Part 6 (1/2)

We had reach'd Saint _Jago_, a se about midway between _Valencia_ and _Requina_, when the Officer, just as he was got without the Town, resolving to take up his Quarters on the Spot, order'd the Mules to be unloaded The Powder, which consisted of forty-five Barrels, was pil'd up in a Circle, and cover'd with Oil-cloth, to preserve it froether at u'd, he order'd his Field-Bed to be put up near the Powder, and so lay down to take a short Nap I had scarce been at my Quarters an Hour, when a sudden Shock attack'd the House so violently, that it thren Tiles, Windows, Chimneys and all It presently caested so it prov'd: For running to the Door I saw a Cloud ascending fro up to which, nothing was to be seen but the bare Circle upon which it had stood The Bed was blown quite away, and the poor Lieutenant all to pieces, several of his Li found separate, and at a vast Distance each fro on one of the Fingers The Matrosses were, if possible, in a yet worse Condition, that is, as to Mangle, and any thing near, were struck dead Only such as lay sleeping on the Ground escap'd, and of those one assur'd me, that the Blast remov'd hi into this deplorable Disaster, I had this Account: That a Pig running out of the Town, the Soldiers endeavour'd to intercept its Return; but driving it upon the Matrosses, one of the back into the Hands of the Soldiers, drew his Pistol to shoot it, which was the Source of thiswith hi of Dollars to pay the Soldiers'

Quarters, of which the People, and the Soldiers that were say'd, found many; but blown to an inconceivable Distance

With those few Soldiers that re to ave General _Windhao_ As such it troubled him, and not a little on account of the Disappointave Orders for the for of a Mine under an old Castle, which was part of the Wall As it was order'd, so it was begun, more _in Terrorem_, than with any Expectation of Success froan to frame the Oven of the Mine, when those within the Town desir'd to capitulate This being all we could aio_ (none being yet arriv'd to supply that Defect) Articles were readily granted them; pursuant to which, that Part of the Garrison, which was coo wherever they thought best, and the rest werethus reduc'd to the Obedience of _Charles_ III a new rais'd Regiment of _Spaniards_ was left in Garrison, the Colonel of which was appointed Governor; and our Supply of Powder having at last got safe to us, General _Windham_ march'd his little Army to _Cuenca_

_CUENCA_ is a considerable City and a Bishoprick; therefore to pretend to sit down before it with such a Co the hardy Influences of the Earl of _Peterborow_'s auspicious Administration On the out Part of _Cuenca_ there stood an old Castle, from which, upon our Approach, they play'd upon us furiously: But as soon as we could bring two Pieces of our Cannon to bear, we answered their Fire with so good Success, that we soon oblig'd them to retire into the Town We had rais'd a Battery of twelve Guns against the City, on their Rejection of the Su _Charles_; going to which from the old Castle last reduc'd, I receiv'd a Shot on the Toe of one of my Shoes, which carry'd that Part of the Shoe intirely aithout any further Dae

When I came to that Battery we ply'd them warmly (as well as frohts included; but observing, that in one particular House, they were re in and out below; and those above firing perpetually out of the Windows, I was resolv'd to have one Shot at that Window, and made those Officers about me take Notice of it True it was, the Distance would hardly allow me to hope for Success; yet as the Experile Ball, I made it So soon as the Smoak of my own Cannon would per froether with the People's crouding out of Doors, convinc'd the Officers, whom I had desir'd to take Notice of it, that I had been no bad Marksman

Upon this, two Priests were sent out of the Place with Proposals; but they were so triflingly extravagant, that as soon as ever the General heard them, he order'd their Answer in a fresh Renewal of the Fire of both Cannon and Mortars And it happen'd to be with so ht Reason; and sent back their Divines, with much more moderate Demands After the General had a littleto the Articles of Capitulation, the City was that very Day surrender'd into our Possession The Earl of _Duncannon's_ Regi _Charles_ was proclai this Expedition, had left _Valencia_, and was arriv'd at my Lord _Galway's_ Ca _Charles_ in particular, unfortunately was order'd froal_, to take the Co been alreat Actions pay'd the Way for a safe Passage to that his Supplanter

