The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-09-16


life Tor ber country st the memorable
siege Of Saragossa. Ia 1908. The French
General Lefevre had been despatched
by konaparte in the jane Of that year
to reduce Ssragossa. where the roya
standard OF the Bourb bons had been un.
furled. The city was not fortified; it
was surrounded by an i'll constructed
wall, twelve feet high by thres broad,
intersscted by houses; these houses.
the neighboring churches and converts
were in SO dilapidated q state that from
the roof To the foundation were to be
seen in each immense breaches, arer-
turW begun by time and increased by
neglect, A large hill, called II rorero,
Commanded the town at the destructive
bombardment. Among the sixty thou.
sand inhabitants there were but two
hundred and twenty regular troops,
and the artillery consisted Of ten old
cannon. The limits OF the two were
marked by wall, partly of turf. and
there were many gates by which in
gress was obtained. But these were
securely closed against the formidable
enemy now threatening it.
The French had begun the siege Ia
ratbeT slothful style they deemed much
exertion unnecessary; 'Sarsgosss,' they
said, was only inhabited by towards
and moaks' But their opinions and
their efforts were destined TO an entire
revolution. Very seldom in the annals
Of war has greater beroism, greater
bravery. greater horrr aud misery
been concentrated than during the two
months that these desperate patriots
repelled their invaders. No sacrifices
were too great to be offered. no extrem.
tiles too oppressive to be endured by
the besieged, hut, as it often occurs
among the noblsst bodies. of a,en, that
one sordid soul may be found open to
the far>reaching hand Of corruption.
such wretch happened to be entrust-
ed with powder magazine at Sara
gossa. Under the influence of French
gold be fred the magazine on the night
Of the second Of June. To describe the
horrors that ensued would be impossi-
BILE. The French, to whom the noise
of the explosion had been signal, sd-
vsnced their troops TO the gates. The
population, shocked. sstonished. hardly
knowing what had occurred, entirely
ignorant of the cause. bewiidered by
eonfagration. ruins and the noise Of
the enemy's artillery unexpectedly
laundering in their ears. were para
lyzed. powerless; the overthrow, the
slaughter OF those who stood at the
rsmparts, seemed more like O MAJ sacre
than . battle; Ia short time the
trenches presented nothing but heap
Of dead bodies. There was no longer q
CONTESTANT 20 be seen; there was not
one that had the coarage to stand to
the defence.
At this desperate moment an un-
known maiden issued from the church
Of Noetra Donna del Pillas, habited in
white raiment. cross suspended from
her neck, her hair disbeyeled, and her
eyes sparkling with supernatural lnstre.
She traversed the city vith tirm and
bold step; she passed TO the ramparts.
TO the very spot where the enemy ,sss
pouring on the assault; she mounted
to the breach. seized . lighted match
from the hand Of dying engineer. and
6rsd the piece Of artillery he had failed
to manage. then kissing her cross she
cried with the accent Of inspiration:
Death or yictoryr and reloaded the
| cannon. Such cry. such q vision
could not fail Of calling mp enthusiasm
it seemed that Heaven had brough,
aid to the just cause. Her cry was an
swsred: Long live Agostinar
Forward, forward. We will conquer! !!
resounded on every eide. Nerved by
such emotions. the force Of every man
WAS doubled and the French were re-
pulsed on ell sides- httht
General IIefevre. mortified at thi,
unex xpected result, determined TO reoucs
the place by famine, as we'll ss 10 dis
tress il by bombardment from ii Torero
The horrors that followed his measures
would be too painful to detail; but the,
afforded Agostina IN opportunity ol
displaying her intrepldity. She threw
herself into the most perilcss positions
to rescue the unhAppy beings woundes
by the bombs or by the falling of tim
bsrs. She went from house 10 hous
visifipg the woandrd binding mp thei
hurts, OF supplying aid TO the sick AM
Starving.
The French. by their indomitsbl
persevereoce. from step TO step, render
cd Themselves masters Of nearly hal
the city. General LeteYre thought hi
hour Of triumph had Arrived-he sen
10 the Spanish Commandant. Genera
Palafox. TO demand . capulstion. Pa
laalox resolved in public; he turned /
Agostina who stood near him. com
] plstely armed and asked her, 'Wha
shall I Answer?' ~ ars
i The girl indisnAnily replied. Wa
TO the knifer
Her exclamation was echoed by tn
populace. and Pallafox made her word
bis reply to Lsfsvse.
Nothing in the history Of va
has ever been recorded TO resemble th
, consequences Of this refusal TO capitl
. late. One row Of houses in stree
would be occspisd by the Spanish. th
opposite row By the French, A. COZ
tinual tempest Of balls passed throug
f,hs air; she town was . volcano; a
most revolving Slaughter Was carris
on for eleven days and nights. Ever
street, every house. wks disputed Wit
muskst and poigpasd. Agostina n
: from rank to rank. every where tAkir
the most active part The French We
= grsdoslly drives back, and the dau
~