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diff --git a/41426-8.txt b/41426-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index b7360d4..0000000 --- a/41426-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,11089 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Annals of a Fortress, by E. Viollet-le-Duc - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Annals of a Fortress - -Author: E. Viollet-le-Duc - -Translator: Benjamin Bucknall - -Release Date: November 21, 2012 [EBook #41426] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ANNALS OF A FORTRESS *** - - - - -Produced by Chris Curnow, Graeme Mackreth and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - -ANNALS OF A FORTRESS. - - - - -[Illustration: MAP OF THE LAND OF OHET.] - - - ANNALS OF A FORTRESS. - - BY - E. VIOLLET-LE-DUC. - - TRANSLATED BY BENJAMIN BUCKNALL, - ARCHITECT. - - [Illustration] - - BOSTON: - JAMES R. OSGOOD AND COMPANY, - LATE TICKNOR & FIELDS, AND FIELDS, OSGOOD, & CO. - - 1876. - - - UNIVERSITY PRESS: WELCH, BIGELOW, & CO., - CAMBRIDGE. - - - - -TRANSLATOR'S NOTE. - - -The Fortress whose transmutations during successive ages are so vividly -described in the following pages is an ideal one; its supposed situation -is on the Cousin, an affluent of the Saône. The practical genius of the -author indicates the position which, in view of the new eastern -frontier, should be fortified in order to command the Saône. - -To his unrivalled talent as an architect, Monsieur Viollet-le-Duc adds -the highest qualifications of the military engineer. In this branch of -applied science he is a recognised authority; and it may not be out of -place to notice here that he was frequently consulted by the late -Emperor respecting the permanent defences of the country. It is not too -much to assert that if his recommendations had been carried out the -investment of Paris would have been rendered impossible, whilst the -progress of the German invasion elsewhere would have been attended with -greater difficulties. As colonel of engineers, no officer displayed -greater energy, skill, or bravery, in the defence of the city; and every -operation planned and directed by him during the siege was successful. -Within two or three days after the signing of the armistice, the -Germans had done their utmost to destroy all evidences of their works of -investment. Nothing, however, had escaped the vigilant eye of M. -Viollet-le-Duc. In that brief space of time he had surveyed and -accurately noted all these works of investment; plans and descriptions -of which are given in his interesting memoir of the siege. Upon the -outbreak of the Commune, he was solicited by its chiefs to take the -military command; and had he not made a timely escape would probably -have paid the penalty of his life for refusing that questionable honour. -From his retreat at Pierrefonds he was recalled by General MacMahon, to -assist the Versailles troops in re-entering Paris. It is deserving of -mention that in his absence a devoted band of craftsmen thrice gallantly -defended his house from being burnt and pillaged. - -In presenting the _Histoire d'une Forteresse_ in an English form, the -translator has considered it impossible to do justice to the original -without adhering to its archaic style and manner; and aware that a -translation must lose something either in point of sense or style, his -chief aim has been to give a faithful rendering of the sense. - - BENJAMIN BUCKNALL, - _Architect._ - - OYSTERMOUTH, SWANSEA, - _February 11, 1875._ - - - - -CONTENTS. - - -CHAPTER I. - PAGE -THE FIRST RETREAT 1 - - -CHAPTER II. - -THE OPPIDUM 11 - - -CHAPTER III. - -THE FIRST SIEGE 26 - - -CHAPTER IV. - -THE COST OF DEFENDERS 65 - - -CHAPTER V. - -THE SECOND SIEGE 69 - - -CHAPTER VI. - -THE PERMANENT CAMP--FOUNDATION OF A CITÉ 90 - - -CHAPTER VII. - -THE FORTIFIED CITÉ 97 - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -THE THIRD SIEGE 108 - - -CHAPTER IX. - -THE FEUDAL CASTLE 157 - - -CHAPTER X. - -THE FOURTH SIEGE 178 - - -CHAPTER XI. - -THE FIRST DEFENCES AGAINST FIRE ARTILLERY 226 - - -CHAPTER XII. - -THE FIFTH SIEGE 239 - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -THE CITÉ OF LA ROCHE-PONT IS FORTIFIED BY ERRARD DE BAR-LE-DUC, -ENGINEER TO THE MOST CHRISTIAN KING OF FRANCE AND NAVARRE 275 - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -THE SIXTH SIEGE 282 - - -CHAPTER XV. - -THE TOWN OF LA ROCHE-PONT IS FORTIFIED BY M. DE VAUBAN 304 - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -THE SEVENTH SIEGE 315 - - -CHAPTER XVII. - - -CONCLUSION 354 - - -EXPLANATION OF SOME OF THE TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN THIS BOOK 385 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. - - -FIG. PAGE - - 1. MAP OF THE LAND OF OHET _Frontispiece_. - - THE SAPPER _Vignette_. - - 2. THE OPPIDUM 14 - - 3. RAMPART OF THE OPPIDUM 15 - - 4. GATES OF THE OPPIDUM 16 - - 5. THE NÉMÈDE AND THE DRUIDS' DWELLINGS 16 - - FIRST SIEGE.--SIGILD AND TOMAR 32 - - 6. " " WOODEN TOWERS OF THE OPPIDUM 35 - - 7. " " ADVANCED WORK OF THE OPPIDUM 46 - - 8. " " ASSAULT ON THE OPPIDUM 55 - - 9. THE TOWN AND CITÉ D'AVON (WAR OF THE GAULS) 70 - -10. SECOND SIEGE.--THE ROMAN 'AGGER' AND 'VINEÆ' 79 - -11. " " A STIMULUS 80 - -12. " " THE MOVABLE TOWER 82 - -13. " " ATTACK ON THE STRONGHOLD OF THE OPPIDUM 86 - -14. THE ROMAN PERMANENT CAMP 91 - -15. GATES OF THE CAMP 93 - -16. THE GALLO-ROMAN TOWN. CITY JULIANA (_to face_) 99 - -17. SECTION OF THE RAMPART WALL 103 - -18. PLANS OF THE NORTH GATE 104 - -19. VIEW OF THE NORTH GATE 105 - -20. GENERAL VIEW OF THE GREAT SOUTHERN TÊTE DE PONT 106 - -21. THIRD SIEGE.--THE AGGER 123 - -22. " " WORK BEFORE THE EAST GATE 124 - -23. " " THE 'VALLUM' 125 - -24. " " THE NORTHERN SALIENT 126 - -25. " " BURNING OF THE WOODEN BRIDGE 128 - -26. " " THE ATTACK--THE MOVABLE BRIDGE INTENDED FOR - CROSSING THE SMALL ARM OF THE RIVER ABONIA 131 - -27. " " THE AGGER 139 - -28. " " THE ONAGER BATTERY 141 - -29. " " THE MINE AND COUNTER MINE 142 - -30. " " THE BREACH MINE 145 - -31. " " DEFENCE OF THE BREACH 146 - -32. " " THE BREACH OCCUPIED BY THE ASSAILANTS 147 - -33. " " MINING BENEATH THE NORTH-WEST CORNER TOWER 151 - -34. " " MINING BENEATH THE NORTHERN RAMPART WALL 153 - -35. THE OLD CASTLE OF LA ROCHE-PONT 167 - -36. THE CASTLE OF LA ROCHE-PONT OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY (_to face_) - 168 - -37. BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF THE CASTLE OF LA ROCHE-PONT 172 - -38. BRETÈCHE OF THE BRIDGE 184 - -39. FOURTH SIEGE.--THE BURGUNDIAN INTRENCHMENT OF CONTRAVALLATION - 185 - -40. " " NIGHT SORTIE OF THE GARRISON OF THE CASTLE - (_to face_) 187 - -41. " " THE BESIEGERS GET POSSESSION OF THE BARBICAN 191 - -42. " " THE CAT 193 - -43. " " THE BOSSON (_to face_) 197 - -44. " " THE BREACH AND THE BURNING OF THE NORTH GATE 199 - -45. " " THE TAKING OF THE BAILEY (_to face_) 210 - -46. " " THE SMALL BOSSON 212 - -47. " " THE MOVABLE TOWER (_to face_) 222 - -48. THE TOWN OF LA ROCHE-PONT IS FORTIFIED BY CHARLES THE BOLD 228 - -49. BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF THE NORTHERN BOULEVARD AND FRONT 230 - -50. MASONRY TOWER FOR ARTILLERY 231 - -51. BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF BOULEVARD AND RAMPARTS 233 - -52. TÊTE DE PONT AND CAVALIER 237 - -53. FIFTH SIEGE.--ATTACK ON THE NORTHERN BOULEVARD 243 - -54. " " DEFENCE OF THE NORTHERN BOULEVARD 249 - -55. " " ASSAULT ON THE BOULEVARD 253 - -56. " " ATTACK OF THE OLD FRONT (_to face_) 255 - -57. FIFTH SIEGE.--THE OLD NORTH GATE BATTERED BY FIRE ARTILLERY 256 - -58. " " TAKING OF AN ARTILLERY TOWER (_to face_) 266 - -59. THE BASTIONS OF ERRARD DE LE BAR-LE-DUC 277 - -60. THE NORTH WORK 279 - -61. ONE OF THE BASTIONS 280 - -62. SIXTH SIEGE.--GALAS' WORKS OF APPROACH 289 - -63. " " THE ATTACK ON ONE OF THE BESIEGERS' PLACE D'ARMES - (_to face_) 290 - -64. " " FORCIA'S PLAN OF SIEGE 298 - -65. VAUBAN'S DEFENCES 305 - -66. VAUBAN'S OUTWORK 307 - -67. SECTIONS OF THE OUTWORK 309 - -68. TRACE OF THE OUTWORK 311 - -69. REVÊTEMENT OF THE BASTIONS 313 - -70. SEVENTH SIEGE.--THE THEORETICAL ATTACK OF VAUBAN'S WORK - (_to face_) 337 - -71. " " THE THIRD PARALLEL AND THE CROWNING OF THE COUVERT WAY - (_to face_) 338 - -72. " " CAPTAIN ALLAUD'S ADVANCED WORK 341 - -73. " " SECTIONS AND INTERIOR VIEW OF THE WORK 347 - -74. " " CAPTAIN ALLAUD'S CRÉMAILLÈRE WORK 341 - -75. " " ATTACK ON THE WORKS OF COUNTER-APPROACH 347 - -76. ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE PRINCIPLES OF ATTACK AND DEFENCE 358 - -77. DITTO 358 - -78. DITTO 359 - -79. APPLICATION OF THE PRINCIPLE: "WHAT DEFENDS SHOULD ITSELF BE DEFENDED" - 361 - -80. ILLUSTRATION OF THE ALTERED CONDITIONS NECESSITATED BY ARTILLERY - OF LONG RANGE 362 - -81. PLAN OF FORTRESS SHOWING HOW THOSE CONDITIONS ARE MET 364 - -82. BLOCK PLAN OF THE DETACHED FORTS 365 - -83. THEORETICAL PLAN OF A MODERN FORTRESS 366 - -84. EMPLOYMENT OF THE POLYGONAL SYSTEM, DETACHED FORTS 372 - -85. DEFENSIVE SYSTEM OF GREAT INTRENCHED CAMP 375 - - - - -ANNALS OF A FORTRESS. - - - "Je sçais bien qu'il faut perdre, qu'il faut gaigner, et n'y a rien - d'imprenable; mais desirez cent mil fois plustost la mort si tous - moyens ne vous deffaillent, que dire ce méchant et vilain mot: 'JE LA - RENDS.'"--_Comment._ de MONTLUC. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -_THE FIRST RETREAT._ - - -Many winters, as we are told by the old men of the district, have passed -since human beings first settled in the land of Ohet, a somewhat -extensive valley of varying breadth, traversed by a winding stream -running southward till it flows into a great river. - -The sides of the valley present a series of hills of moderate height, -descending by gentle slopes where it widens, and more abruptly where it -narrows. On the steeper hill-sides grey crags jut out, and the ground is -strewn with fragments of rock. Ascending the stream for some three hours' -walk from the point where it joins the great river, we find on the right -another stream separating into several small branches in a more elevated -valley. In summer, some of these branches dry up, others form pools, -whose banks are covered with reeds and water-lilies. The inhabitants of -the vale dread this valley, which they believe to be haunted by evil -spirits. It is dangerous to wander there, because of the number of bogs -covered over with leaves and decaying branches in which the unwary sink. -The forest in this valley is so dense, the plants and bushes are so -thickly interlaced with the trunks and branches of dead trees, that -the rays of the sun hardly penetrate through it, and only illuminate -pools of water covered with a mantle of green. A kind of promontory -divides the two water-courses at this point (Frontispiece--Fig. 1);--the -river running from the north-west, and the smaller stream from the -north-north-east. This elevated part of the country is covered with -thick woods, and the inhabitants of the valley seldom go there except -to hunt the wild ox, the boar, the wolf, and the deer. Beyond, the -country seems a wilderness; and strangers who occasionally visit the -inhabitants of the vale to exchange amber, copper, gold, salt, and -coarse woollen or hempen fabrics for skins of beasts, never come except -by the way where flows the great river. The occupants live in families, -in the open spaces amid the woods and on the banks of the rivers, -inhabiting conical huts, made with stakes set in the ground, joined -at the top, and covered with branches, earth, and rushes. The father -of the family occupies one of these huts with his wife and children, -and as his sons grow up, they build another cabin and take a companion. - -The products of the chase and fishing, with the wild roots which they -dry and crush between stones, are their only means of subsistence; they -do not till the soil, nor have they any flocks or herds. Our informants -add that they never had to fight men like themselves, and that if any -disputes arise between the families, they call together the oldest -chiefs of the other families to arbitrate between them. Those who are -unwilling to submit