The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-12-29
Destruction Of Carthage.
A TERRIBLE SCENE.

The Carthagenians did everything. in
the prosecution of this war with the Ro-
mans, the most desperate valor could do,
but Scipio's cool, steady, and well cal
culated plans, made irresistible progress,
and hemmed them in at last, with narrow
limits, by steadily increasing pressure from
which they found it impossible to break
away.
Scipio had erected a sort Of mole or
pier upon the water near the city, on
which he had erected many large and
powerful engines to assault the walls -
One night large company of Carthage
mans took their torches in their hands,
not lighted, together with some sort Of ap-
paratus for striking fire, and partially by
wading and partially by swimming, they
made their way through the water of the
harbor towards the machines. When
they were sufficiently near. they struck
their lights and torches on fire. The Ro-
man soldiers who had been stationed to
guard the machines, were. seized whittier
ror at seeing all these flashing fires burst
suddenly over the waters, and fled in dis
may. The Carthagenans set the aban-
doned engines on fire, and then throwing
their own useless torches into the flames,
they swan back in safety. But all this
desperate bravery did very little good
Scipio quickly repaired the engines and
the seige went on as before.
But we cannot describe, in detail, all
the particulars of this protracted and ter
rible struggle. We must pass on to the
closing scene, which, as related by the
historians of the day, is an almost incredi-
BILE series of horrors.
After an immense number had been
killed in the assaults which had been
made upon the city, besides the thousands
and thousands which had died of famine
and of the exposures and hardships Incl
dent to such siege, the army of Scipio
succeeded in breaking their way through
the gates, and gaining admission to the
city Some of the inhabitants were now
disposed to contend no longer, but to
cast themselves upon the mercy Of the
conqueror. Others, furious in their de-
spaif, were determined to fight to the last,
not willing to give up the pleasure of kill
ing all they could find of their hated ene-
mics, even to save their lives. They
fought, therefore from street to street, re-
treating gradually as the Romans adj
vanced, till they found refuge in the cita-
del. One band Of Scipio's soldiers mount
ed on the tops of the houses, the roof, be.
ing flat, and fought their way there, while
another column advanced in the same
manner in the street below.
The more determined of the combatants,
with Hasdrubal at their head, took posses
sion of the citadel, which was in quarter
of the city, situated upon an emnence and
strongly fortified. Scipio advanced to the
walls Of this fortifcation, and set the part
of the city on fire which lay nearest to it.
The fire burned six days, and opened a
large area, which afforded the Romans
time to act. When the troops were brought
up to the area, thus left vacant by fire,
and the people within saw their condition
was hopeless, the desperate struggle with
in the walls was whether to perish in re-
sistance, or surrender in despair. There
was an immense mass, not far from sixty
thousand, half women and children, who
were determined on going out to surren-
der themselves to Scipio's mercy. Has
drubal's wife leading her two children by
her side, earnestly begged her husband to
allow her to go with them. But he refused.
There was a body Of deserters from the
Roman camp in the citadel, who had no
possible hope of escaping destruction, ex-
cept by desperate resistance to the last, he
committed his wife and children to their
charge, and these deserters, seeking ref.
uge in great temple within the citadel,
bore the frantic mother with them to share
their fate. r
Hasdrubal's determination, however, to
resist the Romans to the last, soon gave