Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-06-26

batteries, which did great damage among
their assallants, and sometime, as before,
saliying out aud engaging in close fight
Ia some of these sorues the courage dis
played was desperate and the slaughter
great. Towards the end Of May, however,
the horrors of famine, afterwards to be so
terribly realized. began to be anticipated
The garrison bad for some time been put
on short allowance, aud the precaution had
been taken to salt and barrel the horses
killed in their battles with the enemy under
the walls but as June care 10, and the
stock dwindled away, the dreadful doom Of
death by hunger began to stare them IN the
face
Meanwhile the news of the condition of
Derry had spread through England, and
great discomfort was expressed at the con-
duct Of government in not taking means to
render the brave inhabitants some relief
Al ienr,h IN compliance with The public de-
mands that something should be done Tor
the suffering people Of Derry, Major Cen
eral Kirk was sent to their relief with a re-
enforcement Of 5000 men, aud a quantity of
provisions. 1t was the 18th of June, how
ever, before he arrived in Tough Foyle.-
ted of thirty sail, the besleged gave the u
sual salutauons Of JOY but perceiying them
received with silence, and no loyial returns
made by the seamen on board they looked
upon each other with uncertain aud torebo-
ding eyes. Soon after, they were Informed
that Kirk, upon receiving information that
the passage of the river to the town was
barred by works erected by the enemy, had
resolved TO retire to the Inch, an Island SIX
miles from Londonderry. These works
we're batteries along the banks, vessels sunk
Ia The channel, aud a boom which had been
thrown across the river, and which was de-
Tended by two forts and all these were re-
ported to be much stronger than they were.
Upon TINS sad news, the besieged made slg-
mails Of distress from their steeples to kirk,
but IN vain. After a short stay, he set sail,
the inhabitants of the town following his
ships with their eyes as long as they could
perceive them. Klrk's hafd-hearted aud
ieeble-mnded conduct on this occasion
earned for him the title of Infamous :"
which indeed he had established fair claim
"a by previous passages IA his life. II Is
SAID TIA, the slightest eXertion on his part
would have been sufficient TO raise the siege
for the beslegers were seen ia the great
est Confusion at bis approach, many were
exchanging their red coats for clothing more
appropriate for running away in.
"The besieged p says Dalrymple, " tho
IN a desperate condition did not give them
selves up to despair Not conIented with
making saliles, aud defending the old out
works of the place, they even advanced new
ones, and became expert IN ioruhcauon aud
mining, by initiating the arts which were
employed against them. The women atten-
ded every service, anlmatng the men by
their cries, aud often assisting them with
their own hands. About the middle Of
June, when the weather became suItry, dis
ease at last seized them, cooped up IN SO
narrow a space They burned fifteen off,
GERS 90 one day. Baker, their governor dl-
cd. Yet even death tuths form, more DIS
m1 than ln that 90 war, dlsmayed them not
Theu provisions being spent, they Presery-
ed lde uy eating horse flesh, tal.ow, starch,
s4ted hides, impure animals, and roots Of
vegetables. When their cannon bail was
nearly spent they made use OF bits OF BRICK,
covered with lead
TO a.gravate tie condition of the besieg-
ed, Marshal Roscn arrived al Londonderry
GA the lSth ct June with reinforcement
to the besieacrs of 1900 men, and charged
by King imes wnh the further conduct Of
the seee Kosen was much better skilled
ia the arr If besleglng than the generals
who had hitherto directed the operations a.
gainst the town, aud under hlw, the place
was invested more closely, and a more Wig
orous battenng commenced Nevertheless
a. .t.Nf and tho Hraf
order issued among the besegcd, alter the
arrival of Marshal Rosen was, that no
man, on pam of DEATH should presume to
speak OF sirrenderlug the city" At the
same time the most strenuous eXerttons were
made 10 communicate with General KIRK,
IN orGer To make him aware OF their sllua-
tion, and induce him to make an effort FOR
their reiiet Signals were made from the
stcepes, and messengers even risked their
lives IA the attempt to convey letters 10 hlm.
all was ia yam KIRK seemed determined to
81, by and see the people of Londonderry
starve.
On the 30th Of June, Marshal Rosen,
provoked beyond measure by the obstnacy
of the garrison, who would neither listen To
hls proposals for population, nor appear
Intlmidaled by his threats, resorted 10 de-
vice which, whether truly or not, has been
pronounced unparalleled IN modern warfare.
lie gave orders that ali the inhabitants
for ten miles round Londonderry should be
driven under the walls of the town he or
dered the country To be burned and laid
waste and he proclaimed that, If the town
did not surrender before ten days were e.
lapsed, the people collected outside the walls
should be allowed to staWe, aud the inhab-
itauts within 1t all put to the sword. Five
thousand, or, as others relate, seven thous-
and miserable wretches, who were collected
from the country around, the old, the young.
even the sick, aud nurses with infants hang
ing on the breast, all were driven with drawn
swords under the walls of the town. The
besleged, on the other hand, by way of a
retaliation for the sutierings of their coun-
trymen, erected a gbbet Oh the baslion
nearest the enemy, aud gave orders to hang
up all the prisoners who were IN their hands.
/ During two days aud two nights the VIC
TINS of Rosens resentment continued at
the foot of the walls without meat, drink