SWABEY DIARY. 42,9 
way to greater anxiety as I led this walking cinder to the light. Here, 
as goon as I could see him, was a spectacle! every hair on his head was 
singed, and he was perfectly black and blind, yet though he was scorched 
by the explosion he was not burnt, and I understood afterwards that in 
spite of much suffering he recovered. ‘This gallant fellow’s idea was 
that he would rather perish than not succeed in the duty that had been 
assigned him, and which had not been effectually done in the first 
instance. I have no doubt that the great strength and weight of the 
building, together with the immense subterranean vaults which offered 
insufficient resistance at any one point, rendered the operation less simple 
and easy than might have appeared to a mere spectator. 
While detained in the business of rendering the Retiro a place suitable 
for anything rather than seclusion, of course the troops, saving the 
very last videttes, had passed on. After having provided for the safety 
of the poor German officer, whose appearanceas I left him might have made 
a personification of the head ofany member of the satanic empire, I was 
anxious to get to my corps. Nothing in particular met my observation, 
the dragoon escort had gone on some time, but as I advanced on the 
road I became alarmed allat once by some firing in front of me. On 
getting near the spot one of the most heart-rending and dastardly 
spectacles which can be imagined met mv eye; some unfortunate 
French prisoners who had been left in Madrid were huddled together 
by the side of the road and their Spanish escort was leading them 
up one by one to shoot them at a certain tree, which they had 
chosen for a place of execution. ‘There could have been no reason 
why these emaciated wretches should have been brought from their 
hospital in Madrid, had they been left there they would have fallen 
again into the hands of their own people. Unable to walk they could 
proceed no farther, and their inhuman masters were in many instances 
at their own request, taking this summary way of terminating their 
misery. For ought I could tell some of the finest spirits that ever 
servedin the ranks of the French army might have perished in this 
ignoble manner. Whata death to die! certainly the feeling of exas- 
peration ran high amongst the Spaniards at this time, but to give it 
this vent displayed ignorance and barbarity more suited to savages than 
a Christian people claiming to rank in the order of civilization. I 
rode up to put a stop to this enormity, but being alone, vain were 
my remonstrances, and force was out of the question. I did indeed 
draw my sword but the musquets were immediately levelled at me and 
I found any resistance useless. This good however happened, a little 
time was gained, and a party of the 95th came up under a sergeant 
whose orders were to keep up stragglers. These men interfered, and 
the French being near at hand the rascals were under the necessity 
of abandoning the survivors]. 
4th November.—Marched to the Escorial taking with us five men of 
Macdonald’s troop. Part of the wounded left at Madrid, some of them 
with five, six and seven wounds. On the march we passed Majalahonda 
where their catastrophe took place. I had not time to visit the ground 
where the heroes lay. It appears three guns were taken, and those men 
