NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THERE has been more fruitless fighting in Spain ; the British Le- gion having had another opportunity of proving, that bad fare and
shabby treatment have not impaired their gallantry and discipline. Face to face, they are still more than a match for the best troops the Spanish Pretender can bring against them. This is the only satisfaction to be derived from the result of an engagement, the principal details of which we select from the correspondence of the Daily Papers.
On the morning of the 1st instant, before day-break, the inha- bitants of San Sebastian were roused by the firing of cannon from the steamers in the bay, to give warning of an attack of the Carl- ists on the British lines in front of the city. It was found that a strong body of the rebel forces were advancing towards some posi- tions on the right occupied by a part of General EvAxs's army. This was only a feint; for at the same time, the Carlists pushed forward their main body from the hill called Ametzagana, to- wards the fortified village of Alza, situated on an eminence to the left of San Sebastian, and opposite the Ametzagana, where the Carlists had constructed some works of considerable strength. While it was dark, the assailants made their way across the valley between the two heights, and more than half up the hill, without being discovered. With the first dawn of light, however, they received a vigorous fire of round and grape shot from the British, which compelled them to wheel about ; and being charged by two regiments of the Legion. they were glad to regain their posts on the Ametzagana. A steady fire was then commenced from the opposing batteries ; in which the British appear to have had the advantage, from the greater precision with which they threw their shot into the enemy's lines, and which is described as being "quite beautiful." The foremost picket-house of the Queen's troops was perforated by seventy cannon-balls ; and although, about four in the afternoon, two pieces of Carlist artillery ex- ploded, yet General EVANS did not venture to attack their fortifi- cations. About six in the evening, the firing on both sides ceased, having continued incessantly for twelve hours.
The loss of the Queen's troops in this action was 400, killed and wounded ; of the Carlists, probably 1200,—though their account -makes their own loss much less, and that of the British greater.
Among the English wounded, are General EVANS himself, Colonel KIRBY, and Major STUART. Among the killed, Captain BACKHOUSE, of the Artillery, and Lieutenants GARTLAND and JACKSON,—the last, the beloved son of a widow, a mere lad, whose cheerfulness and kindness of disposition rendered him a general favourite. Some of the soldiers of GARTLAND'S company were seen kneeling by his corpse and weeping, after the battle was over. The next day but one after the action, the body of GARTLAND, who was a Catholic, was interred in the Spanish cemetery. Captain BACKHOUSE and Lieutenant JACKSON were buried together. The ceremony is described by the correspondent of the Times as being very impressive and affecting.
" The coffins bearing their arms covered with crape, and that of Cap- tain Backhouse, being overlaid with the Union jack, he having been formerly in the Navy, were followed by General Evans and his Staff, all the principal officers of the Legion, and as many of the others as were not on duty. After travelling the Plaza and some of the principal streets, the procession moved slowly up the steep path that winds round the sea-side of the Castle-hill, until it had attained within a few hundred feet of the summit, upon which sits in
cloud-capp'd majesty the Castle itself. There, upon a little plateau, fronting the wide expanse of the Bay of Biscay, were prepared' the lone couches of the soldier's everlasting sleep.' The scene at this moment was in the highest degree Impressive. The sombre and military insignia of the coffins, borne by soldiers— the varied and brilliant uniforms of the officers—the funeral guard with trailed arms—at all times an imposing spectacle, was on this occasion rendered infinitely more so by the sublime aspect of the mountain and ocean scenery around ; whilst its touching effect was rendered still more deeply felt by the beautiful and melancholy strains of the Portuguese Hymn to the Virgin, which were floating round, reechoed by the rocks, and accompanied by the wild mur- mur of the ocean-waves that broke at their base. The funeral service was read with deep and manly feeling by Colonel Colquhoun, and the responses given by Colonel Shaw, both poor Backhouse's superior officers. As the graves were filled up, and the last farewell volley fired over the remains of their former comrades, there may have been dry eyes, but there was not, certainly, a heart that did not deeply and sincerely breathe a prayer for rest to the souls of the warriors."
The Carlists lost one of their best Generals, ARANA; and it is admitted in a letter from an officer in their army, that among their killed and wounded were " the flower of Guipuscoa."
The result of all this bloodshed is, that both armies occupy the same positions precisely as before the battle. Not a single foot of ground has been gained or lost on either side. Neither party
has acquired reputation, for both were known to be brave ; and neither had such a superiority of force over the other as to have made defeat disgraceful. It is not pretended that the successul resistance of the Legion has had any moral effect favourable to the Queen's cause or injurious to Don CARLOS. The victory is not worth the life of the poor widow's son. The accounts of the movement of the troops under VILLA REAL, GONIEZ, and CABRERA,OD the one side, and ESPARTERO, ALAIX, and Rolm, on the other, are very confused and contradictory. It is stated that GOMEZ, little the worse for his defeat by ALAIX, has penetrated into Andalusia ; and that VILLA. REAL has been compelled to retreat towards Navarre, by ESPARTERO. RODIL appears to be doing nothing. General MAROTO, who was com- missioned by Don CARLOS to stir up an insurrection in Catalonia, quarrelled with some of the parties who were to act in concert with him, and fled to France, where he was arrested.
There is little news from Madrid. MENDIZABAL finds great dif- ficulty in procuring money; but is exerting himself with his usual energy and with partial success. He has procured a loan in Paris, on the credit of bills drawn upon Havannab. A correspondence is said to have been discovered between the Austrian and Neapoli- tan Ministers, who lately left Madrid, and the Court of Rome ; the scope of which was to induce Don MIGUEL to come to Spain, in order to make an arrangement with Queen CHRISTINA. From this correspondence it also appears, that Don CARLOS was to be prevented from declaring an amnesty, should he be inclined to take that step.
