52 SPANISH CAMPAIGN OF 1860. ch. ii. 



Our day's ride lay over the scene of the Spanish cam- 

 paign in Marocco in the winter of 1859-60 — a military 

 event so completely eclipsed by the great wars that have 

 since desolated many parts of Europe, as to be now almost 

 forgotten. An intelligent and animated account of it was 

 published by the late Mr. Hardman, who accompanied 

 the Spanish army as correspondent of the Times news- 

 paper. The advance of O'Donnell, the Spanish com- 

 mander-in-chief, was slow and cautious ; but considering 

 the natural difficulties, and his complete ignorance of the 

 resources and designs of the enemy, any other course would 

 have been chargeable with rashness. The Moors, although 

 at the last they showed the utmost personal intrepidity, 

 failed to display the slightest military capacity — even 

 such as has been found among many savage tribes — failing 

 to take advantage of natural difficulties, and exposing 

 themselves in fruitless and desultory attacks when the 

 Spanish force occupied strong positions. The most serious 

 difficulty for the Spanish general arose from the necessity 

 for moving his army along the narrow strip of shore, 

 where for several miles the ground between this and the 

 stony hills of the interior is partly covered by shallow 

 lagoons, and the soft soil is intersected by streams. An 

 active enemy knowing the ground might have inflicted 

 heavy loss on the advancing force ; but, contrary to all 

 expectation, the Moors scarcely showed themselves at the 

 critical moment, and the Spaniards had none but the 

 natural obstacles to contend with. After crossing the pass 

 over which the ordinary track runs to Tetuan, the Spaniards 

 marched to the left, and established themselves in an 

 entrenched camp near the mouth of the Tetuan river, 

 where they received by sea reinforcements in men, heavy 

 guns, and provisions. After some delay, a brilliant action, 

 terminated by the storming of their camp near Tetuan, 

 cowed the Moorish leaders, and the Spanish occupied the 

 city, but only after it had been sacked by the irregular 

 forces of the retreating army. The Moors then sued for 



