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in the hospitals and convents. It was equally shocking to humanity to behold their sufferings, and the cruel regardlessness of their comrades, who, while these wretches were fainting for want of assistance and of food, and literally dying in the streets, were exposing their booty to sale, and courting purchasers for church plate, watches, jewels, linen, and apparel, the plunder which they had collected in Navarre and Aragon; and which, in their eagerness to convert it into money, they were offering at a small part of their value. There were, however, scarcely any purchasers except for the church-plate, which was bought for the purpose of restoring it, at the same cost, to the churches and monasteries from whence it had been stolen.

The temper of the Zaragozans after their victory was not less heroic than their conduct during the struggle. It might have been expected that some degree of exhaustion would have succeeded the state of excitement to which they had been wrought;

and that the widowed, the childless, andthey who were left destitute, would now have lamented what they had lost, or, at least, that they themselves had not perished also. This, however, was not so. Mr Vaughan vi. sited Zaragoza a little while after the siege, and remained there during several weeks; he saw (they are his own impressive words) "many a parent who had lost his children, and many a man reduced from competence to poverty, but he literally did not meet with one human being who uttered the slightest complaint: every feeling seemed to be swallowed up in the memory of what they had recently done, and in a just hatred of the French." These are the effects of patriotism, aided and strengthened by religion: its influence, thus ́elevated and confirmed, made women and boys efficient champions in the time of action, and the streets of a city not less formidable to an invader, than the best constructed works of defence. Let not the faith which animated the Aragonese be called superstition, because our Lady of the

"Zaragoza," says Mr Wordsworth, in a work which has never been surpassed in eloquence, and to the philosophy of which, nothing comparable has been produced since the days of Milton, "Zaragoza has exemplified a melancholy, yea a dismal truth, yet consolatory and full of joy; that, when a people are called suddenly to fight for their liberty, and are sorely pressed upon, their best field of battle is the floors upon which their children have played; the chambers where the family of each man has slept (his own or his neighbours,) upon, or under the roofs by which they have been sheltered, in the gardens of their recreation; in the street, or in the market-place; before the altars of their temples, and among their congre gated dwellings, blazing or uprooted. The government of Spain must never forget Zaragoza for a moment. Nothing is wanting to produce the same effects every where, but a leading mind, such as that city was blessed with. In the latter contest this has been proved; for Zaragoza contained at that time bodies of men from almost all parts of Spain. The narrative of those two sieges should be the manual of every Spaniard; he may add to it the ancient stories of Numantia and Saguntum; let him sleep upon the book as a pillow; and, if he be a devout adherent to the religion of his country, let him wear it in his bosom for his crucifix to rest upon."-Concerning the Řelations of Great Britain, Spain, and Portugal, to each other, and to the common Enemy, p. 181.

Pillar, Santiago and St Engracia were its symbols. It was virtually and essentially religion in its inward life and spirit; it was the sense of what they owed equally to their forefathers and their children; the knowledge that their cause was as righteous as any for which an injured and insulted people ever rose in arms; the hope that by the blessing of God upon that cause they might succeed; the certain faith that if they fell, it was with the feeling, the motive, and the merit of martyrdom. Life or death therefore became to the Zaragozans only not indifferent, because life was useful to the cause for which they held it in trust, and were ready to lay it down: they who fell expired in triumph, and the survivors rather envied than regretted them. The living had no fears for themselves, and for the same reason they could have no sorrows for the dead. The whole greatness of our nature was called forth, a power which had lain dormant, and of which the possessors themselves had not suspected the existence, till it manifested itself in the hour of trial."

