La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1898-09-03
Siege Of Gibraltar.


Undoubtedly the most interesting
story of siege and bombardment In the
annals Of warfare since cannon were
nrst invented. says the st. Paul Dis
patch. Is that OF the unsuccessful at
tempt Of Spain to regain in 1873 the
fortress OF Gibraltar. which England
had taken by storm n few years before.
For three years and seven months the
stronghold was invested by a large
force OF all arms, and practically
uninterrupted fire from 135 guns, in
cluding some fifty mortars of thirteen
inch caliber. was maintained from
January IL. 17s0, till February 2. 1888.
Meanwhile the gallant little garrison
was but once relieved and suffered all
the pangs OF starvation. not unmingled
sometimes with feeling OF despair:
still they chung to the gigantic rock.
repelling attack after attack with In
domitable courage and endurance and
infiicting enormous losses on their op-
ponents. The latter. indeed. are deserv-
Ing OF praise for the pertinacity and
perseverance with which they returned
to the fray time after time, undaunted
by continual reyerses, and hopeful eyer
to retrieve the disgrace which theY
considered the presence OF the hated
"tnf1dels" put upon them.
The most interesting and existing
episode during the long siege was the
ferocioas attempt made by the Span
iards towards the close. when they
strained every nerve to dismay and
overcome the already exhausted. but
still unfiinching garrison. More than
10000 troops and 10 pieces OF ordnance
OF large caliber were at the disposal o.
the Spanish general. and the ingenious
type Of floating batteries. strongly re-
sembling the famous "cheese-boxes on
RATS" Of the late war. had been de-
vised by the Dons, who expected grsat
things OF them In the meditated Assault.
The numbers of the opposing forces
were ludicrously disproportionate. Be
sides the aforementioned troops and
guns, the Spanish possessed nine liue
OF battle ships. fifteen gun or mortar
boats. sufficient to land nearly 10000
men, and. In addition, the ten floating
batteries. which consisted OF large ves-
sells, their sides protected by banking
Of timber seven feet thick. and the
decks and guns screened with slant
ing roof OF shot-proof material. To
this gigantic armament the defense
could only oppose some 1000 men.
many of them sick or wounded, and all
reduced to scanty rations for many
months past. ammunition was limited
. nd
Quated. On the Sth of September. 1882.
IRE was opened on the fortress. at q
preconcerted signal. by the entire
strength of the Spanish artillery, both
ON land and afoat. The floating bat
teries" were moored within half range
and proved indeed invulnerable to shot
and shell, which lasted all night and
day until late on the 18th. On that day
the garrison, unable to make an Inn
preston on the fleet. whose efforts
were beginning to give the small force
Of defenders considerable trouble and
Inconvenience, conceived the brilliant
idea Of loading their guns with red-hot
shot and burning shells, which. though
Of little or no penetrating power. turned
ont to be very effective against the
wooden sides Of the battleships and
gunboats; In fact. within very few
hours every one OF the floating batter
les lay perfectly quiescent on the water.
. useless mass Of burning hulks.
The endeayors and energies OF the
defenders finally prevailed over the
vast numerical superiority Of their op-
ponents, and on the 18th Of the month
the desperately conducted attack was
given up and the Spanish troops re-
tired 10 their lines. severely crippled
BY the enormous losses they had suf-
fered: winter quarters were taken up.
tho bombardment practically aban-
doned and peace was declared on the
"a OF February following. Thus ended
tho most remarkable siege that can
be found on the pages Of history: re-
Variable for many reasons. but most
Of All for the small loss Of life among
tha defenders. who. during the three
year, and q half that the Investment
lasted, lost in all but 500 men. while
they inflicted on the enemy total loss
OF several thousand lives. Gibraltar
today simply bristles with artillery:
the mountain il honeycombed with
paasages and galleries leading to re-
noteIy hidden batteries, some the re-
suit Of natures workings. but most Of
thsm excayated by years Of arduous
toll IN the very bowels Of the gigantis
rOck-