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Marshal Suchet and the Siege of Valencia
By Dominique Contant,
Robert Ouvrard, and Jonathan
Cooper
General Blake's Response to Marshal Suchet's Demand for Capitulation
Valencia, 6th January 1812
Monsieur le Général,
I received Your Excellency's letter this afternoon. Perhaps yesterday,
before noon, I would have consented to displace my army, evacuating
this city, so that the inhabitants might avoid the misfortunes of a
bombardment, but the first twenty-four hours of your Your Excellency's
incendiary practise have made clear to me that I can count on the resolve
of the people, and on their resignation to all the sacrifices that will
be necessary for the army to sustain the honor of the Spanish name.
That Your Excellency thus continues your operations, as well as responsibility
before God and men for misfortunes occasioned by the defense of a city,
and all those that war entails - they will never fall upon my head,
but rather on that which undertook and which sustains such an unjust
aggression.
Signed: Joaquin Blake.
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