When the dead were removed, and the ruins sufficiently cleared, Ferdinand was proclaimed with all

the usual solemnities; a Aug. 20. ceremony, at other times attended with no other feeling than such as sports and festivity occasion, now made affecting by the situation of Ferdinand him

self, and the scene which surrounded the spectators; wal's blackened with fire, shattered with artillery, and stained with Aug. 25. blood. The obsequies of the Spaniards who had fallen were next performed with military honours, and their funeral oration pronounced from the pulpit. The brave priest Santiago Sass was made chaplain to the commander in chief, and Palafox gave him a captain's commission. These were times when the religion of Mattathias and the Maccabees was required; and the priest of the altar was in the exercise of his duty, when defending it, sword in hand, in the field. A pension was settled upon Augustina, and the daily pay of an artilleryman. She was also to wear a small shield of honour embroidered upon the sleeve of her gown, with Zaragoza inscribed upon it. Other persons, who had distinguished themselves, were rewarded; and the general reward which Palafox conferred upon the Zaragozan people, is strongly characteristic of the high Spanish sense of honour. By his own authority, and in the name of Ferdinand, Sept. 20. he conferred upon all the inhabitants of the city and its districts, of both sexes and of all ranks, the perpetual and irrevocable privilege, never to be adjudged to any disgraceful punishment by any tribunal for any offence, except for treason or blasphemy.

VOL I. PART 1.

X

CHAP. XVII.

Attack upon Valencia, and defeat of the French. Victory of the French at Rio Seco their cruelties after the battle. Correspondence between General Blake and Marshal Bessieres. St Andero taken by the French, and recovered. Proceedings at Bayonne. New constitution for Spain framed by the Intruder, in which, under the pretext of providing for the freedom of the Press and of the Subject, both are placed at the mercy of the Govern ment. The Intruder enters Spain, and reaches Madrid, from which city he retreats in ten days. Spanish troops in Denmark. A large part of them under the Marquis de la Romana, brought off by Admiral Keates. Base proclamation of the Court of Denmark.

Ar the time when Zaragoza was first attacked by Lefebvre, Marshal Moncey, with an army of about 12,000 men, besides cavalry, arrived at Cuenca, from whence he equally threatened Murcia and Valencia. It soon appeared that the latter was his object; and the attempts made by. the patriots to oppose his march, were, as was to be expected, unavailing against veteran troops, provided with horse and artillery in abundance, and conducted by experienced officers, in whom they had the best founded and fullest confidence. It was of great importance to Moncey to obtain possession of Valencia; the most fertile and delightful province in Spain would then be at his mercy, and a communication secured with the French in Catalonia. This city, to a mere soldier, would appear as defenceless as Zaragoza; suburbs nearly as large as the town itself have grown up round the whole circle of its brick walls, and its cita

del is small, badly fortified, and altogether useless. As soon as intelligence was recei- June 25. ved that the French were advancing, the junta issued orders that all the inhabitants, without exception, should repair to the citadel, and there provide themselves with arms. The quantity of muskets was found insufficient for the number who applied, and all the English swords, of which there was a large stock in the arsenal, were delivered out, though many were without hilts. Several 12 and 16-pounders, and one 20 pounder, were planted at the gate of Quarte, where the enemy were expected to make their principal at.. tack; the other gates were fortified, though less formidably. A great quantity of timber, which had just been floated down the river, was used to form a breast-work for the protection of the artillery posted without the city, and to block up the entrance of the streets within the

walls. The next day was employed in filling the ditches with water, and cutting trenches across the road, to impede the enemy's approach.

On the evening of the 27th, Moncey was within a league of the city; and the Valencian general, Caro, made a last ineffectual attempt against him in the field. At eleven on the following morning, the advanced guard of the city came in with intelligence that the French were close at hand; and, shortly afterwards, a flag of truce arrived with the usual message, that if the French were permitted peaceably to enter, persons and property would be respected; but otherwise, they would force their way with fire and sword. A fit answer was returned, declaring the resolution of the inhabitants to defend themselves to the last. Moncey immediately attacked the town; and, as had been anticipated, directed his march towards the gate of Quarte, expecting to force his way with little difficulty. The approach was along a broad street, leading streight for the gate; the patriots perceiving the advantage which was thus given them, threw open the gate, brought up a four and twenty pounder, in addition to the guns which had already been planted there, and began a fire as effectual as could have been wished. The streets were presently heaped with dead; while the Valencians, protected by their walls against this mode of attack, scarcely lost a dozen men. After suffering great carnage, the French drew off. They cannonaded the city from one till eight in the evening; it was conjectured that their ammunition began then to fail, and they made an attempt to force the gate of St Vincente, but there also they were repulsed. That night they withdrew to their head-quar

ters, between the villages of Mislata and Quarte, about three miles from the city. But the repulse had been decisive; and the French hastily retreated out of the province, leaving part of their artillery, and suffering, from the peasantry and the parties who harrassed their retreat, that vengeance which the excesses they committed on the march amply deserved.

