The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-09
VALENcIA or THE en-. Oct. 20, ls69.

VALENCIA OF THE tlD pCt. 1905.
Colonel Odoneta Chief OF Engineers, and OF Lieu
tenant General Alaminos' stan, has been kind
enough to furnish me with few facts concerning
what transpred during the later days OF the siege
IN the more western part OF the city, which was
entirely on the other side FROM where your cores
pondent was posted But first IT were well to recall
10 some of your readers minds who the Colonel Is.
Odoneta has Lived in America for some time, ana
was the oficer selected by the Spanish government
to proceed 10 America and report upon the charac-
ter OF American Iortdcations, upon artillery and
new small arms and oil the other military inven-
tons for which America has achieved worldwide
celebrity. His report has not yet been published,
but when it Is the boes win ue in great demand; for
II any person understands his business thor
oughly that one is colonel 0doneta. II must be
remembered also before proceeding further that
Colonel 0doneta is not only soldier possessed with
an enthusiastic love FOR his art, but Is an officer
under government not at all dlsnclined TO speak
well OF It, too wen TO be called strictly impartial,
and his statements therefore are open to sharp crit
cism
He said that before Alamnos division came to
Valencia things were in sad buneling state. There
was no method the conduct OF the siege. Captain
General Rivera was brave and good general doubt
less, but he had had no experience IN barrcade
fighting and in besieging CITY, besides ne was over
cautious, and when the greatest promptness was
required 10 awe and insti q wholesome fear In the
minds OF the insurgents over caution was at fault
In such case as a siege such as that OF valencia,
with such people as valencianos II was necessary
on the part OF general to make show OF activity
and boldness, even rashness, that confidence nigh,
be infused INTO the troops and the enemy be DIS
heartened But Rivera shiIly -snaed alter the first
Days rash enterprise, during which his troops were
repulsed most signally; ne simply Kept up q harm
less IRE and much noise sent repeated requests for
troops and did nothing himself Now, when
Lieutenant General Alamlnos and division
arrived fresh from saragossa all this was
gineers,. was consulted Dy the General as
to The best means Of terminating the siege quickly.
0doneia replied that the speedest mode OF Iermi-
mating 1t was to perforate the walls oil block Of
houses running towards the market place, run the
troops from house 70 house, which would enable
them 10 turn hundreds or barricddes; when checked
by street, and the opposite side gained by the
Insurgents, ~ mine II and bow them up, and s.
continue II until the market place had been gained.
Alamnos gave orders that II should begin, and By
SATURDAY morning, the 10th instant, the sappers ana
miners had competed their task-haa mined three
or Tour blocks which We're 10 nave been tired at nall
past nine O'Clock A. NJ. Saturday. Rivera, IN the
early morning. had sent word TO the nsurgent lead.
ers stating That II they dld not surrender at half
past nine O'Clock A. NJ. q general attack would pc
made upon oil sides. Halpast nine came, ana
Odonela, looking a, his watch, was about
fred, when an aide-decamp rode up and
told him TO wait another hour before hring the
mime, out auueQ tnat ne Iulpnl shell Tue IndTkcl
place and contiguous houses. AT half-past ten he
was informed that negotiations were being made Tor
a surrender but that he had better continue the
cannonadiDg and II was this furious commander
from the Western part that heard from the Fonda
de Paris overlooking the peace conferences held IN
Plaza Congregation. Odoneta said further that II
he had fired the mines he had SAID the insurrectoa
had been at an end, but mat thousands OF people
would surely have been killed, besides four blocks
OF houses and church ana the neishborhood Of
these places been destroyed. at was certainly a
horrible task SAID be- 'Dut you must tell the
Yankees that THESE people are MOI repuDcans: lhey
are On blackguards, assasslns, robbers, bandits
socialists and communists and mat KIND OF scum.