to their judgment are banished from the valley, -together with their families; they descend the shores of the great -river, and are no more heard of. - -When these old men are further asked whether there were other human -beings before them settled in the valley, they answer that there were; -but that they were small men--dwarfs--who ate earth, and had no bows and -arrows to kill the wild beasts, nor hooks to catch fish, nor canoes to -cross the river; that at the approach of the present inhabitants, these -dwarfs disappeared, and took refuge underground, whence they came out -sometimes in the night to do mischief--to cut the fastenings of boats, -or sink the boats themselves--to cause children at the breast to die, or -to break the bows, or warn the animals of the forest of an intended -chase, so that they might get out of the way. - -For some time a report has been current--brought by strangers who have -found their way along the river into the valley--that an alien race of -great stature and strength, with fair hair, and mounted on horses, have -already overspread the neighbouring countries, driving away their -inhabitants, or killing those who do not fly at their approach; speaking -an unknown tongue, and undertaking nothing without first deliberating in -great numbers, and consulting the elders and women, sparing none but -children, and employing these in labours of all kinds. This news has -spread great consternation in the valley; the chiefs of the families -meet together, and determine to watch by turns at the mouth of the -river; young men posted at regular intervals are to give warning, by -loud cries, of the arrival of the fair-haired people, so that all the -inhabitants of the valley may be quickly warned, and take refuge with -their families in the woods situated on the promontory which divides the -river from the smaller stream at their confluence; lastly, each is to -furnish himself with provisions such as will be sufficient for a -hunting expedition of several days; and then they will consult as to -what course shall be adopted. - -Meantime, the elders of the people take counsel. They decide that at the -first cry of alarm, and while the invaders are entering the valley by -one of the banks, all the inhabitants of that side shall cross in the -boats to the opposite side shore, in order to unite with those who -inhabit that side, and that all together they shall hasten to bring -their cargoes to the point where the valley divides, so as to moor the -boats below the promontory on the left bank above the mouth of the -stream; that the women, children, and old men shall take refuge on the -promontory, so that the able-bodied, thus separated from the fair-haired -men by the river and the rivulet, will be able to deliberate whether -they should use their bows or fly to the forest above. Some days after, -just when the sun is beginning to decline, the valley resounds with the -cry of alarm, a hundred times repeated, announcing that the fair-haired -people are advancing and entering the valley on the western side. - -Immediately the whole country--silent but a few minutes before--begins -to be filled with a continued hum; most of the inhabitants of the right -hasten in their boats to the left bank; but some, either through -negligence, or because they have been away from their dwellings, cannot -follow the advice of the elders. - -In the meantime, the invaders advance with caution: first, a detachment -mounted on horses are seen riding round the woods, assembling in the -openings, and appearing to deliberate before going further. A body of -them have captured some unhappy loiterers among the inhabitants of the -valley, who, fastened with cords, are driven onwards by their captors, -and closely interrogated, but they do not understand what is said to -them. - -In a little while, at every visible point in the direction of the river, -the valley appears dotted with men on foot and on horseback, and with -chariots; and every now and then shouts arise. The sun sinks upon the -horizon, but the shouting continues to be heard, and the columns of -smoke ascend from all sides; night comes, the valley appears lit up with -fires, and silence gradually supervenes. - -Assembled at the foot of the promontory, along the banks of the two -streams, the men of the land of Ohet have concealed their boats among -the bulrushes; they have sent up the women, the children, and the aged -to the plateau; they dare not light any fires, lest they should attract -the attention of the invaders. The night is spent in fruitless -deliberation; some bold young hunters propose to take advantage of the -sleep of the fair-haired people to cross the river and fall upon them as -they would upon wild beasts, and to kill them all with their stone -hatchets; but the chiefs of the families consider that they are too few -in number for the execution of any such design; they urge that this body -of invaders is perhaps followed by others, that they have horses and can -easily escape, that they appear to be tall and strong; and, moreover, -that they do not appear to have killed the inhabitants they met with, as -the strangers had reported. - -At break of day the valley echoes with unusual sounds, such as the -inhabitants of the land of Ohet had never heard before. It is not the -shouting of men, nor the songs of women, nor the bellowing of wild -bulls. These noises spread terror among the fugitives. They all abandon -the boats and climb the promontory; there, in the woods, they can see -through the trees what is taking place in the valley: They soon perceive -a numerous body of men on the opposite side, not far from the river. -Some canoes which had been forgotten are being guided up the stream by -the invaders. They go through the rushes, unfasten the boats, and draw -them up with loud cries on the shore opposite the promontory. These -cries are answered from other quarters, and the whole body rush to the -shore. But at this juncture the chiefs seem to interfere; they parley -for some time, and appear to threaten those who are impatient to get -into the boats, often pointing to the plateau above. The main body -retire again from the shore, and a dozen men only get into two boats, -which make for the opposite bank at the foot of the promontory. With -them are two of the inhabitants of the land of Ohet, tied by the neck -with leathern thongs. They land together, put the captives before them, -and ascend to the plateau. The twelve fair-haired men are armed with -sticks, terminated by a long, bright, metal point. Some hold bows in -their hands, with the arrows in place. They are dressed in short tunics -of ornamented stuffs, their arms bare, and their legs up to the knee -bound round with leathern thongs, to which are fastened covered sandals. -About their loins is a belt of skin, to which is suspended a bag, also -of skin, with the hair of the animal preserved, two knives--one long, -the other very short--and a hatchet, the blade of which is of bronze; -their necks and wrists are adorned with strings of large glass beads, or -with circlets of metal. Many have their hair fastened on the top of -their heads, with large pins of bone or bronze; others have their hair -divided into long tresses. Their beards have been carefully removed, -while their moustaches reach down to their breasts. Their aspect is -terrible, for they are tall; their light blue eyes, inclosed by black -lines, sparkle like diamonds beneath bushy brows dyed of a brilliant -red. - -Approaching to within fifty paces of the brow of the promontory, where -the ground is somewhat clear, they stop, and one of the captives speaks -thus: "The fair-haired people have captured several of us; they have -done us no harm; they have not burned our huts, nor killed the women and -children. They wish to live in peace with us always, on the same ground. -They will not hinder us from hunting or fishing, or from remaining with -our wives and children. They say that the land is good, and can support -a much greater number of inhabitants than it does now. They bring an -abundance of things useful to man. They teach youths to ride, and to use -arms against evil men. They say in fine that we have nothing to fear, -and that you may return to your dwellings. - -"I am told all this by one of their people who speaks as we do, and who -once lived in our valley, from which he was banished. They also say that -if you will not return to your homes and live in peace with them, they -will kill us all like wild beasts, for they are both numerous and -strong. They will await your answer here until the sun reaches the -middle of its daily course. This is all we have to say." - -Several of the elders of the valley then came out of the wood and -advanced towards the captives; but the party of fair-haired men made -signs to them to come no farther, and fitted their arrows to the strings -of their bows. The captive who had already spoken, again addressed them: -"Do not come any nearer; deliberate among yourselves, and give an answer -quickly. This is all we have to say." - -The old men thereupon assembled, and having cut some branches of trees -on which they seated themselves, one of them spoke thus: "These -fair-haired people with painted faces are more numerous than we; they -have murderous, weapons, and horses, and are brave; we are not able to -drive them out of the valley; if they desire to live with us in peace, -as they say they do, why not consider them as friends? Is it to their -advantage to kill us? No. They possess many things which we have not, -and are provided with what they need. Have you not observed the flocks -and herds, the loaded waggons, and the women and children that accompany -them? They are not empty-handed robbers. Let us accept the conditions -they offer us." - -One of the hunters, among the bravest in the valley, then rose and spoke -in his turn: "Why do these people with painted faces come into our -valley? It is to take possession of it and drive us away. They are -strangers to us, and we have never done them any harm. Why do they not -remain where they were born? Will there be fish enough in the river and -enough wild animals in the forest to feed them and us? They will take -all and leave us nothing. Fighting against them is impossible, it is -true--but we can fly. There are other valleys and other rivers not far -off. Let us take our wives and children with us; I know the woods as far -as three days' journey. Let us leave our huts and our boats, and go and -settle far away from these strangers." After the utterance of these -contrary opinions a hundred voices were raised; some supporting the -advice of the old man, others that of the hunter. - -A few young men even wished to fall upon the little troop of strangers -and massacre them. - -Some of the most venerated of the inhabitants of the Val d'Ohet tried -more than once to impose silence and make themselves heard, but the -tumult continuing to increase, the assembly was broken up into groups, -and the women began to cry out and lament and the children to weep. -Meanwhile the little party of fair-haired men had begun to cut some -bushes and briars and to make a rampart with them. - -Not long afterwards twelve boats crossed the river, and sixty of the -strangers came and joined the first twelve. These were bearing twelve -oval shields of wicker-work covered with skin. They set up these shields -by means of stakes driven in the ground, and placed themselves behind -them; only their heads painted red and blue and their sparkling eyes -remained visible. They were laughing together loudly. - -Midday was at hand, and confusion continued to prevail among the -fugitives. Then were heard again those strange sounds which had so much -alarmed the unhappy inhabitants of Ohet at dawn; and the shore opposite -to the promontory was covered with a multitude of fair-haired men in -several detachments, all armed. They began to cross the river, and to -seat themselves in a line on the shore beneath the plateau. Then the -captive who had already spoken advanced alone toward the forest, and -when he was within