In the North of Spain the fortune of the war was more various. Marshal Bessieres, with a strong force, had the charge of keeping open the principal road between Bayonne and Madrid. It was of great importance to the patriots that this communication should be cut off, and a force of 14,000 infantry, consisting partly of peasantry, partly of new-raised levies, and of such regular troops as could be collected, attempted to effect this great object. Don Gregori de la Cuesta, a general about 70 years of age, had the command of that part of the force which belonged to Castille and Leon, having been nominated captain-general of those provinces by Ferdinand during his short reign. The Gallician army was commanded by Don Joachin Blake, a younger officer, of Irish parentage. The juntas of the respective provinces, being independent of each other, there seems to have been a want of good understanding between the two generals. Blake was as much superior to Cuesta in abilities as he was below him in rank, and unwillingly yielded the precedence; because it required the sacrifice of his own judgement, to the probable injury of the common cause. Contrary to his judgement, a battle July 14. was risked, near Medina del Rio Seco, against a detachment of the French army under General

Lasolles, consisting of 10,000 foot and 2,000 horse, and well provided with artillery. The peasantry and the new levies attacked the enemy's infantry with such ardour, that they force them to retreat, won four of their cannon, and spiked them. They had even set up their shouts of victory, when the French cavalry charged their left wing, and, by their great superiority, decided the day. Blake covered the retreat of the Spaniards with great skill, and the French were not able to pursue, so severely had they suffered. They revenged themselves with their usual ferocity when they entered Medina del Rio Seco some hours afterwards; where, having first satiated themselves with massacre, and then with plunder, they committed atrocities upon the women, scarcely equailed in the worst ages of military barbarity-the nuns were violated and then murdered. Six hundred persons were massacred in the streets and houses.-A Spanish officer, who had received three wounds, was brought before one of the French generals, who ordered a dragoon to cut him down; he put up his hands to save himself, and they were nearly severed with a sabre stroke. Upon this he fell,--but as the dragoon was going, the general called him back, and bade him shoot the blackguard, for he was not yet dead. The officer knelt to receive his death, the ball passed between his arm and body, he had presence of mind enough to fall; and crawling away in the night, was brought to the Galician army to tell his tale. When the French soldiers had pillaged every thing they could find, they carried off infants, and made their parents

redeem them!

Blake had discovered such talents

in this action, that Bessieres thought it of importance to win him over, if possible, to the intruder's party. He, therefore, wrote to him, under the pretext of assuring him that the Spanish prisoners should be well treated, and took that occasion to try his patriotism, by urging him to obey the act of abdication, and acknowledge Joseph Buonaparte. The Spanish general made answer, that he acknowled- July 24. gedno other sovereign than Ferdinand of Bourbon, or his legitimate heirs; and, if it happened that that unfortunate family should be altogether extinguished, his allegiance would then be due to the people of Spain, lawfully represented in a general cortes. These, he said, were the sentiments of the whole army and of the whole nation; and he warned Bessieres against the error of mistaking the forced submission of those towns which were occupied by French troops, for a real change of opinion in the inhabitants. deceive, therefore," said he," your emperor; and, if it be true that he has a philanthropic mind, he will renounce the project of subduing Spain. Whatever partial successes he may obtain, it is evident that his brother never can reign in this country; unless he reign over a desert, covered with the blood of the Spaniards, and of the troops employed on this unjust enterprize."

Un

This answer did not satisfy the Frenchman, who, in a second letter, told Blake, it was his duty to avoid the effusion of blood; for while France, and the greatest part of Europe, continued in their present state, it was impossible that the Bourbons could reign. He accompanied this reasoning by proposing a conference with him upon the

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