River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-03-17
FIGHTING ON SKATES.
A Novel Battle Between Spaniards and Eot.
landers.


landers.
Once upon a time King Philip, OF
Spain, went to war with Holland, the
country where the land is lower than
the sea-level and there have to be big
walls, called dikes to keep the water
from sweeping over the fields This
fight was a desperate one, for King
Philip was so eager to subdue the coun-
try that he waged the war with all the
means at his co lmand. He sent to-
Holland, as his'commander-in-ch chief, the
duke of Alva, a spanish nobleman and
a famous general. After the war had
been going on long time, and many
towns had been seized, the duke saw
that if he could take Amsterdam he
could easily overcome the rest of Hoi-
Iand-but between Amsterdam and
the kings forces lay the city of Haar-
lem.
The duke sent his son Don Frederick
to capture Harlem The city was al
most surrounded by water, then frozen
over. as It was winter. There were a
few ships lying near Harlem, but tSey
were held fast by the ice, and might
easily have been captured had not
the sailors dug a trench all around
them, and fortified them against the
enemy.
As soon as Don Frederick arrived he
sent body of soldiers to attack tho
ships. The soldiers marched out to the
vessels, but as they came near body
Of armed men on skates spranR from
the trench.
The Hollanders were used to skating
from their very babyhood, for in win
ter the canals and sea were frozen for
miles around, and every body skated.
Not only did they skate for fun, but to
market and their daily business, just as
easily and far more quickly than they
could walk. They used to have games
and sham battles on the ice, so that
when there was need for real fighting,
they knew what to do.
But the Spauiards lived in a southern
country where there is little ice, and
they never went sliding or skating.
When they saw the Hollanders dart out
at them, their feet shod with steel, APP
pearing almost to fly in the air, they
thought the enemy must be aided by
witchcraft. They were tempted to
run, such was their amazement and ter
ror.
However, when the bullets came fly
ing among them. they tried to pick up
their courage and fight But their eff
forts were feeble, for, unable to keep
their footing on the slippery surface,
they would stumble and fall. while the
Hollanders would glide by unframed
and send their bullets to the mark.
The HolIanders were victorious; and
when they drove the Spaniards off the
ice, several hundred of the enemy lay
dead. while the conquerors scarcely
suffered any loss When the duke
heard of this defeat he was much sur
prised, and decided that he would not be
beaten again in that way.
50 he ordered seven thousand pairs
OF skates, and commanded all the sol
iiers to learn 10 skate. They had fun
while learning, but not long afterward
were able to handle their weapons on
ice as boldly as the Hollanders. But
they had little occasion TO make use OF
this new accomplishment,sfor a sudden
thaw and flood made it possible for the
ships TO sail away, and the sailors
brave spirits were much cheered by the
sudden frost that followed and rendered
them safe from naval attack for
time.
The Spaniards soon after captured
Haarlem. but they had TO fight hard to
take it, for the city was well fortified
and the people brave.-St Nicholas.