The Sun.
London, England, 1837-03-22 00:00:00

SPAIN.

SAN SnAsTtAN, Matreu 14
, O'CLOCK, P.m.—The sharp
ea LI b lseuticcni took place on Sunday last, has
etdr4taffair
Evans to make a further movement hi ad-
vahf2e. His ontrosts are, at this moment, within less than
i. tusket shot of Astigarraga, being stationed aicn the hills
•ich comman d that village, and they say here that all the
e ff„ -ts of the C arlists cannot prevent him from occupying the
high :oad bet' .veen Irun and Hernani. Let me now proceed to
lnirticulara. About 12 o'clock this day, positive information
inQ recei, ed that Saarsfield was rapidly marching uponTolosa,
Geneval F.vans immediately ordered the rifles and the 4th re-
ginac-nf- to move on front the positions they then occupied,
and tah.e a house which stood upon a hill directly in front of
them. in the mean time they were supported by numerous
corps of Spaniards, who moved upon the point by the pontoon
bridge, which has been thrown across the lirernea, while a
strong force of artillery, with shells, rockets, and mountain
howitze.-s, marched in the same direction. The British ma-
i rocs formed a powerful reserve ; and a body of British sailors
ranged themselves the coast of the Amatza hiil, with a
gun and some shells, which they brought with diem from Pas-
sages. Lord John Kay put two very brief questions to the
officer who led them ua, and received as laconic replies. Both
are peculiarly charactcmristic of that spirit which, under every
circumstance, distingu:.shes the service of Old England from
any other in the worli. " Well, Dacres," said the Commo-
dore, " where are your men ?" " All here, Sir." " Where is
your gun ?" " Cle so to, Sir." I noted the words on the
spot, and shall nevc,r forget the prompt manner, but respectful
tone in which they were uttered. The troops of the legion,
who were ordered to advance, formed part of General Chi-
chester's brigade, and they certainly looked as if they were
determined neither to give nor receive quarter. It was past
four o'clock before the firing commenced, and from that mo-
ment down to about half-past five, incessant volleys were kept
up on both sides. The Carlists fought much in detached
bands from behind trees and parapets, at the same time they
frequently rushed forth upon their foes into the open ground,
yet almost always driven back at each repeated attempt. The
soldiers of the legion fought with desperation, while a raking
tire of round shot and spherical cases, clearing the way for
them as they advanced, they drove the Carlists from the hill,
just before night set in, and have thus gained a most important
position. No accurate account of the loss on either side has
yet been made out, and I shall hazard no conjecture upon it.
That the Carlists, however, have suffered severely, I am per-
fectly convinced; for the artillery did, as usual, tremendous
execution among them, and the four guns which they had in
play, two from the Venta, and two from hills, which are nearer
to the scene of action, produced little or no effect.
In the midst of the struggle an incident occurred which af-
fords an additional proof, if any were wanting, that the truly
brave man is always humane, and that no act can shed greater
glory on individual prowess than to spare or save a fallen foe.
A Carlist chapelgorris officer, haying his leg dreadfully frac-
tured by a shell, was lying on the ground in a pitiable state,
when a soldier of the rifles, burning for vengeance, prepared
to knock his brains out with the butt-end of his firelock. He
was in the very act of aiming the fatal blow, when fortunately
his arm was seized by General Chichester, who happened to
be standing on the spot, and at once compelled him to desist.
The looks of the wounded Carlist gave a deeper and more im-
pressive eloquence to his gratitude than any language could
impart. On the instant, however, Dr. Duplex, the surgeon
of the rifles, presented himself to him with his knife ready
drawn to cut off the shattered limb. The unhapyy man, hews.
over, fearing that his tortures might be prolonged, implored
them with tears of agony to dispatch him within the shortest
possible period. - lie was pcomptly re-assured. He was told
that to save his life was the main object in view, arts in order
to effect it, it was absolutely indispensable that he should un-
dergo the operation. On hearing this, the poor fellow not
only submitted to the knife without the slightest resistance,
but mingled the repeated expressions of his gratitude with the
depths of his moans. This ancients awarded a civic crown to
the man who saved a citizen. Much more than a civic crown
ought to be awarded to the man who saves the life of an
enemy in so horrible a war as that which now rages in the
north of Spain.

MARCH 15, NINE ?.11.—The formidable Volta is taken,
and the Anglo-Spanish force expect to enter Hernani to-
morrow morning. General Evans being determined to fol-
low up the important advantages he had gained on the
preceding day, was anxious not to lose a single moment, and,
though the weather was most inclement, he still made up his
mind to proceed. Accordingly, about twelve o'clock this day,
he had a combined force of about 6,000 men mustered upon
the lines, nearly half of whom were Spaniards. General
Godfrey's brigade, composed of the 6th Scotch, commanded
by Colonel Ross, and the ith Irish, by Colonel Beckham,
with the Chapelgorris, who positively refused to fight by the
side of any other troops than the English, occupied the
right, together with the Royal Marines and some British
sailors, who formed a rocket troop. It being intended
that the grand attack upon the Vent* should be
made on the left, in the direction of A stigar-
raga, the main forces of the Legion was kept in re-
serve for that purpose. It was nearly one o'clock before the
firing commenced, and then General Godfrey's brigade, rush-
ing forward with a charge and a cheer, carried the Carli;t out-
poet on the Hernani-road in less than ten minntei. Imme-
diately afterwards an incessant discharge of musketry was
heard both from Christinos and Carlists, while the roaring of
British cannon of every calibre served as the only t'esponse to
it. The Carlists, from the moment they wore driven from
their outposts, fought with desperation, but all to no purpose.
It was evident they were resolved to make any sacrifice rather
than yield that important position. Pressed, however, on all
sides, they had no alternative but flight or death, They pre-
ferred the former, and at seven o'clock this evening, the
and 10th regiments of the Legion, forming part of the reserve,
took possession of the Vents, and of two pieces of artillery,
which had been fired at till after the ammunition in the battery
was expended. The loss on both sides is said to he nearly
equal—about 500 in killed and wounded, The Legion has
to regret the fate of Colonel D. e Lancey, who fell, mortally
wounded, at the head of his regiment.