LON 
Molino ; by which Girard, after a gallant defence, was 
finally obliged to take to the mountains, fuBering a lofs 
which, in (lain and prifoners, amounted to at leaft 2000 
men, a general and colonel of cavalry being among the 
captives : all the enemy’s artillery, baggage, commiflariat, 
and fome magazines of corn, alfo fell into the hands of 
the vigors ; and no aftion during the campaign was at¬ 
tended with more brilliant fuccefs. 
It was, however, on the fide of Valencia that the mofl 
important events in the autumnal campaign took place.— 
Suchet entered that province about the middle of Septem¬ 
ber, and on the 27th took poffeffion of the town of Mur- 
viedro, againft the fortrefs of which, trenches were opened 
on the 29th. Three attempts which he made to take it 
by efcalade were repulfed with lofs. The liege' of this 
fort of Murviedro, or Saguntum, proved a difficult tafk, 
on account of the nature of the ground, and the vigour 
of the defenders. A breach, fuppofed practicable, was 
made on the 18th of October, when a column of the be- 
iiegers advanced to‘the afiault, and fome of the mod ad¬ 
venturous mounted to the top; but they were foon driven 
down, and their fate determined the reft to retreat after 
having undergone a confiderable lofs. As, however, it 
was evident that the place could not hold out much 
longer without being fuccoured, Gen. Blake, being joined 
by Gen. Mahi, the commander in Murcia, and all the 
other difpofable force in that quarter, advanced on the 
24th to the heights of Puch, overlooking the befieging 
army. He was there attacked on the 25th by Suchct; 
and, after a well-contefted battle, in which the French 
commander himfelf afferts that he found he had far dif¬ 
ferent troops to contend with than thofe of Valencia, was 
defeated with a lofs, according to the French ftatement, 
of 6500 men in killed, wounded, and prifoners: of the 
latter alone more than 4600 are numbered. On the follow¬ 
ing day the fortrefs of Murviedro capitulated, and a gar- 
fifon of nearly 2600 remained prifoners of war. 
While the French forces on the eaftern fide of Spain 
were thus occupied in carrying one important point, ac¬ 
cording to their ufual and fuccefsful mode of operation, 
their antagonifts were not wanting in efforts to improve 
the opportunity in other parts. The enterprifing and in¬ 
defatigable Mina, who had parted the fummer in the vi- 
ciffitudes of good and had fortune, having received ad¬ 
vice that Gen. Duran and the Empecinado were moving 
from Caftile upon Calafayud in Arragon, determined to 
co-operate with them ; and, entering that province from 
Navarre, he marched to Ayerve with the intention of lay¬ 
ing fiege to that place. Its danger being known at Sara- 
gofla, a body of 1100 infantry and 60 cavalry was fent 
from thence for its relief. Thefe came to aflion with 
Mina; and though, when obliged to retreat, they de¬ 
fended themfelves with great refolution, formed into a 
hollow fquare, the refult was their total deftruclion ; 640 
were made prifoners, and the reft put to the fword, three 
only (according to Mina’s relation) making their efcape 
to Saragofi'a. The Empecinado and Duran, in the mean 
time, fucceeded in obtaining porteffion of Calatayud on 
the 4th of Ofto’oer, and making prifoners of the French 
garrifon. They had fome other petty fucceffes ; but a 
want of cordial agreement, as it is (aid, prevented any 
important refults from their irruption into Arragon, 
The fouthern point of Andalufia was the fcene of fome 
active fervice.—To opptrte the Spahifh general Ballafteros, 
who was at the head of fome troops in the vicinity of 
San Roque, Gen. Godinot artembled a force of 10,000 
men, which obliged Ballafteros to retreat. An applica¬ 
tion was then made to major-general Cooke, the English 
commander in Cadiz, to land a British force at Tariffa for 
the purpofe of co-operating with the Spaniards. This 
requeft was complied with; and, on the 18th of Oftober, 
a body of 1000 Britiffi infantry, with a detachment of ar¬ 
tillery, under the command of Col. Skerret, landed and 
proceeded to Tariffa. The French army, unable to effect 
its defign againft Tariffa, marched back, followed by Jial- 
Vcx. XJil, No. 904. 
