The Bravest of the Brave

lthough extensive, were not very formidable against a strong army provided with a siege train. To hold them fully required a much larger force than was disposable for the defense.

and the sea was a long rampart with an unfinished ditch and covered way; while to the west, stan

e and beautiful, carefully cultivated and watered by streams flowing from the neighboring mountains. At the distance of about a

on some of the transports nearest to the shore; but their shot did not reach the vessels, and the fire soon ceased. The east win

town of Vich the people had risen for King Charles, and putting himself in communication with their leaders he advised them to march upon the coast and co

orty other young gentlemen, partisans of the Duke d'Anjou, and destined for employment in different

e Earl of Peterborough such an unfavorable impress

ies of the besiegers, orders had been given to destroy all the forage in the surrounding country which could not be conveyed within the walls. Any Austrian sympathies the inhabitants might possess were effectually s

ossible. Above all, the principal hope of the expedition had failed. The adherents of Charles had assured him that the whole country would rise in his favor on the arrival of the fleet, and that the town itself would probably o

any case embarrassing for a general; in the present instance it was calculated altogether to cripple him. There was but little harmony among the chief officers. The English military officers were by no means on good terms with each other, while the naval officers regarded almost as an insult Lord

lonels on the staff. The king and the Prince of Hesse Darmstadt were present, but took no part in the deliberations. Singularly enough the council proved unanimous in their opinion that Barcelona should not be attacked. The reasons for the decision were drawn up and put on record. The council pointed ou

mstadt, and they addressed letters of strong remonstrance to Lord Peterborough, urging that to abandon the

getting ashore. The landing place had been well chosen by Lord Peterborough and Sir Cloudesley Shovel. It was about two miles east of the city, near a place called Badalona

al abrupt hills and defiles through which the river Basoz flowed. The front was, however, much extended, but this mattered the less, as the people from the neighboring villages began to assemble when the landing to

fifty guns should be erected to breach the wall between two of the bastions, and that the whole strength of the army should be thrown upon an assault. He acknowledged the force of the several objections to the attack, but urged tha

alone voted, although in opposition to his own judgment, in compliance with the king's plan. Not

siege for a period of eighteen days. The first decision was adverse, two only voting with Lord Peterborough for the siege. At the second counci

on the works and erect the siege batteries without such assistance. Nevertheless the peasantry gave effectual aid in landing the artillery, tents, ammunition, and stores. On the 28th the king la

n of the allies to undertake the siege, while the allies were incensed against those who reproached them for not undertaking impossibilities. Dissension spread

ich took place around him. He was most anxious to carry out his instructions, and as far as possible to defer to the opinion of

r soldiers from the military chest, while they would submit to no discipline and refused to labor in the trenches, and an open rupture took place, when the p

t him for having landed and committed them to this apparently hopeless enterprise; but they nevertheless cla

general was gratified by the young officer's readiness at all times and hours to come to him and write from his dictation the long letters and dispatches wh

round flanked by two deep ravines, and on several of the adjacent hills batteries of light field guns had been raised. Three weeks were consumed in these comparatively unimportant operations, and

board a hostile ship. But Peterborough and his officers were well aware that such an attack against a city defended by a superior force would be simple madness, and even an attack by regular approaches, with the means and labor at their disposal, would have h

particular of the fortifications of the city, of the ground near to the walls, and of the habits and proceedings of the garrison. At last he resolved upon an attempt which, in its daring and enterprise, is a

defenses formidable in themselves. It was, in fact, by far the strongest point in the position of the besieged. Standing on a commanding height, it was abundantly capable of defense even against a regular siege, and its reduction was always regarded as a most formidable enterprise, to be undertaken at leisu

g a long detour they approached the castle, and ascending one of the ravines gained a point where, themselves unseen, they could mark all particulars of the fortifications. Having carried out his purpose the earl returned to camp with his companion without his absence having bee

ly re-embarked and conveyed to Italy. Accordingly the heavy artillery was conveyed on board ship, the warlike stores collected, and the troops warned to be ready for embarkation. A storm of reproaches was poure

he greatest calmness and patience the reproaches and accusations to which he was exposed.

within the town the garrison and the inhabitants, who were, or pretended to be,

in the allied camp for the purpose, as was supposed, of covering the embarkation. Scaling ladders and everything nec

ia road, as if en route to Taragona to meet the fleet and embark in that harbor. The remainder of the detachment followed in support at some little distance. At n

a judge of our behavior, and see whether my officers and soldiers really deserve the bad character which you of l

rode off, followed only by Jack Stillwell and the prince's aide de camp. At ten o'clock the

en to march in single file. The night was very dark, and the detachment many hours on the march, so that

k before the day had fairly broke; but the general had well considered the subject, and had determined to avoid the risk and conf

er works should these be carried by an enemy. He had therefore determined to carry the outworks by assault, judging that if he captured them the inner works could not long resist. In case of a reverse, or to enable him to take advantage of s

ed and eighty strong, were to attack the bastion facing the town, which was the strongest part of the defense. He himself and the Prince of Hesse accompanied th

fenses. The second party, similar in strength and formation, under the command of the Hon. Colonel Southwell, were to attack an unfinished demibastion on the extreme western point of the fort and furthermost from the town. The remaind

them. These fired a hasty volley at the British troops as they ascended the crest and then retreated into the fort. Seizing their arms the garrison rushed to the ramparts and manned them in time to receive the assail

d men followed them quickly and in perfect order, and were soon masters of the bastion. The earl at once set his men to work to throw up a breastwork to cover them from the guns of the inner works;

ed all his force to oppose the assailants. This was what Peterborough had expected. He at once sent orders to Colonel Southwell to commence his attack upon the now almost undefend

he bayonet. A desperate contest ensued; but though many of the English officers and soldiers fell, they would not yield a foot of the position they had captured.

le both the assaulting columns were occupied in intrenching themselves there was a lull in the battle. The besieged could not

sand men under General Stanhope and made prodigious exertions to g

and Velasco, the governor, was thunderstruck to find himself threatened in this vital point by an enemy whose depart

d been sure that such a movement would be made. He could not spare men from his own scanty force to guard the roads between the city and the castle, but he had posted a number of the armed Spanish peasants who were in

ssing an enemy or pursuing a beaten foe, were utterly untrustworthy in any plan of combined action. The succor, therefore, reached Mo

shout "Long live Charles the Third!" and threw open the gates of the fort as if to surrender. The Prince of Hesse Darmstadt, who commanded at this point, was completely deceived, and h

. In vain they tried to defend themselves; the brave prince was struck down by a mortal wound while endeavoring to encourage them, and was carried to the

e few minutes, had greatly changed. Velasco had dispatched three thousand men, as fast as they could be got together, to follow Risbourg's dragoons to the succor of the f

. Their commander, Lord Charlemont, shared the panic, and gave orders for a retreat. The march soon be

approaching Spaniards, of what had taken place. Peterborough at once turned his horse, and, followed by Carleton and Jack Stilwell, galloped up

Will you bear the infamy of having dese

up the hill, and, on reaching the top, found that, strangely enough, the garrison had not discovered that the bas

Allen and the prisoners with him, and pushed on toward Barcelona. Halfway down he met the reinforcement of three thousand men. The pr

fore turned and marched back to the city. Had he continued his way Peterborough's force must have been destroyed, as Stanhope had not yet come up, and he had with him only the little f