hearing, said: "My friends, my brethren, you are -going to be attacked: and we are to be killed before your eyes. Have -pity on yourselves--have pity on us; come down to the fair-haired men; -they will do you no sort of harm; they have respected your houses and -the women that have fallen into their hands. Do not hope to defend -yourselves, for they will kill you with their keen weapons!" At this -last appeal the fugitives became silent, and one of the inhabitants of -the valley, who had remained since the morning without speaking a word, -rose up. He was a short, robust man, of dark complexion and crisp hair; -he was well known as a skilful carpenter, and the best boats were his -handy work. "There is no more time for discussion," said he. "Let those -who wish to stay in the valley come out from the wood, and let the rest -hide themselves as quickly as possible in the forest. They will be able -to fly with their families; for the strangers do not know how many we -are. As for myself, I remain where I was born." A great number assembled -round the carpenter with acclamations, accompanied by their wives and -children; and all together without a moment's delay showed themselves to -the troop of strangers. "We will return to our dwellings," was all the -carpenter said to the captive interpreter, and then they advanced -towards the little camp. - -Many had bows and stone hatchets. "Throw down your arms," said the -captive; "throw down your arms, you have no need of them." The invaders -who had taken up their position on the shore, dividing into two bodies, -were rapidly climbing the sides of the promontory, to the right and -left; so that in a few minutes the carpenter and his companions were -surrounded by an innumerable crowd, which penetrating the mass of the -fugitives, separated them into small parties and took possession of the -few weapons which had been retained by some of their number. - -The strangers laughed, skipped, and leaned their brows on the breasts of -the inhabitants of the valley in token of good will. Thus some hundreds -of the natives went down towards the river surrounded by their new -guests. They were compelled to get into the boats, and they went back to -their houses, which had been completely pillaged. Many of the huts -remained vacant, and the new-comers took possession of them, without -troubling themselves much respecting the inhabitants and what had become -of them. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -_THE OPPIDUM._ - - -Two centuries later, the land of Ohet had assumed a new aspect, and its -name was changed. It was then called the Valley of Avon. - -Beautiful fields, affording pasture to flocks and herds, carpeted the -slopes of the bordering hill; while in the vale below ripened harvests -of barley and rye. The uplands were still covered with forest, and on -all sides wooden houses peeped out from the meadows, with their -inclosures of palisades painted in lively colours. - -The marshes of the rivulet were drained, and at the summit of the -promontory was to be seen cutting the sky the talus of an _Oppidum_ -which commanded the valley and the two streams. Its origin was as -follows:-- - -Not long after the invasion of the fair-haired people, the inhabitants -of the valley who had fled into the woods had re-appeared, accompanied -by a great multitude of men of the same race, and at dawn had fallen -with great violence and loud cries upon the strangers. - -The latter, not expecting an attack, defended themselves as best they -could; but the younger and more active among them assembled on the -promontory, where they waited until night. Then they descended -noiselessly, crossed the stream, and fell in their turn upon the men of -the ancient race, who thought to repossess themselves of the valley. The -greater number were asleep; many had dispersed in search of food and -plunder. The young fair-haired men massacred a vast number of them, -making no distinction between the old inhabitants who had remained in -their homes and those who presented themselves as enemies; the women and -children alone were spared. - -After a council of the elders, and after having consulted the women, it -was decided that in order to prevent fresh surprises, and to protect the -inhabitants of the valley, they should form a vast camp on the -promontory, where in case of alarm the people of the valley of Avon -could take refuge with their families, their flocks and herds, -provisions and arms, defy every attack, and resume the offensive at the -opportune moment. - -The summit of the promontory was therefore cleared; every able-bodied -man was required to give one day's work in four till the camp was -finished; and those of the old inhabitants who had escaped the massacre, -as well as the children and women, had to labour without ceasing at the -circumvallations. The women prepared food for the workmen, and the -children carried earth in baskets or brought branches of trees which -were mingled with the earth. - -Following exactly the verge of the plateau, the chiefs of the eight -tribes settled in the valley marked out the boundary of the camp, its -entrances, its defences, the retreat of the elders, the place for the -cattle, that of the huts for the families, and lastly the site proper -for the erection of the Némède--the sacred inclosure--the sanctuary of -Belen and the dwellings of the Druids. - -First, with the aid of strong levers of wood hardened by fire, the -stones which obtruded above the level of the plateau were forced out and -arranged on the perimeter described; then upon this layer, behind which -was heaped coarse gravel mixed with earth, were placed trunks of trees, -crosswise, four feet apart. The width of the base was twenty feet. The -interval between the trunks was filled with stones, earth, and branches. -Then another layer of stones mingled with earth, then three rows of -trunks of trees, laid this time lengthwise, bound together with strong -bands of green withy, always with gravel between. On this a third layer -of stones, more trunks of trees across, overlapping the others, and a -topping of gravel, of turf and soil, forming the rampart walk. - -Stakes were placed upright, five feet apart, and firmly driven three -feet down into the rampart on the outer edge, serving to fix, by means -of osier bands, wattled hurdles five feet six inches high, so as to form -a continuous parapet pierced with loop-holes. - -The rampart rose to a height of five feet. The inclosure completed, the -Druids marked out the area allotted to the eight tribes. To each of them -was given a circular space of two hundred feet in diameter; the huts -were disposed in two rings around the perimeter; in the middle was the -paddock for the animals and the hut of the chief. - -[Illustration: FIG. 2.--THE OPPIDUM.] - -The general view of the camp is given in Fig. 2, with the rampart, the -two entrances, the sunk approaches, defended on the other side by a -mound raised with the earth excavated to form these approaches, and the -eight circles allotted to the tribes; at A, the Némède and the dwelling -of the Druids and Druidesses, surrounded by the sacred inclosure. Wells -were sunk in each of the circles of the tribes, and in the inclosure of -the Némède. - -[Illustration: FIG. 3.] - -Fig. 3 gives the section of the rampart with its terrace-walk, A, for -the defenders, and, at intervals, the inclines, B, affording an easy -means for ascending to the terrace-walk. The entrances were masked by a -mound forming an advanced work, and leaving two ways out along the -ramparts. Fig. 4 shows how these entrances were disposed. The two -extremities of the rampart were strengthened by a wider embankment, H, -affording space for a numerous assemblage of defenders. Here is shown -the screen thrown up outside the cutting, and at K the sunken road with -its mound, L. - -[Illustration: FIG. 4.] - -Fig. 5 represents the Némède, with its inclosure and the dwellings of -the Druids. - -[Illustration: FIG. 5.] - -The camp finished--except the habitations of the tribes, whose site was -only marked by circles of stones--a certain number of young men were put -to live there, who replaced each other every day. Arriving there at -sunset, they remained in the camp until the beginning of the next night. -Those of the former inhabitants of the valley who still lived were -forbidden to enter the camp on pain of death. - -The tribes prospered, enriching themselves with the produce of the earth -and with their cattle. Some, having discovered copper ore in the -neighbourhood, manufactured arms and utensils. There were also potters -who wrought skilfully in clay. At certain periods of the year, merchants -brought to the valley stuffs, salt, spices, and even wine in leathern -bottles. They took in exchange articles of bronze, skins, cheese, and -corn. - -The tribes, not having had any fresh attacks to resist during a -lengthened period, left off guarding the camp, which was rarely visited -except on occasion of certain solemnities and of assemblies convoked by -the Druids. The latter lived by themselves, surrounded by their college, -within the vast inclosure which they cultivated, and where their sheep -and cattle grazed. The ramparts, whose timber work had decayed, had -sunk, and presented only a slight elevation. They were overgrown with -vegetation in several places. But in the peaceful state in which the -tribes were living, no one thought of repairing these defences. - -The inhabitants of the valley had been frequently embroiled with the -neighbouring tribes, and had often come to blows with them; but peace -was soon restored, for none of these groups of tribes cherished the -intention of subjugating its neighbours and seizing their territory. - -Nevertheless repose was irksome to them, and their youths would often -quit the valley in quest of adventures, and to see the world. - -About 389 B.C., a great number of men, attracted by the seductive -eloquence of a Brenn--a chief elected by certain tribes to command -distant expeditions--had quitted their hearths in the hope of amassing -wealthy spoils in the southern lands beyond the mountains. Two years -having passed away, a small number made their appearance again in the -valley; they brought with them gold and costly fabrics, and marvellous -were the tales they told of the countries they had traversed, and in -which they had been incessantly fighting. - -They had seen cities environed by strong stone walls, and filled with -magnificent public buildings and sumptuous mansions--richly fertile -regions, where the vine and luscious fruits of every kind were -cultivated. - -Among other results of adventure, it was observed that those who -returned from these distant expeditions had lost the habit of peaceful -industry; and although more than half their comrades had perished by the -way, their dreams were still of battles, and plunder, and adventures. -They were idle, insolent, and irascible, and even aspired to a kind of -lordship over the peaceable families that lived by industry. The latter -had at first joyfully welcomed the unhoped-for return of these warriors; -and had listened with admiration to the stories of their prowess and -adventures recited around the family hearth; but their imperious -bearing, their idleness and boasting, were beginning to become -intolerable. Every day saw new quarrels arise, which generally ended in -blood. The wives of these heroes were still more insolent than the -warriors themselves, and presumed to treat their dependents as slaves, -such as were those of the ladies in the countries so gloriously -traversed by their husbands. - -Things being in this state, the tribes of the valley had been summoned -to a meeting in the old camp, according to custom, to deliberate on -their common interests, and to endeavour to put an end to feuds. The -men always repaired to these assemblies armed; the women used to come -bringing food and drink; for these meetings were usually terminated by -festivities lasting the whole night. - -On the morning of the day appointed, the sound of trumpets re-echoed -through the