History of Europe. 



65 



i ?th of October. The victory was 

 disputed with great valour on both 

 sides, but after a bloody conflict 

 declared for the French, who made 

 a dreadful slaughter of the enemy, 

 and particularly of their emigrated 

 countrymen in the Spanish service, 

 A great number of cannon and 

 \varlike stores, v/ith tents for 12,000 

 Jnen, fell into their hands. 



But the glory of this day v.^as 

 heavily clouded by the loss of the 

 General to whom it was owing. 

 Dugommier, zealous to reconnoitre 

 the motions of the enemy, in order 

 to complete the plan he had form- 

 ed to cut oft' his retreat, was slain 

 by a cannon-ball in the moment of 

 victory. No officer stems to have 

 been more respected for his various 

 great qualities. The convention 

 decreed that his name slioukl be 

 inscribed on a column in tlie pan- 

 theon of Paris, among those war- 

 riors who had deserved well of their 

 country, and fallen in its service. 

 Three days after this great victory, 

 another still greater was obtained. 

 Exasperated at their continual de- 

 feats, the principal heads of the Spa- 

 nish army resolved to concentrate 

 their whole strength in a position 

 strong by nature, and wh'ch they 

 had rendered stillstrongerbya chain 

 of entrenchmetits and batteries, to 

 the number of near 100. I'hese 

 Stupendous v/orks had employed 

 lix months of assiduous labour. 

 They were defended by an army 

 of 40,000 men; and it was thought 

 by adequte judges in military af- 

 fairs, that the French would cer- 

 tainly be worsted, if they attempted 

 to force them. In this hope, some 

 of the most eniincnt officers in the 

 •crvice of Spain had repaiie-J lo 

 this army,, in order to CfntvibiUe 

 Vol. XXXVl. 



their exertions on the critical day 

 that was shortly expected. 



Convinced of the necessity of 

 overcoming the obstacles thus 

 thrown in their way, before they 

 could make a farther progress, the 

 French commanders drew toorether 



O 



the best troops that could be mus- 

 tered from the various posts they 

 occupied, resolving to make the ut- 

 most trial of their valour. On the 

 20th of October they marched to 

 the attack of the Spanish entrench- 

 ments ; and after three hours fight 

 penetrated them in every quarter, 

 to the utter astonishment of the 

 Spanish commanders. Indignant 

 at so unexpected and humiliating 

 a disappointment, after using every 

 effort that bravery and skill could 

 employ to retrieve the fortune of 

 the day, they seemed determined 

 nottosurviveit. CountDe L'Union 

 and three other general officers 

 were amongst the slain 3 and their 

 army was completely defeated and 

 put to flight. This great and de- 

 cisive battle was fought in the 

 nighbouvhood of St. Fernando de 

 Figueres, a place of great strength, 

 and garrisoned by near 10,000 

 men : but the loss of such a battle 

 in their sight, filled them with such 

 dismay, that they surrendered to 

 the] victors in three days. The 

 booty found in this foitress, and in 

 the encampment that had been 

 forced, was immense. Among 

 other articles of high value, twelve 

 founderies for cannon, with all the 

 materials in readiness, were taken. 

 I'he importance of this victory was 

 such, il;at all resistance fell before 

 the French in those pjrts. They 

 followed the retreating Spaniards 

 with so much expedition, that 

 O'.ertaking them at a place where 

 f they 



