The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-02-21
Siorming Of a City.

/ When city is taken by storm, in mill
tary phrase. and in accordance with the
usages ofwsr, ,itis 'gieen up iotAe soldiery!
What this means will be apparent from the
|frightful picture of Badajos, asst appeared
on the night after it had been carried by
the Allies. under " ellington. April 6, 1912
Says an English officer, who participated
in the assault:
"lt was nearly dusk, and tho few hours
while slept had made fearful change
in the condition and temper OF the soldiery.
In the morning they were obedientto their
officers, and preserved the semblance OF
suhordin alton; now they were in a state
of furious intoxication; discipline was for
gotten. and the splendid troops Of yester-
day had become a fierce and sanguinary
rebble, dead 10 every touch OF human
feeling, and filed with every demoniac
passion tn at can brutaiize the man. The
fcity was in terrible confusion, and on every
side horrible tokens Of military license me,
! the eye.
One street, as approached the castle,
was almost choked up with broken furni-
tnre; for the houses had hecn guiied from
the cellar to the garret. the partitions torn
down. and even beds ripped up and scat.
tered to the winds in the hope that gold
might be found concealed. A convent at
the end oi Strada of ST. John was in
| flames and saw more than one wretched
nun in the arms OF drunken soldier
| Farther on the confusion seemed great.
er. Brandy and wine casks were rolled
out before the stores; some were full, some
| half drank out, but more STAYED in, in
mere wsntonness. aud the liquors running
through the kennel. Many narrowing
scream salutei the ear Of the passer.by;
many a female supplication was heard
asking in vain for mercy. How oopld il,
be otherwise, when il is rememberad that
twenty thousand furious and iicentious
mad-men were loosed upon an immense
population. among which many of the
| loyeiest women upon the earth might be
| foundl All within that devoted city was
at the disposal Of an inioriated army. over
whom, for the time. control was lost. aided
| by OH infamous collection of follow
ers, who were. il possible, more sanguina
| ry ard pi,iless than those who had surviv.
| ed the storm. a5a i-s.f..
1t is needless TO dwell upon scene
| from which the heart revolts. Few fe-
males in this beautiful town ware saie thai
night from Insult. The noblest and the
beggar--the ffuts, and the wife and daugh
ter Of the artsan-youih and age. all were
involved in general ruin. None were re-
spected and consequently few escaped
The m madnesssef those desperate brisands
was yariously exhibited; some fred through
doors end windows; Others at church bells;
many al the wrelched Inhabitants as they
fed iHso the streets 10 escape the bayo,
nets Of the savages. who, were demolish-
ing the property within doors; while some
wretches, as if blood had not flowed in
sufficient torrents already, SHOT from the
acindoics their o,cn companions as they
taggered on below. What chances had
the miserable inhabi,enis Of escaping death
when more than one officer perished by
the bullets and bayone!s of the very men
whom few hours before he had led to
the assault!'
This city contained about I6, 900 inhab-
iian,s, end had twice before within ,he
space of thirteen. months, been subjected
10 the horrors of siege, by the 'Libera-
tors of the Peninsula"
II such a fate awaits the nhabitents OF
Sebasopol in the event of its fall. may
we not pray that the attack upon it may
not cceed?-Bost0n Transcript. -..