The New York herald., 1873-09-08
Don Carlos Swearing Fidelity to
the F'ueros.
The Splendid Condition Of the Oarlist COL
umn in Biscaya and How Its Eff
oiency Was Brought About.
THE PRETENOER's POLITICAL STRATEGY,
Disposition Of the q, 900 Carlist Troops and
Their Military Operations.
Tho Cavalry Abominably Bad-A Chance
for Henry Bergh.

Tho Cavalry Abominably Bad-A Chance
for Henry Bergh.
ROYAL HEADQUARTERS AT ZUBIRI)
(near the Navarra-Aragon Frontier,
August Is, 1879.
THE TREAcHERous posrE.
since my last letter about Don Carlos progress
have written twice describing our marches
through Biscaya, Alava and Navarro towards the
ffontier OF Aragon. But the messengers have on
both occasions fallen into the hands OF republicans
before reaching the French frontier, and suppose
the republicans will not forward my letters 1t
was not easy to md special and reliable person
FOR carrying message on so considerable jour-
ney as thai from Durango to Bayonne 1 hoped to
have gained time by sending my letters through
Don Carlos mounted courers. But the experiment
has thus turned out quite failure. While hired
peasant would have passed quite safely, "Hls
Majesty's" couriers with their escorts were cap
tured.
The roles seem to have changed between the
republicans and the Carlsts short time ago the
Carllsts did not dare attack the republicans,
and contented themselves by capturing
trains and stopping the mail, while now
THE REPUBLICANS DARE NOT ATTACK THE cARLIsrs,
and seem satisfied with petty operations in the
rear OF Don Carlos forces. In fact, the changes
parties for these last four six weeks are quite
striking ana BY summing up here my two last
lctters shall, perhaps, be able to give some idea
Of the state of affairs here at the present moment.
The drst object Of Don Carlos, after he had
reviewed the frontier detachments and shown
himself all through the north OF Navarro, was to
Join the main body of his army, then in Las
Amezcoas The Commander-in-Chief,G General Eo.
came to meet him at Arijcun leaving his troops
under Dorregaray, whom 1t became then our object
70 join. description of the several days. march to
secumberri and the chase which a strong republi-
can column from Pampeluna gave us on that
occasion have already been sent you. Though the
distance between our column and that Of the
enemy was never more than two hours march, and
though he had 5000 men with six cannons against
our 500 with two cannon, he never approached
N ofIensively. On the oath OF July we reached
Salinas de Oro, where Dorregaray's forces, some
$500 strong, with two additional cannon, were
awaiting rs,
DRAWN UP IN ORDER OF BATTLE,
ON the surrounding hills. 1t was then too late to
attack u.s. and the republican Commander-ln-C Chief,
General Sanchez Bregua, had nothing left but
quietly to retire, which he did, ordering general
concentration OF troops to be made at vitt0ria in
the direction of which we had evidently to move.
Knowing, however, how slow the republicans are
In enecting all their movements General Elio did
not seem to take much notice OF the enemy's pro-
spective arrangements. We marched as quietly
forward as II there were enemy at all, enjoying
enthusiastic receptions In every village and town
and having solemn military masses and 7e Deum
whenever o suitable occasion presented itself, as
was the case in Abezuza, where San Jago used to
perform miracles, and IN Los Arcos where the her.
mitage OF San Gregoro is still carefully preserved.
1t was therefore, only on the Goth that we reached
the neighborho0d OF Vltt0ria, leaving thus the
enemy fully five days to e1ectuate his concentra-
t0n. But no enemy was TO be seen outside the walls
of the city, in sight OF which we then passed with
all the safety OF an army engaged in
A MILITARY PROMENADE.
At place calle Tres Puentes only did we see an
enemy, and there some 500 horsemen watched our
movements; but, as we had scarcely 200 mounted
men, we could not attack them, while they did not
Seem to think it desirable to attack US. so we
marched forward, cut the railroad between Wit
e0ria and Miranda, stopped train, took out of 1t
eleven officers going to reinforce the garrison OF
vittorla, had them sent as prisoners to Las Amez-
coas and marched Off to Orduna, the ancient
Basque CITY, from which our journey through Bis
cay was to begin.
Don Carlos could have had any doubts about his
popularity in the Basque provinces, his journey
shrough the rich province extending
FROM THE PLAINS OF vITToRIA TO THE WALLS OF
BILBAO.
would have finally disspated them. The combined
influence OF British loyalty and British snobism
have never produced anything similar to The re-
ceptions Don Carlos, his stan and the 1000 men
marching with him had to enjoy at Orduna,
Durango and Zornoza, not to speak or the num-
berlcss little villages situated between these
towns Besides the province being throughout
Carlist the ''Biscainos" knew that "His Majesty
Charles Wills" OBJECT was to show himself to them
and to revive the old custom OF the kings Of Spain
giving their oath to the eros under the traditional
oak tree at Guernica. True tina. the old oak un-
der which Ferdinand and Isabella swore, IN 1915,
to uphold the Basque Jueros had been long ago
cut down and burned by the French, and that
another tree planted in its place underwent the
same treatment from the bands OF Queen Chris
tina's generals But, somehow or other, there is
still big oak tree on the same place, with
two young reserve trees by Its side. On
the "a inst. an altar was dressed with
the image OF Nostra Seiora de la Antigua
On IT, and Don Carlos de Bourbon dressed
IN brilliant uniform and surrounded by numer-
Gus, stan rode down from Zorneza, not exactly to
swear loyalty to the Jtteros, but to swear that he
would come again and give his oath to uphold
them when he has succeeded in conouering the
throne OF his ancestors, and when his coronation
as King OF Spain will have actually made him
s'Senor de Biscaya." The ceremony was In every
way q success, and the road from Zornoza to
Guernica, d stance OF about ten miles. was "a
thronged with people as Fleet street on Lord
Mayors show. Paysonts and gentry from all parts
OF Biscaya assembled to witness the ceremony:
but, as only few Thousand people could possibly
and access to Guernica itself, the great majority
had to content themselves with mere glance at
the passing King his stafr and escort. There is
scarcely any need to say here that enthusiasm,
shouting and
KISSING OF THE KINGS HAND
and OF the Kings horse had really no end. Old
women got quite mad, cried bitterly, and one Of
fhem exclaimed In despair. right into the face OF