The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-11-28

IN this position. rendered celebrated swot
centuries ago BY the offensive works of the |
eesiegers, our marines re produced. those |
very same works for our defence; planted !
strong wooden posts; collected boats, and |
prepared them in a manner to prevent their |
being sunk and formed a double boom under !
the protection of the forts and batteries Of
the Cross. Melkhuys. Pearl, St. Philip and
ST. Mary.
Behind this boom, aRd beyond the point
where ships. in order to double the Cape of
Fort St. Philip. are obliged to describe Il |
curve in the Scheldt. three men Of war were
stationed. whose treble batteries. com
mandiny the passage, would have assailed
the enemy in front. whilst his tanks and
rear would have been cannonaded by the
forts and batteries on both hanks of the river
Higher up. Forts Isabella and Ferdinand.
supported by the imperial battery, formed
. third defensive line, which it was neces-
sary to break through, in order to approach
the fleets and dock yards. which might have
been further secured 10y sinking vessels in the
river, that might have been raised again
| afterthe siege--a last means Of tearing from
! the grasp of the English prey. which they
might have thought almost in their power.
SupposingN the difficulties to have been
conquered, the fortified town and citadel of
Antwerp still remained. and it would have
required the greatest cxertions or the part
| OF the enemy TO have attacked a brave gar
| rison, protected by these vain obstacles :;
but measures equally prudent and bold were
taken to seize and wreck these floating
mines; and our navy in retaliation, increas
ed good works, and resolved to defend it
self like the garrisons of Genoa and May
encc. that is to fight without its walls and
to contend ohstinately, in the midst Of inun
dations. for each of the numerous natural
posts with which Antwerp is surrounded.
/ TO this system of defence, the threaten
ing dispositions Of the English only served to
inspire us with the bold determination of
adding new ones. Three batteries were BY
command, of the Prince. erected under the
FIRE Of the enemy. The one at the Point of
Doel, another in the ruins of tho old Fort
of Frederick Henry. and the third between
)! that fort and Lilo, in the elbow which the
dixie forms near the creek of BlawgaereR
Such were the means of defence employed
to secure Antwerp. its dock yards and it's
Acets.
We must, however, acknowledge, that
time would have been wanting to finish those
immense preparations on every point. and
that hostile fortune might have granted some
momentary advantages to the English. had
l they, on the 10Th of August made their a.
Jtack, and displayed all their means with
the prudence and bodness Indispensable
necessary to meet such difficulties, and such
adversaries. Buteven this was foreseen.-
Defensive positions were marked in the
Ineighbourhood of Antwerp, to be taken by
the army which received daily reinforce
| mcnts, and measures had been planned, in
conformity with the emperor's commands
to cause the very progress Of the enemy to
become a snare, by which h. would be Sc
parated from his ships. and the punishment.
of his temerity would have been more com
plcte and memorable.
| Every day of delay rendered the attack
more difficult and its success more doubtful
New legions followed those which first call
had created, and French warriors rushing
from every part, displayed that unanimous
! resolution, which saved them at the hour Of
misfortune, of never suffering the enemy to
| invade their territory. Reinforcements of
troops and artillery arrived necessarily. The
first foundations were effected, and the O
theirs prepared. Labourers and means Of
conveyance grew every day more numerous:
and the soldiers beheld with compiacency
| he progress of works which covered the
ocheidt with forts. batteries and booms.-
| Every day 1t became more probable that the
l naval forces of the enemy would not attempt
to penetrate through the siRuosities of the
river, in defiance to all the obstacles raised
against them, and with total disregard of
the danger they would run of having their
l'S'Sde Sue VII. IL WAS, therefore, lkely
1 that the English W 'uld begin By attempting
to destroy the defences Of the two banks !:
that the only means Of effectng this pur-
pose, would be to attack our army !; and III at
they would NOT be able to resist the shock of
| he forces destined to attack them at the
| moment. and in the confusion of their land
! ing, which if delayed, would prove still
more difficult.
Every thing Showed the enemy wavering
IN his plans; misinformed or mistrustful !;
confounded at the sight sf unforeseen oosta.
cies, spending in accommodating, the time
which served to increase them and losing
with the opportunity the will of attack ny
us. His boats employed in sounding the chan
mel 'of the Scheldt, proved that he was not
acquainted with its windings His gun boats
assaiing every night with rockets the bat
teries erected at Cocl and in the ruins of
the fort of Frederick Henry, did not check
the construction OF these works, in which we
approached to bid him defiance. In word.
although the collected ships at BATE made
some offensive demonstrations, they were
such as not to announce the transport or
landing OF any considerable corps of troops,
with its artillery. across the arm of a wide
river. on a point selected before hand and
defended BY an army.
Information. however, founded on these
demonstrations. led us to believe several
times, but especially on the 22d Of August,
that the enemy's intention was really to land
and the Prince O. Ponte Corvo announced
the approaching attack in the order of the