The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1914-11-13

IL OF NAr1UR
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 TN
til the 18th. Those two weeks were
occupied in beating off sallies from
the French garrison and in bringing
up the great guns
"On 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
loss Of 300 slain and 1900 wounded"
The siege was pressed continuous.
~ 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 Meuse.
which held out, though the aseailants
were masters Of the Abbey Of Salstnes,
seated within the entrenchments. But.
being sssailed both IN front and flank
With an extraordinary bravery, the
French were driven as far AZ 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 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 q 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.
"On 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-bast:on
that lies on fine right hand of the gate,
where a 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 3, but Mar
shall Boufflers. unwilling to stand the
hazard, ordered q parley to be beaten.
and commissioners were appointed on
each side to confer about the capitula-
ton of the city,
Castle Held Out Another Month.
The capitulation. it must be under
stood. did not carry with it the syfren-
der of the castle or citadel on the
hill-they did things differently in those
days. Section VIII Of the Articles Of
Capitulation reads:
1.-TWO days shall be granted to tho
garrison of the town to retire into the
castle with their families and effects.
during which time no hostilities shall
be committed by either party on the
side of the town or the castle. To
prevent all disorder. the besieged shall
forthwith give up the posts at the
entrance Of the Iron gate, and may
place a guard jointly with the allies
at the gate Of the enclosure"
The siege Of the castle began on
August 5. and did not surrender until
September 3. After bombarding the
castle with 166 pieces of cannon and
60 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 renewal of the attack next
day, but Marshal Bouf1ers beat 4
parley'' and surrendered on the Sd.
On the 5th Of September the French
garrison marched out, with drums beat
ing and colors flying. 1890 men. gaunt
and worn, all that was left of $4,000
hat were in garrison when the siege
began two months before.
Such was the longest siege ever sus-
tanned by Namur. July 3 to September
{, 1895.