Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-05-12

oHlprRR rnoN HllioRY. .RE sEeE on



a fee, IN height and three in thickness, interrupted
!, m.nv plaees by houses and eonvcnts which were
bpt in its line aud pierced BY eight gltes sith no o
orks could scacelJ be said to be fortified. Very few
gurs on the IAmpsrts wese in sate fit for service
Few regular Generals would have thought of making
stand 10 such city, but Forus has recorded that NJ
manea had neither wells towers when resisted
long and so heroically the Roman Legions; and Col
menar had said nearly century before, with pro-
phstie spirit "SarSgossa is without deenees, but the
ValOr Of it's inhabitants supple, the want Of ram
parts"
The resolution to defend SaHgOssa cannot with jus
tice be ascrbed to the honor Of any single individual
as the glory belongs to the wtOle population, all Of
MhOm, in the 6rs. moments of confusion ard excile-
mont had share in the generous resolution.
The Captain General Pslafox left the city to obtain
troops to bring to the assistance of the people, aud iu
mediately the French General Lsf,bie commenced a
vigorous assault Blu: the people, .bougr without
leaders, with surprising eaergy, prepared 10 repusc it,
10 the first moment Of assault indeed column Of the
enemy penetrated to the street Santa Engracia. But
at this critical moment desultory fire from some peas
ants and disbanded soldiers arrested his advance, and
che Inhabitants regainng hope from the hesitation OF
she enemy again reirsd beyond the -sates Instantly
+he whole population we're 10 activity; men, women
aud children few to the rampsFts cAnnons we're drag
ged the gates loop holes struck out in the walls
asenss ara gabions constructed WITH astonishing
pidty aud in less than tWentyfour hours the city was
ECU from coup de main.
The loss sustained by Lefebre in these unsuccessful
assaults very severe, and sufficient to convince him
that operations in form would be requisite before the
town could be reduced. Meanwhile, the besieglng
L,.,~ ID
vigorously prosecuting their ope atoms. Destitute a.
this critical moment Of any noble Leaders, the people OF
SAragosss did not at the time sink under their
eul les Encouraged by the intrepid conduct OF their
chiefs the people assembled in the Public Square, aud
wuh the mapisraes Ulcers and troops of the garrison
voluntarily took oath 90 shed the last drop Of their
blood for the defence Of their religion their king aud
their heatths" Thee had need of all their resolution
for the means OF attack multiplying against them
IN a fearful progression. At the end Of June, the be-
siegipg force being augmented 70 twelve thousand men,
and the batterirg tain having arrived the attack com
menced Some ou'pcsts we're taken and vigorous
bOmbar6nent OF the ieebe walls OF the city kept up
but such was tho ardor and tenecy of the defence and
the severity Of the fire from the Windows, walls aud
roofs Of the house, that the enemy, every OCCASION
vas repulsed after desperate struggles with
losi. The city was hen nearly cut OF ailh the sur
rounding country tDe sllnder Wa laid ial ruins
aud again Was summoned 10 surrender wSoh being
refused, preparations vere made for assault
The storm took place the 4th OF August. PalaioI
who had returned Nth some reinorcemeuts stationed
himself in to- brcao5 and, when the forlorn hope
vas approGching refused al terms of capitulaton The
combat st the ruined rsmpat long and bloody but
after violent Struggle The French penetrated inio the
town and made to- mselyes masters of the street Santa
Eagraca. Deening themselves nov in possession OF
Sarss ossa tier numerous bat aous pourCd g. rough the
deserted breae over prsad the r4myass either side
while close couml pushed On with Eei bayopets end
loud cheers 10 The street OF C5sso. But desperate
sis. ance there awaited them. spite IN the efforts Of
the cit gems they penetrated 10 the centre Of The street.
pllnted the tr-e lcJ On thc Church OF the Cross
and released the insane inmates OF tee Llnatic Asylum
Who issued forth VITA lrigoGil cries. shouts and
naces RmO1g &c CCmuG.AJ.s. But, notwithstanding
al these hOrsors the Syl1aris ntaned the conflict
an incgsai hre isutl rom tho |indoH5 and roofs OF
tie houses; ssve Al Getac 81 bodies Of the enemy
which penetrated irt1 tie aGjoiang ssEeets were
pulsed column got cutanBltd m long crooked street
aud was driven back n.O the Cosso with eat slaugh-
ter. Tie leaders Pl4iUz, d Others wed With zach
o;her in heI oism ana when nigh. separated the
batants the French were in possession of side Of
the UOsso an6 the eitizsys Of The other.
The successful reasis-ce thu, made to the enemy az
ter they bad penetrated into the city aud the defelces
of the place in a m Esry p5ns o. view had been
come showed the Slrlgcsans with what prospects icy
mis h. maintain the conflict even from house to hOuse
Ia the meantime renioEcSments OF three thOusa1d m
aqd large convoy OF ammunition and provisions ar
rim, the citizens had had cesprae conflict 10 maiu
Jain from which they had never enjoyed Que moments
respite. From slscos to street. irCm house 20 house.
from room to room, the hght kept up with inoredi
ole obstinacy DO h sid-s; every post became the
theatre OF bloody stiiiC 10 which company after COM
pany, column after column regiment after regiment
successfully brought ur whils che FIRE of musket-
~ the Of artillery, h= flight Of bombs, the glare
# conf lgraon and the cries OF She combstauts con-
thu without ntermssion n.ga' d day But all the
efforts OF the besegers in vain; animated almost
10 phrensy by the long Duration eud heartstirrng in
rest Of the conflict all classes wed with each o.her in
heroic eonstancy: the priess to be seen at the
20 Of da ger encouraging TIE soldiers and admins
ering consolation TO the wounded and dying; the
and children carried water inoessanty the quar-
tiers FIRE, attended the wounded AMI inferred the
dead many even forgot the tiidity of their sex aud
took places of their slain husbands or brothers at tho
cannon sde The citizens relieved each other night and
day at the mortal and perpetual struggle with the
my Such the Yigor OF the resistance, that from
the 4th 10 the l4sh Angus. the bssegers made them
selves masters Of only iOur houses in front Of the
treasury only aites ncessant combat of six
DAYS duration. After the arrival of reniorcements
under PalAlox, the conflict longer equal symp.
toms OF discouragtmsnt we're mau!'est in the emmy !;
and losing ground IN tie quarter fret takeu. Su
the IRE OF ar lery continued, and was particularly vic
lent the night Of the l4h Au gust; but at dybreak
the following morning il suddenly ceased, aud tho
beseged when the rose oeheld with establishment
the entmJ 10 foil retreat. The victory complete
the heavy and siege stores all abaUdsne
thrown into the csua and the Inhabitants with en-
thusastic shouts Of transport coucuds 3D. amid les of
" LOng live Lady Of the Pillar" the ceremony Of
the Fets Dieu-interyupted at the commencement of
the siege Of the 10th June.
SNAIL By DIGREEs, AND BEAUTIFULLY LKss.-Some.
tine since the Yankees we're making great ado over
the immense quantity of cotton captured by the Red
expedition. Forty thousand bales they stated had
fallen into their hands.