The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1864-05-20
TEMPEST CLOSE AROUND HIM."
The Storming of Badajos.

al ,.sia Ah0 StukmAnB VI oduhJ0ns
:. Colo Maxwell, author of the Life of Wei
lington, thus, describes in his "Bivnuac,"
the dreadful outrages which followed, dur,
ing the evening and night after the storm.
sit was nearly dusk, and the few hours
while / slept, had made frightful change
in the condition and temper of the soldiery.
In the morning they were obedient to their
officers, and preserved the semblance of
subordination; now they were in q state
of furious intoxication, discipline was for
gotten, and the splendid troops of yester-
day had become q fierce and sanguina-
~ rabble; dead to every touch Of hui
man feeling, and filled with every demo
MAC passion that can brutalize the man.
The town was in terrible confusion, and
on every side frightful tokens Of military
license met the eye. One street, as lap
preached the castle, was almost choked
up with broken furniture for the houses
had been Quilted from the cellar to the gar
ret, the partitions torn down, and even
the beds ripped up and scattered to the
winds, in the hope that gold might be
found concealed. A convent at the end
of the strada of St. John was in flames,
and l saw more than one wretched nun
in the arms of drunken soldier. Far
Their on the confusion seemed. greater
Brandy and wine casks were rolled out be-
fore the stores; some were full, some half
drunk up, but more STAYED in mere wan
tonness, and the liquor running through
the kennel. Many narrowing scream
saluted the ear Of the passer-by many a
female supplication was heard in vain, ask
ing for mercy. How could it be other
wise, when it is remembered that twenty
thousand furious and licentious madmen
were loosed upon an immense population,
among which many of the loveliest wo-
men upon earth might be found. All
within that devoted city was at the dispos-
al Of an Infatuated army, over whom, for
the time, control was lost, aided by an in
famous collection Of camp followers, who
were, if possible, more sanguinary and
pitiless men, than those who had survived
the storm.
"It is useless to dwell upon scene from
which the heart revolts. Few females in
this beautiful town were saved that night
from insult. The noblest. and the beggar,
the nun and the wife and daughter Of
the artisaD-youth, age, old men, involved
in general ruin. None were respected,
and few consequently escaped. The mad
ness of, these desperate brigands was vari.
ously exhibited some fred through doors
and windows; others at the church bells /;
many at the wretehed inhabitants as they
fed into the streets to escape the bayonets
of the savages who were demolishing their
property within doors while some wretch
es, as if blood had not flowed in sufficient
torrents already, shot from the windows
their own companions as they staggered
below. What chances had the miserable
inhabitants of escaping death when more
than one officer persisted by the bullets
and the bayonets of the very men whom a
few hours before he had led to the as
sault?
"Strict measures were taken by Lord
Wellington TO repress these desperate ex-
cesses, who issued the following General
Order ~
Camp before Badqios, April 7, 1912.
l. 1t is now full time that the plunde,
of Badajos should cease.
2. The Commander of the forces has
ordered the Provost Marshal into the
town he has orders to execute any man
he may find in the act of plumber after be
may arrive there.
q A Portuguese brigade was brought up
from the rear and s,nt into the town, &C.
companied by the provost marshal and
the gallows. '@' % -. 'I+
This demonstration had its due effect,
and the rope carried terror to rioters
whom the bayonets of whole regiment
could not appal. "
,fEE