We drew out the nails from the tablet which proclaimed ours to be the
unconquerable redoubt, in order to take away with us that witness
of our justifiable arrogance. At nightfall the fortification was
abandoned, only forty remaining to keep it until the end, and shoot all
they could, as our captain said that no chance might be lost to lose
the enemy a couple of men. From the Torre del Pino we saw the retreat
of the forty at about eight o'clock in the evening, after they had met
the invaders with bayonet-thrusts; they retreated fighting bravely.
The interior mine of the redoubt had had little effect, but the small
mines of the bridge acquitted themselves so well that the passage was
destroyed and the redoubt isolated from the other bank of the Huerva.
Gaining this position and San José, the French would have enough
protection to open their third parallel and to demolish at their
leisure the whole circuit of the city. We were saddened and just a
little discouraged; but of what importance is a little depression when
on the day following one has a diversion and a feast? After being madly
discouraged, a little jollity does not come amiss, especially when
time is wanting to bury the dead; nor was there room in the houses for
the many who were wounded. It is true that there were hands for all
that had to be done, thanks be to God.
The reason for the general rejoicing was that glorious rumors were
in circulation of Spanish armies that were coming to succor us, on
the heels of the French, in many parts of the Peninsula. The people
crowded into the Plaza de la Seo, and in front of the Magdalene arch,
waiting until the "Gazette" should appear; and at last it came out,
cheering everybody's spirits, and making all hearts palpitate with
hope. I do not know if such rumors had really reached Saragossa, or if
they originated in the wits of the chief editor, Don Ignacio Assor.
It is certain that they told us in print that Reading was coming to
succor us with an army of sixty thousand men, that the Marquis of
Lazan, after routing the mob in the north of Catalonia, had entered
France, spreading terror in every direction, and that also the Duke
del Infantado was coming to our aid, who with Blake and la Romana had
routed Napoleon, slaying twenty thousand men, including Berthier, Ney,
and Savary, and that at Cadiz had arrived several millions in hard cash
sent by the English for the expense of war. What did it all mean?
Could the "Gazette" explain all this?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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