Yet even in this fatal Place the Earl of _Peterborow_ ht, in all Probability, have secur'd _Madrid_ fro into the Hands of the Enemy; But, in opposition thereto, the Lord _Galway_, and all his _Portugueze_ Officers, were for forcing the next Day the Eneainst it was the Earl of _Peterboroho then and there took the Liberty to evince the Ie too evidently made apparent, when upon the first Motion of our Troops towards the River, which they pretended to pass, and e, they were so warmly saluted from the Batteries of the Eneiments were forc'd to retire in Confusion to their Cainations were at present laid aside, to consider how they htat last resolv'd on, and a Multiplicity of Generals rendering our bad Circumstances much worse, the Earl of _Peterborow_ met with a fortunate Reprieve, by Solicitations froo with the Troops left in _Catalonia_ to the Relief of the Duke of _Savoy_ It is hardly to be doubted that that General was glad to withdraw from those Scenes of Confusion, which were but too visible to Eyes even less discerning than his However, he forebore to prepare himself to put her Majesty's Desires in execution, as they were not peremptory, till it had been resolv'd by the unani, all the Generals and Ministers were present That it was expedient for the Service that the Earl of _Peterborow_, during the Winter Season, should coo for _Italy_; since he n, if it should be necessary And return indeed he did, before the Ca with hireat Comfort and Support of our Troops, which had neither Money nor Credit But on his Return, that noble Earl found the Lord _Galway_ had been near as successful against hiainst the Enemy Thence was the Earl of _Peterborow_ recall'd to make room for an unfortunate General, who the next Year suffer'd himself to be decoy'd into that fatal Battle of _Al _Valencia_, had order'd his Baggage to follow him to the Camp at _Guadalaxara_; and it arriv'd in our little Careater at _Guadalaxara_

I think it consisted of seven loaded Waggons; and General _Windhaave Orders for a small Guard to escorte it; under which they proceeded on their Journey: But about eight Leagues from _Cuenca_, at a pretty Town call'd _Huette_, a Party frohs in their Hats, the better to appear what they were not (for the Bough in the Hat is the Badge of the _English_, as white Paper is the Badge of the _French_) ca all the way, _Viva Carlos Tercero, Viva_ With these Acclaons; when attacking the Guards, who had too much deluded themselves with Appearances, they routed 'eons of all that was valuable, and then march'd off

The Noise of this soon reach'd the Ears of the Earl of _Peterborow_ at _Guadalaxara_ When leaving my Lord _Galways_ Camp, pursuant to the Resolutions of the Council of War, with a Party only of fourscore of _Killigrew's_ Dragoons, he ue of _Huette_, the Place where his Baggage had been plunder'd The Earl had strong Motives of Suspicion, that the Inhabitants had given Intelligence to the Ene way to the first Dictates of Resentment, he resolv'd to have lay'd the Town in Ashes: But when he caistrates upon their Knees, disavowing the Charge, and asserting their Innocence, prevail'd on the good Nature of that generous Earl, without any great Difficulty, to spare the Town, at least not to burn it

We ht took up our Quarters there; and the Magistrates, under the Dread of our avenging our selves, on their part took Care that ell supplied But when they were made sensible of the Value of the Loss, which the Earl had sustain'd; and that on a ht thousand Pistoles; they voluntarily presented the, and of their own accord offer'd to make his Lordshi+p full Satisfaction, and that, in their own Phrase, _de Contado, in Ready Money_ The Earl was not displeas'd at their Offer; but generously made Answer, That he was just come from my Lord _Galway's_ Camp at _Chincon_, where he found they were in a likelihood of wanting Bread; and as he iht be easier to them to raise the Value in Corn, than in ready Money; if they would send to that Value in Corn to the Lord _Galway's_ Camp, he would be satisfy'd This they with Joy embrac'd, and immediately complied with

I am apt to think the last Century (and I very much fear the Current will be as deficient) can hardly produce a parallel Instance of Generosity and true public Spiritedness; And the World will be of my Opinion, when I have corroborated this with another Passage so the Debts due to the Ar daily for that Purpose at their House in _Darby_ Court in _Channel Row_, I there mentioned to Mr _Read_, Gentleman to his Lordshi+p, this very just and honourable Claim upon the Government, as Monies advanced for the Use of the Army Who told me in a little Time after, that he had mention'd it to his Lordshi+p, but with no other Effect than to have it rejected with a generous Disdain

