spirited exertions of their officers, the column immediately dispersed, and it was found impossible to bring them a second time to the charge. The general, however, ordered another party to advance against the gate of the Carmen, on the left of the Portillo. This entrance was defended by a sand-bag battery, and by musketeers who lined the wall on each side, and commanded two of its three approaches. Here also the French suffered great loss, and were repulsed.

Hitherto the enemy had remained on the right bank of the Ebro, but on the 11th of July, they forced the passage of the ford, and, having constructed a bridge for the advance of the cavalry, obtained possession of the adjacent country, from which Saragossa had obtained its supplies. These new difficulties only stimulated and redoubled the exertions of the besieged. Corn-mills worked by horses were erected in several parts of the city; the monks were employed in manufacturing gunpowder, materials for which were obtained by collecting all the sulphur in the place, by washing the soil of the streets to extract its nitre, and by making charcoal of the stalks of hemp, which in that part of Spain grow to a very unusual inagnitude.

By the end of July, the city was completely invested; the supply of food was scanty, and the exertions of the inhabitants for forty-six days, had been unremitted. They were in hourly expectation of a renewed attack, and made another attempt to recover the Torrero, which terminated in disaster. On the night of the 2nd of August, and on the following day, the French bombarded the city from their batteries opposite the gate of the Carmen. A foundling hospital, which was now filled with the sick and the wounded, took fire, and was rapidly consumed. During this scene of horror, the most intrepid efforts were made to rescue these helpless sufferers from the flames, and the women were eminently conspicuous in their exertions, regardless of the shot and shells which fell around them, and braving

the flames of the building. On the following day, the French completed their batteries on the right bank of the Guerva, within pistol-shet of the gate of St. Engracia, so called from a splendid church and convent of Jeronimites, situated on one side of it. On the 4th of August, the French opened their batteries on this church and convent. It was instantly on fire, and this monument of devotion, fraud, and credulity, was laid in ruins. The mud walls were levelled at the first discharge; the besiegers rushed through the opening, took the batteries before the adjacent gates in reverse, forced them away after a severe contest and dreadful carnage, to the Cozo, in the very centre of the city, and, before the day closed, were in possession of one half of Saragossa. Le Febvre now believed that he had effected his purpose, and required Palafox to surrender, in a note containing only these words, "Head-quarters, St. Engracia.-Capitulation." The heroic Spaniard immediately returned this reply, "Headquarters, Saragossa.-War at the knife's point."

The contest, which was now carried on, is unexampled in history. One side of the street Cozo, the breadth of which .is about equal to that of Pall-mall, was now occupied by the French; in the centre of which general Verdier was seen, giving his orders from the Franciscan convent. The Arragonese maintained their positions on the opposite side; throwing up batteries at the openings of the streets, within a few paces of similar batteries of the French. The intervening space

soon heaped up with dead, either thrown from the windows of the houses in which they had been slain, or killed in the conflicts below. Just before the day closed, Don Francisco Palafox, the general's brother, entered the city with a convoy of arms and ammunition, and a reinforcement of 3000 men, a succour as little expected by the Saragossans, as provided against by the enemy.

During the whole siege, no man more

nobly distinguished himself than P. Santia gò Sass, the curate of one of the parishes. He was always to be seen in the streets, sometimes fighting with the most determined bravery, and at others administering the sacrament to the wounded and the dying.

Nothing in the whole course of the siege more embarrassed Don Joseph Palafox than the enormous accumulation of the dead, and the apprehension of the contagious disorders which must infallibly result from it. To an Arragonese, it was almost certain death to appear in the middle of the street, and the expedient resorted to was to push was to push forward French prisoners with a rope attached to them amidst the dead and dying, to remove the bodies of their countrymen, and bring them in for burial. The office in which they were employed, and the pity of their own soldiers, secured them in general from any annoyance, and by this expedient the evils arising from the horrible corruption of the dead, were in some degree diminished. The principal season for attack in this singular species of warfare, was the night. The French and the Arragonese, under the cover of darkness, frequently dashed across the street, and attacked the opposite batteries with the most undaunted courage. The struggle begun at the batteries was often carried into the houses beyond, and every story of many houses in the Calle de Cozo bear unequivocal marks of the madness and desperation with which these contests must have been carried on. The batteries of the contending parties were so close to each other, that in one instance a Spaniard crept from his own side, and, insinuating himself under the intermediate bodies of the dead, attached a rope to one of the French cannon. In the struggle which ensued, the rope broke, and the Arragonese were deprived of their prize, at the very moment when they thought themselves sure of its possession.

In every conflict the citizens gained ground on the soldiers, winning it inch by inch, till the space occupied by the enemy, which on the day of their entrance was

nearly half the city, was gradually reduced to about an eighth part. Mean time intelligence of the events in other parts of Spain, was received by the French, all tending to dishearten them. During the night of the 13th, their fire was particularly fierce and destructive after their batteries had ceased, flames burst out in many parts of the building which they had won, and in the morning their columns, to the great surprise of the patriots, were seen at a distance retreating over the plain on the road to Pampeluna.

