HORRORS OF CIVIL WAR.— SCENES IN SPAIN.

Evening Star, Issue 3498, 9 May 1874, Page 2 (Supplement)

HORRORS OF CIVIL WAR.— SCENES IN SPAIN.

There is no doubt, says a correspondent of the Standard, that Carthagena fell by treachery. The public belief is that Fort Atalaya was sold by its commandant, and rumor even mentions the sum he received to have been 10,000 dollars. The correspondent, who telegraphs from MarsaiU.es on Sunday, continues : G-alvez, who was not in the plot, suspected treason, and sallied from the city with reinforcements, but he arrived too late—the castle was already occupied. He was met with a volley at point blank, and his followers fled precipitately, Sacn, the postman, fired for six hours on Atalaya, but the troops of Mendigarria and Iberia began showing symptoms of discontent, His own men compelled him to cease firing. The white flag was hoisted, and a commission of six appointed to go to the head-quarters camp to negotiate terms. They demanded an entire pardon and liberty for everybody, retiring pensions for the mutinous officers, and permission to the garrison to march out with the honors of war. General Dominguez refused, but in consideration of the heroic defence of the place he drew up a capitulation granting an amnesty to all insurgents, except those guilty of offences against the common law. The soldiers of Mendigarria and Iberia were to be sent to Madrid to be distributed in other corps, no penalty attaching to them for the crime of rebellion. The grades of officers were to be preserved, the life, property, and interest of every insurgent to be respected. Only the Junta were to be excluded from the amnesty. These terms were accepted by the Junta, which agreed in exchange to give up the place with all its forts, ships, arsenal, and army. The town was silent as a graveyard, and a picture of desolation. The streets were m ruin, and choked with the wreck of shattered houses ; dismounted guns, live shells, and putrid carcases of cats ■ and dogs were lying about the thoroughfares. Three hundred persons, mostly women and children, are supposed to be buried under the ruins. Hardly one house has

escaped injury, and the hospital is crammed with wounded. Comparatively little robbery occurred during the siege. The people are still sullen and defiant. They are ferocious at the bombardment which they were subjected to for 45 days, and they say they have not been con- > quered but betrayed. They promise themselves an early revenge. Much dissatisfaction is felt with tlie Junta. They ; were suspected of playing, false by the convicts, and the Tetuan was set on fire with the intention to blow them up, they being on board at the time. An inspection of the fortifications betrays great ignorance on the part of the insurgents. No cover for the men or the cannon existed, and powder was lying loosely about. Everything was rude and insecure. The losses in the town are incalculable, and the misery deplorable!, yet still no actual hunger seems to have been experienced.