stroyed forty of the workmen. The remaining mines Colonel Jones
contrived to swamp by turning the course of a brook into them, thus
rendering them harmless. While the troops were confused with these
disasters, the news of the contents of the intercepted letters spread
through the camp, causing a general panic; and almost immediately
afterward the advance guard of Peterborough's force were seen, according
to the promise contained in the letters, on the crests of the hills.

By able management the twelve hundred men were made to appear vastly
more numerous than they were. The dragoons showed in various parties
at different points of the hilltops, and, after pausing as if to
reconnoiter the camp, galloped back as if to carry information to a main
body behind; while the infantry availed themselves of the wooded and
uneven ground to conceal their weakness. It seemed, indeed, to the enemy
that the tops of all the hills and the avenues of approach were covered
by advancing columns. Las Torres, unsuspicious of stratagem, was now
convinced that his position was one of extreme danger, while confusion
reigned in the camp. The tents were hastily struck, the guns spiked, and
in a few minutes the Spanish army started along the Valencia road in a
retreat which might almost be called a flight.

Colonel Jones, seeing the confusion that reigned, instantly sallied from
the town with his whole force in pursuit, and followed Las Torres for
nearly two leagues to Penasol, inflicting a loss of nearly three hundred
men upon the Spaniards; while Peterborough on the other side marched his
force through the abandoned intrenchments and into the town. Scarcely
halting, however, he made a show of pursuit as far as Albocazer, but
always keeping to the hills with such caution that in case the enemy
should learn his weakness, his retreat would still be secured. While on
the march a courier overtook him with two dispatches--the one from
King Charles, the other from the English resident with the court at
Barcelona.

The king told him that he would be obliged to countermand the
reinforcements he had promised him for the relief of San Matteo, in
consequence of the unfavorable state of affairs elsewhere. It,
however, conveyed to Peterborough something which he valued more than
reinforcements, namely, full power to act in accordance with his own
discretion. The dispatch from the British resident told him that news
had come that the Duke of Berwick, with the