Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-01-13
Great Sicges Of History
Nothing More Clearly Shows the Evolution of the Art of Warfare
Than tho Siege OF Port Arthur.


the saracens there were many mem
orable sieges, more characterized. how
ever, by barbarity on either side than
by skill. The taking of Acre, in the
third crusade. consumed more thar
two years, 1891, and required the
efforts OF several hundred thousand
men, 100000 OF whom, according to
Saracen historians, were slain.
Parma's Great Feat.
During the struggle of the Neither
lands to free themselves from the yoke
OF Philip III of Spain occurred three OF
the most famous Of all sieges: those
OF HaaiIem, Leyden and Antwerp.
space can only be given to the last of
these, which is the most remarkable.
G~unpowder had long before changed
the whole general science OF warfare.
But Alexander Farnese, duke of Par
ma, introduced into his operations
against the great commercial capital
OF Belgium, then also the richest port
In Europe, more daring engineering
schemes tina had aver before been
tried by any commander since the days
OF Demetrius. All the other details Of
this siege might well be neglected in
order to give room for a description
or the monumental explicit OF bridging
the Scheldt, below the city, in face OF
the most formidable difficulties, so as
to cut off communication with the sea,
by which route alone IL could hope for
succor. But this vas not his only feat.
or this siege Motley says: Land con-
verted into water and water into land,
castles built upon the breasts OF rapid
streams, rivers turned from their beds
ana taught new courses. the distant
ocean driven across ancient bulwarks,
mines dug below the sea, and canals
made to pefcolate obscene morasses-
which the red hand Of war by the very
act converted into blooming gardens
a mighty stream bridged and mastered
in the very teeth of winter, floating
icebergs, ocean tide and an alert and
desperate foe, ever ready with fleets
and armies n batteries-such were
the materials OF which the great spec
tacle was composed; a spectacle which
unclaimed the attention OF Europe for
seven months, ard on the result OF
which, it was thought, depended the
rate or all the Netherlands, and per-
haps of Christendom." Desperate and
vain efforts were made by the Ant
werpers to destroy Parna's bridge, and
falling In that, TO cut the bikes. so that
the Scheldt could sweep through them,
and thus give access to the city across
the ti~de-covered flats for ships bring
Ing supplies and reinforcements. The
battle at the bikes, half in water and
half on land, was one OF the most spec
tacular known. Parma. however, held
Antwerp closely b~lockaded, and the
prospect of starvation, after nearly a
year OF siege, compelled capituIation on
August IL, 1856.
Richelieu Coops Up the H~ueuenots.
Rochelle, the stronghold of the
French Calvini3ts, withstood several
attacks OF the opposite party untfl
Richelieu, the cardinal statesman, re-
solved TO prove that he also was a
warrior. The famous siege OF Rochelle
was begun in July. 1927. The Hugue-
nots in the town were supported by an
English fleet and army. Louis XIII and
Richeieu took charge OF the siege In
person in October, but in November
the English forces withdrew. Richelieu,
anticipating a renewal of the attack
the mex year, undertook a work in
tended at nee to battle foreign enemies
M to place the own 1T his mercy. A
vast wall was constructed along the
whole front of the port, with but q
small opening in the middle. which was
commanded by batteries. BY the re-
turn of spring the work was completed
under the ylgilant supervision of the
cardinal himself. Another English fleet
appeared, but found Richelieu's wall
unassailable and retired. AS the siege
proceeded the Huguenots were reduced
to feed on their own horses and on bits
of stewed leather. The mayor kept a
dAGSGI Oi iC &OOnGli 'LdDiG 10 SldO dIIy
man who should talk of surrender. The
siege lasted more than a year., and only
6, 1000 OF the original Is, 900 defenders
remained when they consented to yield.
The island of Crete was lost to the
Venetians in 1869 after a siege OF it's
capital, Gambia, by the Turks, which
is commonly reckoned TO have lasted
twenty four years and during which
zoe, 900 men persisted. TIE Ottoman
army kept Gambia blockaded the great
er part 81 this period.
Severe Test of Gibraltar.
Gibraltar. one of the pillars of Her
cules," regarded as impregnable. was
mauc SO by the British, who took IL
from the Spaniards in 1T04 and have
since held It. This Spanish and French
besieged It from July Is, 1873, until
February 8, 1888. Ia November, 1881,
the besiegers We're driven from their
works and the latter were destroyed.
Early in the next year the besieging
force was Increased TO 80, 600 men
against the 1000 In the garrison and
were supplied with an immense train
of artillery. Huge floating batteries,
bomb proof and shot proof, were con-
structed. There We're also a large num-
Der OF ships OF war arrayed against the
fortress. II was proposed TO make a
grand attack 10Th by land and sea
with 400 pieces OF artillery. Six months
were spent In preparation. There were
partial ~cannonades early In September,
but the main attack was commenced
on the 18th. The fortress had less than
100 guns to reply to the 400 of the be-
siegers. ~Disregarding the attack from
every other quarter, the English COM
mandan concentrated the whole OF his
ordnance upon the floating batteries in
front OF him. For a long time he made
no Impression on the enormous masses
or iron and wood. But In about two
hours Ii was observed that the red-hot
shot had begun to set the wooden por-
tons OF the batteries on fire. Soon
afterwiird their cannonade partially
ceased. The flames increased and to-
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