While we stayed at _Huette_ there was a little Incident in Life, which gave ood Correspondence with the fair sex, hearing from one of the Priests of the Place, That on the Alar the Town, one of the finest Ladies in all _Spain_ had taken Refuge in the Nunnery, was desirous to speak with her

The Nunnery stood upon a s Hill within the Town; and to obtain the View, the Earl had presently in his Head this Stratageineer, to have my Advice, how to raise a proper Fortification upon that Hill out of the Nunnery I waited upon his Lordshi+p to the Place, where declaring the Intent of our co plausible Reasons for it, the Train took, and immediately the Lady Abbess, and the fair Lady, came out to make Intercession, That his Lordshi+p would be pleas'd to lay aside that Design The divine Oratory of one, and the beautiful Charms of the other, prevail'd; so his Lordshi+p left the Fortification to be the Work of some future Generation

From _Huette_ the Earl of _Peterborow_ march'd forwards for _Valencia_, with only those fourscore Dragoons, which ca his own Orders to join his Forces to the Ar at _Campilio_, a little Town in our Way, his Lordshi+p had Infor by the _Spaniards_, at a slish_ Soldiers

A Captain of the _English_ Guards (whose Name has slip'din order to join the Battalion of the Guards, then under the Command of General _Windham_, with some of his Soldiers, that had been in the Hospital, took up his Quarters in that little _Villa_ But on his , a Shot in the Back laid that Officer dead upon the Spot: And as it had been before concerted, the _Spaniards_ of the Place at the sa several; not even sparing their Wives This was but a Prelude to their Barbarity; their savage Cruelty was only whetted, not glutted They took the surviving few; hurried and dragg'd them up a Hill, a little without the _Villa_ On the Top of this Hill there was a Hole, or Opening, somewhat like the Mouth of one of our Coal-Pits, down this they cast several, ith hideous Shrieks and Cries, made more hideous by the Ecchoes of the Chasm, there lost their Lives

This Relation was thus made to the Earl of _Peterborow_, at his Quarters at _Caave Orders for to sound to Horse At first ere all surpriz'd; but were soon satisfy'd, that it was to revenge, or rather, do Justice, on this barbarous Action

As soon as we enter'd the _Villa_ we found that most of the Inhabitants, but especially the most Guilty, had withdrawn themselves on our Approach We found, however, many of the dead Soldiers Cloaths, which had been convey'd into the Church, and there hid And a strong Accusation being laid against a Person belonging to the Church, and full Proof ularly Industrious in the Execution of that horrid Piece of Barbarity on the Hill, his Lordshi+p co'd up at the Knocker of the Door

After this piece of military Justice, ere led up to the fatal Pit or Hole, dohichThere we found one poor Soldier alive, who, upon his throwing in, had catch'd fast hold of so Bushes, and sav'd hi us talk _English_ he cry'd out; and Ropes being let down, in a little Tiave us an a other Particulars, I remember he told me of a very narrow Escape he had in that obscure Recess A poor Woman, one of the Wives of the Soldiers, ere thron after hiled, and roared so much, that they could not, without all their Force, throw her cleaverly in the Middle; by whichnear the Side, in her Fall she almost beat him from his Place of Security

Upon the Conclusion of this tragical Relation of the Soldier thus saved, his Lordshi+p gave i of the _Villa_, which was executed with due Severity: After which his Lordshi+p march'd back to his Quarters at _Campilio_; from whence, two Days after, we arriv'd at _Valencia_, Where, the first Thing presented to that noble Lord, was all the Papers taken in the Plunder of his Baggage, which the Duke of _Berwick_ had generously order'd to be return'd hi

It was too manifest, after the Earl's arrival at this City, that the Alteration in the Colish_ Forces, which before was only receiv'd as a Rumour, had deeper Grounds for Belief, than many of his Friends in that City could have wish'd His Lordshi+p had gain'd the Love of all by a Thousand engaging Condescensions; even his Gallantries being no way prejudicial, were not offensive; and though his Lordshi+ps did his utrin, the Sympathy of those around him made such Discoveries upon him, as would have disappointed a double Portion of his Caution They had seen hi unaccountable, that in a Country of less Superstition than _Spain_, they ht almost have pass'd for , but that Series of Successes had pav'd a Passage for the General that was to supersede hi real_ to _Madrid_; they knew hi, that in the Court he caue was too often the Soul of Merit, they could not but be a any body should perceive by himself