62] 
laying siege to the town, the inun- 
dations from rain and melted snows 
obliged them todesist. After lying 
three weeks in a state of inaction, 
they took possession of a rising 
ground near the town; and, erett- 
ing a battery of heavy cannon, bat- 
tered it so effectually, that a general 
assault was resolved upon; but the 
garrison, apprehending such an in- 
tention, evacuated the town in the 
night preceding the day it was to 
have been assaulted. A small party 
that remained surrendered at dis- 
cretion; and the inhabitants were 
promised kind usage, andexperienced 
it accordingly. This event took 
place on the fifth of January, 1795. 
From this time till May the Spa- 
niards remained inactive, not dar- 
ing to move from the strong holds 
they occupied in the mountainous 
parts of the province; and the 
French: were taken up in prepara- 
tions to march into the interior dis- 
triéts of the kingdom, and to endea- 
vourto penetrate even to the metro- 
polis. Some of the Spanish com- 
manders, however, struck | with 
shame at the spiritless behaviour of 
their countrymen, exerted them- 
selves torevive their drooping cou- 
rage, and having assembled a con- 
siderable body, vigorously attacked 
acorps of French on the fifth of 
May, near the town of Sistella; but 
the latter after a warm dispute, were 
completely victorious ; and the de- 
feat of the Spaniards was such, that 
they gave up ail expectations of 
being able to make an effectual 
stand before so viCtoriows an enemy. 
The French were so elated with 
their continual successes, that one 
of their generals, in whose camp 
aome spies had been deteéted, sent 
them to the Spanish quarters, with 
@ letter, informing the enemy of 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795. 
his strength, position, and desigriss 
This was general Moncey, an offi- 
cer of note, who concluded his let. 
ter by telling the Spanish command- 
er, that as soon as he had received 
the reinforcement he expected, he 
would drive him and his army out 
of Biscay and Navarre. So confi. 
dent were the French, and so de. 
pressed the Spaniards, that no doubt 
was entertained by either that he 
would execute his threats; after 
which the way would lie open to 
him as far as Madrid. It was ob- 
vious, that no army, nor fortified 
city remained to obstruét his march. 
The peasantry were a wretched and 
heartless race, worn down by po- 
verty and oppression; and the inha- 
bitants of the towns were an idle 
and indolent generation, debased 
by superstition, and grown inca. 
pable of manly exertions. 
In this extremity, the court of 
Madrid, saw no other expedient to 
extricate itself from unavoidable 
ruin, than to have recourse to an im. 
mediate treaty with the French re-° 
public, and to obtaih peace, on any 
terms that might be demanded. 
All cesourees had been exhausted ; 
the nobility, the gentry, the 
clergy, the monastic orders, had 
all contributed; the orders of 
knighthood, which have large pos- 
sessions in Spain, had lately made 
liberal donations to government, 
besides a tax, laid on their 
estates, of eight per cent. No 
class, in short, had been remiss 
in pecuniary assistance to the 
state: but want of personal 
spirit, or discontent at the mea. 
sures pursued by the ministry, 
seemed to pervade the mass of 
the nation, Under the conscious- 
ness of such a situation, the court 
of Madrid came to a determination 
