New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-28
THE SIEGE OF VALENCIA.

/
GENT NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. FOR A SURRENDER.
| lFRoM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSEl
VALENCIA, Aug 5.-The militia of Valencia IS com
posed of respectable workmen, who accepted their
military character to support the new institutions
| of the country, which those of Federal Re-
public They had no idea of using their weapons
| against Republican Government, and when few
days ago Mariana Aser FeliG and others urged them
into rebellion, they constructed barricades, and
mounted guard and shed their best blood
! afterward at Mislata and ChIrivelia, with
heavy hearts, for their wives chung round
them imploring them to throw away these
weapons. Their children cried for bread. their
property was destroyed and scattered by the merc-
| less shells, and their mothers and sisters were
| wounded and bleeding / was looking out of my
window at IL p. m on the 3D. instant, smoking a
cigar and thinking of these things. Suddenly all
| the gas went out, and Valencia was plunged In
darkness. Everything was quiet during the night,
nothing was heard but the terrible detonations OF
exploding shells. FeG, one of the chief agitators
| had fled the moment he had heard that Martinez
Campos was in sight, and on account OF this flight
| the militia had very nearly succeeded In IN
ducing the rest of the volunteers to surren-
der but Mariana Aser, another cantoman
patriot after the STYLE spoke loud words, ana
managed TO raise the dropping spirits OF the volun-
| teers who in their turn, intimdated the militia
On the 81 inst. Mariana Ascr had shaved his beard
and otherwise disguised himself and, accompanied
by his SON. directed his footsteps to the barricade
which covers the entrance into Valencia on the
Grao side He presented his pass signed by himself
and the first sentry allowed him to go through, but
the second recognized HIM and stopped him. Mariana
Aser made the that he going to pass hlsson
ont but the sentry would not believe him. and Aser
| then drew ont revolver and shot that and another
sentry who had come TO the assistance of the frst
On this the guard turned out and arrested him and
| his SON. The lad taken to prison, but the father
was placed against the nearest wall and snot dead,
being left all day afterward lying in the middle of
| the road as a warning to traitors. Had this unfor-
! tmate man waited till it was dark, he could have
| left Valencia safely with his companions OF the
| Junta, who had managed to have the supply of gas
stopped at the gas manufact0ry, and, when all was
dark sailed out with great number of militamen,
whose rifles were found in the morning broken and
useless. new Junta was immediately elected, but
at one time disturbance was expected, as the rest
of the mtiamen did not see the use of continuing
the struggle. They again oyerawed, however,
| and things continued as before.
Yesterday afternoon, at abont o'clock, ] was
standing at the door of my hotel when l was star
tied by sudden roar of artillery and musketry,
winch sounded as III aJ INC very gates VI AoNh'
Every one shouted Here they come and our land
lady screamed with shriII voice of alarm, Fermes
la porteD at once directed my steps to the tower
of the Church OF San Martin, from which could
obtain rood view of what was passing Martinez
| Canpos having been informed of the detection of
the militia, had determined general attack,
hoping that once the town, part OF the gar
rison would 90 over to his side. His attack was
well planned, and to q certain point well executed;
but Just ut the moment when success was within
grasp the whole plan failed. When arrived at the
top of the tower, | saw the troops advancing
within a very few hundred yards Of the town OF
Serrano They seemed TO be well supported by their
own artillery-so well indeed. that a shell dropped
into the powder magazine OF the tower del Cuafte
and destroyed great portion of the building, kill
ing and wounding several men, The guns there
ceased firing and did not begin again until this
| morning One or two villages were on fire, and the
troops were only perceived by the garrison when
within a few hundred yards Of the entrance. Had
they then made bold rush the two towers of Ser
rano and great portion of the city would have
fallen into their hands As it was they fell back;
the volunteers concentrated, and very respectable
force was gathered at the threatened point. The
troops retired TO the village of Misaa, almost with
out any annoyance, and contented themselves with
firing a shell into the heart of the town every now
and then.
This morning I was awoke by tremendous ex-
| plosion shell had burst close to the hotel. and
| many more were shOwering in. Dressing hurnedly
went toward the tower again. butt was politely in
formed that the people in the neighborlng houses
complained that people going to the towers at
tracted the attention of the enemy and so had to
desist from my purpose. was walking toward the
Post Office. when on arriving near the plaza de la
4 xvl,i Nuhip frou rs
terrible proximity left no doubt that l was
about to experience some danger All the doors of
| the houses were closed Opposite to me the
other side of the street stood mansion with French
flag at the window. Had those massive folding
gates been open, / should have sought shelter
there. To useless, for | did not know
which way to run; butt had very little time for de-
liberation terrible crushing sound overhead
made me hurry TO the other side of the street. AID
into q little lane which ran by the side of the man
sion. stopped on reaching this point, for | had
seen the she'll drop within few feet from where
had Stood just i'll front of the massive gates. and
knew | was safe. In about minute and half the
shell exploded. blew the gates of the mansion into
splinters, and produced other serious dam
age. / looked up to see what had caused
the crash that had warned me to move
and i saw the projecting portion oil the
r0Of OF the mouse Opposite INC Inahsloh cOnlpletty
destroyed the bomb having cut its way through IT,
No one was hurt by this missile, but shell which
fell on another spot very close to this one, and
which, at first thought from the sound was coming
to the same spot, killed two women and wounded
child The whizzing of the shells is so loud some
times from their proximity to my window. that
fancy they are coming straight in. The lombard
men of large capital like Paris is very fearful but
there, at least find some safe spot where the
enemys shells cannot reach. Valencia is too small
for that and to-day there is not spot in Valencia