Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-06-23
Reilly directed 10 the Mar.ha,.

livered to me the order of his exce
lency don Josef Palafox, bv which h..
directs me to deliver immediately ,b;.
place to the French troops. Your ex.
cellency is not ignorant that every com.
mander of fortified place takes a Sc
parate oath to defend it; that as soon
as general becomes a prisoner ali
his authority ceases, and that cones
quently it is not psssible for me TO q.
hey the said order.
LUIS DE VEYAN.
To his excellency marshal Morsier.
ToRrosA, April 1.
The French according to appraran.
ces, intend to quit Barcelona, and their
van is marching towards Monerdo. ON
the road to Corona and Vich acc,r-
ding to the accounts of several person.
from Barcelona, they are taking a,vav
the cannon from Moniuich, and are
destroying every thing that they can.
IN order to escape. Our troops have
left rarragona, III order to occupy Vii.
la Franco.
In this place is the division Of tn.
marquis de Lazan, commanded bv
gen. Blake; through this part of Ar.
ragon, the French are marching towards
Saragossa-God grant thar it NAV be
never to return.
LERIDA, March 10.
The enemy who are on our froas,er
on the side of Arrag IN to the nu nbsr
OF 1000 men and have their he adj quar-
ters at Frago, which is distant z leagues
from this place, and their advauced
poses distant one league, have summon.
ed 1t to surrender by the following
letter from the French gen raj to our
governor.
FRAeA, March 6.
Governor, his exceliency the mar.
sh Il duke of siontebelio, wishin T., a.
void an useless efusion Of blood and ton
avert from the CITY OF Lerida lot si,n-
liar to that experienced by the inhat.
itanis Ut Saragossa, directs me to write
and to invite you to deliver to the
french troops the town AMI forts of
Lerlla, offering as well to yourself as
to your troops, the most honorable
capitulation. The capture of Sarapos-
ga has placed at the disposal of his ex-
cellency such resources, both Ia
troops and archery, that 1T is imposai.
bic tor YOU to mike al etfectual resis-.
tanee lotto accrp the proposals wni,:h
! have the honor tt make to von.
would he to cause the dcstrncii,on
of Lerida and the misery OK It's in
habitants. therefore invite ye,u.
Sir, seriously to reject upon the CON-
sequences ofreSistaucr, and &c Ie.tns
know your determination thar | nav
regulate my conduct. Accept, sir. tha
assurance of my consideration " i,i,
which L have the honor 90 saluse y,,n.
the general of division, com nandins
the French troops.
The Count DE GAzAN,,
Reply Of the GcOe rnor of Lerida.
LERIDA, 10th March, 1909.
| 10 the Count dc Gavan, comm.ar..
ding the French troops at fraga. In
answer to the polite letter which Won
were pleased to write to me this d,ite.
l cannot do less than reply, that the
governor of Lerida, its Carr sion ind
inhabitants are animated bv those
sentiments of honour which character.
Use both soldiers and citizens resolved
to defend their most just cause, and if
Saragossa, without walls could resist
for two months, TO the great loss of
the besiegers less cannot be expect
ed from city surrounded with impreg.
nable fortresses and provided with eve
ry thing necessary for defence. Accept,
General, the assurances ofthe esteem
with which l am your most obediens
servant,
Josetih Cysfmyro de LavaHs,
Governor OF I.erila.
When the Count de Gazan sent the
summons, he was ig1orant of the de-
feats which the French troops in for
mer times had experienced before the
walls of Lerida, IN whose plains are
buried thousands OF soldiers, whose
lives become the forfeit of their temsr-
liy. The Prince Of Condo, who ex-
Perienc-d the valour of its inhabitan 5,
preciPitately abandoned his enterprize,
and raised the seige of that strong
place, in ancient times resne cted bv ~.