Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-06
CHAPTER XVII.

FALLS THE FLAG OF FRANCE.
E RAMSAY stood in his pri-
Chateau st. Louis From
the English batteries at
| Point Lewis the cannons were continu-
ously firing upon the already ruined
lower town, and even upon the castle
itself. From Townshend's intrench-
ments on the landward side the heavy
siege guns which had been landed from
| the British ships were raining shot
and shell upon the upper town and
the citadel. Piedmont, the French
chief Of artillery, was making what
reply he could. The fleet of Admiral
| Saunders in the basin had been NOV
ing up toward the lower town during
the past week, and as de Ramesay
watched them, large boats full OF
troops were even then being landed
on the meadows and flats at the mouth
| Of the st. Charles river and were being
drawn up in columns under cover OF
the ships batteries, as if preparing
to approach and storm the gate
nearest the bridge.
De Ramesay had just come in from
tour of the walls. 1t was a hopeless
! outlook indeed before the governor
He had done his best, but the end
was approaching Sad indeed is the
moment when we realize that our best
is unavailing The rations of all had
been reduced and reduced until star
walton stared them In the face. Nc
part of the town was safe now from tn G
English fire. The very chateau itself
in which he stood was riddled with
shells. There was great gaping hole
in the roof of his cabinet, through
which the rain poured dismally.
The temper of the garrison had
grown worse and worse. Nothing
whatever had been heard from de
Lewis. De Ramesay felt that if an as
sault were delivered it could not be
met. His garrison originally con-
sisted of $50 troops of the line, some
400 or 500 colony troops, and the local
militia, but had been much reduced by
death, wounds and starvation, and was
growing less every day. The colonial
soldiers and militia had been desert
| ing in handfuls.
Presently Capt. Rouvigny entered.
| Monsieur" he said, saluting, "a
body of merchants, headed by Monsieur
Dame, are here to see you, and"
Bid them attend me in the great
hall of the chateau, captain" inter
rupted the governor gloomily, "and
summon the officers of my staff. Let
some one go for Monsieur Piedmont
if he can be spared from the walls
We need his counsel"
81 omitted to state, monsieur" con.
! tinued the young officer, that the mer-
chants are accompanied by the officers
of the city militia
Let them all come together, I will
see them all. know what it MEANS
said de Ramesay despondently.
A few moments after he entered the
great hall of the bullet-ridden castle
Many of the portraits which adorned
it had been destroyed by the fire Of
the enemy. Grim old Frontenac, the
unconquerable, however, still KEEP,
watch and ward over the territory he
had loved, now fast slipping into the
hands of the hated English. Had he
been in de vaudreuils place, thought
de Ramsay. they might not now oe
in such pass.
Through the broken window-pnnes
the rain beat and the wind swept II
mournful harmony with the thoughts
of the people who crowded the room
! AT the lower end were congregated &
body Of the most influential citizens
of the town. Their plain but ricl
dress, comfortable cloaks. prosperous
appearance, proclaimed that they were
men OF substance and condition. A lit.
tie apart from them stood the officers
of the colonial militia in bedraggled
weather-stained uniforms.
The merchants faced de Ramesay
boldly. The eyes of the citizen sol
diery sank to the ground, and they
looked everywhere but at him. They
shifted uneasily under the stern gaze
OF the veteran commander, while their
hands played nervously with their
sword-hilts. De Ramesay was attended
by the officers of his staff, able SOL
diers all; some of them were drenched
with rain and covered with marks OF