New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-07-31
NUMBER 126.

/ ing ground that those who knew their relations
ana friends to be neutral or ia the Queens
ranks, would remain quietly at home
Although the primary object Of his taking
arms was thus accomplished, Elorrio showed no
disposition TO lay them down again. Like the
young panther, a taste Of blood had given him
relish for it, and he continued biting cart
ridges till the very end Of the war Ipnurner-
able wild and adventurous feats are recorded Of
HIM The first by which he distinguished him.
self, subsequently to the death Of the Chaplain,
was the conveyance Of dispatch from Tolosl
| to Pampeluna, across mountainous country
over run by Carlist soldiers, and by armed peas
ants equally disaffected and dangerous. He de-
livered his letters and was returning with a
reply, when he was surprised by party Of
Carlist custom house officers. The foremost man
who first seized him, was his own uncle, who i'm
mediately recognized him, and called to
his companions to hasten up and help to secure
| the young Christine, in return for which un-
| klnsmanlike canduct he was Immediately knit d
by his nephew. Elorrio escaped with the great
est difficulty, for the alarm was given all over
the country, but, favored by the darkness of the
night and ruggedness of the ground, he managed
to reacn Tolosa, If, in this instance he showed
small affection or forbearance to his uncle, !
| subsequently exhibited great self-devotion, and
ran extraordinary risk, in behalf of sister.
| The Cariists, enraged at the success Of his
| stratagems, and at the damage he did them,
seized her as hostage, and kept her close pris-I
| oner, requiring for her release heavy ransom, ,
and that her brother should give himself up to
| them. Elorrio had too much regard for his
neck to accept this last condition, but resolved
| at the same time that his sister should be no
| loser by his obedience to the instinct of self
/ preservation. Selecting tempestuous night
in the spring Of the year 1888, he left the lines
of Hermann, passed unperceived through the
hostile outposts, and, at the head of a resolute
little band of twelve men, struck boldly into
| the enemy's territory. At dawn the party
halted, remained concealed the whole of that
day, and when night returned descended from
their mountain lurking places, to Villabona q
4 small town between Andonin and Tolosa Leav-
| ing nine Of his men outside the place. and fol-
| lowed by three others, Eorri boldly entered
the street, and made direct for the house of the
Alcade, who had been mainly instrumental in
capturing his sister. Here he found a party of
Carlist officers at supper, and reported himself
to them as corporal in Car1ist regiment then
stationed near Gyarzun, adding that he was
taking confidential dispatch from his colonel
| to General lturiza, then at Aspectia, which doc
ument and q forged passport he produced for
| their inspection. After some conversation in
which Elorrio played his part admirably, he re-
quested a billet for himself and men The Al
cade. to avoid the trouble of writing an order,
| stepped out to allot him lodging for the night
| Scarcely had he passed his own threshold when
a knife was at his throat, with threat Of in
stant death if he broke silence The terrified
| ofhclal held his peace, and was sent out of the
| town in charge of Elorrio's followers Elorrio
| himself then returned to the house, called out
the Alcade's wife on pretence of her husband
wanting her, and made her prisoner likewises
Then setting off at double quick time with his
l nov vatiu he hnJ1
| OF his time that at two in the morning he ar
rived at point near Hermann, which he knew
to be occupied by an officer and twelve men
| These he carefully reconnoitered, and, pereeiv-
| ing they were not very vigilant, he boldly ap-
| preached them, answered their challenge, and
accosted the officer, whom he told that he was
esoorting two criminals to a Carlist fort near
the French frontier, and that he had orders to
| shoot them if they spoke to any one by the way
The officer listened unsuspicously to the tale,
and was In the act of offering his interlocutor
q dram, when he suddenly found himself dis
armed and a prisoner. AT the same time Flor
rios men placing themselves between the SOL
diers and their piled arms, resistance became
| impossible, and the whole picket were captured,
bound and led away. Even the advanced SEN
tries were taken, under pretence of relieving
them. At daylight, Elorrio entered ST. Sebas-
tian, and a few days after he got back his sister
in exchange for the Alcade's wife, the unlucky
husband remaining in durance vile
| AT different periods of the war Elorrio sur
prised and carried off every Garlist outpost
around st. Sebastian and Hermann His dis
guises were innumerable and most ingenious
The picket between Urneta aud Hermann he cap
tured by dressing himself and men as charcoal
burners. concealing their short fuzees between
the sacks upon their jaekasses, and thus suc-
ceeded IN his tavorite man9uvre of getting be-
tween the men and their muskets The adua-
neros, or Custom house officers, on the causeway
OF the marsh in front of Lugariz, ne surprised by
Disgusting himself and the youngest of his band
| as market women returning from St. Sebastian
The Carlists stopped them to demand toll, but
1 were instantly collared, disarmed and carried
of. In May, 1888, he took score of Chapel
ehurrls, or White Caps Ia crack Gariist regi-
ment so called}, in the following manner.
Starting as usual after dark, at midnight he
| arrived at some fortified iron works about two
leagues from Hermann On the bridge, he in
person, surprised a sentry, from whom he learned
the force of the garrison then leaving an officer
who had accompanied him at some distance in
the rear, with whole company of Chapelgor-
ris, he himself, with ten or twelve men, attacked
the building, firing at the windows, and uttered
loud cries. The Carlists, recovering from their
first panic, and fancying they were attacked by
| q very small party, opened the gates and
charged fercely out. Elorrio and his men had
| TO run Tor their lives from the enemy, having
recognized him were ardent in pursuit of their
old and implacable prosecutor Having led
them on far enough. the fngitives halted and
faced about. At the same moment the company
OF Chapelgorris poured in deadly volley from
their ambuscade, and then rushing on with the
bayonet slew or captured the survivors.
Elorrios band consisted of twelve men, in
creased when required by a draft from the
Chapelgorri. They were all Basques, very
young fellows, wonderfully active, courageous
i and enduring, and selected by himself on ac-
count of their knowledge of the country and
distinguished valor. Exempt from all duty
except these wild and hazardous expeditions
they were constantly to be seen lounging about
the wine shops Of ST. Sebastian, their great coats
ung from their shoulders, their cigars between
their teeth They received ten dollars for every
Carlist soldier brought in alive, and proper
tionate higher sum for officers, according to
rank. Their leader always kept his plans a
profound secret, which mainly contributed to
the great success Of his enterprises. He was
\ repeatedly offered q commission, but Invariably
declined a promotion that would obige him to
exchange his favorite fuzee for the less useful
sword At last he accepted the breyet rank OF
ensign, emitting him to officers uniform without
depriving him of his customary implement Of
| warfare. And with this humble rank and small
means he managed to keep the enemy outposts
| in a state of constant alarm, every now and
| then striking a blow where least expected, and
doing more raal service In the a,1ea fha,, ~,