The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-12-20

GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF THE CARLIsT RE
TREAT Aztec THE DEFEAT AT 1RUN-
Burning Of Pam House. by the Republicans

pendent of the N Y. Herald sends a most inter |
es' 7g letter from the seat of WAY, from which |
| we make the following extract:
TIE battle. as / have already said, was com |
mauded by General yaidsspins in person, hut |
| tine King and General Ello were IN the rear |
/ bout q mile from the battlefield on a high !
I pesk. from whence they couid observe the !
| whole position of the contendipg forces AT /
twelve o'clock the centre of the Carlists retired
/ from OyaTzun with the whole of the populs-
/ lion that had not already fed, carrying their
! movable effects and driving the'r pigs and /
cows before them and OK carts containing
/ their furniture. Women were carving their
/ bundles Il eir heads every animal that was
capable Of carrying the least load was heavily
road for short distance leading 20 lrun, and ,
/ then took TO the monntains- The retreat was
condrcted il the most orderly manner There :
YVES no panic, no hurry, Snd nothing n all ike
/ fear The soldiers dad NOT even seem dls-
| courseed, but obeyed all the orders given
them with the greatest promptness AT one
/ against our centre, suddenly appeared upon
! the top of little hill not more than 800 yards
! behind The officer in command OF ihe rear
guard Immediately sounded the recall, and n
| whole battalion rushed bs~k and formed IN
| line 10 protect the retreatips baggage There
was weeping, or wring ing OF hands, or othe:
| signs of despair on the part of tue women: a
/ few of them were crying silently, but there
were no exciamations OF other signs OF despair.
I One might have thought that they were
party OF Nomads, who had simply taken mp
| their movable effects, as they might do any
day. TO remove TO another station.
Some of the women, W no had preceded as up
the mountain side on q very steep peak with
their household goods and wearing apparel on
their beads, sat down among them on the rocks
and watched the fight So far from reproach-
ing US OF utteripg any cries of sorrow or de-
SPAR they chaffed the soldiers good naturediy
as they passed, and, judging by their looks
and con versAtioc, one would never have
thought that they had Just experienced one of
the greatest disasters that could happen to a
people. priest met rs on the way with a
large crucifix, which he presented to the sol.
reverently. He knew me, and stopped TO ask
me about the result of the affair, and while
talking TO me the soldiers took the crueif1 out
of his hand aud passed il along among them
! selves
From the top of the mountain turned and
looked back upon the town of OyarZun.
Steadily the Republicans advanced. They
tired every house and village right up to the
town itself And now huge columns of smoke
; rose up like giant pillars supporting the sky,
and blended with the clouds and mist, be-
meath which could be seen everywhere the
CLEAN of fires. T. - whole country between
San Sebastian, Oyalzun and Hermann was
mass of fame. Then the mist settled down
over Ne, for we were now high up on the
mountain and were. lost in the clouds. The
. mist was thick aud be-vy, and could not see
more than a few ya.6s ahead. The people
were scattered over the mountains, and must
have passed not only that night but will be
, obliged TO pass many nights to come without
shelter.
8 AZ W as foresee1, the next morning the Re
publicans at an early hour commenced the
attack on San Msrcial. They threw a few
Q shells into where the battery had been, and
q sent few men up the sides of the mountain
= to feel the Carlists, who had probably received
orders to withdraw during the night, as the
6 guns had been already removed. They only
= fired few shots by way of covering their re-
n treat aud keeping up appearances, then re,
&c Vera firing occasionally. simultaneously with
II the abandonment of San Marcial two com
v panies of Republicans marched up the road
!" house as the advanced. Not one escaped
e them. When they reached the Carlist outpost
below La Puncha there were only two Car Isl
soldiers left. These retired up the road, and
g as fast as they could reload their pisces they
turned and deliberately fred at the advancing
:. column. At this post there were three or four
81 farm houses. Five minutes after the arrival
ID of the Repu blican soldiers they were n flames
pc Here they dispersed, scattering mp the side OF
oe San MaTeial burning every house as they
ne went -Four five proceeded up the river as
al far nc La Puncha Three or four Cariists
d here, together with the two from tue outpost
al Immediately withdrew, firing upon the ad-
II vapcipg column as they went, which did not
= reply. As saw none of them fall the proba-
- bility is that the shots went astray. At ten
y o'clock exactly the first Republican entered
"f the little guardhouse at La Puncha where
I" have been seen for SO many months the Carlst
septi nels.
twas here the Carlist had established tn ell
y ferry across the river into France it was here
: ! they brought in most of their stores. mum
- tons of war, and here it was that Carlists and
u, Their sympsthizers were continually crossing
On the frontier into France. The valley of the
e Bidassoa presented strange scene. 1t wat
hs alive with people hurIyiDg across into France
nj Some were crossing in boats, some wading
be with great bundles on their heads, all they
he had time to save of their worldly effects somt
:, swimming, aud the French shore was covered
with crowds watching gloom1y their burning
houses less than fifty yards distant, while thu
-, I ground was strewn with all manner of house
Al bold goods. 1t reminded me something of the
An exodus Of the TnIcomans of khiya under th'
:. sabre of the muTderous Cossacks. The who'll
be OF Europe has been going into Mysteries 70
ur the last few months the subject of "Carlis
;, stroc ties" IL only remains to be seen W hethe
10 our nerves will be 50 sensitive regarding Ser
. ranulst bsrbarity-
WHO Is 10 RLAMEi
I'd While am on this subject / may wei
o., state that II 10 my firm conviction, fouude
- upon what have seen since have been wit
az the Carllsts, that they have been far more sir