Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-10-27
sassarellaaenus nepartmemt.
TIE ATTACKED ESCORT.
\ SPANISH SCENE.

y SPANISH SCENE.
In 1910, | was in the French service, and ordered
with my regiment 10 BayoDnc. Frequent cOuyoys were
sent forward into Spain, sufficient, numerous 10 keep
oil the GueIiias; and 10 oae OF those WAS attached
on ITS way to Anda,usia. Our convoy was strong: Il
corps of infantry, Dragons aud artillery, escorting a
long train OF Wagons with stores. Our march was
through a me part o. the country, and in the finest
season Of the year-tie cloa: OF sDrinr. We proceed
ed slowly, and had full leisure TO eujoy the landscape.
The Spanish spring realses al! those IDEAS OF beauty.
those skies OF clcudless blue aud SPLENDID sunshine.
those biossomed fields and light aud delicious airs, that
IL other lands are scarcely more than the language CT
poetry
The convoy moved will, thc usual military preoau-
.tolis, though 1t was too strong to be liable 10 a Guer-
lila attack. We could not however, prevent desulto-
~ sbiimishes in tkc dethes, BY which we lost some
n!an- Even this, in some degree, added to the interest
"f our march. On the hrst report OF 4 musket, the
column closed: oar mountain voltigeurs ana ligh; in
'antry were sent up the hills, TO turn the flank OF the
Span'ards; and apart from the loss of lives, the scene
was often IN The highest degree striking and pictur-
e.que.
In this mode we passed on till we reached the Sierr,
"lorena. There the badness OF he roads, which had
been neglected frnni the commencement OF the war.
ofoke a considerable number OF our wagons; aud as we
ha' no" reached a country completely in the power of
our troops, the officer IN command thought it better
10 move forward wi.h tue main body, than linrer for
their repair. Some hundred men were left behind IN
escort them. with orders TO follow 10 a town three
marches OF, which was TO be the acud Quarters of the
convoy | had been taken i'll, and renamed will, tbe
Wagons; the delay however, was tr,fing; aud in TWEEN
II four hours we were on the road again. UnluckiIy.
The commaGdant cf the escort in order 10 make m for
our lost time, took ii into bis head 10 move up by n
narrow forest road, instead of that through the opep
country, which made a circuit of some extent. / OBJ
served TO him the hazard of this rout, he gave me
clViily 10 understand shat l vas not then at the head
OF my regiment; Lsaid no more, and we plunged into
The forest. For some time all went on well. but the
forest grew thicker, the road narrower and more bro
ken, aud at last a grove OF oaks brought us almost TO q
stop. We here found our advanced dragons, who
RATED for the column, that they might not be entan-
gted alone in the groye.-lVe had scarcely worked
ourselves a dozen yards among the trunks and corpse.
when al ARRANGED sha!p-sAooter fired, and in a moment
alter we saw men with muskeis in their hands running
found us.-Iteir number increased rapidly, and we
soon had them in every direction-frout flank and rear.
Our counmandant had now found out his mistake. and
td nothing 10 DO but 10 get out OF il as well as he could.
The column had halted at once. The infantry ,yerr
posted at lis head, and in tue rear of the waenons The
s'Iarp-shooters formed a line on each side, from from,
to rear, ard the dragoous were pushed into the wood,
on both sides OF Tie road, at 80 PAGES off, 10 act as
skir,aisbers.
The fire had already begun, and the enemy had all
The aoVantage-he might single US out as ne pleased.
while we might take our revenge by firine at Ibn
trees. We saw some OF our dragons tumbIed from
their horses, while others gallopsd back to us woru6-
ed. Piaioons of infantry were advanced to .r,rn,,
them, ana they soon began TO feel the effects OF ti,e
irc. Our next experiment was 10 send thirty draoo,r.
TO cut down every thing before them. They cha roe,
gai!antry, but they could not cat down oaks and elm,
OF . hundred years growth, and in a few minutes ve
saw about one half Of the troop gallon back AGAIN. r,,-
lowed by a shout and a shower of balls.
We were now situated a~".ardly enough, and in fac,
had nothing for i; but fighting. The commander va,
a good officer though lie had entered the wood. an,
tie soldiers fired desperately. We made cur = 10
sing our men continually: stu we got on. until we C,,,
10 an "'ttfl& of trees, in the very heart of the fores,
Here we fought for i!e and death: the cneHv. ,bonoj
only peasants, were bold, aid ca pitai shots; and il wa.
not until after an hour Of G;spair and carnage that we
orofe taroGg. lie barrier, wound our way through the
forest, and saw the light OF. heaven. This cost us
nearly all our Wagons, two thirds Of our escort. IKE
commandment : severe wound in Tie knee, aud me 2
ball ia line shoulder.
This was an rn!ucly affair, and il, LEFT ,s al! in /;
hnmour: We moved on determined 10 try no more
short cuts: and about half a Ieaguc father saw auo;be,
grove. We all shranis at the s;gIi; bat above the tree
sc saw, at Il turning Of tie road, the ciinne,s of
tcGateau. This cf course would afford Quarters fin
the officers, an hospital COR tie wounded, and mum,
der for the rest rov demonstrated on the pecessits
81 losing no more time; but the commandments yopn,
bad made him outrageous ana the sight of Soa nisb M
perry was not easily resisted BY our troops at iiat ,e
Rod. So it was determined 10 t5y what vas inside o
the chateau.
We LEFT the few carriage that remained to US in Che
road, and sent our shafp-shooteTs Up the ~ranI aya
'nae- a stately range OF oaks. There was not 4 s,n
10 be seen in the houses: The Windows were closed
and utthat the dogs banked Gercely, zee should hay,
thought that The whole hall been visited BY the niaone
The soldiers hammered the great door with the hu
ends OF their m%usquets, auug stones al the windows
and at last began 10 fire at the shutters. Al was usc
less. AT, length, az We "cic beginning 10 Law farpot!
against tue door a small window was opencl. and ;
mans voice inGuiTeG-"niat SIC w~arieGtp
One OF cur officers who bad served in Spain. an
swered, that ve wanted 10 get ia and have some refresi,
tneut5 and rest. The voice replied, ard babe rs 10 -,
10 q farm rouse IN sight, where we should find proyis-
IONS, mo-" said the officer, that is not enouri; oncr
The door, or we viii getiD in spite Of you.D
" on shall not get i'm said the voice. eve have
icrcs enough 10 defend oarse'vcs; retire at your peril,
i, ms defiance put The troops INTO a rage. The,
looted on itas an iusUient cha Iience; and villa so,ol
OF them prepared 10 scale the windows, oilers ran Of
10 bring up our guns, 10 bust ofen the door, The
co'ntnaniant, 30" ever, would got allow them TO be
rsedi' IN the fear Of bringing tie gucriilas upon hin
again. 1t length they broke open lie door with line
levers OF the guns. ASA fell in, a line Of fay ner
dra'sn mp III the court wi'hin, fired a yol!eY that knock.
ca a0"n ore half OF these ia front.-Thc resi- fell
back Tor moireni; bat TIC whole Corps now rusbc,
on and hilei the court before he S2aBiards had fine
'oFeiosd. q few Of them were killed on lI,e s,nt. tni
we greater part made good their retreat into tie cha
Leu ara hom mai iaio lie grounds, where our SOL