they could ill support the excessive of the patriots was not so cordial as fatigue which they had magnani- it had been confidently anticipated. mously imposed on themselves, and, The number of those who joined the considering the nature of the service ranks of the liberals was limited, they were now to perform, they and though the inhabitants did not were certainly inferior to a company rise against them, still there was of common soldiers. nothing in their conduct strongly indicative of adhesion to the cause of freedom. But this ought to be subject of no wonder. They knew that an overwhelming force was advancing in every direction against the refugees, and the issue of so preposterous a contest as that of five or six hundred devoted men against an army of six or eight thousand regular troops, was easily to be foreseen. From this general dread, the apathy of many and the decided hostility of others, the most fatal results ensued. As we have before said, the constitutionalists met with no support within, and madness alone would suppose that the liberty of the country would be effected by their sole individual exertions. Mina's little army began its march on the 18th of October, and on the 20th entered Spain. The gallant body contained in its rank several generals and chiefs of high merit and standing in the army, amongst others Butron, Lopez, Banos, Alexander, O'Donnel, Sancho and others. Mina also took with him the brave Colonel Tauregui, better known by the name of El pastor, or the shepherd, in allusion to his calling, previous to his taking arms against the French during the Peninsular war. The sufferings which these brave Spaniards underwent were very severe. We know from the most authentic sources that for several days and nights they enjoyed no moment of repose, passing the nights among the fastnesses of bleak mountains without shelter or protection. A violent storm, which continued for a whole day, added to the misery of their situation-they were literally soaked in the rain, suffering from fatigue and want, and exposed to a variety of dangers in a province, which, as we have already mentioned, is one of the least inclined to a political change. But nothing was sufficient to damp the ardor of the devoted troop, and they patiently endured all the hardships which they were compelled to undergo. They had taken their position on the heights of Vera, no doubt with the intention of effecting a junction with the corps of Valdes, or at least to be near in order to offer him assistance in case of necessity. Meantime El Pastor, who commanded a body of a hundred men, had advanced towards Irun, and after a short fire succeeded in expelling the small garrison which defended that post. It soon became evident to the judicious observer that the reception Mina in this trying occasion exhibited the abilities for which he has been so justly celebrated. He soon perceived that the odds were fearfully against him, and he prudently confined his operations to the avoiding engaging in a contest until he could command greater elements of success. He was surrounded with imminent dangers; and to elude the vigilance of the enemy was for the present moment the only advantage to which he could aspire. In the art of fatigu ing an enemy to no purpose, Mina is acknowledged a profound adept. The extraordinary manner in which he continued with his guerrilla to harass and exhaust the strong French detachments opposed against him, is in the memory of all who are conversant with the history of the Peninsular war. The same tactics would have been followed with equal success on the present occasion, had not fatal and unavoidable circumstances deranged the plans of Mina, and compromised his troops to a line of conduct con trary to the wishes of their general as well as their own. The obstinacy of Colonel Valdes was productive of the most fatal effects. This chief must have been strangely deceived by the treacherous informations of scouts in the interests of the enemy.. Mina had received intelligence of the real state of the case-he knew that a formidable body was on the point of falling upon the little army of the patriots, and he hastened to communicate the news to Valdes. In the meantime he had sent a great proportion of his troops to cover the retreat which he foresaw his companion in arms would be compelled to make. General Butron, who commanded Mina's followers, had an interview with Colonel Valdes, and informed him that they would be surprised by the enemy unless they made good their retreat in time. Valdes would not believe the truth of this intelligence, alleging that he had received far more correct information from his confidential scouts. This fatal blindness in Valdes was not long in producing its natural results. Early in the morning of the 27th the enemy came in sight, and in a short time they presented a very formidable array. Instead of detached guerrillas or small flying columns, it was soon perceived that a series of battalions of regular troops were making their appearance. The troops of General Llauder, Viceroy of Navarre, together with those of Fournay, Santos, Ladron and Juanito, were acting with one accord, in order to surround and completely annihilate the small band of the constitutionalists. To his first error Colonel Valdes added a second. When he saw that he had been mistaken in his surmises either from a punctilio of honor from some extravagant stretch of hope, or from some other unknown cause, he resolved to engage in conflict with the enemy, instead of retreating before such superior force. This certainly was a strange infatuation, the more reprehensible as no one ever entertained a doubt of the intrepidity and military honor of Valdes. In a short time a brisk fire commenced between his two hundred men and the foremost detachment of the enemy. Valdes himself behaved with the utmost gallantry, and being most efficiently seconded by his followers, he succeeded in maintaining his station at the bridge of Vera for a long time. But new forces were continually coming in sight, and no human exertions could avail in so unequal a contest. The heights of Vera presented a fearful array ; forests of bayonets and other weapons glancing in