Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-28
glad to get back to hi, capital of Turin

| feated the Duke VI b'SaoA" -
oi passinc over the details Of the war and
| 10 many minor events we come TO the
| siega az barcelona IN 1877, tho Spanlards
boiding the place with 10000 men and the
| French proposing to take II with their
army OF b. COD men. Louis had made peace
with Prince Eugene. one OF the most
poyerful of the allies, and be desired 10
master that important stronghold IN order
TO finish the war; ,,,..,
est cantain. the famous Prince Vendome,
who. after siege marked by an extraordl-
nary series of sanguInary fights by day
and night. at last took the city. The
irish soldiers present behaved with such
pallantry that. according TO Forman, VINO
Gives an accurate account OF all these
affairs. "the Prince Vendome was so
charmed with thcir courage and so amazed
at the intrepidity Of their behavior tnat
the particular esteem he showed forever
afterwards is still remembered IN France.
This was the closing event OF the war OF
the League of Augsburg, which ended with
the treaty of Ryswick in 1857. and 1t also
closed the frst period OF the history OF
Franco-Irish troops.
Peace necessitated the disbanding of the
majority Of the army, ana the irish regl,
ments. depleted by the most arduous and
dangerous service, had 10 endure the con-
sequences of partial peace establishment
on low pay for some OF the corps ana
total breakup of the rest IN country 10
whose citizenship they were adiudged en-
titled but that could give them no homes
or support.
After great deal of suffering. and when
n GREAT mart OF the Irish had been scatter
cd. in answer to a pathetic appeal, the
King consented to retain brigade organ
lied on a principle Of reform that IS,
the officers to be graded according to the
number OF men.
The rest of the Irish troops he recon-
mended TO the service Of the King of Spain.
Besides the necessity for reducing the ex-
penses OF his army Louis was forced to
some extent to respect the rancor OF Eng
land against the Irish Catholics.
But the peace did not last long before
the eyer-burning hatred of the other con-
tinental Powers displayed itself IN new
cause for war when Austria claimed the
throne of Spain held by Phillip v, Louis's
grandson.
To support that branch of the Bourbon
dynasty LOUIS moved his army into Spain,
but in the first campaign the French were
defeated at CHAR by the allies under
Prince Eugene. The French Marshal
Villeroi had under him the four Irish regl--
ments of Berwick, Gslmoy, Bourke, and
Dillon with the Dragons OF Sheldon.
THE SURPRISE OF CREMoNA.
One of the most gallant exploits of the
Irish was achieved the following year by
the regiments of Dillon and Bourke at
what was called the Surprise Of Gre
mona" That ancient city of Italy, so
noted for the delicious harmony that
artistic hands have drawn from its match
less viollns, was doomed to rue the harsh
discords of war when the war-llke Eugene.
flushed with his former successes, criti-
cally concluded that as the key of the
French position it must be taken, and by a
coup d. main. since II was enclosed by
strong ramparts and manned by garrl-
son of 1000 French under Marshal Villeroi.
Having approached within eighteen miles
of the place he broke camp at night
fall and making forced march arrived
before the gates of Cremona before day
break with 5000 men. The Prince dc
Vandemont had crossed the river Pc with
an equal force and was to attack the
bridge on the opposite side of the city so
AS to connect his troops with those Of
Prince Eugene at the Pc gate. which was
the city end of the bridge. and thus cut
the lines of the garrison i'll twain. The
Prince had introduced 800 grenadiers IN
disguise into the city and wnen he gave
the signal the great sewer at tine st. Mar
gAret gate was opened and las people crept
in and threw open the gates. The surprise
was complete. The Prince galloped TO
the central square and the Baron
de Mercy with solid body OF
cavalry and grenadiers marched straight
TO the Pc gate, separating the battallons OF
the French before they caught up the
alarm and completely blocking up the
streets between the various barracks. The
French officers, aroused by the din, tried
to get to their troops half dressed. and
scores we're killed or captured. The Mar
shal Nilleroi rushed down stairs and sue
| ceeded in getting on his horse without his
armor on end galloped to the square fol-
| lowed by few soldiers. but he was quick
| " overpowered and captured. The Baron
de Mercy marched up to the Pc gate and
sent word TO his chief that it was taken;
and now it appeared to the doughty
| Eugene that he had won the day without
! the aid of de Naudemont on the
| other side of the river. But the
| over-confident Baron de Mercy had
| not yet seen at the apparently unguarded
gate that handful Of men had ranged
| themselves behind barricade to dispute
his advance. IL was a single company of
Irishmen. only 3j men on the part Of the
line assigned to the two Irish battalions
that were quartered near by. but who had
not yet caught the alarm. Presently, per-
ceiving that there was something III his
way, the Baron ordered an attack on the
| barricade and his grenadlers marched up
to thrust their muskets through the loop
holes and FIRE; but the lrishmen poked
their bayonets through the holes and
peppered the assailants SO severely that
thu first party recoiled. Again and again
the Baron renewed the assault, each time
with increased numbers, until 1t seemed
as if the enemy could have bodily carried
away the frail resistance before them. The
Baron enraged ut the opposition he met.
looked around for some other point TO at
tack and perceived that the battery of st.
Peters. to the right of the barrcade, had
been left without even a guard, and
at it he at once sent his grena-
diers. But the Austrians had scarcely
entered the works when the two Irish bat
tallons came up at run, and without
halting TO form they gave the intruders "a
close volley and rushed on them with the
bayonet so fercelv that the fort was cleared
Of the aSsailants in q few minutes. and the
two regiments. with only a single field
officer. Major 0'Mahony, ranged them
selves along the barricade and hastily for
tilted the line IN the best way they could
CHORUS OF PASDEMoSIUM
The Major, afterwards known as Count
Mahoni." was the only field officer who
succeeded in getting to his men The Baron
drew off to reform his troops for an
other attack, while all through the city
resounded the internal chorus of pande-
monium. The French trumpets and drums
were sounding IN vain trying to rally their
scattered men; the Austrians were gallop-
ing wildly along the streets. and detached
fights were engaged in III every quarter,
while the clash of steel and the rattle of
musketry, the shouts OF the combatants.
and the cries Of the wounded were made
fri hxf bn abr Ia n4
and the smoke of shots from the windows
that gave the effect of confagration.
While the defenders were preparing for
Prince Eugene IN front Prince de Yande-
mont vas seen deploying his squadrOns in
the rear ON the PLAIN beyond the bridge,
aud the alert Mahony turned his guns
around TO give the new enemy a salute