The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-06-24
THE SIEGE OF TYRE.
II Was A!exandcr's Only Sea Fight
and Was Attended with Mo-
mentous Results.

The one hours battle in the harbor,
which resulted in the destruction OF
the besieged city's feet, was the last
dying struggle of the Phenico-Persian
power in the Mediterranean, and it was
Alexander's only sea fight. He made on
land his conquest Of the sea. With
nothing longer to fear from the Tyrian
feet, the besiegers now more boldly
than ever pushed their attack upon the
walls. The engine on the end of the
moe still made poor Roadway against
the massive walls which there confront
ed them; the walls at the northeastern
corner proved equally invulnerable
against the transport engines concen-
trated there; but weak spot was found
one day in the southern wall hard by
The Egyptian harbor," narrow breach
was opened, and an attack was made
by storming party, only, however, to
be repulsed. The breach had not been
wide enough; the attack had been made
on too small scale. The Tyrians hur-
ried to cover the breach from within,
but the vulnerable spot had been found,
and Alexander awaited only the oppor-
tunity of fair weather and quiet sea
to renew the onslaught and this time
to support it by a general attack at
every available point in the circuit of
the wall.
On the third day the opportunity
came. The main attack was directed
against the southern wall. Here the
engines soon tore and raked wide.
yawning gap. The moment their work
was complete two great ships crowded
with armed men pushed their way in to
displace the engine-transports. In one
was Alexander himself and the light
guards called the hypaspists, whom Adj
metus commanded; in the other were
picked men from the phalanx. LON
bridges like gangplanks were throw
across from the decks to the debris OF
the ruined wall. In an instant they
swarmed with hurrying men. Admetus
was the first to reach the wall, and,
transfixed with a spear, the first to
die. Sharp and bitter was the struggle.
From handful the intruders grew to
scores and hundreds. They fought to
avenge their slain captain, and the pres
ence of their king inspired them. The
Tyrians fought for the last hope, OF
their homes. Never before had foemen
set foot on the island soil of Tyre.
Step by step the bcsiegers won their
way. Some scrambled up the ruin and
gained the battlements of the wall at
the right; others followed, and with
them Alexander, at the head, pushed
on along the rampant platform toward
the north till reaching the palace,
which communicated with the wall,
they found way down by its stairway
into the heart of the city.
Meanwhile the city had been attacked
on every side. Vessels equipped with
artillery and filed with bowmen and
singers had sailed up to close range
under the walls, and poured their fire
in upon the defenders of the walls, dis
tracing their attention and dividing
the defense. Simultaneously also the
entrance of both harbors had been
forced by the fleets, and the Tyrian
ships scattered, scuttled. driven ashore.
From the northern harbor, where the
defense was weaker, the approaches to
the city had been captured, and here a
&C. 81 ~, 30 -;
now pouring out through the palace
doors into the narrow alleys of the
town. The Tyrians, who had now for
saken the wall, rallied for the last stand
before the shrine of Ageror, and here
the battle resolved itself into mas
sacre.-Prof. Wheeler, in Century.