valley, and from every quarter the inhabitants might be seen -flocking towards the hill. A wooden bridge had long since been built -over the river near the mouth of the rivulet. When the chiefs of the -tribes, accompanied by the mass of the people, presented themselves at -the bridge, they found it occupied by the warriors, whose ranks had been -increased by a large number of young men of the valley, and even other -warriors, strangers to the tribes. - -"It is at the camp and not here that the people meet," said one of the -chiefs; "let us pass over." "You shall not pass," replied one of the -warriors, "without listening to the conditions we propose." "We have -neither conditions to submit to nor conditions to impose," rejoined the -first; "the men of this country are free, and the land is theirs, in the -valley and on the mountain; let us pass on!" "It will be by force then," -replied the warrior, half unsheathing his sword. - -A long-continued cry of indignation followed this defiance, and arms -began to glitter in the sun among the crowd like flashes of lightning. -The chiefs, however, imposed silence, and held the crowd in check. Then -advancing in concert to the entrance of the bridge, one of them spoke -thus:--"What do you want? Do you not belong to our tribes? Have you not -flocks, and wives, and children born in the valley? What conditions do -you aim to impose upon us--us who are your equals? Speak! What can you -ask for more than you already possess? What wrongs have been done you? -Why bring with you men who are strangers to the country, whom we do not -know, and who have no claim to an interest among us?" "Answer him, -answer him, Sigild," said all the warriors with one voice. Sigild -advanced. He was a handsome young man, a native of the valley, tall and -slight, with a mild look, and a beard just appearing; his breast covered -with a small bronze cuirass which glittered in the sun: his white arms -were bare, and adorned with bracelets of gold. He disdained a helmet, -and his blonde hair, fastened at the top of his head with a long golden -pin, fell down over his back; _chases_[1] wrought in bright colours -covered his legs; his waist was girt with a kind of scarf, which was -gracefully thrown back over the shoulder and left arm. A narrow buckler -and a sword hung at his side. He smiled, made a sign with his hand as if -requesting silence, and said:--"Friends and brethren, we are all -free--all of the same blood; we ought to remain united to conquer those -who desire to plunder or to enslave us. Consider, however, that you have -among you the élite of the warriors who have conquered powerful nations, -and have spread the renown of the Gallic name beyond the mountains. Many -have died in battle; but do not those who have returned to you after so -many trials, bringing, with them a rich booty and having acquired skill -in arms, deserve some consideration from you? Inured to war and always -ready to shed their blood, are they not more fitted to defend your -hearths than men who have done nothing but tend cattle and till the -soil? They do not, however, ask you to keep them in idleness, or to -consider them as chiefs or masters; their only wish is to defend you. -They know to what extent you are encompassed by rapacious and envious -men, who, jealous of the prosperity of your valley, are cherishing the -most sinister designs against you. They know this because they have seen -many peoples of whose existence you do not dream, though they are close -to your borders. Lulled by a prolonged security, you are not in a -condition to resist a serious attack. Now these warriors--your -relations, your brothers, your friends, of the same blood as -yourselves--have been considering with painful anxiety this state of -repose in which you are living. They have, therefore, formed the -intention--they, as men of war, to occupy the camp, to fortify it -effectually, to make it a reliable place of refuge in case of invasion, -and to defend themselves in it to the death. Is there any wrong in this? -As to these warriors, whom you regard as strangers, they are brethren in -arms who have fought side by side with us beyond the mountains, but who -no longer finding their abodes on returning to their valleys devastated -by marauders, ask an asylum with us. Besides, if they do not belong to -your tribes, are they not Gauls like ourselves? - -"We have wished to say this to you here, and not in the place of -rendezvous itself, in the fear lest our intentions should be -misunderstood amid so great a concourse. If our proposals, conceived -with a view to the common interest, appear to you just, and if you still -persist in holding the assembly on the height above, we will go before -you to the camp, and will remain there when you return to your -habitations. - -"As for us, devoting ourselves to those new functions which we are -competent to discharge, we will make of this camp a stronghold -impregnable to any enemy that might dare to attack us." A long murmur -followed this discourse and the chiefs of the tribes looked wistfully at -each other. - -The most venerable of them, advancing in his turn replied thus: "Sigild, -your words are fair; but the act to which you and your companions are -committing yourselves at this moment is insulting, and aims a blow at -the liberty of the inhabitants of the valley. You parade before us -imaginary dangers, with a view to remaining on that height under the -pretext of defending our families, but really in order to separate -yourselves from us and act according to your good pleasure. Tell us who -will support you and take care of your cattle while you are remaining on -the height under arms, waiting for an enemy who perhaps will never make -his appearance? Sole masters of the bridge and the two streams, you will -be able, if you choose, to debar the inhabitants of the valley from -hunting in the woods that extend behind the camp, and from fishing in -the waters of the upper stream which furnish the best supply. We shall -thus be at your discretion. If the assembly thinks it desirable to -strengthen the fortifications of the camp, every inhabitant of the -valley will take his share in the work--yourselves with the rest. If it -shall be necessary to defend the inclosure, all who are in a condition -to bear arms must engage in the defence; for all are equally interested -in protecting their families, in repelling an enemy, and not exposing -themselves to insult. Come, then, with us to the camp; we will -deliberate on all that concerns the interests of the tribes, and you -will only have to submit, like ourselves, to the result of our -deliberation. As to the new-comers, if they ask for an asylum, you know -that it will not be refused them; but they must fulfil the conditions -imposed upon foreigners wishing to live among us. Moreover, we shall -have to consult the Ovates." - -Thrusting back Sigild, who was preparing to give an answer, the first -warrior, who had spoken so insolently, advanced to the edge of the -bridge in front of the chiefs of the tribes, and putting aside their -arms, he said, "No one shall pass; all this parleying is useless; go -back to your houses; we will hold the camp." - -At these words a thousand voices arose, and in spite of the endeavours -of the chiefs to restrain them, the crowd of the men of the valley -rushed forward like a torrent. Swords were drawn on both sides, and the -clash of arms was mingled with the cries of the two parties. The -imprecations of the women dispersed along the shore, and who were urging -the men towards the bridge, were heard above the clamour of the -multitude. The party that was endeavouring to obstruct the passages -recoiled for the moment, with a view to concentrate themselves on the -narrowest point; and, as the warriors had crowded together on the bridge -to hear what was being said on both sides, and many had even mounted on -the wooden parapets, this movement from front to rear threw confusion -into the closely-packed mass, and several fell into the river. - -At sight of this a shout, followed by an immense burst of laughter, -issued from the groups assembled on the shore; and the defenders of the -bridge, and those who were advancing to meet them, having no conception -of the cause of this laughter, stopped and looked behind them on either -side. - -But the warriors who had fallen from the bridge into the water, -embarrassed by their clothes and shackled by their armour, although able -to swim, were being swept down by the current, with a rapidity increased -by the swollen state of the river. They were all but engulfed in the -rapid torrent. Two boats were fastened to the bank on the valley side; -in a moment some of the spectators pushed off in them, and rowing with -might and main, and with the help of poles, had soon rescued the -half-drowned warriors and brought them to the shore. - -Three had lost consciousness; every assistance was afforded them, and -the women especially lavished upon them the most assiduous attention. - -The result of this episode was the intermingling of the parties; the -defenders of the bridge had advanced on the shore as far as the middle -of the passage, and were surrounding the handsome Sigild, who, with a -smile upon his lips, was answering all the questions addressed to him by -reassuring words. He might be seen slightly shrugging his shoulders and -shaking his head in graceful fashion. An armed struggle was no longer -possible, and the war-cry had been exchanged for laughter. A more -compact group, however, consisting of members of the two parties, were -keeping up a lively discussion along one of the parapets of the bridge, -when one of the inhabitants of the valley, to whom the attention of -those surrounding him seemed to be directed, mounted the hand-rail with -agility, and, fastening his buckler to his shoulder, plunged into the -river. - -He soon re-appeared, and swimming with vigour and address, gained a -footing on the bank at the base of the promontory. - -The hurraing on the opposite shore recommenced; in an instant the two -boats were filled by men of the valley, and others crossed swimming, -partly aided by the boats, which soon reached the other side. Some -vessels towed across conveyed considerable numbers--so many, indeed, -that the holders of the bridge saw themselves placed between two hostile -bodies, should they persist in their resolution. The laughter was kept -up on both sides, and was communicated even to the warriors posted on -the passage. The knot of defenders became less and less dense, and if -they did not retreat _en masse_--which would have called forth a fresh -burst of hilarity--they were gradually retiring. Soon the platform of -the bridge was deserted by all but the surly instigator of the strife, -whose insolent words had almost occasioned a sanguinary struggle. He -indeed was not laughing; when he saw himself abandoned he threw his -sword into the river, and making himself a passage through the crowd, he -bent his steps towards the valley. The handsome Sigild, surrounded by -the greater part of the warriors, was on his way upwards towards the -camp, and the whole multitude was following him. