New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-01-10
The Siege of Venice by an Austrian Army.
From ''.dustria in 1s4s and is49," By W. Fl.
STILES, idte Charge Ga!faires of me United
States at Tie Court of Vienna.

gradually to suhside. BY some, this cessation
OF hostlities on the part of the Austrians, was
ascribcd to the preparation necessary for new
and more terrible mode of attack. And what
added force to this conjecture, was the intel-
gence which had reached them that Marshal
Radetzky was then at Mestre busily engaged in
inspecting all the works, amt experimenting the
construction of strong howit4er batteries at St.
Giuliano and other important lt,sitions which
had hitherto remained unoccut,ed
Others very naturally supposed that the enemy
finding it II useless expenditure of powder and
shot, had abandoned the idea of taking the city
by storm, and were resolved to await until star
walton should accomplish what their army could
not effect. And ms the city began now to expe-
rience the first effects of famine, this seemed for
| the moment the more probable conclusion
| The crowds around the bakers shops were
already so dense that several persons had been
pressed to death Meat and wine were almost
completely exhausted, and bread of the worst
quality exceedingly scarce Notwithstanding
these severe demands upon their patriotism and
courage, public opinion in Venice on the sub
.lect OF resistance was still unchanged-tlle peo-
pie seemed still resolved g to hold out to the
last, while the activity Mt the nrscnals and at
all the ports appeared to indicate that some
great enterprise was to be undertaken before the
final catastrophe arrived. For some time pre-
vlously, rumor had been circulated in Venice
|
Ell to commence another and more awful assault
upon the city than any that had hitherto been
| witnessed but there were few Of its pleasure
! loving inhabitants who listened with creduity
to tins whisper OF fancy, and even they, dreamed
not of anything more disastrous than that which
they had already encountered.
But when the silence which reigned over the
waters OF the lagunes, had been for MANY days
unbroken by single hostile gun, on Sunday,
the Dist Of July, at midnight, when the lower
classes were quietly reposing in their beds, and
the higher and gayer circles, as was their Gus
tom, promenading the illuminated Piazza of St
Mark, or seated under its extended balconies
careessly slipping their coffee or putting their
| cigars, no sooner had the bell in the tower Of
st. Mark tollcd the hour Of twelve and an
no'!nccd the fact that the first of August had
appeared, than they found themselves in the
midst OF u shower Of red-hot shot, more terrible
than the eruption Of Nesuvius and Pompei,
| anu covering at once nearly three -fourths Of the
city, In a moment all Venice was alive The
streets were crowded with the residents of the
invaded sectlon-men, women and children.
! all hurrying toward the Castillo and the public
gardens, where the projectilcs did not reach.
and running as it were, the gauntlet through
those narrow ways, amid the shot and rubbish
! broken chlmneys, and severed cornices that
/ were at every step rafting down about their
heads Yet not complaint was uttered, not
tear shed. The people of the exposed districts
CHARTERED themselves upon the occupants of the
other sections with as much composure as if
/ they had been members of one family and
nothing was heard but imprecations upon an
enemy, who, avoiding the breasts of soldiers
ready and wiling to receive them, attempted to
lofcc Il caWtulatlon upon the town. by routing
| the women and children from their beds in
hopes, through their screams and tears, to ac-
c"mpllsh that which their personal valor had
| been unable to effect
The torrent Of balls which continued to fall
lncessantly. night and day, had no other result
than to destroy property and dcmolish the most
| beautiful works Of architecture and sculpture
On the Grand Canal nearly every palace was
perforated, ana some, particularly those Of
Mocengo, which Lord Byron occupied Balbi.
Persico, etc, Boast of having received as many
as thirty or forty balls each number of the
churches, viz the Frari, the scalz. san Clio
vann'e raolo, etc, with their splendid marble
and statuary, suffered severely.
| The means by which the Austrians succeeded
at length III throwing their proiectiles into the
city, II point which they had endeavored in vain
for months to accomplish, was by mounting at
San Gnlano, pieces of eighty pounds and paix-
hans guns of the heaviest calibre, and firing
with muZzles raised to a considerable elevation:
the balls then in describing the parbolic curve
would descend and fall within the CITY. whereas.
object, rs had nrny;nusI,, toon 1n,,o 81 E Il'
toncr Of five N, 81, ,;n ,'1i'e III y 'is-
te1l short If t,n ,,'e o','Is N"iInolN
/ effect beneath the water
owt,l hnnl,l,,,ot s,e ,'"S "lo'' "i,'en ''l'S
Vcnntans mado .a1l, f.nr LTo t'lo1s,,nl
cnpturinc trw bnd,od oynn nnt,a,1 "i mn at,er
the th p'rliS
Venice and whi1a H.
cnntal were nintl p"'in' IN Vi '"a gay
Fenice under the shower Of redI 'n+ @ nin'e th
theatre was in the ;ny,od 'lii+,ot ,ie
ne cnmno.a, ne tln ny
the nnrfnrmsnco Of w;I y;n mn r,aI y ialPencu'
thusinsm Which to ,.r ti,,n ne III III .t On
cess rrantad y @ 'tT', VI ,''ts sl!@l' sue
of the drama wos d,nnnuo ,t I,'o ,I
sion couv.,toI ;,,t +; e. 80 '''0 'oe"
Doy ,ftar 1,, ,,nons,,nI,, it1 ~
continues nj nr,, ~ l,'v
tho h1iIlrms b,,t i .'o 'o'''''s se' "te 10
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eve, tod fn,.th" 49, 'ie '"iis soi'tpl II
story thn nffl, tin,, NV, ,,,,a,,'J "I,. one
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