Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

Portland,
Monday, April 10, 1809.
LATEST FROM SPAIN.

After our paper was put to press we were favoured with the Salem Gazette, of Saturday last, mentioning the arrival at that port of the ship Catharine, capt. Bickford, in 45 days from Valencia, who brought printed papers to Feb. 17th. They do not contain any official accounts; but their contents afford abundant evidence that the patriotic Spaniards continue the contest against their cut throat invaders with zeal and effect.

The accounts of the English army are, that on their march to the sea coast of Galicia on the 2d and 6th January they had successful encounters with the French, but we find nothing of an official nature respecting them; and they are said afterwards to have, with Romana, formed a junction with the Portuguese combining a force of 120,000 men of the three nations.

It was said that Napoleon was quitting Spain in great haste, and Marshal Lannes with his army returning also by forced marches. It could be no common cause that should produce such a movement, when the affairs of Spain were in such a critical state, and a crown on the head of Napoleon's brother was at stake; but we find by the papers, that England and Turkey had concluded a peace—that both Austria and Turkey had assumed a threatening position with regard to France—that the Archduke Charles had entered Bavaria with a large army—and that the noble resistance of the Spaniards has lighted a spirit in their nostrils which might o'erflow the banks of the Conqueror, and rescue it to itself.

Since the translations of the papers have been made, we have conferred with Capt. Bickford, who informs us, that the day before he sailed a paper was received at Valencia from the Supreme Junta, from which he heard read the important account, that Austria and Turkey had both actually declared war against France (the probability of which event is repeatedly mentioned in the papers we have seen). The gentleman who read it to him, expressed a desire that he should bring the paper to America; but the eagerness to see it occasioned its being lent from one to another, till it could not be recovered before he sailed. It was considered as a fact and gave great spirits to the Spaniards.

He further informs us, that a French army of 18,000 men, from Roses, in January, attacked the Spanish army besieging Barcelona, and defeated it, through the treachery of their General, Vivas, who endeavored to escape, but was seized, and sent prisoner to Seville—that the French had been repulsed in fifteen assaults on Saragossa, where they had lost great numbers—and that they were said to have already lost as many as 200,000 men in Spain. At Valencia, the patriot spirit was at the highest pitch; and to doubt of their success against the tyrant was almost treachery.