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 1: _Chases_--a kind of trousers divided down the legs and -fastened with bandelets.] - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -_THE FIRST SIEGE._ - - -Thirty years after the event just related, the valley of Avon still -preserved its smiling aspect and was covered with rustic habitations; -there might be seen, however, in front of and behind the bridge just -mentioned, two groups of houses in pretty close proximity: the first in -the direction of the valley, the second on the lower slopes of the -plateau. A considerable number of boats were moored on the two banks -below the bridge, and were receiving or discharging packages covered -with wrappers made of rushes. On the top of the promontory was seen the -outline of a rampart made of stone, wood, and earth, but with square -towers composed in great part of timber and wattle-work, about a hundred -paces apart. Outside the inclosure rose palisades of no great height, in -front of a ditch six feet wide by three or four feet deep. The entrances -to the Oppidum, which still occupied the place previously indicated, -were amply environed outside by stakes connected by branches of trees. -At the lower end of the two sunk roads were raised besides two towers of -timber and wattle-work. - -Grave events had been the cause of these changes. - -The meeting announced in the preceding chapter had taken place on the -plateau. The uproar and confusion that prevailed threatened a sanguinary -conclusion. The warriors insisted on adhering to the programme sketched -by the handsome Sigild, and on reserving to themselves the privilege of -guarding the camp. - -The chiefs of the tribes would not agree to this. The Ovates, the wisest -among the Druids, had been consulted. But their responses, of a somewhat -ambiguous character, did not satisfy the multitude. - -The latter (the Ovates) declared in the first place, that the Némède -could not be touched without drawing down the gravest calamities upon -the tribes; that the flocks belonging to the college must be allowed to -graze undisturbed on the plateau; and that if any peril threatened the -inhabitants of the valley, they, the Druids, would be able to give -timely warning to the defenders. During this deliverance the handsome -Sigild wore his accustomed smile and suavely shook his head in his usual -manner, but said not a word. The Druidesses, seated along the inclosure -of the Némède, their hands on their knees in a musing attitude, appeared -to take no part in the discussion. The men were divided into groups, and -it seemed as if no decision would be arrived at before sunset. Hunger -and thirst began to be keenly felt, and the women were spreading on the -turf the provisions they had brought. At this juncture one of the -Druidesses, at the solicitation of her companions, advanced into the -midst of the assembly. She was young, tall, and dressed in a long white -robe--a kind of dalmatic without a girdle; and her bare arms were -adorned with bracelets of black glass. On seeing her every voice was -hushed, and surrounded by her companions, who had followed her, she -spoke thus:-- - -"You who are assembled here, who live in peace, thinking you have no -enemy to fear, are unable calmly to deliberate and adopt a wise -resolution. How will it be when the enemy is upon you? And I warn you -that such an enemy is near; he is preparing his arms and reckoning his -spoils in the pillage of your flocks and the plunder of your houses; -indeed he is already rejoicing in a victory which he deems certain -because he knows you are not in a condition to act in concert to resist -him. - -"Abandon this place, which you are incapable of defending, since you -know not how to fortify it; return to your houses, and await in careless -ease the hour of peril." Around the young woman, pale with emotion, and -who spoke without a gesture or a movement, as if the words she was -slowly pronouncing had issued from a statue, the multitude had assembled -in a compact mass. A tremulous agitation ran through the crowd like the -breeze through the corn. Then, by one of those instinctive movements -which sway the multitude, all eyes were turned towards Sigild. The -latter, standing in front of the Druidess, who had remained rigid as a -statue on the stone that served her as a tribune, had his eyes fixed on -the ground contrary to his usual custom, as if he could not endure the -fire of all these glances directed towards him. - -Through the murmurs of the crowd the name of Sigild could be vaguely -distinguished. "Let Sigild be our Brenn!" said a voice. Immediately -thousands of voices repeated, "Let Sigild be our Brenn!" It seemed then -as if all those who a few minutes before were of opinions widely -contrary had but a single thought, a single soul, a single voice. - -Sigild was therefore proclaimed Brenn, and the night passed in joyous -festivities. - -Whether the young Druidess had been informed of the projects formed -against the happy inhabitants of the valley of Avon, or whether -inspiration or chance had led to the coincidence, only a few months had -passed since the meeting in question, when they observed certain -strangers roaming about the hills, who speedily disappeared when the -inhabitants began to question them; and subsequently a larger number of -merchants than was customary, arrived in the valley. They were insolent, -endeavoured to embroil themselves with the inhabitants, and uttered -menaces when their assumptions were met by reason; and several of them -who were expelled from the country threatened to return and avenge -themselves. - -One day, in fact, the heights that surrounded the valley appeared -occupied one after the other by troops of armed men. - -Meanwhile Sigild, elected Brenn, had lost no time. He had first -assembled around him all his old companions in arms; and many young men -who preferred a life of war to the peaceful pursuits of the shepherd or -the husbandman had also joined him. - -The new Brenn had gold, and on occasions would pay men to work at the -Oppidum. Full of respect and deference for the Druids, he had -embellished the Némède; and seemed to engage in no undertaking till he -had consulted the Ovates. He gave them the produce of his hunting -expeditions, and had caused a decree to be made that the fishery above -the bridge should be reserved for the college. - -The camp was assuming day by day a more formidable aspect, but the Brenn -and his men, with the college of the Druids, were the only persons -entitled to sojourn there. As on former occasions, every man of the -valley was obliged to devote one day in four to the work of -fortification; moreover, the inhabitants of the Val d'Avon supplied the -warriors with provisions. They were, however, beginning to murmur, and -to complain of the exactions of the latter; and things would probably -have not long continued on this footing, when the threatened enemy -appeared. - -The sound of trumpets was immediately heard in the camp: it was the -signal agreed upon; and the unfortunate families of the valley might be -seen rushing in disorder towards the bridge, driving their cattle before -them, and carrying with them on their backs or in waggons their most -valued property, with provisions, clothes, and even furniture. The -bridge not being wide enough for the passage of the distracted multitude -who were thronging towards it, boats were heavily laden with people, and -many foundered. - -The armed bands that had appeared on the hills, whether as a matter of -prudence or because they were waiting for the command to advance, made -no haste to descend into the valley, and night came without a single -enemy having quitted his post of observation. - -This night was a painful one for the inhabitants of the valley. It was -autumn, and the cold was already beginning to be felt. They were -arriving breathless in the camp, covered with sweat; the sharp air of -the night was freezing their limbs. They were calling to or searching -for each other in the crowd, and although space was not wanting, it -seemed as if this multitude would never succeed in housing itself on the -plateau. Fires were being lighted, and the warriors, Sigild's -companions, were hastening to and fro on horseback among the distracted -crowd, endeavouring to make themselves heard and to introduce a little -order into this confusion; for each tribe had had its quarters traced -out for it by the wise foresight of the Brenn. But those who had arrived -first at any spot were loath to quit it and take up their baggage again -to carry it elsewhere. The animals were lowing or bleating, the children -were crying, and the women lamenting. The valley presented a quite -different spectacle; animated the night before, lighted up by the -household fires that sparkled through the trees, and filled with the -sounds of evening, it was now silent and deserted; not a light nor the -least appearance of life could be distinguished. A pale fog was diffused -over the meadows. At nightfall Sigild ordered the barriers of the camp -to be closed, prohibiting, on pain of death, their being opened to any -person whatever. Thus many belated families had to await the return of -day below the ramparts. - -With smiling countenance the Brenn was leisurely traversing on horseback -the various quarters of the camp: he was addressing all he met, and his -gentle, penetrating voice seemed to restore order and silence wherever -it was heard. His words and counsels, and the fatigue that was taking -possession of the crowd, had soon caused an appearance of calm to -succeed the confusion that prevailed at first. Then the Brenn re-entered -the hut he had caused to be constructed for himself on the projecting -summit of the promontory, in front of the Némède, and summoned Tomar -into his presence. - -Tomar was one of the stranger warriors whom Sigild had kept near him -after the meeting above mentioned. Had these foreign warriors been -forced to quit their native regions in consequence of the devastation of -their estates and the ruin of their families, as the Brenn had affirmed; -or had they been banished by their countrymen for certain misdeeds? We -cannot say. Certain it is that they were devoted body and soul to -Sigild, who on his part was in a position liberally to reward their -devotion. Tomar was of medium height, and his large head, on a short -neck bristling with harsh, thick hair, seemed to move with difficulty. -His face also preserved a kind of immobility; and but for his grey eyes, -which, under his bushy eyebrows, seemed to penetrate in every -direction, the man might have been taken for a rough-hewn image of wood. -With curved back, long arms, always falling down by the side of his -body, and legs heavy and bent, Tomar could nevertheless perform a march -of twelve hours in succession without turning his head. Yet at the end -of the journey this automaton-like being had seen all that was visible -through the whole route, and could give an account of what he had -observed with the most minute exactness and in the most perfect -sequence. He could speak many Gallic dialects, but no one--not even -Sigild--knew his past history. Tomar rarely laughed. A travelling -merchant had brought an ape into the valley; and witnessing the grimaces -of this specimen of the quadrumana, Tomar burst into a fit of laughter. -It was almost the only time that he had permitted himself such an -ebullition, and if any one wanted to provoke anything like a smile upon -his rigid countenance, he must mention the ape. - -[Illustration: SIGILD AND TOMAR.] - -As his manner was, Tomar entered the Brenn's hut as noiselessly as a -cat, and placing himself before Sigild said, "Here I am!" "Tomar, I rely -upon thy aid." "Yes." "Thou wilt go out of the camp without a single -person--mind, a single person--suspecting thy departure." "Yes." "Thou -wilt go to the border of the Sequani; thou understandest? Thou wilt -speak to Ditovix; thou understandest?" "Yes." "Thou wilt ask him for -five hundred warriors who have nothing to lose." "Yes." "Thou wilt tell -him that these warriors will find here lands and wealth." "Yes." "Thou -wilt conduct them through the forests, getting all the information thou -canst." "Yes." "Thou wilt require three days to go; one day to arrange -matters with Ditovix; to assemble the five hundred warriors, six days; -to bring them here, four days; altogether fourteen days. The evening of -the fourteenth, dating from to-morrow morning, thou and the five hundred -warriors will be at a distance of three miles from the camp, towards the -north, in the woods. At sunset thou wilt place a pole at the top of one -of the highest trees; when the first quarter of the night has expired -thou will hoist a lighted faggot on the summit of the pole. Thy warriors -will be under arms, and you will immediately rush upon the enemies -between us and you. We shall make a sally at the same time, and fall -upon them." "The enemies will be there?" "The enemies are sure to be -there, because if they