Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-10-07

heir own soldiers. who burnhg with the
thirst Of Carnage, thought only on slaughter
ing,
cat this moment running myself to the
gate OF San Magin, to collect there, if posi-
Bile, some soldiers in order to charge the en-
envy, to save them during the night or to at
tempt 10 break through, l was wounded in the
belly by stroke ola bayonct, anl made pri-
soner by an enenv's detachment. The re-
port then spread that was killed; and the
general disorder increased TO such degree,
that the soldiers might be seen throwing a
way their arms, taking to fight, and thus
falling into the hands of their enemies, who
made them all prisoners.
"Tarragona, in fine, after one of the most
obstinate sieges, during which left untried
none of those measures which are dictated
by the art of offence and which the small
ness OF nv force and means permitted-Tar-
'raycna fell amidst the horrors dra~non it by
the. heroism of a garrison which shut its ears
to ali proposals for capitulation, OH the 2Sth
of June, day that will be memorable in flu
tuTe times Tor the tragical end OF this ancient
capital of Spain which has been condemned
TO see its temples and edihces destroyed du-
ring the siege by more than one thousand
ana lniluilCTdDlc
quantity ofbuliets and balls, which filled with
terror the isles of Majorca and Minorca, and
coasts ofthe Mediterranean, the hospitals of
which are filled with its wounded defenders !;
which, in short has seen at the last moment
of its existence SO many victims slaughter
ed.
+" On the following day, Gen. Count Suchet,
caused me 20 be conveyed on a litter to his
head quarters at CONSTANT, where found
Generals Courtehs, Cabrer, Brigadier Mesi-
ma and other chiefs who had been made pri-
soners, with 1900 men, of whom 400 were
officers, who have been conducted to France.
The Genera! sent for me, and in presence
Of the principal officers of his army, openly
told me that | was the cause of the hor-
rors his troops had committed in Tarragona,
because | had defended myself beyond the
limits prescribed by the laws of war; and
that these laws authorised him to punish me
even with death, for not having demanded a
capitulation as soon as the breach was prac-
ticablc; that on entering by assault he had
a right to put every thing to the fire and
sword; and that by consequence the besieged
ought to have hung out the white flag as soon
as the breach was open.
replied that il was true that the laws
Of war prescribed, that if the assailant enter
he may deliver up town to plunder, fam es,
and the sword; and that they in consequence
indicate, that the moment when the assault
is about to take place is the time to capitu-
late; these same laws, however, did not pro-
hibit the garrison TO defend itself, and entIea-
vor to repel the assai!ants; that I had resis-
ted, because with force sufficientto repel his,
which would doubtless have been the case,
had my dispositions been obeyed in the way
that ordered them that, because expect
ed succors on the day following, both from
Campoverde and from the sea, &c; that ha.
wing resisted until the bseach was practical
bic, should have passed for coward,
had l not dared to defend it; and, in
short, that no law forbade me to repel the
assault. sE~.~
"Gen. Suchet, convinced byxe poNerfuls
reasons which gave him, tres6ed me Mast
as well as the other General Ind privs Of
fcers, with all the distinctiok which wShd
merited by our resistance.
The garrison behaved heSoically in the
defence up to the moment of het assault; +
then showed some weakness, the solEjzgls
gave way and was imtimidated The off
GERS on the contrary, always behaved well,
and, sabre in hand, made the greatest efforts
to keep the soldiers to their duty, and to COL
lect them in order that they might resist and
attack the French, who were pursuing and
cutting them down in the streets. But their
terror increased every moment. and they
let themselves be sabred even by us, with
out even then resolving to recommence the
combat. n
Every thing has conspired against this
poor garrison. Campoverdc, on leaving it
promised to come speedily to its relief and
deliverance, and never did 50 though he dali
ly renewed his promises, as may be seen from
a great numbered letters of which send CO.
pies subjoined. The kingdom of Valencia
sent to the aid of the place General Miriam
da, with division of the troops of that king
dom, who landed ut Tarragona, and the fol-
lowing day re-embarked, and waste join the
army Of Campoverde. An English division
made its appearance on the Goth. Col. Skier
ret who commanded it, came on shore to con-
fer with me. On the 9th the English engi-
neers came TO reconnoitre the front Of attack
and, convinced that the place was incapable
OF resistance, they returned to their ships
so that they all kept aloof from the place,
though they had come to relieve it. This a
abandonment on the part of those who came
IN order to save it was the worst Of all il |
made such an impression on the spirits Of the |
soldiers, that they began to foresee That they |
were lost; they were cast down; they only |
continued their resistance in consequence of |
my continual exhortations, because they saw |
my GOODNESS, andthc coslness which felt, |
that If they executed my orders, the French