Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-11-15
PrescOFs New VoImmne -sterming Of
Gnlnnn

GutGFR
We present, from the advance sheets of
volume III Of Prescott's PhilipIII, the follow
ing fine extract describing in the elegant and
characteristic narrative of the author, the
storming of Galera. The volume will be pub
lished on the 9Th of December by Phillips,
Sampson & Co:
On the sixth of February, tho engineers
who had charge of the mines gave notice that
their work was completed. The following
morning was named for the assault The or
ders of the day prescribed that general can.
nonade should open on the town at six in the
morning. 1t was to continue an hour when
the mines were to be sprung. The artillery
would then play for another hour; after
which the signal for the attack would be Civ
en-. The signal was TO be the firing of one
gun from each of the batteries, to be followed
by simultaneous discharge from ALL The
orders directed the troops to show no quar-
ter to man, woman, or child.
On the seventh OF February, the last day
of the Carnival, the besegeIs were under
arms with the earliest dawn. Their Young
commander attracted every eye by the splen-
dor of his person and appointments. He
was armed cap a-pie, and wore a suit of bur
nished steel richly inlaid with gold. His
casque, overshadowed by brilliant plumes,
was ornamented with medallion, displaying
the image of the Virgin. In his hand he
carried the baton of command and as he
rode along the lines, addressing a few words
of encouragement to the soldiers, his perfect
horsemanship, his princely bearing, and the
courtesy of his manners, reminded the veter-
ans of the happier days of his father, the en-
Tho hx, No. -
rounded emulated their chief in the richness
of their appointments; and the Murcian
chronicler, present on that day, dwels with
compacency on the beautiful array of South
ern chivalry gathered together for the final
assault Of Galefa.
From six o'clock till seven, furious can
nonade was kept up from the whole circle of
batteries on the devoted town. Then came
the order to fire the mines. The deafening
roar OF ordnance was at once hushed into a
silence, profound as that of death, while every
soldier in the trenches waited, with nervous
suspense, for the explosion. At length it
came, overturning houses, shaking down a
fragment of the castle. rending wider the
breach in the perpendicular side of the rock,
and throwing off the fragments with the force
of volcano. Only one mine, however, ex-
ploded. 1t was soon followed by the other,
which, though it did less damage, spread such
CONSERVATION among the garrison, that, fear
ing there might still be third in reserve, the
men abandoned their works, and took refuge
in the town..
When the smoke and dust had cleared
an officer with few soldiers was sent to re-
connoitre the breach. They soon returned
with the tidings that the garrison had fled,
and left the works wholly unprotected. On
hearing this, the troops, with furious shouts,
called out to be led at once to the assault. 1t
was in vain that the officers demonstrated en-
forcing their circumstances, in some instanc-
es, by the fiat of their sabres The blood of
the sodlery was up; and, like an ill-disci-
plined rabble, they sprang from their trenches
in wild disorder, as before, and, hurryng
their officers along with them, soon scaled the
perilous ascent, and crowned the heights
without opposition from the enemy. Hurry
ing over the debris that strewed the ground,
they SPEEDILY made themselves masters of
the deserted fortress and its outworks, filling
the air with shouts of victory.
The fugititives saw their mistake, as they
beheld the enemy occupying the position they
had abandoned There was no more appre-
hension of mines. Eager to retrieve their
error, they rushed back as by common i'm
pulse, to dispute the possession OF the ground
with the Spaniards. 1t was too late. The
guns were turned on them from their own
IaVeIn snowereu down on their heAo, -
more formidable than stones and arrows Ru,
ign their powder was nearly gone. the
morlscoes could still make fight with sword
and dagger, and they boldly closed, in a hand
to-hand contest with their enemy, 1t wasa
deadly struggle, calling out-as close personal
contest is sure to do-the iercest passions of
the comoatants. No quarter was, given
none was asked. The Spahiard was neryed bv
the confidence of victory, the Morisco bv the
energy OF despair. Both fought like men
VINO knew that on the issue of this conflict
depended the fate Of Galera. Again the war
cries OF the two religions arose above the din
OF Datle as the one party invoked their
mlii'ary apostle, and the other called on
Mahomet. 1t was the same war-crv which
for more than eight centuries had sopnded
over hill and valley in unhappy Spain, These
were its dying notes, soon to expire with the
exile or determination of the conquered lace.
The conflict was terminated by the arrival
OF fresh body of troops on the field with
Padllla. The chief had attacked the town
oy the same avenue as before everywhere
ne aad met with the same spirit of resistance.
But the means of successful resistance were
gone Many of the houses on the streets had
Dee9 iSere BLE REMEe of the artillery.
Duch .ag with any Of the sbndefended by men
armey.1aD EXTRACT BUoieapons than stones
and p 0UACK NoSTNI 10 another, most of them
weF9 Do9ToRsyd by the Spaniards and
thessssss . 4 Were put to the sword or PERISH
ed in the flames.
1t Jared no better with the defenders of the
barricades. Called by the volleys of the
Christians, against whom their own rude
missiles did comparatively little execution,
they were driven from one position to another;
as each redoubt was successfully carried, a
shout OF triumph went up from the victors,
which fell cheerily on the ears Of their coun-
trymen on the heights; and when Padilla
ana MS veterans burst on the scene of action.
1t decided the fortunes of the day.
there was still a detachment of Turks.
whose ammunition had not been exhausted
and whs were maintaining desperate strup.
gle with body of Spanish infantry. in which
the latter had been driven back to the yerv
verge ',e t OF the precpGe: But the Appearance Of
new heart and Turk and Morsco, over
whelmed alike by the superiority of the mum.
bers and OF the Weapons of their antagonists,
gave way in all directions. Some fed down
the long avenues which led from the summit
Il the rock. They were holly pursued by
the Spaniards. Others threw themselves into
the houses, and prepared to make last de
fence. The Spanrds scrambled along the
terraces letting themselves down from ono
level to another by means of the Moorish
ladders used for that purpose. They hewed
openings in the wooden roofs of the buildings.
they fred on those within. The helpless Nor
iscoes, driven out by the pittiless volleys.
sought refuge in the street. But the fierce
hunters were there, waiting for their miser-