My heart felt gneved at the poor innocenfs tnat
would suffer- but the orders OF Tie government were
peremptory-immedlate surrender OF death
and as mining was tle quickest mode
to fire the mines on saturday. In minute Valencia
hau be N In rims and MS they have been killing our
soldiers it was aOout right tnat we snolid end The
job speedily as possible. But Yankees mus.
remember that the Nalenciaus are not republicans.
am republican, but not o. such scum as Inee peo
pie, who are out cowardy assasSns. Had the Sara
gossanese been Ia Valencia, though We had blown
Valencia 60 utter ruin we could not have conquered
zoo or So killed. but our loss vas but small IN com
parison to theirs. Altogether perhaps, We have lost
200 men killed and sone twenty officers
These are Colonel OdoDela's views, put as believe
my own statement right cannot Change II.
II would not be an easy task 70 criticise the mode
Of defence adopted by the beseged nor ID 1t neces-
sary. Necessity; life IN tue balance: certain doom
pendent in tie perspective were stern teachers OF
defensive art and whatever could be done by the
impromptu cantonment la the market place secure
was done, according TO all opinions, az well a. could
ne done. 10 make II Actually impfegnaU n1s anu
untakabe by ever so many so.dlers o.
Spain, needed but the hon hearts OF
the sarragossanese within the barricades. HaC
the citizens OF Sarogossa been Dehlnd the Naencian
barriers, according to official opinion even, the
entire army OF spain could not have taken them
But the valene amos are shade less perseveIing
less enduring less bold hearted than the rude pea
.santry OF Aragol, itnd 1t required but skill, peril
nacity and nnmbe.T to awe and reduce the Saen
clans into submiss. pn. Every item OF Spanlsi
defensive art the sople OF valencia had acquires
not only from nature, but from example aud experi
ence. The city also was well adapted 10 AID Ia,
besieged in every way. Each house was fortiica
ton IA Itself, and ste. monitors were continually
prompting them to II spgoye upon II. The stron.
doors for which all spa NIsh houses were proverDia
we're barrcaued In tine t1:eror by the copble stones
or granite blocks takeLt up from the court yard o
patio, with bacAink' of neavy furniture o.
soil. When tue doors were not thus barn
caded. port holes wer cut through near TIL
bottom, through which she garrison protrude,
their muskets The windt Ws were barrica1ed wit
rolled carpets, doubled ma Vresses and eatler Deds
impenetrable 10 musket ais. The floors OF edc
ceiling were pierced, throua which the garrison,
they were driven upward from below, could hr
upon their as5ailants and TIL Wv hand grcnades an
proectiles OF all kinds. Tht SEoois or those house
which had not already means VI escape were pierced
and ladders made Us 10 gs W. the roofs where IN
fighting could be continued tDuld tue government
be disposed TO continue the waffle 10 the death, q
the more vndlctive monarcl usts proposed. 70
machlcoulis TO command app, Oaches to the BARR
cades and iliiianked doors Inc nsnrrectionists has
the balconies upon each story OF tNery mousse Tor
IL seldom a spanish house can W eeen wlthoat
balcony In q city.
These balconies served to con unand all avenue
leading centreward, as well a. wi En crisis shouh
arrive and troops charge upon the barrcade:
shells grenades rocket proJectll - STONES; TIE
boiling oil and melted lead could oe neaVen upo
their neads besides forming adm WhDie posltioi
whereby each man could introduce lis Diusktl y
tween Two iron rails and keep ste"ul stIeal
of leaden bullets against " OesicgcI'
while his own body was de,el Neu oy VI
thlcknesses OF carpets and cushion OF p 2
which were used as parapets. tn ~ pAic I.
projecting from, the wall IN the clear eaaety wv
feet mad musket proof looring lad Oh Sion sisvn
cts perfectly substantial, OF inch plan 70 aIu I,'e
tiles through which no bullet could prne.Ia a
wei defended and vhen .rf,lIery cannot W brough
against them, the church towers eleven l. tnuinpei
each elevated far above the houses 10 NAsu ny
almost the entire engtn oil a doz0n stree ", non
whence an uninterrupted stream OF well siIecN'
musketry could be maintained for days with VII w
very important retaliation from an enemy, II Nn W
fact lhht Naencla, being situated on PLAIN, W ere
vated site could be found whereon artillery cou " pe