The Tomahawk., 1917-06-07


month. Peronne is the center Of trt'
angle, two sides formed by the River
Somme and SOmme marshes, and the
third side dominated by the heights
Of st. Quentin. The only defense on
this side was narrow ditch, three
strong towers and a fragment OF an
Gent wall. The Comte de Nassau,
prince of Orange, marched upon the
place with numerous batteries and at.
tackled upon this side. The only de-
tenders were some gentlepeople belong
ing to the neighborhood and a few SOL
diers, afterwards reinforced with
hundred lancers under the command OF
the great General Ia Marck, Seigneur
de Fleuranges.
Planting his batteries on the heights
Of st. Quentin, Nassau proceeded to
lombard the principal buildings Of the
town for three days. Then, judging
that he had frightened the inhabitants
enough, he sent herald to demand the
surrender of the city and to warn her
defenders that if they did not yield in
twenty-fOur hours every man would be
put to the sword. "Herald," replied
Fleuranges, "you will tell the Comte de
Nassau that he will find all at his dis
posal when he is here. In the mean
time he will permit us to salute him in
passing" This pleasantly Infatuated
Nassau, who redoubled his efforts and
announced his intention of hanging all
the leaders at the gates Of the city. He
found himself, however, fighting not
against garrison of soldiers. but
against the whole population Of the
town. What destruction his cannon
balls did in the day was repaired in
the night by the incredible efforts OF all
the men and women of the place who,
admirably organized, began ut night
fall to fill the breaches in the walls
and worked ceaselessly till dawn, so
that Peronne was always ready for
further defiance by the time Nassau's
guns began in the morning. Inside the
walls however, the casualties were
heavy, and powder began to run Short
The duke of Guise had come to the re-
lief with a small force across the
marshes, a band Of 400 archers, each
man carrying ten pounds Of powder IN
two sacks hung round his neck. 1t
proved, however, impossible to force a
way into tho town. All the drummers
and trumDctcrs of the army with their
instruments were then added to the re-
licving force and led forth over the
marsh with orders both to musicians
and archcrs to make as much noise
as possible and to march about in sep
aratc parties.
This simple ruse appears to have
confused Nassau, who imagined that
rlarge rc-enforcemcnts were at hand
and kept his army on the alert all
night. In the morning no new army
was visible, but the noise was ex-
planned. The drummers and trumpeters
were seen being hauled up into safety
by ropes over the walls Of peronne.
Great Tower Blown Up.
Nassau thought his chief difficulty
lay with the great tower, once the
prison of Charles the Simple, which
was strongly garrisoned. He gave or
dcrs that it should be mined. The
Comte de Dammartin was commander
of the tower. Knowing the danger, his
friends entreated him to quit the post.
He refused, as he considered the tower
the key Of the whole position, and that
it was his duty to remain. When the
mine exploded and the tower fell he
and several heroic companions met
their death.
1t was her civilian population that
saved PerOnne. The chief gentleman
Of Picardy gathered within her walls,
resolved on her defense at all costs,
and organized voluntary tax to pay
the army. D'Estournel, the richest
man in the province, opened his grana-
ries for the use Of the poor and sup
ported the garrison. His wife and
children were at his estate in the coun-
try. At the approach Of the enemy to
the city he brought them thither to
show his confidence. BY his fine ex-
ample Of public spirit and resolution
he kept up the courage of the inhab-
itants and turned all into heroes. For
many years sermon in praise of Jean
d'Estournel was preached on the ami
yersary of the raising of the siege. A
woman, to whom tradition gives the
name Of Marie Fourrce, immortalized
herself as q leader Of valor and re-
source.
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