DON. 0,57 
lafteros, who, on the 22d, obtained a confiderable advan¬ 
tage over the rear-guard. The Fi’ench afterwards receiv¬ 
ing a reinforcement from Granada, Ballafteros was again 
forced to retire. The defign againft Tariffa, was then re- 
fumed by the French, who had a powerful force in that 
quarter under Gen. Viftor ; and by the 20th of December 
the town was completely inverted. Approaches were 
made, and a breach in the wall was effected before the 
end of the year. This circumftance was reported by the 
brave commander. Col. Skerret, on the 30th of December, 
when an afiault was expelled. On the evening of the 31ft, 
a ftrong column was feen rapidly advancing to the breach, 
and fuitable preparations were made to receive the attack. 
The intrepid refiftance of the defenders was crowned with 
fuccefs. In lefs than an hour, victory declared for them« 
the boldeft of the aftailants fell at the foot of the breach, 
and the mafs of the column made a precipitate retreat. 
A very pieafing inftance of humanity fucceeded this ex¬ 
ertion of valour. The ground between the town and the 
enemy’s battery was ftrewed with their wounded, who 
muft have periflied had they remained there. Colonel 
Skerret therefore hoifted a flag of truce, in token cf per- 
miffion to carry them off; and this humane adt was very 
feelingly acknowledged by the French commander. From 
that time the enemy kept up a partial fire, by which the 
breach was widened, and another afiault was expected ; 
when, on the morning of January 5, 1812, the columns of 
the enemy were deferied already at a diftance, having left 
behind them their artillery, ammunition, and (tores. A 
detachment of the garrifon was fent out to take poffeflioii 
of them, which refeued from the flames the articles that 
had been fet on fire. A number of dead was found, on 
the place, indicating the great lofs which rite befiegers 
muft have fuffered during the whole period. “Thus we 
have feen (fays Col. Skerret, with allowable exultation) 
the utmoft effort of the French has been fruftrated by 
1800 Britifli and Spanifli troops, with only the defence of 
a paltry wall; and an army of 10,000 men, condlifted by 
a mnrftial of France, retreating from them (ilently in the 
night, after having been repulfed and defeated, leaving 
behind all their artillery and (tores, collected at a great 
expenfe, and by immenle exertions.” 
After the defeat of Blake, and capture of Murviedro, 
marflial Suchet advanced with his centre to the fuburbs 
of Valencia, and was employed nearly a month in wait¬ 
ing for the arrival of the reinforcements and artillery, and 
collecting the requifites for a fiege. On the 26th of No- » 
vember, an attack was made on the line of Blake’s pro¬ 
tecting army ; and, his cavalry being routed, the infantry 
took (helter in its intrenched camp. This was afterwards 
forced ; the artillery and baggage were all taken ; and the 
fugitives, being cur off from the road to Murcia, werte 
obliged to throw themfelves into the city of Valencia. 
The victors then attacked and carried a number of fmall 
intrenched camps of the Spaniards; and, on the 25th of 
December, Valencia was invefted on all fides. The French 
trenches were opened in the nights of the ift and 2d of 
January, 1812, within feventy or eighty toifes of the Spa- 
nidi works ; and in four days the engineers puffied mines 
within fifty toifes of tile forte. Batteries were ereCted at 
fixty toifes diftance; and the effects of tiiefe operations 
caufed the Spaniards to abandon their lines, and take port; 
in the fuburbs. On the 5th, a bombardment Was begun, 
and a capitulation was offered to the town by Suchet, 
which was rejected by Blake. The bombardment was re* 
commenced, and in three days and nights 2700 bombs 
were thrown into the city, caufing many fires and explo- 
fions. The engineers by that time had made a lodgment 
in the fuburbs, and had placed mines under two of the' ' 
principal gates. The horrors of an affault were impend¬ 
ing over this populous city ; and, in order to avert them, 
general Blake now confented to a capitulation. By its 
terms, Valencia was put into the power of the French, 
with about 18,000 troops of the line made prifoners of 
war, 374 pieces of artillery, and a great quantity of mi- 
3 U liury 
