The Sun.
London, England, 1812-07-03 00:00:00

13SPO MINk

.ecount of the_Ceiebraied.Gueral Leader:
e-
AitNA,'has lately been given, by-Dort
XpIENES, who was one Of a party of Spanish pri-.
Son'ers2 Consisting of 21 officeri and 80 privates,
whom this extraordinary man rescued nearly on.
the frontiers of France, after killing and dispers-7
ing.the escort that conducted them. The follow-7.
ing extracts will perhaps not be unacceptable fo
o4r Readers :
• " 'We were marched froth Vittoria tinder a
guard of 1600 infantry and 200 cavalry. , We had
not proceeded two leagues, when we observed
two woods on the right .and left of the hi Ii read=
between Alendragon and Vittoria., On. approach
ing them we :;earl a nutsket fired, and immedi-:-
- ately a dreadful' slidWer of musketballs pourea
like hail on both flanks and• on our rear. The
kiiied and, wounded covere& the ground, and the
French invincibies were sdhorror,struck, that they
could neither maintain order, pr make any resist-
ance. They had, not e-,,T.n the'onportunityof see-
ing their enemy, as the quetillas were concealed
amidst bushes and the branches of trees; which-,
1 they had climbed, and from which they directed
their deadly &re. The undaunted MIYA, followed
by -'ISO horsemen, at-length advanced upon our-.
rear, and bore (lawn every -thing before him.
the 'titan time we flew, under a heavy fire, to our
friends and deliverers: A.4.2r the' slaughter-was
over, I had the satisfaction to see MINA, and-to'
converse with him. Ile. 'ordered us to be safely
conducted td Zalduendo, six leagues front the
scene of this action. The ,whole treasure and.
property under convoy, amounting in value to a.
Million of dollars, fell' into his hands. About 809
of, the invincibles were laid low, and 150, with their
Colonel, LAPITTE, and eight other, officers, wore
made prisoners.,
Among the, followers of MINA there was
countryman who brotight with him four blunder-
buss-barrels fixed in one"stock, and so construct-''
ed•as to turn upon a single pivot, which be fast-,.;
cps ,by a chain. to the -ground. Into each barrel
he put 32 balls, -and. fired the four' at once. . One
discharge from lits artillery passed throtnr,h four'
coaches; and killed jail 'the officers and women- in;
them.

" A spy, who had given., information of the
destination of this convoy to France, of the day
it was to set out, the strength of the escort, the_
number of prisoners, and other particulars, was...
by Mina's order, placed at a distance in the wood,
with his hands bounds, and guarded by a centinel,.
who had orders to shoot him if he attempted to
escape. - After the action," which' lasted full five-
hours, he called the spy before him, and said,
You are a- good fellow--you have riot deceived:
me—you nay go, andhere are 6000 hard dollant
foe your reward.'

It Ought to be mentioned, that about a league
and a half from Vittoria, we pasSed through a.
village, in which all the hoitSes were shut up, and-
not a living being was to be seen. This was the
work of Mina, who, when lie had resolved to,
lie in ambush for us, entered the village the emu-
ind before, and carried oil" the inhabitants. He.
ordered the old and the young men, women and'
children, all into. the market-place, fastened them.
tpgether two and two, and conveyed them under a
guard to the neighbouring mountains. He in-
formed them, that if they spoke or made the least
noise,, they would be instantly put to death, but
at the, same time promised, that, if they made noi
opposition, they shoUld in eight hours he safeir
restored to.their hojes. Thus it Was impossible
fOr the French: to' learn any thing of his plan.
" Mina is a stout made Man; of a ruddy coin=
Flexion, about" five feet eight in height: He. is
frank in his demeanour, though he Speaks little;
and is extremely active. He-detests loose women,'
and permits. none to accompany .either .officers pit
soldiers. lie .is about twenty-three,, and is ex-
tremely abstemious. He sleeps only two hours
each night, and' has constantly loaded pist,,-?is is
his girdle. He is very reserved respecting
plans, and.his officers seldom. kilo* whither they
are to march.

" -When a young man wishes to enlist in, tlao
cavalry; Mina first examines him, and then call-.
iug the Commando of the Infantry, he says-1.
This young man is desirous of serving in the ca.,
Valry, take him, in the first place, into your corps*
and tell me how he behaves himself.' in the first
action that occurs, the. Commander of the infantry,
who is on horsehack, places the young man near
him; and narrowly watches his conduct. He
observed in the same manner, during
.four
cessive actions, and if he behaves courageously 4.4
them all, the. Captain takes him to Mina, and says>
this lad does well, he: deserves to die. for hi*
country.' Mina then gives him arms and aliorse,
and thus his little, corps is composed. of the most
undaunted andenterprising men that can be:found.'