One of the first cares of Palafox, after the delivery of the city, was to establish a board of health to provide against the effects of putrefaction, from the number of French who were left dead in the houses and in the streets. Pampeluna, whither the remains of the enemy's army retreated, was for many days filled with carts full, and horse-loads, of wounded, who arrived faster and in greater number than they could be lodged in the hospitals and convents. It was equally shocking to humanity, to behold their sufferings, and to observe the cruel indifference 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 Arragon. 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 which it had been stolen.

When the dead in Saragossa were removed, and the ruins sufficiently cleared, Ferdinand was proclaimed, with all the usual solemnities, amidst walls blackened with fire, shattered with artillery, and stained with blood. The obsequies of the Spaniards, who had fallen, were next performed with military honors, and their funeral oration was pronounced from the pulpit. The brave priest Santiago Sass, was made chaplain to the commander-in

chief, who gave him a captains commission. A pension was settled on Augustina, and the daily pay of an artilleryman, with the right of wearing a small shield of honor, upon which SARAGOSSA was inscribed, embroidered in the sleeve of her gown; and finally, by his own authority, and in the name of Ferdinand, Palafox

conferred on all the inhabitants of the city and its districts, of both sexes and all ranks, the perpetual and irrevocable privilege, never to be adjudged to any dis graceful punishment by any tribunal, for any offence except treason or blasphemy.

T the time when Saragossa was first Moncey, with an army of about 12,000 men, 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 unavailing, against veteran troops provided with horse and artillery in abundance, and conducted by experienced officers. The city is even less susceptible of defence than Saragossa: suburbs nearly as large as the town itself have grown up round the whole circle of its brick walls, and its citadel is small, badly fortified, and altogether useless. Almost destitute of guns and ammunition, the inhabitants arranged their scanty resources with judgment and celerity. A great quantity of timber which had just floated down the river, was used to form a breast-work for the feeble 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.

A attacked by Le Febvre, marshal

After sending an ineffectual flag of ruce, Monoey attacked the town, and

directed his march towards the gate of Quarte. The approach was along a broad street leading directly to the gate the patriots perceiving their advantage, threw open the gate, brought up a 24-pounder, in addition to the guns which had already been planted, and began an effectual and destructive fire. The streets were presently heaped with dead, while the Valencians, protected by their walls, scarcely lost a dozen men. After suffering great carnage, the French retired. They cannonaded the city from one till eight in the evening, and made an unsuccessful attempt to force the gate of St. Vincente. They withdrew that, night to their head quarters, 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 behind them part of their artillery, and suffering from the peasantry and the parties who harassed their retreat, that vengeance which the excesses committed on their advance had so amply deserved.

In the north of Spain the fate of war was more various. Marshal Bessieres, with a strong force, had the charge of keeping open the principal road between

Bayonne and Madrid. To cut off this communication, 14,000 infantry, regular and irregular, were despatched under the command of La Cuesta, a general about seventy years of age, and Blake, a younger officer of Irish parentage. Contrary to the advice of the latter, a battle was risked near Medina del Rio Seco, against a detachment of the French army consisting of 10,000 foot and 2000 horse, well provided with artillery. After a desperate conflict, the French were able, notwithstanding an enormous loss, to enter Medina del Rio Seco, where, having first satiated themselves with massacre, and then with plunder, they committed atrocities on the women, scarcely equalled 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, as 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 Gallician 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.

The skill and activity of Blake in the battle of Rio Seco, induced Bessieres to attempt the corruption of his fidelity. He rejected the offers of the French general with disdain, and, as a reward for his conduct, was appointed governor and captain-general of the kingdom of Gallicia, and president of the royal audience.

The possession of the ports in the Bay of Biscay, was an object of considerable moment to the patriots. While they were open, supplies could at all times be received from England, but they were adjacent to France, and were strong only

towards the sea, being in general so situated as to be commanded by the neighbouring heights. The detached parties of the French in the vicinity of these ports having been cut off or driven out by the Spaniards, a considerable force was sent from Bayonne against St. Andero. The pass which protects the approach to the town was badly defended. Two English frigates which were off the coast, entered the harbor in time to dismantle two of the forts, spike their guns, and destroy their ammunition. The enemy remained but a short time in possession of the place. General Lano Ponte, with 10,000 men from the Asturian army, advanced upon them ; and, when he had reached Santillana, they thought it prudent to retire, having committed their usual outrages upon the inhabitants.

While the people of Spain were thus gloriously contending for the independence of their native land, scenes of a nature extremely different were represented at Bayonne. As soon as Joseph Buonaparte entered that city, a deputation of the grandees of Spain, with the duke del Infantado at their head, either wavering in their allegiance to Ferdinand, or influenced by mistaken considerations of expedience, waited upon him, and expressed their lively joy at presenting themselves before his royal person.

A national assembly, as it was called, had been convened at Bayonne, to do homage to Joseph, and receive from his hands a new constitution for Spain. An address was voted, (June 18th,) to the "intrusive sovereign," couched in the basest terms of adulation, and delivered by Azanza.

At the third sitting the constitutional statute for Spain was presented by order of Napoleon Buonaparte; and the 7th of July was appointed for the ceremonial of its acceptance. The intruder took his seat on the throne prepared for the occasion, addressed the assembly, imposed the oath of acquiescence and fidelity, and appointed his ministry. Urquijo was made secretary of state, Cevallos minister for foreign affairs, Azanza minister for the Indies,