the sun, threatened the devoted band with certain and immediate destruction. Valdes, after an obstinate resistance, was obliged to abandon his place and retreat, still keeping up the fire. At this moment a body of above a thousand men was seen advancing to the right with the intention of cutting off the sole direction by which the retreat could be effected. The danger of the constitutionalists was now appalling-wherever they turned their eyes they met nothing but fearful numbers of the enemy-it seemed as if the crisis of their fate was arrived, and that nothing could avert their ruin. In this awful moment, Mina's cavalry, that is to say thirty horsemen, made a desperate rush against the division of the enemy that was intercepting the retreat. The attack of this gallant band was so resolute, that despite of the immense inequality of numbers, they succeeded in killing many of the enemy, taking a chief and some men prisoners, and throwing the whole body into confusion. This partial success infused new ardor into the hearts of the patriots, their drooping hopes were revived, and a fresh stimulus was added to their exertions. The struggle was continued with obvious advantage on their side, when another division was observed rapidly advancing to support the first. To posed of a regiment of the royal guards and troops of the line. How came it then to pass that soldiers who could have not the slightest grounds of complaint, were seen to perform their task so tamely? How is this to be explained unless we admit that they were not ardent in the cause they were sent to support? We do not mean that in some particular instances they did not show a degree not only of zeal but of ferocity; for example, many of the officers (new men) were vociferous in their cries of Viva il Re absoluto! and the royalists violated the French territory by killing and wounding several constitutionalists in the pursuit but certain partial cases cannot affect our opinion, and we may fairly believe that the spirit of the army in general was, to say the least, very doubtful. prolong now the contest under such disadvantages would have argued insanity and folly, and the order was given for a retreat into France. This movement was performed with less disorder and confusion than could have been anticipated from the circumstances of the action. The great majority of the patriots effected their entrance into France, not as flying fugitives, but as soldiers in possession of their arms. The loss which the troops of Valdes and Mina sustained on this occasion amounted to about a hundred men in all, counting the slain, wounded, prisoners, and those who were missing; but it was afterwards found that the loss was not quite so severe, as several men belonging to the party made successively their appearance in the French territory. It seems really strange that a single man should have been suf- Mina beheld the conflict from the fered to escape. According to the heights of St. Marcial; and as he assertion of the prisoners made by had justly anticipated, should Mina's cavalry, the forces of the Valdes refuse to retreat, he perroyalists amounted to 5,000, and ceived the defeat of the constituthis without counting other troops tionalists and their return into which were kept behind and took France. He was at the moment no part in the engagement. The attended by few followers, as we constitutionalists were nearly sur- have seen that the bulk of his little rounded-pressed on all sides, and army operated under El Pastor and retreating through places which Butron. To effect an escape into certainly were not very friendly the French territory was now the disposed towards them. From this only object towards which his attena natural conclusion must be drawn tion ought to be directed; but there which will prove favorable to the were great difficulties in the accomliberals. The event serves to esta- plishment of this plan: the country blish the fact that there was an swarmed with royalists, who after extraordinary exertion of courage the repulse of the enemy, naturally and activity on one side, and an enough directed their whole care to equal degree of indifference on the ferret out and capture those whose other. The royalist troops merely escape had been intercepted. The performed their duty, they did not royalist chiefs were indefatigable fight as men who were ardent in in their pursuit; they suspected or the cause they defended, and there rather knew that Mina was suris every reason to suppose that had rounded and in their power, and anything resembling an army been they spared no exertion to secure opposed to them, the desertion to so rich a prize. The few attendants the enemy's ranks would have been of that general had dispersed in orvery great. Another circumstance der to effect their escape indivito strengthen this opinion is, that the dually, as in this manner they were royalist forces were not made up of more likely to succeed than by militia, guerrillas, or disorderly keeping in a body, which would of bands of volunteers, but were com- course offer greater facility to a discovery. Mina at last remained alone with his aid-de-camp Meca, a priest and an old servant. He wandered about, the mountains in the most destitute and wretched condition, expecting every hour to fall into the hands of the enemy. He knew the importance that attached to his capture-his situation was deplorable, but his mind remained unbroken by misfortune. The fatal moment at length arrived. His aid-de-camp perceived a strong detachment of royalists advancing in their direction-they had been seen-to avoid a meeting was totally impracticable. Mina perceived the horror of his situation, from which he felt sensible nothing could extricate him. He finally resolved to exert every effort, however desperate and wild, rather than submit tamely to his melancholy fate. Collecting all his energies and summoning to his assistance his extraordinary presence of mind, he turned to his companions, who had lost every hope, and in a calm tone of voice said "Gentlemen, be composed-remain here and let me advance." Saying this he resolutely went to meet the approaching party. In a short time he was close to the royalists, when in