Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-04-29
Nj | 5 & Il l. l. A n Y.
THE HORRORS OF WAR.
ny W. PREscnrI.

On the sixth OF February tho engineers
who had charge Of the mines gave notice
that their work was completed. The fol-
lowing morning was named for tho assault,
Tho orders of the day prescribed that
a general cannonado should open on the
town at six in the morning. IL was TO con.
tinuo an hour when the mines were to bc
sprung. The artillery would then play
another hour after which the signal for
attack would be given. The signal was
was 10 be the hrins Of one gun from each
OF the bat,crle. To b, followed by a slmul.
,ancou, discharge from all. Tic orders di.
rcc,cd the troops u show no quarter to
man. woman, ur child.
On the seventh of February, the ln., day
Of the Carnival, tho bcsiesnrs were under
arm. At carli,s, dawn. Their young com.
mandcr attracted every eye 10y the splen.
dor Of his appointments. lie was armed
cap.a.pic, and wore a suit Of FURNISHED
steel richly inlaid with gold. Ills cas1ue,
oycrshalowed by brilliant plumes. was or.
namcntei with medallion displaying the
image Of the Virgin In his hand hc car.
ricd the baton of command; and as hc
rode along tho lines, addressing the soldiers.
his perfect horscmanship, his princely bear.
ing. reminded the veterans Of the happier
days OF his father, the emperor Tho cav.
alters by whom ho was surrounded, emula.
tel their chief in the richness Of their ap.
rointmeh,s and the Murican chronicler.
prr.cn, on that day. dwell. with comPla.
ccucy on the beautiful array Of Southern
chralry gathered together for the final
assault upon Galcra.
From xix O'Clock It'll seven. furious can.
nonadc was kept up from the whole circle
OF bit''re on th, devoted town. Then
came the order to fr, the mines. Tho dea.
ienins roar Of orlnanc, W., at once hushcd
into a silence profound as that Of death,
while every soldier in the trenches waited
with nervous suspense, for the explosion.
At last il came, overturning houses, sha.
kin. down a portion Of tho castle, render
ing wider the breach in the p'rpsniicular
side Of Of the rock, and throwing OF tho
fragments with the iorcs Of u volcano. On.
ly one mine however, exploded. It was
SON followed ~ the other, wach though
ii dii les, damag,, spread such consicrna.
ton anon: the garrison, that, fearing there
might still o., a third IN r'ssryo, the men
abandoned their works, and took refuge IN
the town.
When the smoke and dus, had cleared
away, an o1iccr with few soldiers was
sent to rrc1nnoi,rc the breach. They soon
returned with the tiding. that tho garrison
had il,d and left the works wholly unpro-
tectcd Ga hearing :his, the troops, with
furious shouts, called out To be led at once
to the assault. IL was in vain that the oi-
iicers demonstrated, enforcing their rcnon-
stranccs, IN some instances, by blows with
the Hat ol their slbrrs. Tho blood Of the
,oliicry was up aud l,ko an iIl.di'ciplined
rabblc, they sprans from their trenches in
Wild disorder as before, and, hurryins their
officers along with them, soon scaled the
perilous ascent, and crowned the heights
without any opposition FROM the enemy.
llurrying over the d.bri' that s,rcwed the
ground, they made themselves masters OF
the deserted fortress and It's outworks, fl.
lin. the air with shouts of victory.
The iusltiycs saw their mistake, as they
bcheld the enemy occupying the position
thcy had abandoned There was no more
apprehension Of mines. Eager TO retrieve
their error. thcy rushed back, as by COM
mon impulse to dispute the possession Of
the ground with the Spinlards IL was
too late The guns wero turned on them
from their own battery. The arquebusiers
who lined the rayelin showered down on
their heads missiles more formidable than
stones aud arrows But though their pow
der was nearly gone, the MOriscoc. could
stll make fight with sword and dagger,
and they boldly closed in a handto-hand
contest with their enemy. IL was dead
ly struggle, calling out-as closn personal
contest Is sure to do-,he ferccst passions
of the combatln,s. No quarter was given ;
none was asked. The Spaniard was nerved
by the confidence Of victory, the MOrisco by
the energy Of despair. Both fought like
men who knew that on the issue of thu.
conflict depended the fate of Galera.-
Again the war.cries of the two religions
rose above the din OF battle. as one invoked
their military apostle, and the other called
on Mahomet. 1, was the same war-cry
which for more than eight centuries had
sounded over hill and valley in unhappy
Spain. These were its dying notes. soon
to expire with the exile or determination oil
the conquered race.
The conflict was at length determined "
the arrival Of a fresh body Of troops on the
field with padilia. The chef had attack
ed the town 10y the same avenue as before /;
everywhere he had met with the same spirit
of resistance. But the means Of successful
resistance was gone. Many Of the houses
ON the streets had been laid IN ruins by
the fire of the artillery. Such as still held
out were defended by men armed with no
better weapons than stones and arrows.
One after another, mos. OF them were
stormed and fred by the Spaniards; and
those within were put to the sword, or per.
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