wish to besiege the camp they cannot take up any -other position. They are sure to be there." "Very well, I set out." -"Listen! if you meet any parties of the enemy, say that you have been -wronged by us, and that you are seeking vengeance, knowing that we are -on the point of yielding to them. They will either accept or refuse your -co-operation. If they accept it, the warriors of Ditovix will occupy a -part of the enemy's camp, and at the signal agreed on will spread -confusion on all sides, while we make a sortie from the ramparts, and -fall upon them; if they refuse it, you will pretend to be greatly -irritated, but will affect to retire, and at the close of the day you -will return to the place mentioned." "But if the enemy occupy that -spot?" "They will not occupy it, because we shall compel them to -concentrate their forces around us. Stop, here is gold, and a ring well -known to Ditovix. Listen further. During the attack, as it will be at -midnight, the warriors thou bringest and our men, not being acquainted -with each other, might engage in mutual slaughter. Before the battle let -each of thy men put on a necklace of grass, and set fire to everything -that can burn. That will be easy; the enemy will make himself a shelter -with branches: we shall wear necklaces like yours, and will light fires -on our side. Next, when making the attack, let all thy men shout -'Sigild!' Ours will answer with the same cry. To ensure the lighting of -the fires, take burning embers in earthen vessels; let there be at least -one of these to every five men. If the enemy accept your aid, keep as -much as possible in separate quarters, so that it will not be difficult -for you to make your grass necklaces, and you will have your lighted -fires to use, while you will also avail yourselves of the fire made by -the enemy. But if through distrust they separate you into small parties, -arrange beforehand your signals of attack, and instead of grass -necklaces, have the right leg bare.... Fourteen days!" "I understand." - -[Illustration: FIG. 6.] - -Sigild had surrounded the camp with a number of wooden towers placed on -the old rampart, which had been strengthened. These towers, whose -appearance is shown in Fig. 6, were made of trunks of trees piled one -upon another, and framed at their extremities. They projected from the -rampart. At their summit was constructed a wooden floor surrounded by a -parapet of wattling; and this floor was reached by means of a ladder -placed inside the tower. The under story gave shelter to the men charged -with the defence of the towers, and who watched from the top. If they -perceived any suspicious movement without, it was their duty to give the -alarm by blowing a horn. Sigild had fixed the number of men for each -tower at twenty. Two of these twenty men remained day and night on the -platform, the day and the night being each divided into four parts; -there were eight men on duty during the day and eight during the night. -Of the four remaining, the first was constituted chief of the tower; the -second was intrusted with the stores, and the distribution of food and -munitions; the third was to be at the disposal of the chief of the -tower, to carry messages and seek for help in case of need; and the -business of the fourth was to repair the injuries caused to the defences -in the event of an attack. - -As the circumvallation measured four thousand five hundred paces, and -the towers were one hundred paces apart, there were forty-five towers, -including the stronger and loftier ones placed on the two sides of the -entrances. Nine hundred men sufficed to guard them. Sigild had taken the -precaution of having a store of timber and branches brought within the -inclosure of the Oppidum. By his care the wells had been deepened, and a -trench dug outside the ramparts, towards the north. In addition to the -flocks that habitually grazed within the camp, a great number of cattle -had been brought by the fugitives to the plateau. But it would not have -been possible to feed all these animals if stores of fodder had not been -laid in beforehand. Accordingly, great stacks of grass had been placed -along beside the rampart, thatched with reeds. - -Between the towers the guarding of the ramparts was intrusted to a -thousand men, put under the order of fifty-three chiefs; the two -entrances were under the command of warriors of tried courage, and well -known to Sigild. - -This garrison, consisting of about two thousand men, had long been -settled in the camp, and had partly executed the work of its -fortification. As to the fugitives, they might have amounted to twelve -thousand; and out of this number two thousand at least were able to -fight, were provided with arms, and had been habituated to endurance. - -In place of the original huts, which had fallen to decay, Sigild had -formed a kind of _halles_, or vast sheds. There were eight of these -sheds; one for every tribe. In front of each were disposed, at regular -distances, circular fire-places, formed with flat stones, and intended -for cooking. As soon as the sun appeared above the horizon a confused -sound of voices succeeded to the silence which had gradually fallen upon -the plateau. But Sigild had not lost time during the night. Orders had -been given to his trusty followers; eight mounted chiefs, followed by -armed men, went among the multitude of fugitives, and pointed out to -each tribe the locality that had been assigned it. Whether through -lassitude, or from a sense of danger, the multitude obeyed, and towards -the middle of the day the camp had ceased to present the appearance of -disorder it exhibited the evening before. Around the sheds, which were -insufficient for such a number of families, might be seen men making -huts with branches. The larger animals were fastened to stakes, and -browsed on the grass which had not been too much trodden; the sheep were -folded, and the women were preparing the day's repast; in every quarter -the children were running about, and seemed to enjoy this new life. As -to the warriors, they silently kept watch on the ramparts and the -towers. - -In the morning the valley was filled with a thick mist, and the hills -were visible on either side above it; upon their ridges was no sign of -the enemy, and from the white vapour which hid the valley, not a sound -issued. Had the enemy withdrawn? Was it a false alarm? - -From the camp the course of the river was scarcely distinguishable -beneath the thick cloud of mist which covered it. Towards the end of -the first quarter of the day Sigild sent out a detachment of a hundred -men, with orders to explore the bridge and the banks of the river and -rivulet. If no enemy appeared they were to follow the course of the -latter and to reconnoitre towards the north; they were to avoid engaging -with the enemy. Ten men were to remain upon the bridge to collect -brushwood, and set fire to it the moment they saw the enemy in the -valley. Gradually the fog dispersed, and at noon the sun shone out in -all its splendour through the whole extent of the valley. Nothing broke -the silence, the air was still, and in the distance, cattle that had -been forgotten were seen quietly grazing. Many of the fugitives wished -to leave the camp and return to their houses, with a view to remaining -there, or to fetch articles which they had been unable to bring away. -Sigild doubled the posts at the gates, with orders not to let any one go -out. He went from one to another, trying to make the people understand -that the enemy, far from withdrawing, was only waiting an occasion to -seize the unwary who attempted to return to their homes. "They are in -ambush," he urged; "they hope that you will relapse into security and -will become their prey without a struggle; for though they covet your -goods, they are still more anxious to get possession of your persons: -they will carry you off to sell you, your wives and your children, as -slaves among the nations beyond the mountains." Despite this warning, -however, a great number were crowding towards the points of exit, and -the armed men had hard work to keep the multitude back, when there -arrived at the eastern entrance fifty of the warriors sent by Sigild to -reconnoitre. They were covered with mud and sweat. When interrogated by -the Brenn, they said that about three thousand paces from the camp, -towards the north, among the woods, and although they were proceeding -cautiously, they saw themselves all at once surrounded by the enemy: -that many of them had been killed or captured; that they owed their -escape only to their knowledge of the neighbourhood, and that they -effected it by rushing into a narrow ravine filled with underwood and -decayed trunks of trees, and leading down to the rivulet, not far from -the camp. "Your chief is killed?" said the Brenn. "We do not know." "You -left him behind you!" "We had orders to avoid any engagement." "You have -not abandoned your arms?" "We have our arms." "Go and take rest." In an -instant the entrances were clear, and the crowd returned in silence to -its camping grounds. - -Sigild then went to the northern end of the camp; he looked long through -the depths of the forest; then he summoned to this front five hundred -armed men from the tribes, besides those who were at their post; he -stationed them behind the parapet, and ordered them to keep silence. He -went into each of the towers raised on that side, and spoke in a low -voice to each of the chiefs. Then all at once a shout arose from the -southern side of the plateau. The Brenn mounted his horse and rode off -hastily in that direction; but on his way he was told that the bridge -was on fire, and that the ten warriors stationed there were coming in by -the western gate. - -"You have seen the enemy?" said Sigild, when the ten warriors made their -appearance. "We have seen them: they were advancing in a strong body -towards the bridge, endeavouring to screen themselves behind the reeds -and willows." Then Sigild selected a hundred men from among his best -warriors, and posted them on the slopes of the plateau outside the -western gate, ordering them to pile up underwood and trunks of trees in -the sunken road, to keep behind on the banks, and not use their bows -and slings till they saw the enemy near the barricade; and if they -attempted an assault on this point in a considerable body, to retire -within and occupy the ramparts, helping those intrusted with their -defence. In reality, however, the Brenn did not anticipate any serious -attack on that side, which was difficult of approach. He thought the -enemy would not attempt an assault with a river at their back, even -should they succeed in crossing it. His attention was once more directed -to the north. On this side, in fact, the camp is separated only by a -slight hollow from the adjacent plateau, which widens and affords space -for the gathering of a large number of troops, and a secure retreat in -case of failure. He had also ascertained that the enemy already occupied -the wide, forest-covered plateau. - -Sigild again rode through the whole length of the camp at a walking -pace, uttering here and there words of encouragement whenever he -encountered looks of alarm. His calmness, his frank and agreeable -expression, reassured the most timid. Night fell by the time he reached -the ramparts on the northern side. Silence still reigned in the woods. -When it was quite dark, some boys were let down by his orders over the -parapet, loaded with bundles of straw and dry grass; their instructions -were to untie these bundles in the ditch sunk at this point at the foot -of the escarpment. Then with the help of poles held down to them the -children climbed back again. Sigild allowed only a few small fires to be -lighted, screened by the height of the rampart, and all awaited the -issue. The Brenn walked about conversing in a low voice with some of his -trusty men, and the warriors standing around the smouldering fires, -which threw a red glare upon them, exchanged only a few low and hurried -words. Now and then a laugh escaped, but it was immediately