In April 1813, a party from the Invincible, in conjunction with some Spanish troops, surprised and obtained possession
place on the afternoon of the 28th; when, a practicable breach being made, the assailants rushed in, and almost immediately carried the town. Suchet, who, in a former despatch, had expressed his apprehension of being obliged “to set a terrible example, and intimidate for ever Catalonia and Spain, by the destruction of a whole city” too well verified his menace. He thus relates the catastrophe:
“The fury of the soldiers was increased by the resistance of the garrison, who every moment expected their deliverance, and thought to secure suocess by a general sortie. The fifth assault, still more vigorous than the preceding, made yesterday in broad day on the fortification, has occasioned a horrible massacre, with but little loss on our side. The terrible example I foresaw with regret, in my last report to your highness, has taken place, and will for a long time be recollected in Spain. Four thousand men have been killed in the city; from 10 to 12,000 endeavoured to make their escape over the walls into the country; 1000 have been sabred or drowned; nearly 10,000, of whom 500 are officers, have been made prisoners, and are setting off for France; nearly 1000 wounded are in the hospitals of the city, where their lives were respected in the midst of the carnage. Three Field-Marshals and the Governor are among the prisoners: many others among the slain!!”
Further particulars of this day of horror are given in Captain Codrington’s letter, from which we have just quoted. He described the panic that prevailed on the entrance of the French, in the following words:
“Those already without the walls stripped, and endeavoured to swim off to the shipping, while those within were seen sliding down the face of the batteries; each party thus equally endangering their lives more than they would have done by a firm resistance to the enemy. A large mass of people, some with muskets and some without, then pressed forward along the road, suffering themselves to be fired upon by about 20 French, who continued running beside them at only a few yards distance. At length they were stopped entirely by a volley from one small part of the enemy, who had entrenched themselves at a turn of the road, supported by a second a little higher up, who opened a masked battery of two field-pieces. A horrible butchery then ensued; and shortly afterwards the remainder of these poor wretches, amounting to above 3,000, tamely submitted to be led away prisoners by less than as many hundred French. The launches and gun-boats went from the ships the instant the enemy were observed by the Invincible (which lay to the westward) to be collecting in their trenches; and yet, so rapid was their success, that the whole was over before we could open our fire with effect. All the boats of the squadron and transports, were sent to assist those who were swimming, or concealed under the rocks; and, notwithstanding a heavy fire of musketry and field-pieces, which was warmly and successfully returned by the launches and gunboats, from 5 to 600 were then brought off to the shipping, many of them
