Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-01-02
The Fail of Venice.


Towards the end of July the nccssant roar of
cannon which for thirty-two days and nights, with
out ntermission had continued to sound and resOund
upon the ear of the Ventians began now. from some
cause unknown to them, gradually to snbSide. Ry
some this cessation of hosties on the part of the
Austrians ascribed to the preparation necessary
| for a and more terrible mode Of attack. And
what added force to this conjecture, the intel
gence which had reached them that Marshal Radet-
sky then at Mestre busy engaged in inspecting
all the works, and experimenting the construction
Of strong howitzer batteries at St. Guano and other
important positions which had hitherto remained un-
occupied.
Others very naturally supposed that the enemy.
finding 1t useless expenditure of powder and shot
had abandoned the idea of taking the city by storm.
and were resolved to await until starvation Should
accomplish what their army could not effect, And
as the city began to experience the first effects
of famine, this seemed for the moment the more pro-
| bable conclusion.
The crowds around the bakers shops were alrea-
dy so dense that several persons had been pressed
to death. Meat and wine almost completely
exhausted and bread of the worst quality exceeding
ly scarce. Notwithstanding these severe demands
upon their patriotism and courage. public Cpin
ion in Venice the subject of resistance still
unchanged, the people seemed still resolved ito hold
out to the last, while the activity at the arscnas
and at all the ports appeared to indicate that some
great enterprise to be undertaken before the
final catastrophe arrived For some time previously
a rumor had been circulated in Venice, that the
! lst of August the Austrians intended to commence
another and more awful assault upon the city than
any that had hitherto been Witnessed but there
few of its pleasure loving Inhabitants who listened
with creduGty to this whisper Of fancy and even
they dreamed not Of anything more disastrous than
that which they had already encountered But when
the silence which regned the waters Of the la
gunes had been unbrokcn for many DAYS BY hos
tile gun, Sunday, 3lst July, at midnight, when
the lower classes quietly reposng in their beds
and the higher and gayer circles as was their Gus
tom, promenading the illuminated plaza Of st. Mark,
seated under its extended balconies careeSsy sip
ping their coffee putting their cigars. sooner
had the bell in the tower of St. Mark t0lled the
hour Of twelve and announced the fact that the first
of August had appeared than they found themselves
IN the midst OF shower of red-hOt shot. terri
bic than the irruption of Vesuvius and Pompci and
covering at nearly threefourths of the city In
moment all Venice was alive. The streets were
crowded with the residents Of the invaded section
men. women and children all hurrying toward the
CASTILLO and the public gardens where the proectlc
did not reach and running it were the gauntlet
through those ways, amid the shot and rub
! bish, broken chimneys aud severed cornices that
were at every step ratling down about their heads
Yet not complaint uttered, not tear shcd.-I
The people of the exposed districts CHARTERED them
selves upon the occupants of the other sections with
as much compOsure if they had been members of
one family and nothing was heard but imprecations
upon enemy who avoiding the breasts of soldiers
ready and willing to receive them, attempted to force
capitulation upon the town, by routing the women
and children from their beds in hopes through their
screams and tears to accomplish that which their
personal valor had been unable to effect.
The torrent of balls which continued to fall inces
sanity. night and day, had other result than to
destroy property and demolish the most beautiful
works of architecture and sculpture. On the Grand
Canal nearly every palace perforated, and some.
particularly those of Mocenigo (Which Lord Byron
occuped) Balbi Persico, &C. boast of having rccciv
ed as many as thirty or forty balls each number
of the churches, viz the Frari the Scalzi, San Clio
vann e PaoIo, SC, with their splendid marble and
statuary suffered severely.
The means by which the Austrians succeeded at
length in throwing their proiectes into the city.
point which they had endeavored in vain for months
to accomplish. was by mounting at San Gjuliano,
pieces of eighty md Paixhan guns of the hea
West calibre, and firing with muzzes raised to
siderable elevation the balls then in describing the
parabolic curve would descend and fall within the
city. whereas discharged on level or aimed direct
! ly at the object had previously been done. in
distance of five six miles, the balls invariably fell
short of their destination, and sank without effect
| beneath the waters
On the 1st of August, the day upon which this aw-
full bombardment commenced. 1000 Ecnitians made
a sally from BrondoO, and after capturing Il few
hundred oxen, retired. During the evening the IL
dings of that expedition reached Venice. and while
the population of that gay capital were quietly
ed in the magnificent Fcnice under the shower Of
redhot shot for the theatre in the invaded dis
trlctt enjoying cOmpOSedly though nothing had
happened, the performance Of William Tell the
enthusiasm which the narration Of this slight
cess created great that the continuation Of
the drama was dispensed with and the occasion con-
verted into a national festival.
Day after day, Increasingly. the cannonaling con-
tnues, at many points the bombs set fire to the build
ings but these were extinguiShcd without much
injury and as the balls seldom if ever penetrated
further than the roof and one story the population
are uncOncerned. Provisions become hourly more
scarce, the supply can last but two weeks longer.
and yet the people very quietly say we will hold
ont until we have nothing to eat and then the Croats
may come and do what they please
To add to the horrors Of their situation. the chnlc
RI broke out among the inhabitants in its most dread
fu and malignant FORM its ravags doubtless increas-
ed by the scanty and unwholcsome food nnnn which
they had been for some time compelled tc subsi>t :
and yet amid all these disasters the city remained
! tranquil, the Place Of st. Mark was : much fire.
quented ever and the cOuntenanccs Of the Een-
tians bright though enjoying the sunshine Of
the pamicst days Of the republic.
On the 14th of August, Marshal Radezkv. aware
of the state to which the city reduccd renewed
his efforts to induce it to capitulate, By Offering
nearly the terms that had been previously re-
iected Strange that now, when ammunition food
medicine drink water failing, when to
the general misery and squalor the cholera is add
ed, carrying eff 80 to 100 day. in Venice and Chi
oggia families without bread. without roof in
search Of shelter and victuals old men. women and
children. crammed into the store houses, or under
the naked sky, exposed all the inclcmencies Of the
weather. and all the bombs and balls Of the AuStri-
ans these terms quite moderate could possibly
have been expected, were again rejected
On the 17th the President of the Republic warn
ed by the rapid progress Of public danger that longer
resistance impossible, In consultation with the
commandant Of the French squadron and the French
Consul it was decided as the only and last means
of safety to send Fcntian deputation to the Aus
trian camp with an offer Of capituaton. General