Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-02-11


solate cries and lamentations loaded the
air; while at intervals came the thunder
Of cannon, and the light of the blazing
bomb as il hung like messenger Of death
over the city Added to all, rumors were
abroad that the inhabitants were about to
revolt, and fall on The army. Sill Masse-
ma remained mistaken Amid the dying
and the dead, he moved with the same
calm resolnie mien that he was wont 10
do amid the storm of battle. He who
could stand unmoved amid The shock oil
armies, could also meet without fear ihe
terrors Of famine. His moral power was
more controlling than the command he
held. He disdained TO reserve any food
for himself, but Jared like the most com
mon soldier. Though burdened with the
cares and responsibilities that now press
ed. him down, he ate the miserable soup
and more disgusting bread of the starving
soldier, sharing cheerfully with him his
dangers and his sutIerngs. lie. too, felt
the power of famine on his own nature.
Day by day he felt the blood course more
sluggishly through his veins, aud night by
night he lay down knawed by the pangs
OF hunger. His iron frame grew thin.
and his bronze cheek emaciAted, vel his
brave heart beat calm and resoIute as ev.
err. The eye that never banched even al
the lannon's mouth, now surveyed the dis.
trcss and woe about him with tie cbmpo.
sure Of one who is above the power Of fate.
But nova new cause Of alarm arose.
The seven or eight thousand prisoners,
grown desperate by famine, threatened
every day to break out in open revolt.
Massena had furnished them the same SUP
plies he did his own soldiers, and sent first
TO the Austrian commander and then to
Lord Keith 10 supply them with provisions,
giving his word Of honour that none of
them should go to the garrison. They
refusing to obey his request, he was com.
PEELED in self defence, to shut up the mise
rable prisoners in some old hunks Of YES.
sells which he anchored out in the porf,
and then directed whole psrk of artille.
ry to be trained On them to sink them the
moment the sufferers should break loose.
| The cries and hnwIs OF these wre,ched
| thousands struck terror to the bDldesl
heart; and the mufiied sound rising ninhl
and day over the CITY, drew tears and pity
even from those who themselves were
slowly perishing with famine. StI Mas
sena would not yield. A courier sent
from Bonapare had passed By night
through the whole English fleet in IN open
knaf aud thnt,,k 1t.ag..t...l A..
ming, and pursued, he boldly leoped into
the sea with bis sword in his mouth, aud
amid the bullets that hailed around hin.
swan safely to the shore. Massena thus
knew that B0naparie was on the Alps, and
determined to hold out to the last. But
several days had now passed, and no fur
Their lidIngs were heard of him. Many Of
the soldiers in despair broke their arms, and
others plotted revolt In this strait,
Massena issued a proclamation 10 them,
appealing to their bravery and honor, and
pointing 10 the example Of their officers
enduring the same priyations with Them
lie told them that Bonaparie was march.
ing towards the city, and would soon dc.
liver them. But the weary days seemed
ages, and when nearly fortnight had pas.
sed without tidings, the last glenn of
hope seemed about 10 expire. But sud
denly one morning heavy rumbling sound
was heard rolling over the Apprentices, like
the dull report Of distant cannon. The
JOY ofthe soldiers knew no bounds. "Bo-
naparte is come" ran like wild fire thro'
the rst,, W. l..
Bocheuaw they exclaimed in transport,
and rushed into each others arms, and
ran in crowds towards the ramparts to
catch more distinctly the joyful sound
Massena himself hurried TO The heights oil
Manailles Hope quickened his steps rs
the heavy sound broke over The city, and
CLEAN OF Joy shot over his ccuntenance
as he thought he should be saved the NOR.
LITIGATION Of surrender But as he stood
on the ramparts and gazed off in the di.
rection OF The sound that had awakened
such exiravagant Joy in the hearts of the
besieged, he saw only the edge Of a thun.
der-coud on the distan, horizon; and what
had been taken for the thunder Of Bona
parties cannon was only the hoarse 8 NUT
IerIngs Of the storm in the gorges Of the
Apprentices" The reaction on the soldiers
and people was dreadful. Blank rnelan.
choly and utter despair settled on every
face, and Massena felt thai he must al
last yield; for even If the lonthsome bread
on which they had been kept alive, there
remained but two ounces 10 each man,
and il they subsisted any longer il must be
on each other But the indominable veto.
ran did no, yield until even these two Gun.
ces were gone and even then delayed. -
" Give me, "said he to the Genoese, in the
anguish Of his great heart, " give me on
ly Two days provisions, or even one, and
will save you from The Austrian yoke,
and my army the pain Of a surrender"
But II could not be done, and he who de-