Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1823-06-17
cen. hack on the morrow. to take their


! contest and dreadful carnage. The
French forced their way into the Coza
in The very centre of the city, and be-
fore the day closed, we're in possession
of one half of Zaragoza Lefevre now
believed that he had effected his pur-
pose. and required Palafox 10 surrsn
der, in noe containing only these
words: ''Head quarters, St. Engra
c,a. Capi,uiation - The heroic Spa
niard n mediately returned th's reply:
"Head quarters, Zarsgoza, War at
the knife's point"
The contest which was now carried
on is unexampied in history. On one
side of the Coca street about as WIDE
az Pallmall, was possessed by the
French, and in the centre Of 1t, thelr
! General Verdier, gave his orders from
The Franciscan convent. The oppo-
site side was maintained by Arrago
nese, who threw up batteries at the D.
pening ofthe cross streets, within few
PAGES OF those which the French erect
| ed against them. The intervening
space was presently heaped with dead
either slain upon the spot, or thrown
on, from the windows. Next day the
ammunition Of the citizens began TO
fail; the French were expected every
moment to renew their efforts for com
peting the conquest, and even this CIR
cumstaDce occasiuned no dismay, nor
! did any one think of capi,uiation. One
cry was heard from the people when
ever Palafox rode among them, that, If
powder failed. they were ready to at
tack the enemy with their knives-for-
midahle weapons in the hands OF des.
perate men. Just befure the door clo-
sed Don Francisco PalafOx, the Gene
rails brother, entered the city with
convoy of arms and ammunition, and
reinforcement of 5000 men, composed
of Spanish guards, Swiss and volun-
,eers of Arragon succour as l'itle ex-
pected by the Zaragozans. as 1t had
been provided against by the enemy.
The war was now continued from
street 10 street, from house to house,
and from room to room-pr'de and in
digbation having wrought up the
, French to pitch of obstinate fury,
! little inferior to the devoted cou' age
of the patriots. During the whole
siege no maD distinguished himself
more remarkably than the cura'e of
one of the parishes. within the walls,
by name P. Santiago Sass. lie was
always to be seen in the streets, some
times ii ghting with the mos determined
bravery against the enemies, not OF his
country alone, but of FIRE dom and OF all
virtuous principles, wherever they were
to be found. at other times admins err
ing the sacrament TO the dying, ani
conficming, with the authorly of fsllt
that hope, which gives to death, under
such circumstances, the Joy the exui'a
ton, the triumph, and III spirit of maj
tvrdom. Palatox reposed the utmost
nfidence in this brave priest, aud SCI
lee d him whenever any thing dltiicuIt
or hazardous was 20 be done. At the
head Of 40 chosen men he succeeded IN
introducing a supply of powder into
the town SO essentially necessary for
its defence.
This most obstinate and n.urderous
contest continued for ! ! successive
DAYS and nights - more indeed by night
than by day. for it was almost certain
death to appear by daylight within
reach ofthose houses which we occu-
pied by either party But under co
yer Of the da rkness, the combatants re
quently dashed across the street. to at
tack each others batterles-- nd the
battles which began there were often
carried Oh into the houses beyond,
where they fought from room to room,
and floor to floor. The hostile bate
ries were so near each other, that
Spaniard in one pla,e made way IN.
der cover Of the dead bodies, which
completely filled the space between
them and fastened rope to one OF the
French caDnon-in the struggle which
ensned, the rope broke. and the lara
gozans lost their prize al the very mo
monent when they thought themselves
sure Of it
A new horror was added to the dreadful
circumstances OF war IN this ever memora
BILE siege la general engagements the
dead are left upon the feid--and The sdr-
vvors remove to clear ground and an un>
tainted atmosphere: buthere in Span and
in tue month of August, there where the
! dead lay the struggle was stu carried ON
and pestilence was dreaded from the
enormous accumulation of purifying bod
les Nothing IN The whole course OF the
siege 50 much embarrassed Paatox as this
evil. The only remedy was to tie ropes