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The Romance of Modern Sieges


[Illustration: THE SALLY FROM THE FORT AT KUMASSI

Led by Capt. Armitage, some two hundred loyal natives sallied forth. At
their head marched the native chiefs, prominent amongst whom was the
young king of Aguna. He was covered back and front with fetish charms,
and on his feet were boots, and where these ended his black legs
began.]




                            THE ROMANCE OF
                             MODERN SIEGES

                  DESCRIBING THE PERSONAL ADVENTURES,
                   RESOURCE AND DARING OF BESIEGERS
                     AND BESIEGED IN ALL PARTS OF
                               THE WORLD

                                  BY
                         EDWARD GILLIAT, M.A.

                   SOMETIME MASTER AT HARROW SCHOOL
     AUTHOR OF “FOREST OUTLAWS,” “IN LINCOLN GREEN,” _&c._, _&c._

                      WITH SIXTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS

                             PHILADELPHIA
                       J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY

                     LONDON: SEELEY & CO. LIMITED
                                 1908




PREFACE


These chapters are not histories of sieges, but narratives of such
incidents as occur in beleaguered cities, and illustrate human nature
in some of its strangest moods. That “facts are stranger than fiction”
these stories go to prove: such unexpected issues, such improbable
interpositions meet us in the pages of history. What writer of fiction
would dare to throw down battlements and walls by an earthquake, and
represent besiegers as paralysed by religious fear? These tales are
full, indeed, of all the elements of romance, from the heroism and
self-devotion of the brave and the patient suffering of the wounded, to
the generosity of mortal foes and the kindliness and humour which gleam
even on the battle-field and in the hospital. But the realities of war
have not been kept out of sight; now and then the veil has been lifted,
and the reader has been shown a glimpse of those awful scenes which
haunt the memory of even the stoutest veteran.

We cannot realize fully the life that a soldier lives unless we see
both sides of that life. We cannot feel the gratitude that we ought to
feel unless we know the strain and suspense, the agony and endurance,
that go to make up victory or defeat. In time of war we are full of
admiration for our soldiers and sailors, but in the past they have been
too often forgotten or slighted when peace has ensued. Not to keep in
memory the great deeds of our countrymen is mere ingratitude.

Hearty acknowledgments are due to the authors and publishers who have
so kindly permitted quotation from their books. Every such permission
is more particularly mentioned in its place. The writer has also had
many a talk with men who have fought in the Crimea, in India, in
France, and in South Africa, and is indebted to them for some little
personal touches such as give life and colour to a narrative.




CONTENTS


 CHAPTER I

 SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR (1779-1782)

                                                                   PAGES

 The position of the Rock--State of defence--Food-supply--Rodney
 brings relief--Fire-ships sent in--A convoy in a fog--Heavy
 guns bombard the town--Watching the cannon-ball--Catalina gets
 no gift--One against fourteen--Red-hot shot save the day--Lord
 Howe to the rescue                                                17-27


 CHAPTER II

 DEFENCE OF ACRE (1799)

 Jaffa stormed by Napoleon--Sir Sidney Smith hurries to
 Acre--Takes a convoy--How the French procured cannon-balls--The
 Turks fear the mines--A noisy sortie--Fourteen assaults--A
 Damascus blade--Seventy shells explode--Napoleon nearly
 killed--The siege raised--A painful retreat                       28-36


 CHAPTER III

 THE WOUNDED CAPTAIN IN TALAVERA (1809)

 Talavera between two fires--Captain Boothby wounded--Brought
 into Talavera--The fear of the citizens--The surgeons’
 delay--Operations without chloroform--The English retire--French
 troops arrive--Plunder--French officers kind, and protect
 Boothby--A private bent on loot beats a hasty retreat             37-52


 CHAPTER IV

 THE CAPTURE OF CIUDAD RODRIGO (1812)

 A night march--Waiting for scaling-ladders--The assault--Ladders
 break--Shells and grenades--A magazine explodes--Street
 fighting--Drink brings disorder and plunder--Great spoil          53-61


 CHAPTER V

 THE STORMING OF BADAJOS (1812)

 Rescue of wounded men--A forlorn hope--Fire-balls light up the
 scene--A mine explodes--Partial failure of the English--Escalade
 of the castle--Pat’s humour and heroism--Saving a
 General--Well