Page:Tupper family records - 1835.djvu/202

 180 COLONEL TUPPER.

suponia valor, ni talento en el vencedor, sino sobre las horrorosas crueldades que siguieron a la batalla ! Los salvajes mas feroces, los salteadores mas desalmados se avergonzarian de ejecutar las ordenes que el ejercito faccioso recibio del jeneral Prieto, y que supo desempenar con funesta exactitud. Tupper. . . . sombra ilustre del mas valiente de los militares, del mas apreciable de los hombres : sombra de un heroe a quien hubieran alzado estktuas Grecia y Roma : tu asesinato espantoso sera vengado. Si no bay castigo visible para tu verdugo, la justicia divina lo tomara a su cargo. Ella pedira cuenta de esa infame sentencia pronunciada contra todo estranjero, por un bombre que a la sazon era el juguete y el pupilo de un estranjero vagabundo, que habia debido su eleva- cion y el pan que comia, a la jenerosidad de Chile."

TRANSLATION.

"It does not enter into my plan to justify tbe movements which preceded the battle of Lircay. The disproportion between the contending forces was excessive. Neither tactics nor prodigies of valour could avail against this immense disadvantage. The liberals were routed. Would that I covdd throw a veil not only over a conquest, which proves neither courage nor talent in the conqueror, but also over the horrid cruelties which succeeded the battle. The most furious savages, the most unprincipled bandits would have been ashamed to execute the orders which the rebel army received from General Prieto, and yet which were executed with mournful fidelity. Tupper — illustrious shade of the bravest of soldiers, of the most estimable of men ; shade of a hero to whom Greece and Rome would have erected statues — your dreadful assassination will be avenged. If there be no visible punishment for your murderer, Divine vengeance will overtake him. It will demand an account of that infamous sentence pronounced against all strangers by a man* who at the time was the pupil and the tool of a vagabond stranger, f indebted for his elevation and his bread to the generosity of Chile."

No. 9.

Extract of a Letter to the Editor relative to Colonel Tupper s attack on the brig of war Achilles, off Talcahuano, dated Conception, 28th May, 1832. " All at this moment was confusion, and your brother's efforts to

restore the attack unavailing. After knocking down in the boat


 * General Prieto. t Garrido, a Spanish deserter.

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