a steady tone and collected manner he cried out "To what division does this detachment belong?" The captain stared in astonishment, at a question so arrogantly and confidently put. He did not recognise Mina, and he remained for a few seconds in suspense; he was as it were taken by surprise, and knew not what to make of the man who addressed him in so commanding a tone. Mina, observing the confusion into which he had thrown the royalist chief, lost no time in improving his first advantage; feigning to fall into a rage, he exclaimed in a more haughty and impatient manner— "Sir, I ask again to whom does this troop belong?" The question was accompanied with an oath-the captain's confusion increased, his surprise was converted into a kind of dread, and fancying that he was addressed by some superior chief of the royalist army, he submissively answered"This detachment belongs to the division of Juanito." "Well, then," returned Mina, forthwith, "what brings you hither? hasten to join your division." The officer stared and demurred to obey this order. Mina cast a glance of indignation, and in a fierce voice exclaimed "Damnation, Sir! what do you mean by not obeying immediately? Go, Sir, or depend upon it I shall report your conduct !" The royalist officer made no further show of opposition, but in a deferential manner bowed to Mina, and followed the command so sharply given in a few minutes the deluded party were out of sight, and Mina joined his companions. The success of this extraordinary ruse gave the four unfortunate wanderers courage to support the new trials and hardships which they were aware they would have to encounter before they could gain the French line. Though they had escaped one imminent danger, a thousand equally appalling obstructed their path. They were not deceived in their melancholy surmises-as the royalists, who by this time had received correct information relating to Mina's fugitive course and destitute condition, were exerting all their endeavors to discover his lurking-place. The constitutional general and his attendants, knowing that those places were filled with their pursuers, had taken refuge in an obscure cavern, situated in a retired and dismal ravine. There they remained in concealment until an opportunity should offer for their escape. Meantime the royalists were very actively engaged in scouring the forest and every spot around, but to no purpose. Their ingenuity was next put to the stretch, in order to devise means for arriving at the attainment of their object. They caused some shepherds to ramble about, sounding their horns, that Mina, deceived by the welcome note, might be tempted to quit his concealment in order to request succor. This stratagem was very adroitly put in practice, but without success; Mina, like an old fox, would not quit his hole. The failure, however, only served to stimulate the contrivers of this plan to form another more pregnant with danger for the fugitives. Bloodhounds were then procured and let loose, that they might scent the intended victims out; this expedient was sagacious, and it was near proving fatal to Mina. The hounds went on in their pursuit with fearful precision; and the unfortunate men were on the point of being discovered, when two stags suddenly started from their repose, crossing in the direction of the hounds. This singular incident saved the lives of Mina and his companions; the dogs, naturally enough, following in the track of the stags, and this new scheme of the royalists completely failed. Had this extraordinary circumstance happened when the life of a royalist general was concerned, the monks and friars would, no doubt, have cried out "A miracle! a miracle!" The two stags would have been converted into angels, expressly sent from heaven, in that moment of peril. In the present case, however, the said stags must be content to bear a very different character, and if the circumstances of Mina's escape should be narrated by his enemies, we shall not be surprised to see the poor stags transformed into a couple of devils. When General Mina felt assured that the coast was clear, he ventured to quit his retreat, and endeavored to effect his escape by the most solitary places. After a fatiguing and anxious march, he succeeded in reaching a hamlet; his sudden appearance produced a strong emo37 ATHENEUM, VOL. 5, 3d series. tion in the inmates of one of the wretched houses, and he endeavored to tranquillize their fears. A lad eighteen years of age, then generously offered to conduct the general to the French frontier, which he did with perfect success, and in reward for his humanity and resolution received a considerable sum of money from the general. Having crossed into the French territory, one would suppose that the dangers and trials of Mina were at an end, but this was far from being the case. He arrived at a house near Sara, and there, exhausted with fatigue, and suffering from the combined effects of hunger and want of sleep, he threw himself down to enjoy some repose. Not long after, Santos Ladron, one of the royalist generals, passed by the house where he lay. The chief commanded a division of four hundred men, no doubt a part of those who had pursued the party of Valdes into France. Santos Ladron passed by the house where Mina reposed, and never once dreaming that the rich prize was in his power, he returned to Spain without further delay. Mina upon his arrival in France appeared in a most wretched condition. It is asserted that a quartern loaf was the only food which he and his companions tasted for the space of two days. The effects of his sufferings were clearly perceptible upon his constitution; his wounds bled anew, and to recover his strength he was afterwards obliged to take the baths of Cambo. The attempts made by other constitutional chiefs have been of less importance; the one conducted by the brave Colonel de Pablo, called Chapalangaras, is the most worthy of notice, from its terminating in the death of that officer. It must, however, be confessed that De Pablo was guilty of an excess of rashness, not to say folly: he boldly marched before a strong body of the enemy, and without further ado attempted haranguing them. A few moments |