164 ATTACK ON THE SUBURB. CHAP. III. carry the building by assault; but they were met by a fire so destructive as to compel them 1809. February. Feb. 7. Feb. 18. to retreat. Hitherto the suburb on the left of the Ebro had been exempted from attack, since Gazan's failure on the first night of the investment. That officer, availing himself of some ambiguity in his orders, had declined to re-engage in active operations; nor was it till Lannes arrived, with authority to enforce his orders, that Gazan was induced to resume the offensive. On the seventh, the Convent of Jesus, on the left of the road to Lerida, was attacked. Trenches were opened against it; and twenty battering pieces having effected a breach, it was carried with little loss, the building not being considered by the besieged as of material importance. The enemy then succeeded in establishing a lodgment to the right and left. A On the eighteenth, the suburb, after two unsuccessful efforts, was carried by assault. tremendous fire from fifty guns soon laid open the way to the assailing columns. By mid-day a breach was effected in the Convent of St. Lazarus, commanding the bridge; and the defenders, after a strenuous resistance, were driven THE SUBURB IS CARRIED. 165 February. from the building. All communication between CHAP. III. the suburb and the city was now cut off; and 1809. the French, immediately advancing to the river, intercepted the retreat of about fifteen hundred men, who, enfeebled by disease and suffering, were made prisoners. The capture of St. Lazarus necessarily involved that of the suburb, which was without ammunition or provisions, yet many of its defenders continued to wage a fierce but hopeless war in the streets. Many crossed the bridge under a shower of bullets, and effected their escape to the city. Others succeeded in passing the river in boats. Altogether, the loss of the besieged amounted to about two thousand. The brave Baron de Versage, who commanded on the left bank of the Ebro, was killed. The loss of the suburb laid open to the enemy the only part of the town which had hitherto been exempted from direct attack. The besiegers, imagining that the courage of the garrison had been abated by this irreparable misfortune, continued their operations with vigour. By means of mining, two enormous breaches were made in the University—both of which were attacked and carried; and the traverses of the 166 CHAP. III. 1809. February. Feb. 19. PALAFOX IS SMITTEN WITH FEVER. Cozo were at length abandoned by the Spaniards. In the meantime, Palafox had been smitten with the dreadful disease, whose ravages had been more widely spread than even those of famine and the sword. This admirable and heroic leader, who, for above a month, had been unable to quit the vault where he lay stretched on a bed of suffering, at length saw the necessity of resigning the command. Of On the nineteenth, he transferred his authority to a Junta, of which Don Pedro Ric was appointed president. A council was immediately assembled to deliberate on the condition of the city, and the measures most proper to be adopted. At this meeting it was stated, by the General of cavalry, that only sixty-two horses remained, the rest having died of hunger. the infantry it appeared there were little more than two thousand eight hundred men fit for service. Ammunition was nearly exhausted; and should a shell penetrate the Inquisition, their only manufactory of powder would be destroyed. The fortifications were stated, by the chief engineer, to have been almost utterly demolished. There were neither men nor materials necessary for repairing them; and bags of RIC APPOINTED HIS SUCCESSOR. 167 earth could no longer be formed from want of CHAP. III. cloth. In order to ascertain the chances of external succour, the Duke de Villahermosa was sent to Palafox, to receive such information on the subject as he might be able to communicate. But fever was raging in his brain, and he could communicate nothing. His papers were examined; but these only tended to increase the conviction, that no relief could reasonably be expected from without. With regard to the measures to be adopted, the Junta were divided in opinion. Twenty-six voted for capitulation; eight against it. The latter were averse to surrender, while even a possibility of succour remained. With proud gallantry of spirit the opinion of the minority was adopted by the Junta. A flag of truce was sent to the enemy, proposing a suspension of hostilities, with the view of ascertaining the situation of the Spanish armies; it being understood that should no immediate succour be at hand, the Junta would then treat for a surrender. This proposal was peremptorily declined by Marshal Lannes; and the bombardment recommenced. 1809. February. 168 THE DREADFUL STATE OF THE CITY. 1809. CHAP. III. On the twentieth the garrison made a last and unsuccessful effort to recover two guns which the enemy had captured on the preceding day. Affairs were now desperate. The fifty guns February. which had been employed in the attack of the suburb, now opened fire on the city; and the streets in the neighbourhood of the quay were laid in ruins. Thus situated, the Junta ordered measures to be taken to ascertain the sentiments of the people with regard to the situation of their city. Two-thirds of it were in ruins. Fire, famine, and slaughter had done their work; and from three to four hundred persons were daily dying of the pestilence. Under such circumstances the Junta declared they had fulfilled their oath of fidelity,—and that Zaragoza was destroyed. A flag of truce was despatched to the French head-quarters, followed by a deputation of the Junta, to arrange the terms of capitulation. Marshal Lannes was at first disposed to insist on unconditional surrender. The proposal was indignantly rejected by the deputies; and Ric declared, that rather than submit to it the Zaragozans would die beneath the ruins of their city. "I, and my companions," said this noble |