rib ly ▁from ▁ill ness . ▁In ▁October , ▁there ▁were ▁ 7 , 7 4 1 ▁men ▁in ▁the ▁hospital ▁and ▁by ▁January ▁ 1 8 0 9 ▁there ▁were ▁ 1 3 , 0 0 0 ▁wounded ▁or ▁fe ver - rid den ▁soldiers . ▁ ▁The ▁Second ▁Sie ge ▁of ▁Zar ago za ▁last ed ▁from ▁ 2 0 ▁December ▁ 1 8 0 8 ▁to ▁ 2 0 ▁February ▁ 1 8 0 9 . ▁On ▁the ▁second ▁day , ▁the ▁divisions ▁of ▁Mor lot ▁and ▁Charles ▁Louis ▁Die ud onne ▁Grand je an ▁successfully ▁captured ▁Monte ▁Terr ero . ▁On ▁ 2 9 ▁December ▁Mon ce y ▁was ▁replaced ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁ ▁III ▁Corps ▁by ▁Jean - And o che ▁Jun ot . ▁After ▁the ▁withdraw al ▁of ▁one ▁V ▁Corps ▁division ▁on ▁ 2 ▁January , ▁Mor lot ' s ▁division ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁attack ▁the ▁west ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁L annes ▁assumed ▁overall ▁command ▁of ▁operations ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁January . ▁By ▁the ▁ 2 8 th ▁the ▁French ▁had ▁captured ▁a ▁large ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁wall ▁and ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁sie ge ▁involved ▁bitter ▁street ▁fighting . ▁To ▁minim ize ▁cas ual ties , ▁L annes ▁reduced ▁the ▁Spanish ▁def enses ▁block ▁by ▁block ▁with ▁can non ball s ▁and ▁mines . ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁February ▁a ▁crowd ▁of ▁women ▁emer ged ▁from ▁the ▁city ▁and ▁approached ▁Mor lot ' s ▁lines . ▁They ▁begg ed ▁to ▁be