The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-05-09
mo. ia.

81 iii the CUIIimanu or the engineers, and
the direction of the siege.
| The enemy defended every house--three
attacks by mines were carried in front, aud
every day three or four mines blew up seve-
raj houses. and opened the way to our troops.
| In this way We reached the Corso (the
main street in Saragossa) lodged ourselves
on the quays and took possession of the uni
versities and colleges. The enemy attempt
ed to oppose their miners TO ours, but little
acquainted with this kind of warfare, their
| miners were quickly discovered and s.ifed
This manner of conducting the siege rem
dered its progress slow but sure, and less
dangerous for the army. While three ccm
panies of miners, and eight companies of pi-
onecrs,, are occupied with this subterraneous
war. whose results are soterrible, the city is
continually kept on fire by the rnortars throw
ing shall snG Rre- balls.
The attack had been made but ten DAYS.
before the reduction of the city was consider
ed as not far distant. More than one third
OF the houses were in our possession. The
church of Our Lady of the pillar, who by SO
many miracles was to save the city. was de.
stroyed by bombs and no longer ,teuable,
The duke of Montebello. then thought il
was time to take possession of the suburbs OH
the left bank, in order to occupy the Diane =
ter of the. city, and cross his fire. The gen.
OF division Gazan, carried in a brilliant
manner the Swiss barracks. On the 18th
battery OF fifty pieces opened early in the
morning. At Up. M. a battalion of the 18th.
ATTACHED large convent, whose brick walls
were or feet thick and carried it. Seven
thousand of the enemy defended the suburbs.
General Gazan advanced rapidly to the
bridge, by which the rebels could effect their
retreat into the city He killed greatn num-
Der and took 1000 prisoners among whom
were two generals, IL coionels, 10 1t. Colo
ne!s, and 29O officers. He also took 6 am
munitlon Wagons, and so pieces of cannon.
Almost all the troops of the line in the city,
occupied this important post, which had
been threatened since the 10th
at the same moment the Duke D'Abrantes
crossed the Corso and blew up the Colleges.
After these events, the Junta in order TO
gain time, and to give the people time IN get
over the horror and surprize with which they
were struck, demanded to parley bat their
taithIessness was known, and deception was
useless. Thirty more houses were carried
by mines or pioneers.
AT last, on the 21st, all the CITY was occu-
pied by our troops-15, 900 infantry and 200
horse have laid down their arms at Partiio,
& have surrendered 40 stands of colors & $50
pieces of cannon. The rebels lost 90 600
men during the siege, 49, 900 we're found
in the hospitals, and of these five hundred
died daily
The Duke of Montebello would rot grant
capitulation to the city Of Saragossa; he
only issued the following orders:
The garrison shall, on the 21st, at noon,
lay down their arms at the, gate of Portillo,
after which they shall be prisoners of war,
The soldiers of the line who will take the
oath OF allegiance to King Joseph, and enter
into his service, will be admitted into it-In
case their admission should not be granted
by the minister at war of the King of Spain,
they shall be prisoners of war and sent into
France Religion shall be respected: On
the 2lst at noon, the French troops shall oc-
cupy the Castle. All the artillery and
ammunition of every kind shall be tlelivs icd
to them. All the arms be deposited at the
door OF every house and collected by the
| Ward Alcades.''
The magazines of wheat, rice and veget-
ables found in the place are immense.
The Duke of Montebello has appointed
General Laval Governor of Saragossa
The deputation of the clergy and princi-
pal inhabitants have set out for. Madrid
Palafox is dangerously sick. This man
was despised by the whole of the enemy's
army, who accused aim of vanity and COW
ardice He has never been in any post where
there was danger.
| The Count of FueDtes, grandee ofSpain
whom the rebels had arrested on his estates
seven months ago, was found in dungeon
eight feet square, and liberated. The suf-
ferings, he bad undergone, are almost incie-
dible.