The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1914-12-19

when battering-rams, catapults, on
AYERS, and other forms of ballistae
were used, and when scaling ladders
and battle axes were used in an es-
calade while the defenders tossed
melted lead, boiling water. stones,
beams. grenades. ETC., on the besieg-
ers.
Desperate Siege Of 1895.
The siege Of Namur In 1896 was one
Of the most desperate of those times,
the French garrison refusing to sur
render until it had lost two-thirds Of
its men. The city having been invest
ed on July 8. seven days were passed
in raising the lines Of decentralization
and running trenches toward the
walls, by which the besieging force
could be protected while raising bat
teries. These were not completed un-
til the 18th.
ION that day July 49," says cor
respondent Of that period, "the king
Of Great Britain, seeing the trenches
were carried within fusil-shot Of the
palisaded entertainments, which the
French possessed upon the hill before
st. Nicholas gate and the Iron gate,
which hindered the besiegers from
carrying on any further their design
Of forcing the town, ordered those
entertainments to be stormed that eve
ming an hour before sunset The COM
bat was very bloody, obstinate and
hot, the French were driven back with
a loss of 300 slain and 1900 wounded"
The siege was pressed continuous
ly with fierce attacks and equally
fierce. defenses. The chronicler con-
tinues:
Breach Made In the Walls.
AT five o'clock on the morning of
the Goth the besiegers attacked the
great entertainments of the old wall
between the Sambre and the Mouse,
which held out, though the assailants
were masters Of the Abbey of Salsines,
seated within the Entertainments. But,
being assailed both in front and flank
with an extraordinary bravery, the
French were driven as far as the
counterscarp Of the Coehorn fort. The
besiegers pursued them as far as the
Devils house, where the French had
several cannon loaded with cartouches
and 900 men laid fiat upon their bel
lies, SO that the besiegers were no
sooner within reach Of the guns but
the enemy let fly after a most dismal
manner. The assailants made them
selves masters of the counterscarp Of
the fort, but not being able to main
tain their ground, retired in good or
der. On the same day a mine was
sprung at st. Nicholas gate which
overturned good part Of the wa
terstop into the moat Of the city; the
next day the cannon roared all day
long to widen the breach.
ION August / they battered the
works and the breach that had been
made at st. Nicholas gate, from
whence they flung great many bombs
that did great deal Of spoils. At
seven in the evening of the I'd the
covertway and and the demi-bastion
that lies on the right hand Of the gate,
where q breach was made. Three
times the assailants were repulsed,
but for all that they lodged them.
selves upon the counterscarp and car
ried on their work as far as Fort
William and the DEVILS house. Every
thing was ready, and the general as
sault ordered for August 8. but Mar
shall Bouflers. unwilling to stand the
hazard, ordered a parley to be beaten,
and commissioners were appointed on
each side to confer about the capitula,
ton Of the city"
The siege of the castle began on
August s, and did not surrender until
September 8. After bombarding the
castle with 166 pieces Of cannon and
so mortars for about thirty days, the
allies assaulted with 10000 men. but
were repulsed after four hours com.
bat. They drew OF and began pre-
pairing for a renewal Of the attack next
day, but Marshal Boufiers beat a
parley" and surrendered on the adj