stifled. -The guard of the rampart had orders to keep a good look out, and if they -perceived the enemy, to raise no cry. They were to give the alarm only -by throwing clods of turf on the fires. They were not to show their -heads above the wattle parapet. The night was clear, but there was no -moon. - -At the middle of the first quarter of the night one of the chiefs came -down from the rampart walk and approached the Brenn. - -"The enemy are coming," said he. - -"What proof hast thou?" - -"I heard the cracking of dead branches." Sigild ascended the rampart -surrounded by several warriors. "To your posts!" he said, in a low -voice. That very moment some clods of earth fell upon the fires, -scattering a shower of sparks. - -Sigild and the watchmen had observed certain forms of a whitish -appearance that seemed to be creeping towards the counterscarp. Some of -them let themselves down into the ditch, and pushing one another up -scaled the escarpment; they succeeded in reaching the wattling. Hearing -no sound inside, they turned round and helped up others. When about -fifty were at the top of the escarpment, poles were handed to them -furnished with hooks, which they fixed into the wattling: then those who -had remained on the counterscarp pulled the poles with all their force. - -The wattling gave way, and the assailants rushed on to the rampart walk. -Thrust back by the swords of the defenders, the greater number rolled -down to the bottom of the fosse. Then, in accordance with the orders of -the Brenn, flaming brands were thrown among the straw placed at the -bottom of the ditch; it took fire, and, spreading a bright light, -brought into view a broad front of enemies. From the summits of the -towers the slings and bows discharged a shower of stones and arrows upon -them. Many of the defenders were preparing to cross the debris of the -wattling and get down the escarpment to throw themselves upon the enemy, -but the Brenn stopped them, threatening with death any who should quit -the rampart. The surprise had failed, and the ranks of the enemy wavered -and retired out of range of the missiles. - -The Brenn, however, caused the wattling to be repaired as far as -circumstances allowed, and doubled the ranks of the defenders on the -rampart, as well to present a firm front to the assailants as to hold -back the men of the foremost rank whom the enemy should seek to pull -down into the ditch. Besides this, he formed between each tower small -bodies of twenty men, who were to hasten to the weak points and to hurl -down any of the assailants who should gain a footing on the rampart. -Then he sent some of his trusty men on horseback to the eastern and -western fronts, to convey intelligence, or to give warning in the event -of attacks being made on several points at once. - -Scarcely were these measures taken when the enemy were seen returning in -considerable strength to the ditch; with loud cries they rushed up the -escarpment. They were warmly received, and the ditch was being filled -with the dead and wounded, facilitating the passage of those who -followed, especially as many bore fascines. After two attempts the -assailants gained a footing on one of the ramparts; but the reserve -bodies attacked them in front, while the men from the towers issuing -right and left took them in flank. - -Whether the lighted straw had not been quite extinguished, or the -besieged had thrown more burning brands into the ditch, some fascines -took fire, burning the wounded, who uttered the most dreadful cries. - -The attack languished, and at length the leaders of the besieging host -gave the signal for retreat. - -A certain number of the assailants had remained alive in the power of -the besieged, and Sigild gave orders that they should be guarded and not -put to death. As to the wounded lying within the ramparts, they were -killed. - -Towards the middle of the night fires were seen to be lighted in the -woods, about a thousand paces from the camp. The besieged had lost a few -men only, but the ditch was filled with the enemy's dead and wounded. -The groans of the latter were the only interruption to the quiet of the -night. - -Sigild slept not; he kept half the warriors on vigorous guard during the -third quarter of the night, and the other half during the last quarter. - -Those who were not on guard slept around the fires. The Brenn, when the -assault was over, had sent messengers to the chiefs of the eight tribes -to acquaint them with the happy result of this first engagement. - -At break of day the Brenn had the prisoners brought before him. Two or -three of them spoke the language of the valley, but with a foreign -accent. - -Clothed in drawers laced around, and a tunic of undyed wool, with a -broad strap which served them for a girdle, they looked not unlike some -of those merchants who occasionally came into the valley to barter -yellow amber and bronze for corn, cheese, tanned hides, and wool. "Why -do you come to attack us?" said Sigild. "We have been driven from the -lands we have inhabited from the most ancient times, by hordes from the -north. These men have killed many of us, taken away our wives, and -murdered our children: the stronger among us have combined together, -and crossing a wide river on rafts, we have travelled onwards towards -the setting sun, seeking a home. Two days' journey from this spot we -were told that this country is good and can afford sustenance to many; -so we have come hither. - -"When our chiefs saw that you shut yourselves up in this place, -regarding us as enemies, they told us we must first make ourselves -masters of the camp. We obeyed. We are only doing to you what has been -done to us." "Why not have sent some of your number to ask of us what -you required?" "I do not know." "You have come as enemies, and as -enemies we have received you. How many are you?" "A great many." "Go -seek your chiefs and tell them that if by nightfall their entire host -have not quitted the land of Avon, the captives we have made here shall -suffer." "I will not go." "Why?" "Because our chiefs will not leave this -land. Put us to death; for if any of your party have fallen into the -hands of our men, they are doomed to death to avenge our comrades killed -this night." "Good." Sigild ordered that the captives should be fettered -till he had decided on their fate. - -The Brenn was very anxious that the enemy should take up a position -towards the north, opposite to the weak point of the Oppidum. -Accordingly he was continually reconnoitring on the eastern and western -fronts as far as the river and the other side of the rivulet, to prevent -the besiegers from establishing themselves in either quarter. Upon the -steep sides of the plateau, opposite the burnt bridge, Sigild had placed -a small camp guarded by two hundred men. The reconnoitring parties, -which he sent out in large numbers, had orders to bring back into the -camp all the fodder and strayed cattle they could find, engaging the -enemy only when they encountered them in small bodies. - -But the invaders did not seem to be contemplating another assault. They -took up their quarters in the woods to the north and on the slopes of -the hills, right and left, leaving between them and the camp the river -and the rivulet; marauding parties might also be seen in the valley, -foraging, and pillaging the deserted dwellings. On the other side of the -destroyed bridge they formed a wide palisading strengthened by -barricading of timber; and two days afterwards they had constructed a -floating bridge on the river, formed with trunks of trees fastened -together and kept in place by a kind of dam made with piles of timber -fixed in the bed of the river and inclined up the stream. - -It was evident that the besiegers were in no hurry; that they were -living upon the provisions left in the valley; and that it was their -intention to reduce the besieged by famine. - -In fact the inhabitants of the Val d'Avon had been able to carry with -them only a small quantity of provisions. They had their cattle, but -these being badly fed and crowded together were dying in great numbers; -the cows ceased to give milk, and the store of forage was rapidly -diminishing. - -On the sixth day of the investment, the chiefs of the tribes proposed to -the Brenn to cut their way through the enemy's lines while their men -still preserved their strength entire, and not to wait till the utter -failure of provisions should place them at the mercy of the invaders. Of -course the Brenn opposed this proposition, declaring that the day of -deliverance would come, and that they must have patience. Nevertheless -it was of great consequence to him that the enemy should concentrate his -forces on the northern side. Accordingly, one evening at nightfall, he -collected two bodies of men, one at the eastern, the other at the -western gate. He had observed that the enemy used to prepare their -morning meal just before noon, and that of the evening at sunset. After -the evening repast they were heard singing and shouting. - -When the opportune moment arrived he divided each of his bodies into -two. The first two halves were to march along the ramparts parallel to -one another till they reached the woods; there they were to rush on the -two flanks of the besiegers' outposts; they were not to prolong the -attack, but to fall back with all speed to the northern salient of the -Oppidum. An issue would be open at this point. In the meantime, the two -other halves would unite, provided with stakes, before this salient, -where, with the aid of palisading, they would make an advanced work -(Fig. 7) and then fall back one hundred paces to the right and left. - -[Illustration: FIG. 7.] - -The men who guarded the north front had orders to cut an opening in the -rampart twenty paces wide, and to throw fascines and clods of turf into -the ditch, and have wattles ready to close the opening instantly. - -The first two detachments, therefore, set out in silence; that on the -western side left a little before the one on the east, so as to arrive -at the same time on the enemy's flank. The two other detachments -preceded them, and stationing themselves at the northern extremity of -the Oppidum, drove in their stakes according to the instructions given, -and then fell back to right and left. A fine autumnal rain was falling, -and the ground was slippery. Some time elapsed before the two -detachments found themselves in sight of the enemy's camp. The besiegers -had no outposts; but their army encamped in front of the Oppidum, and at -a distance of about six hundred paces from it, was intrenched behind -barricades of timber; the intrenchment presented an extended front. -Their men might be seen around the fires, talking loudly, singing, and -drinking cider and mead, of which they had found abundance in the houses -of the valley. An attack on this front was not to be thought of; they -must get round it. So the two detachments separated farther and farther -from each other, and advanced with the greatest difficulty along the -bogs and under the woods in momentary fear of being seen by the enemy. -At length the one which was manoeuvring on the right reached the end of -the front, got under cover, and awaited the signal, which was to be -given by the one on the left by the blowing of a horn; for the Brenn had -calculated that the former would reach the extremity of the front before -the latter. - -The time, however, was getting on, and Sigild, who had advanced with -several warriors on horseback along the verge of the wood, still heard -nothing. He sent two of his warriors to ascertain where the two -detachments were; they had great difficulty in making their way through -the wood, while the enemy's fires, which they saw in the distance -through the trees, only added to their difficulties, by preventing them -from seeing the ground they were riding over. The right front of the -enemy towards the river formed a lengthened curve, and the left -detachment kept advancing parallel with the front without finding a -point of attack. - -Midnight had passed when this detachment found