TAKING OF TARRAGONA. 189 



against this place with a force of about 20,000 men, quite unprovided 

 with heavy artillery, which was to be sent from Tortosi ; their whole 

 train of battering cannon consisted of two light field pieces when they 

 commenced their operations, as Suchet relied on supplying himself 

 with heavier metal at the enemy's expense, as soon as he should be 

 prepared to use them. Accordingly he began by throwing up en- 

 trenchments on the west bank of the river Francoli in order to make 

 his advances against the lower town, which he was obliged to get 

 possession of before he could arrive within battering range of the 

 city. The Puerto, as the lower town was called, was defended by 

 very strong outworks, and batteries gradually rising above one ano- 

 ther, besides a strong wall, and bastions which connected it with 

 the upper town. This important outpost was under the command of 

 General Sarsfield, whose grandfather so gallantly distinguished him- 

 self at Limerick. The French lines were open to our broadsides 

 from the sea, but the shallowness of the water prevented our get- 

 ting near enough to annoy them much, except with our launches 

 and boats carrying carronades. Our first point of operation was to 

 be an attack on their entrenchments ; we were to get as near as 

 we possibly could to the shore, and endeavour to cover a sortie 

 from the garrison with a heavy fire from our broadsides, gunboats, 

 and launches, until the Spaniards should be within pistol-shot of the 

 French lines. This attack was very well planned, and would pro- 

 bably have succeeded if the Spanish troops had possessed the faculty 

 of standing fire, which they did not ; they were accordingly driven 

 back with great loss. I must, however, do justice to an old Irish 

 officer, who would have sacrificed his life in the cause, although to 

 look at him one would have thought it was high time he was invalided. 

 I recollect Colonel O'Ronyn as well as if I had seen him only a few 

 days ago. He was a tall thin man, about sixty, with iron grey 

 whiskers and mustachios, and a few white hairs on his head. Nei- 

 ther time nor the numerous hardships he had undergone had dimin- 

 ished the fire of his eyes, which sparkled with humour and intelli- 

 gence. He had all the vivacity and thoughtless bravery of his 

 countrymen. His dress was always the same indeed I do not think 

 his wardrobe afforded a change of habiliments. Two narrow tar- 

 nished silver stripes round the cuffs of his well-worn blue surtout 

 coat, were all the insignia of his rank that he displayed, except an 

 enormous greasy-looking cocked hat, the size and shape of an im- 

 mensely large cheese-cutter, and an amazing pair of cavalry boots. 

 His horse was as lean as himself, and the exact counterpart of Ro- 

 sinante, to whose master the colonel bore no small resemblance him- 

 self, both in figure and opinions. 



This old gentleman was to lead the sortie ; for notwithstanding 

 his extraordinary appearance, his courage and real worth were justly 

 appreciated by all who knew him. I remember our captain asking 

 him when we were to cease firing, that we might not run the risk 

 of killing our friends instead of our enemies ; to which he replied, 

 " I'll tell you, captain, how you'll do. You know me and my old 

 horse, (and it was not easy to mistake either) ; well, then, just keep 

 a look out upon us, and you may shoot any body you may see a-head 



