The majority, indeed, believed
that he would not even venture to attack the town when upon his arrival he
perceived its strength, especially when they knew that he had but a few
guns with him, his park of artillery being still at Tuy, which was closely
invested by the Spaniards.
On the following day the whole French army settled down in front of the
Portuguese works, and a wild and purposeless fire was now opened by the
defenders, although the French were far beyond musket-range.
Soult sent in a message to the bishop urging him to surrender. He assured
him that resistance was hopeless, and that it was his earnest desire to
save so great a city from the horrors of a storm. The message was sent by
a prisoner, who was seized by the mob in spite of the flag of truce that
he carried, and would have been murdered had he not assured the people
that he came with a message from Soult, to the effect that, seeing the
hopelessness of attacking the town or of marching back to the frontier in
safety, he wished to negotiate for a surrender for himself and his army.
At one point the Portuguese displayed a white flag, and shouted that they
wished to surrender. A French general advanced with another officer, but
when they reached the lines the Portuguese fell upon him, killed his
companion, and carried the general a prisoner into the town.
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