Star.
London, England, 1809-10-27 00:00:00

SIEGE OF GERONA.

0::TOBER 6.—We have just received a
Series of the Gerona Journal, from the Lith to the
2(.h ult. That invincible city continued to defend
itself amidst the greatest privations, aild, notwith-
standing the unexpected prolonption of the siege for
upwards of four months, with an lrirciism which con-
stitutes the glory of Spain, and will form a pre-emi-
nent object of admiration wi:h posterity. Throughout
the whole of the 14th, twenty-one pieces of cannon,
and two howitzers in the enemy's batteries, ko•pt up
a dreadful and incessant fire upon the breaches, the
walls, and the city. It was returned from the fortress
with a heavy and well directed fire with considerable
effect upon the works of the besiegers. Two mor-
tars, planted to the right of the gate of Monjuich,
discharged, during the night, shells of the largest
size, which did great mischief, owing to the elevation
from which they kll4.

4 The Ger6na ./,urns; makes no mention of the attack of the
13th, of which the Tirear,-s,:a (":2zct:- gave the account that w.a
copied into our paper of I:.e 3d instant, and in which the besieged
were said to Ititve taken a battery of eight cannon. " Gerona, to
be ranked among the jr:l dlzvghtert of the country, does pot stand
in need of exaggeration, or fictitious relation,," says its brave
Governor, in one of the Journals ; and it should be added, that
neither spain, nor the just and glorious cause she is deftuding,
nor the public enthusiasm, can derive any advantage from them
nor the other false intelligence accredited and published without
discrimination in various journals to the injury of the national
characn•r. The simple truth is the best ornament of the history
of our liberty. Let us leave to tyrants.and to weak or corrupt Go-
vernments, the task of publishing falsehoods to mislead public
opinion, or to deceive the people who do not deserve to be de-
ceived.

On the 16th the enemy's fire was still more terrific.
It is impossible to describe the furious cannonade di-
recte.l against the walls, accompanied with a dischargq
of sh..lls and grenades.
On the 17th the tire was kept up with equal vigour,
bu the garrison and inhabitants persevering in the
m. st intrepid and determined resistance, witnessed
hout emotion the destruction which the houses
suffered.

In the evening of the same day a French Captain
pr •sented himself with a white flag and a dispatch--
I:1w Governor answered him in these laconic terms :
" No flag of truce can be admitted."
Cn the I Uth, the enemy's fire was rather slack in
th?. coercing, but it became more brisk towards noon,
ald was accompanied with a discharge of shells and
grPnades.
The 19:h was a glorous day for Gerona. After a
furious cannz;nade with which General Verdier in-
temied to terrify the Gt-ronese, and to facilitate his
e.-.1.-ance, he determined to strum the place. He for-
med his troops, consisting of 5500 men, into three
columw, and attacked the three breaches of Saata
Lucia, Quar.el de Alentanes, and Puerta de S. Chris-
robal ; whilst some detached corps occupied the a:-
ter tion of the garrisons of Forts Cabildo and Condes-
tahle ; and another considerable body attempted
to carry by assault Fcrt Calvanis, having provided
themselves for that purpose with hatchets, pick axes,
and ladders. The columns were upon the breaches
by four in the afternoon ; but by the same hour the
generale was beaten, and die imposing sound of the
alarm-bells was heard in every part of the city, and
already the well disciplined and veteran garrison were
at their posts, and completely prepared for action.—
The French o:ficers, who intrepidly led on their un-
fortunate troops, p.:id dear for their temerity. The
attack at the three points was most desperate, but
particularly at the breach in the Alemanes, where
the enemy, at the first outset, forced an entrance.—
Three times they were repulsed, when at length find-
ing their efforts unavailing, they left on these glori-
ous scenes of action a proof of the valour of their de-
fenders, and of French barbarity,
Our invincible defenders, worthy of the admiration
of all Europe, were not for an instant forsaken by
their heroic constancy and coolness. Led on by va-
liant and experienced officers, they fought with the
highest ardour and intrepidity ; and though it is
very common for troops to be thrown into confusion
under circumstances so terrific, they maintained a de-
gree of order and regularity capable of awing the
most intrepid enemy. This accounts for the breaches,
.clacis, and ditches being covered with the dead bodies
of Frenchmen.

A corps of light troops, ‘vho sallied most oppor-
tunely from the c‘olles, as the enemy were retreating
for the last time, made great slaughter among those
haughty slaves cf the despot, who towards dusk
finu 11 y desisted from their eotei prise, having received
z c(•nipletechastisement.

