Weekly national intelligencer., 1846-11-21
SARAGOSsA AND MONTEREY.

In NAPIER's admirable history Of the Peninsular
war most interesting and graphic description. is
found of the siege and capture Of Saragossa by the
French under Marshal LANNEs. The ramparts
having been battered down, the historian says:
"The walls Of Saragossa thus went to the ground but
SaIagossa herself remained erect and the broken gde fell
from the heroic city, the beseges startled the Of her
naked strength the regular deences had indeed cumbhd
before the skill of the assaan but popular resistance
Immediately called with all its teor, into action and
fortune had resolved to mark the exact moment when all
the ordinary calculations of science should cease the chief
engineers both sides simultaneously slain. The
French General, La Cose young man, intrepid sklfu
and endowed with genius, persisted like brave soldier The
Spanish COL San GEMS died not only with the honor of
soldier but the glory Of the paroths blood staining the
rampas he had himself raised Tor the protection of his native
place." | ...
.tThe combat being in the of Saragossa the
sound Of the aaim bell heard in every quare-the peo
pie crowded into the houses nearest the Judgments Of the
enemy-addonal barrcades constructed across the
principal thoroughfares-mines prepared in the
open spaces and the internal communications house
house multiplied until they formed labyrinth the
intricate windng Of which only 10 be traced by the
weapons and the dead bodies Of the defenders From the
height of the walls which he had conquered Lannes contem
plated this terrific scene, and judging that passionate
and prepared could not be prudenty
BATTLE he resolved proceed by the slow but progress
Of the mattock and the mine."
NAPIER proceeds relate the further operations of the
siege how house after house blown up, by street
gained, and finally Ssagossa captured but only after
almost reduced an indiscmnae of smouerng
In both of the instances here specified the slaughter
immense And may be inferred beyond doubt that if
troops Monterey had continued the street fighting as
begun the first day Of the assault the final capture Of
the place would have been accomplished without fearful
loss The city prepared for just such defence that
which Saragossa maintained it in fact prepared with
than had been esowed upon the latter place. which
had its walls rely upon and therefore did mature its
interior dences until the walls destroyed The streets
Of Monterey only raked and enaded by artillery
planted in edoubs and fortified houses baricades of solid
masonry erected the streets leading to the
plaza by which the advance of the assans might be stopped
whle every moment voeys Of mukey could be poured
from the tops Of the houses both sides by concealed
behind parspets
The mode adopted Of penetrating through The houses, on
both sides Of the street, by making holes the interior patti
ton walls and thus gaining possession Of the adjoining houses
successfully rendered the deences the Mexicans
wholly useless In addition the advantages secured by
thus advancing under cover the American rifle in the hands
Of such the Texan rangers and the Western voun
teers efficient weapon in such this
than any which the asssans Of Saragossa The
rifle used itcan be used by Americans only is in fact
weapon which must give superiority against any
foe any kind of battle in which can be efficiently en-
ployed II is usual TO read, the of battles Of
troops being under fire for hours with aggregate loss in the
end small be almost incredible Now il is not posi-
BILE for columns Of be exposed the fire Of American
hemen for short time, without great oss-beca,se
every feman is maksman and narksrnan shoots with
out singing his man.-Bahimore american. FL