rs, set
spurs to his horse, came up with the fugitives, and rallied them. As
soon as he had got together fifty men, he charged the Christinos,
regardless of the great disparity of force. The charge took place on the
high-road, where there was no room to form front by troops or squadrons.
Six or eight Christino dragoons of gigantic stature, _tiradores_ or
pioneers as they were called, occupied the whole width of the road,
whilst the convoy made all haste to gain the town. Zumalacarregui, with
six of his men, attacked them, and scarcely had their lances crossed the
Christino sabres, when the dragoons were all killed or wounded. The
Carlists charged onwards; the whole of the Christino cavalry was cut to
pieces or forced to run, and the convoy remained in the hands of the
conquerors. It consisted of two thousand muskets, and came very
opportunely to arm the four new battalions, which had been more than
three months in idleness, waiting for weapons.

On the 27th and 28th of October, just one year after Zumalacarregui had
taken command of the Carlist army, occurred the two famous actions in
the plains of Vittoria, when General O'Doyle and two thousand Christinos
fell into the hands of the victors, and nearly as many more were left
dead upon the field. O'Doyle and some of the officers taken were shot;
but the lives of the men were spared, and soon afterwards, at their own
request, their arms were restored to them, and they were incorporated in
the Carlist battalions. This, and other disasters, which about this time
befell Rodil's army, occasioned his recall by the Queen's government,
and the celebrated Mina was appointed in his stead.

The increase of Zumalacarregui's forces, and the advantages he had
gained, inspired him with the idea of capturing some of the Christino
forts in Navarre and the Basque provinces; the said forts being
exceedingly prejudicial to his operations. The great obstacle to his
wishes was, the weakness of his artillery. This consisted only of three
small field-pieces, such as are carried on the backs of mules, and could
be of little service in attacking fortifications. Of shot and shell he
had a large supply, which had been taken at the manufactory of
Orbaiceta. For seven or eight months these stores had been lying there
neglected, none of the Queen's generals having had the foresight to
remove them to a place of safety. Zumalacarregui now caused them to be
taken away, and concealed in the most intricat