In the Manressa .hairnah:, received to the 25th, it
is sated, that the evenly had discontinued their can-
nonade of the fortress, since the 19th, and that sub-
sec.,,fnt to that day, there had been heard only a few
s,ots from St. Francisco, on the T2d.
Ocrol:l::l7.—Gencral Blake has transmitted to the
Supreme Junta 'he fdlowing dispatch, inclosing re-
ports from the Officers, who, under his orders, co-
operated ;n tLe :eiief ref Gerona
'6 Mos: EXCELLENT SEIGNIOR,

44 Gerona,immr.rtal, whether ultimately vanquished
cr victorious—fatal ::t all time.: to the French troops
that have besci,ed it—firmly perseveres in its glorious
defence. But it v:ts not only in Nvant of provisions
and ammunition, but even of the most necessary ar-
tcics for the sick and wounded, It was so closely
invested, that it had nq communication with the rest
of the brave principality, except by means of an
'ural nicsseter making his way through the ene-
mys sl-ct• It thetcf,,re became indispensably urgent
to alleviate this lamentable situation, by introducing
a convoy capable of remed)ing the scarcity, and a1,,0
a body I troops to reinforce the brave and indefati- I
gable garrison of the place. But the operation was
difficult and littz.trdons in proportion as it was im.'
portant. Thong?! the enemy occupied a very extended
We., it might easily be contracted ; and it was to be
ex pec
ed t:.tt he would make every effort to prevent
01 SUCcOUrs so important to a place

which he had been besieging for three months, and .
which he kept under the most rigorous blockade.
The only resource left to me was, to divert his atten-
tion to various points, and to make him suppose that
my intention was to offer him battle in the quarter
directly opposite to that by which the convoy was to
proceed. This p.an was carried into effect with the
most complete success.
" My head-quarters were in San Ilari, when I is-
sued orders for the respective movements. I ordered
D. Manuel Llanden, Lieutenant of the Ultonia In-
fantry, to march to the height of Los Angeles, situ-
ated to the ncrth of Gerona, with a sufficient number
of troops, and such of the Somatenes as he could col-
, lect on the road, to dislodge the enemy from that
position, where they had only a small body of infan-
, try, and to protect the convoys of provisions which
were to be introduced in that quarter. These orders
he punctually executed. 1 then repaired to the her-
mitage of Padro, two leagues distant from San Ilari,
with the troops of reserve, to be ready to proceed
wherever assistance might be necessary. From this
point I detached the Colonel of Ultonia, D. Enrique
O'Donell, with 1200 infantry, and some cavalry, to
attack the enemy's troops that were in Brunolas, with
the design of making the French General think that
the convoy was to proceed in that direction. Not-
withstanding the excellent position of Brunolas, and
its local strength being increased by entrenchments,
O'Donell and his troops attacked it with such gal-
lantry that they gained the summit of the mountain,
and planted the Spanish colours in the entrenchments.
The French kept up a fOrmidable fire ; but our troops
received it with the coolest intrepidity, and, without
stopping to return it, climbed to the highest ridge.
In the mean time the enemy received a reinforcement,
in consequence of an impression that this was the
point which required to be more particularly guarded.
O'Donell, to prevent being turned, descended to the
, plain, where he made a firm stand. A body of our
troops, under the command of General Loygorri, soon
after arrived at the position occupied by O'Donell.--
Our troops could have in an instant driven the enemy
from his position, had it not been judged more ad-
i viseable to make various evolutions, with the view of
imagnifying our numbers, and inducing the French
General, upon his receiving such information, to re-
inforce that point with the corps which he had on
the Ter, for it was by that road I intended to intro-
duce the convoy. Those divisions were, during the
whole evening, in' front of Brunolas, which the enemy
precipitately evacuated in the night.
" Colonel D. Francisco Robira, who was to the
left of the Ter, and also I.icut.-Colonel D. Juan
Claros, attacked, by my orders, the enemy's troops
who were in front of them, and opportunely attracted
their attention to that quarter.
In the meanwhile 4000 infantry, and 500 cavalry,
under the command of General Garcia Conde, es-
corted a numerous convoy, consisting of from 1500 to
2000 mules, and, proceeding from Amer, passed the
Ter, directing their march for the fortress along the
right bank of that river. They defeated the enemy
who were opposed to them, burned several of their
camps, and effected their elm:nice into Gerona. The
French immediately abandoned all their remote posts,
and contracted their line, to prevent the return of the
mules, drivers, and horses, that had got in. It then
became necessary to change our po,itions, and to
make various movements to protect their departure.
—They remained in the place a day and two nights,
and subsequently effected their return with such good
fortnue, that we did not lose a single individual, nor,
perhaps, did so much as a single mule or horse fall
into the bands of the enemy.
64 The Governor of Gerona was left with a garrison
of 3000 men. The moment 1 receive the detailed
report of Garcia Conde, 1 shall transmit it to your
Excellency. In the mean time I send you extracts
from those of O'Donell, Robira, Claros, and Llan-
den. May Goo, 6:c. (Signed) " ao.tcluiN BLAKE."
" Heal-qarters at 01,,t, Scpt. 1:3, It<o9.
Addressed to Don Antonia Curnd.