefore with the more satisfaction congratulate Sir Arthur Wellesley upon his fortunate escape. Had he been unfortunately provided with the means of transport to follow up the battle of Talavera, and pursue Victor, Soult would not have been at Placentia but at Talavera, and the combined army would have been caught in that trap, from which it has escaped by a rapid retreat and movement across the Tagus. The force that occupied Romana, Beresford, and Sir R. Wilson, being withdrawn to the Tagus, they will probably advance to threaten its rear. As to the corps of Venegas, on its march to Madrid, if it really has reached Aranjuez, it must be sacrificed if it advances, and it is scarcely possible that it should be able to effect its escape, and regain the mountains of Sierra Morena.