The battles of the world

by J. Douglas Borthwick

On the 29th, the trenches were regularly opened against the Chateau of the Inquisition on the left, the bridge of the Huerba in the centre, and the convent of St. Joseph on the right. The last of these was the principal object of the enemy, because the works in rear were destitute of a rampart, and it was intended to connect the attack with a simultaneous attempt to gain possession of the suburb.

The garrison, however, were not idle. The communication between the convent and the city could not be interrupted; and the garrison of the former, being daily relieved, made frequent sallies, by which the progress of the besiegers was materially retarded. On the 31st, a general sortie, supported by the whole guns of the place, was made against the enemy’s line. Though gallantly supported, it was unattended by any successful result. The repeated attacks of the garrison were repulsed; and, baffled in their efforts, they again entered the city. The loss on both sides was nearly equal.

On the 2nd of January, Moncey was superseded by Marshal Junot in the command of the besieging army. The latter was the bearer of an order to Mortier, to move on Calatayud with Suchet’s division, in order to keep open the communication with Madrid. This arrangement occasioned a material diminution of the besieging force, but no cessation of hostile operations. The works against the convent of St. Joseph still went on, and between the 3rd and 6th of January the second parallel was completed. Till the 10th no action took place; but on that day a tremendous fire from thirty guns was opened on the convent. It was soon rendered untenable. But, amid the ruins, the gunners covered by bags of wool, still continued to exercise their vocation, and fired on the enemy, till the walls were levelled with the ground. Even then the post was not relinquished without a gallant effort. At midnight a sortie was made against one of the batteries, in ignorance that two guns had been planted for its protection. The intention of the brave assailants was thus defeated; and, having suffered heavy loss from a murderous fire, both in front and flank, they again retreated to the city.

Even in the dilapidated condition of the convent, it was not till the evening of the next day that the enemy attempted to carry it by assault. At the same time a party, having turned the convent, succeeded, by means of a wooden bridge which the besieged had omitted to destroy, in effecting an entrance; and thus did the French at length become masters of a heap of ruins, and of about 100 gallant men by whom they were defended.

No sooner were the enemy in possession of St. Joseph, than they employed themselves in repairing the works, and completing the communication between the second and third parallels, the latter of which they established on the right and left of the convent. The garrison on that side were now compelled to remain within their walls; for the besiegers were secured against their efforts by the double obstacle of a river and an escarpment eight feet high.

On the 15th a second parallel was opened against the town; and batteries were commenced in it, to enfilade the defences of the Augustine and Capuchin convents, and that of Sta. Engracia. Yet neither the loss of their outworks, nor a tremendous bombardment, which the French kept up for several days, had the effect of diminishing the ardour of the inhabitants. The Zaragozans were not only actuated by that active and living energy which stimulates to deeds of high enterprize, but they possessed, likewise, that calm and passive fortitude, that buoyant upbearing of the spirit, which suffering cannot depress, nor misfortune overthrow.

But their cup was not yet full. The inhabitants of the part of the city most injured by the bombardment, were driven into the other quarters, where many of them took up their abode in cellars, which afforded comparative security from the shells. The consequence was, that these dark and miserable receptacles became the focus of infectious fever. The disease spread rapidly among a crowded and redundant population. Thus did death, on all hands, present itself to the unshrinking Zaragozans; and the greater part preferred exposing themselves on the ramparts, to breathing the infected air which pervaded the dark and noisome retreats in which they had sought refuge from the shells.

From the 17th to the 21st, the besiegers were occupied in the construction of new batteries to overcome the defences of the garrison; and the third parallel was extended to command two sides of the convent of Sta. Engracia. In these circumstances, a sortie was made, in the hope of spiking the enemy’s artillery. The fire of a battery of four mortars was found peculiarly annoying: and eighty men, commanded by Don Mariano Galindo, volunteered to attack it. They boldly precipitated themselves on the guard of the third parallel, put them to the sword, and succeeded in entering the battery. At the same moment the enemy’s reserve came up. There was no retreat; all perished except the officers and a few wounded soldiers, who were made prisoners.

The movements of the numerous bodies of armed peasantry, in the surrounding country, occasioned great inconvenience to the besiegers. Bands were formed on all hands; which, though unable to resist the attack of disciplined troops, yet were sufficiently formidable to require perpetual vigilance, and numerous enough to narrow the supplies of the besieging army, in a very considerable degree.