The New York herald., 1873-09-08

IN AO10A4@O, MOAv In ~
must be- added. ana some 1900 men posted along
the French frontier) and the entry of Don Carlos
General Sanchez Bregua wrote to Madrid refusing
to undertake any operations unless 10000 more
troops were sent to him, and ordered ct once the
evacuation OF all the fortified Places Of which until
lately there was in various parts OF the provinces
much greater number than Ia generally supposed.
At the present moment the Provinces OF
NAVARRO, ALAvA, BIsCAYA AND GuIPozCOA,
are, with the exception Of large towns like Pam
peuna, vittoria, san Sebastian and Tolosa in full
possession Of the Carlsts. Longer than any Of the
smaller places did the republicans keep vergara,
Elizondo and San Estevan, but the first OF these
places was captured the other day, after short
fight, by Lissaraga, while the two others were
entered by Dorregaray's troops without shot,
the enemy having taken night. AS q mater OF
course the fortlncations Of such places Are de-
trOyed as soon as the Carists enter them, and the
population known to be favorable to republicans
heavily taxed The worst OF this usually falls upon
the families OF young fellows who have enlisted in
the militia (micheletes) in the voluntariOs de Ia
libertad.
This evacuation OF small forts is very impor-
tant point Tor the Carlists for besides making them
full masters Of the country and rendering the COM
municatOns along the high roads 30 secure TO them
as to make the use OF mountain passes almost un-
necessary, 1t must prove in the long run to save
them great number OF men and much ammuni-
ton. For some OF these forts are very strongly
built ana were desperately defended by the militia
and caused considerable losses to the Carlsts be-
fore they were taken. For instance, on the eve OF
the day when the junction Of Don Carlos with Dor
regaray was made at Salinas de ORC, the Carllst
general was nearly the whole afternoon engaged
in taking the little fort OF IBERIA which had gar
rison of no more than $50 men, and which cost the
Carsts all their artillery officers, shot down like
larks, and considerable number Of infantry
among whom, by the way, the first to fall was an
Irish barrister. Mr.. Taylor, who had just entered
the Carlist ranks as q volunteer).
But, considerable as Is
THE INCREASE OF THE CARLIsT FORCES,
and as are the advantages they have already
gained, there is one point in which they remain
rather worse than stationary, and that is in the
THEIR CAVALRY.
Never in my life did see, or even did ever ex-
pect to see anything so abominablY bad. In the
first place the total number of horsemen they pos
sess (the stan officers OF course. not lncluded) does
not exceed 800, and all of these are men to whose
care no living animal should ever be entrusted.
Their brutality Is something incredible. After ten
and twelve hours mountain marches they 60 on
galloping about the country either in search OF
water for the horses, still often in search
OF some vegetables or poultry for themselves. The
poor animals remain sometimes a whole day with
out any food at an, and heavy blows are the only
reward they ever get from their masters when
they become somewhat troublesome either from
hunger or from the perpetual attacks Of the
noScos. those merciless enemies of Spanish
horses and mules "a peculiar, big, nat Spanish n.y.,
which render animal life in the Pyrenees during
the months OF August and September perfectly un-
bearable. All sorts OF efforts seem to have been
made to improve the cavalry, but they have
turned out irultless. The Navarro men do not
seem more fit to take care of horse and to mount
! 1t properly than they are capable OF dispensing
with sinking oil. garhc and garbanzos. The com.
mander OF this cavalry, senor Perula 10 late law
yer, by the way, got during these last six months
over 1000 horses, and has lost more than 700 Of
them. And it is certainly not on the battle field
that he could have lost them, for his men charged
only during that time lat the battle of Eroul
and an excellent charge 1t was). The horses were
lost through sheer iltreatment and want of food.
This state OF the cavalry causes great anxiety to
| the generals, rs they knew that beyond the Ebro
| little can be done without good horsemen and
their only hope, as yet, seems to be the prob
ability that some Of the republican cavalry regi-
ments will pass over to the Carists.
nee0 not give mere any ueCail OF our return jour
ney from Biscaya since we had fight, and marched
| quietly through villareal de Alava the Baranca
anu along the high road of Pampeluna- Within
sight Of that city we turned little to the north
east, took, yesterday. possession Of the fort of
Burguete from which the garrison ran away, leav-
ing $4,000 cartridges), and are now, as tele-
graphed you already, about to march towards the
frontier OF Aragon. The stan rumor Is that Don
Carlos, besides expecting to drive the main forces
OF the enemy before him, and thus to render the
task Of velasco and Lssaraga more easy, intends
trying whether Aragon cannot be made to rise,
and thus the Carlists of Catalonia brought in
direct communication with those of the Basque
provinces. 1t Is said, even, that we SHALL perhaps,
march to Catalonia. But l give all this for what II
is-a star rumor. Nothing is ever certainly known
here, and sceptical people say that even Don
Carlos himself does not alwsys know whittier Elo
will carry him.
In my next shall try to give you an idea Of the
stan OF Don Carlos, the individuals who compose ii
and the leading spirits Of the party.