The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-10-28 00:00:00

ronEtcx INTELLIGEN( E.

srANista PAPERI.

SIEGE OF GERONA.
say ILL!, OCT. 6.
We have just received a series of the Gerona
Journals, from the 13th to the 20th tilt. That in-
vincible city continued to defend itself amidst the
greatest privations, notwithstanding the unex-
pected prolongation of the siege for upwards of
tour months, with ito heroism which constitute% the
glory or Spain, and will fora► a pre-eminent object
of- admiration with l,usterity. Throughout the
whole of the tith, 41 pieces of cannot., and two
lion Marrs, in the enemy's batteries, kept up it dread-
ful and incessant fire upon the breaches, the walls,
and the city. It was returned from the fortress
with a heavy and well-directed tire, with cunsid:r-
ahle affect, upon the works of the beidegers. Two
mortars, plaided to the right of the glair of Moo-
uich, during the night. shells of the
I.tr;:est lase, which did great miechief, owing to the
elevation from which they fell*.

Oil the 14th, the eneu►}'s fire was still mare ter-
rific. ft is impossible to 11e.crib-e• the furious can-
nom de ihricted aping the walk accompanied
with a discharge of shells stud grenades.
On the l7th the lire was kept up with equal vi-
gour; hut the garrison and inhabitants, persevering
iu ilie niost intrepid and determined resistance,
%Unrolled, a ithatit enrouun, the destruction which
the hours suffered. In the evening of the same
day a presented himself, with a
*li•te 11.1 g and a dispatch. The Governor answered
him iu these laconic terms:., No flag of truce can
he admitted."

(hi the 18th, the enemy's fire was rather slick in
the morning, but it !meanie ninre bn.k towards
noon, and was t:ecernipattied •ith a discharge or
eltoil4 and grenades. •
. -

'l' he was x glorious day for Gerona, After
Pinions cannonade, with which General Verifier I
intended to terrify the Guianese, and to facilitate his
entrance, he determinod to storm the place. lie
firmed his troops, consist's,. of 5,500 men. into
three coluiniii, arnl attuckuir the three bronchi.* of
Suite Lircia, Quartet de Alemaises, and Puerta de
S. Cristobal ; vslitist stoat detached crops occupied
tie attention of the garrisons of Fort, Cabiklo
and Condestable „and another-couraderable urxfy
attempted to carry by as.ault Fort Calvunis
having provided themselves for tort iturpose
with hatchets, pick-axef. and ladders. The co-
lumns Were upon the breaches by four in the
afternoon; but by the mine hour the generale was
beaten, and the imposing sound of the alarm-bells
was heard in every part of the tit 3, and alieoily-
the will-disciplined and veteran garliStill were at
their poste, amyl completely premired for action.
The French ()Ricer-, who intrepidly led on their
tillrOrilllialte troop., paid deur for t:ieir ti toerity.
The attack at the /;tree points Pia 'own desperate,
but vrtietslarly at the breach iet the Alentaues.
where the enemy, at the flu-• outset, forced an en-
trance. Three tunes the'. ~:ere rem:toed, when,
at leagth, 'enacts they
left on these ones of a proof of
the %%lour of tie. v defenders, and of French bare
!unity.
• Our invincible defenders, worthy of the admira-
tion of all Emilia., sere tint I.llr Ull 'WAWA. forsaken
by their heroic 'constancy and coolness. Ltd on
117 valiant and experieured officers, they Int.glat
with . the highest iedour and intrepidry ; and
thongli it is very common for troops to be thiown
into confusion, under ciiciiinstance* so terrific..
they maintained a cLeg:.ce of order xnd regularity,
capable ()Cawing the most intrepid enemy. This
iv-comity for the breeches, a!1,1 .ditches. being
covered with tin tired bodies of Fieni !mien.

A corps of bight troops, which sallied omit oppor-
tunely from the castles, as the t•nemy nem retreat-
• ing for the last time, merle great :laughter among
these haughty slaves of the despot, who, towards
dii,k,timil!y desisted from their enterprise, haring
reeil,t.cil x complete chastisem..iit.
' .jn the Maiiirsa Journals, received to the IStit,
It is st.,teei. that the enemy had discontinued their
cannon...4le of the fortress, since the 19th, and that,
sithsertnent to that day, there had been heard only
a few :hots from St. Francisco, on the Si&

OCT. 7.

Gen. Blake has transmitted to the Supreme
Jitnra the Allowing dispatch, inelosing reports
iron 'he Officers, nhn, under his orders, co-
(,,•(ratedin the relief of Gerona

%loge F.xrei.r.rier Seism Instr-weleress, immortal,
*twitter ultimately vsnquislied or iictorious—fatal at all
tunes to the French troops that have besieged it--lirmly
miseveres in its sternum defence. But it was net only in
want of provieions and ammunition, but eves of the must
areeeynery meth** for the sick and wounded. it wins so
el srie ei,esteil, that it bad no eum ttttt niceties with the rest
of the Insee principality, except by means of as occasional
messenger making his way throngh the enemy's shut
It thee. fore became indiepriisably urgent to alleviate this la.
mentehle situation, by introducing a convoy capable of re-
medying the amrsite, and also a burly of troops to reinforce
the brave and indefatigable garrison of the place. Bat the
operating was difficult sod hazardous, in proportion as it was
important. Though the enemy occupied a very extended
line, it might emit" be contemned ; and it was to be expected,
that by would make every effort to previ.nt the•entrasee of
sot-cones, sn inmortaat, to • place which he had been betties-
ing for three mouths, and which be kept seder the most ri-
gorus blockade. Tier mil, resource left tome was, to divert
his attention to p • te, unit to make him suppose
that my intention win to Wier hue battle, in the quarter di.
redly opposite to that by which tbe convoy was to proceed.
This plan was carried into effect with the moat compkte
success.

" My h...aill•ituarters were in San when I issmol or-
dets for the respective movements. I :wrlered I) !damsel
I.leutetiant of the !ritual* lofaittry, to march to
the height of Les Angriee, Winkled to the north o: Gerona,
wail a sufficient number uif, troops, and such of the So.
omelettes as he could collect en the road, to dislodge the
?weeny front that posittua. where they had only a small
body of infantry, .alto protect the convoys of provisions,