Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-12-20

Tho Maid of SaragOssa,

Tor her King and country ut the memorable
siege of Saragossu, in 1808 Tho French
Lefevro had been dispatched by Bona
parto in the June Of that year to reduce
Saragossa, where the royal standard of tho
Bourbons had been unfurcd This city
was not fortified; it was surrounded by an
III constructed wall, twelve feet high by
three broad, intcrsected by houses; these
houses, the neighboring churches and con
vents, were in so dilapidated state that
from the roof to tho foundation wore to DO
seen in each immense breaches; apcrtures
| begun by time and increased by neglect.
A large hill called II Torero, commanding
the town at distance Of mile, and offered
u situation for most destructive bombard-
mcnt. Among the sixty thousand inhabi-
tants there were but two hundred and TWEEN.
ty regular troops, and tho artillery consisted
of ten old cannon.
The French began the siege in rather
slothful style; they deemed much excrtiou
unnecessary; Saragossa, they said, was only
inhabited by monks and towards. But
their opinions and their efforts we're dcs-
tined to an entire revolution. Very seldom
in tho annals of war has greater bravery,
greater heroism, greater horror and misery
been concentrated than during the two
months that these desperate patriots rcpellcd
their invaders. No sacrifices were too great
to be offered, no cxtremities too oppressive
to DO endured by tho besicged; but, as it
| often occurs among the noblcst bodies of
men, that one sordid soul may be found
open to the far reaching hand of corruption,
such wretch happened to be intrusted
with powder magazine at Saragossa.
Under the influence of French gold, he
fired the magazine on the night of the I'd of
June. 10 describe the horrors that ensued
would be simply impossible.
The French, to whom tho noise of the
explosion had been signal, advanced their
troops to the gates. The population,
shocked, amazed, hardly knowing what had
occurred, entirely ignorant of the cause,
bcwildercd by conhagration, ruin, and tho
noise of tho cucmy's artillery unexpectedly
laundering in their ears, were paralyzed,
| poweress; in short time the trenches
presented nothing but a heap of dead bodies.
| There was no longer combatant to be
seen; nobody felt tho courage to stand to
the defense.
At this desperate moment an unknown
maiden issued from the Church of Nostra
Donna del Pllas, habitcd in white raiment,
a cross suspended from her neck, her dark
hair dishcvcled, and her eyes spark ling with
supernatural Iustre She travcrsed tho
city with firm and bold step; she passed to
the ramparts, to the very spot where the
enemy was pouring on to the assault; she
mounted to the breach, seized lighted
match from tho hand of dying engineer,
and fired the piece of artillery he had failed
to manage; then kissing her cross, she
"Dcath or victory!' and reloaded her can.
non.
Such a cry, such vision could not
iaii Of calling up enthusiasm; it seemed
that Heaven had brought MD to the Just
cause; her cry was answered, "Long live
Agostina"
"Forward, forward, wo will conduer!"
resoundcd on every side. Ncrved by such
emotions, tho force of every man was
doubled, anl tho Franch were rcpulscd on
every side.
General Lcfetrc, mortified at this uncx
pccted result, determined to reduce tho
place by famine, as well as to distress it by
bombardlecnt from II Torcro. I'hc horrors
that followed his measures would be too
painful to detail, but they afforded Agos-
tina an opportunityo displaying her intre.
pidity. She threw herself 10 the most per.
ilous positions to rescue the unhappy beings
wounded by the bombs or by tho falling of
timbey. She went from house to house
yistirg the wounded, binding up their hurts
or supplying aid to the sick and starving
Tho French, by their indomitablc pcrseycr.
ancc, from step to step rendered themselves
masters of nearly half the city. Lcfcvrc
thought his hour of triumph had now Ger.
tainly arrivcd-hc sent to the commandant,
general Palafox, to demand capitulation.
Paafox received this in public. lie turned
to Agostina, who stool near him, com
plctelS armed.
"What shall I aaswcr7"
She Indignantly rcplicd
"War to the knife"
Her exclamation was echoed by tho popu--
laco, and Pala!ox made her words his roply
to Lcfevrc.
Nothing in the history of war has ever
been recorded to resemble the consequence
of this refusal to capitulatc Ono row of
houses in a street would be occupied by tho
Spanish, the opposite row by tho French.
A continual tempest of balls passed through
tic air; the town was a Volcano; tho most
revolving slaughter was carried on for eleven
days and clovcn nights. Every street,
every house was disputed with muskct and
pognard Agostina ran from rank to rank
everywhere taking tho most active part.
The french were gradually driven back;
and the dawn of tho l7th of August saw
them rc'inqush this long disputed prey,
and take tho road to Pampcluna. Tho tri.