itself at last before an -opening left in the barricade, but this opening formed an interior -angle, which rendered the attack very hazardous. The detachment waited -until all was silent in the camp. The fires, fed only at irregular -intervals, cast here and there a fluctuating light, and fewer shadows -were passing before the braziers. - -One of the warriors sent by Sigild was approaching; he considered that -the attack on this point should not be deferred, and that the enemy must -be surprised during his first sleep. - -One of the men gave the signal agreed upon, and the troops rushed -through the opening, slaying all before them with terrific shouts, -scattering the fires and forming in triangle, so as to prevent the enemy -from getting round them. They did not proceed very far, for at the cries -of the assailants and of the wounded, men were seen to rise up on every -side and hasten towards the point of attack. The little troop then -closed, and ceasing to advance, turned and fled back towards the -Oppidum, following the verge of the wood along the steep banks of the -river. A long-continued shout was then heard on the enemy's left; the -attack had begun on that side also. - -Whether the enemy, which had started in pursuit of the left detachment, -had succeeded in getting round it, or whether the detachment itself lost -its way in the darkness, it was unable to regain the plateau in time, -and continued to follow the course of the river. - -As to the troop detached on the right, being less distant from the -Oppidum, directly it found itself pressed by a numerous body of the -enemy, it retired in good order, and went direct to the angle of the -intrenchments, as had been arranged, hotly pursued by the crowd of -besiegers. At the same time most of the enemy's forces that had started -in pursuit of the left detachment were coming on the ground. - -The Brenn had anticipated the contingency of the attack which he had -arranged not succeeding in every point. Despite the darkness, he saw -that his people were not in advance, as they ought to have been, of the -hostile warriors who were making their appearance on his left; he -therefore quickly retired within the outwork of stakes which had been -formed by his orders, and commanded the straw fires to be lighted. - -The two detachments in ambuscade to the right and left outside the -rampart had orders to refrain from attack till a signal agreed upon had -been given. At the barrier of stakes, then, there arrived at the same -time the right detachment in flight, that portion of the enemy who were -in close pursuit of them, and those who were looking for the errant left -detachment. - -A great number entered pell-mell into the triangular space formed by the -stakes. It became the scene of an indescribable _mêlée_; those who were -defending the wattling which closed the breach dared not make any -openings for their brethren-in-arms whom they saw engaged with the -enemy. The Brenn struck into the midst of the crowd trying to rally his -men. He succeeded in cutting his way up to the wattling, against which -he leaned his back; and the warriors of the right detachment being -encouraged by his example, presented a head to the enemy, whose numbers, -however, continually augmented. A few minutes more and they would have -been swept down by the multitude of the assailants; the last comers were -urging on those in front of them, and the wattling and the warriors who -defended it would have been borne down by the tide. The Brenn, with his -long sword, was making a circle of dead and wounded around him. Then -shouting over the parapet to give the signal, the sound of trumpets -arose above the yells of the combatants. The enemy seemed to hesitate -for a moment; then, closing into a compact body, they rushed upon the -barricade, which gave way as if swept by a torrent. - -At the same instant loud shouts were heard on each of the enemy's -flanks; the two troops in ambuscade attacked the confused column outside -the rampart.... - -The combat did not cease until daybreak. Those of the enemies who had -succeeded in penetrating into the Oppidum were killed or captured. The -triangle of broken stakes was strewn in every direction with the dead. -The enemy, disconcerted by the two simultaneous flank attacks, and -finding himself cut in two, was no longer able in the darkness to -concert an assault, and retired. Nevertheless, those who had been taken -in the outwork and at the gap of the Oppidum fought obstinately to the -last, and the captives who were driven before the Brenn were all more -less severely wounded. - -Sigild was covered with blood and dirt; his great black horse had been -killed in the last _mêlée_, and he himself had been trampled on. - -He ascended the nearest tower, and saw that the enemy remained not far -off; they were forming a contravallation of barricading three hundred -paces from the Oppidum. Their attitude was threatening, and it was to be -feared that they meditated another attack. The Brenn, therefore, had the -gap immediately repaired and the parapet strengthened with strong -stakes about two feet apart. Besides this, he sunk a second ditch with -intrenchment in a concave line, within the northern salient of the -Oppidum. This intrenchment could not be seen from without. He contrived -an egress at either end against a tower. The object was attained; the -enemy was concentrating himself in front of the weak salient of the -Oppidum, and was drawing nearer. The defenders, however, ignorant of the -motives which had induced the Brenn to attempt the hazardous sortie of -the previous night, shook their heads and appeared anxious. If two or -three hundred of the enemy had been killed, they had lost nearly as -many. - -The women whose husbands were dead were filling the camp with their -lamentations. Yet it was essential that Sigild should possess the -confidence of his brethren in arms till the _dénoûment_ he had prepared -should arrive. He called together the chiefs of the tribes. "You see -plainly," said he, "that we cannot break through the lines which inclose -the camp. The enemy are very numerous and daring, and not to be -disconcerted. Besides, can we think of leaving here the aged, the women, -and the children to become their prey! It is very certain that even if a -troop of brave warriors could cut their way through such a host of -enemies, the women, the aged, and the children could not follow them. - -"My object in the sortie of last night was to force the enemy to -concentrate all his forces towards the north; which he will be all the -more disposed to do, as it is the weakest point of the Oppidum. When we -have thus drawn him to that side, obliging him to withdraw from the -hill-sides, we will go down on a dark night into the valley, cross the -river by a bridge which I shall have in readiness and which fifty men -will be able to put in place, and fly towards the river. When we find -that we have no more provisions left than we are able to take with us, -friends with whom I am in communication will guide us to some -neighbouring tribes of our race, and who will give us a hearty welcome, -because they want help in cultivating the broad lands they possess. You -may therefore bid the tribes and the warriors take courage: every -contingency is provided for. But if the plan is to succeed, we must not -allow the enemy a moment's peace while we remain here." - -Having nothing better to suggest, the chiefs of the tribes appeared to -put faith in Sigild's words. His confident air, his good looks, the -energy he displayed, and the care he took to make himself acquainted -with everything, continued to secure for him the sympathy of the -unfortunate refugees. - -In the little camp above the burnt bridge he had, in accordance with the -plan stated, some light rafts made which could be readily fastened -together. He went frequently to see the work, and appeared to attach -great importance to it. He ordered that the captives who were badly -wounded should be killed; the others taken in the last engagement were -supplied with food in abundance. Confined in a sort of pit surrounded by -stakes, they could not observe what was going on in the camp. Well -guarded in the daytime, they were by Sigild's orders scarcely watched -during the night, on the supposition that some would contrive to escape -and would make the enemy believe that there was no scarcity of -provisions, which was exactly what happened. One night, three of the -stoutest captives succeeded in getting out of the pit, and gliding along -the ramparts, regained the besieger's camp. Then Sigild had the others -killed. - -Of the warriors not engaged in guarding the ramparts, the Brenn had -formed four corps of three to five hundred men each; and at certain -times of the day and night he sent them down by one or other of the -gates to harass the enemy on one side of his camp, or at both sides at -once. Neither party suffered much loss in these skirmishes, whose only -result was to keep the besiegers in constant suspense, to weary them and -oblige them to concentrate their forces. It was also evident that the -enemy were preparing for a general assault. They were seen accumulating -faggots, cutting long poles, and making wicker screens. - -On the morning of the fourteenth day of the siege only a few scattered -parties were seen on the surrounding hills, while in the valley the -palisading formed opposite to the ruined bridge and the raft bridge were -alone still occupied by a considerable number of troops. "It is -certain," said Sigild, to the chiefs of the tribes, "that the enemy is -preparing to attack us. We must resist this assault with vigour, and -then we will take advantage of his exhaustion and disorder to carry out -our plan of flight." The besieger's preparations appeared formidable, -and the camp opposite the northern salient of the Oppidum presented a -busy scene. Sigild on his part neglected no means of resistance, though -he calculated on the arrival of the troops summoned to their relief in -the evening. He had the towers well supplied with stones and darts: on -the ramparts he strengthened the wattle parapet, and increased the -number of inclines for reaching it easily. - -Both sides were preparing for a decisive conflict. The intrenchment made -behind the salient was well manned, and the Brenn trained his men to -pass out in a body through the two egresses formed at the extremities of -the intrenchment, so as to take the assailants in flank. - -That day however, passed without fighting. At sunset the Brenn ascended -one of the towers, and attentively examined the horizon. His attendants -thought he was watching the movements of the enemy; he was, in fact, -waiting for Tomar's signal. The night passed, and no signal appeared. - -Repressing all signs of the serious anxiety that had oppressed him -through this tedious night, the sun had no sooner arisen than the Brenn -disposed his men at the points he thought likely to be attacked. - -The enemy had formed in two large bodies three hundred paces from the -Oppidum; they had accumulated in front of them an immense quantity of -faggots, beams, and wattles. The sun was already high above the horizon -when they began to move. First came a line of warriors under cover of -wicker shields, which protected them from darts and stones. - -In this way they reached the counterscarp of the ditch, despite of -missiles from the towers. There they fixed the wicker shields, and -behind these a great number of the enemy bearing faggots gradually -posted themselves. Then over this screen they threw a great quantity of -these faggots into the ditch. When they judged that there were enough of -them, they threw flaming brands upon them. - -The besieged had no means of counteracting this kind of attack. They -showered darts and stones in abundance upon the assailants, but only -wounded a few of them; nor did they seem to mind these missiles. The -wind blew from the north-west. The faggots were soon kindled, and the -smoke and sparks blinded the defenders. Three of the towers took fire, -as well as the wattling of the ramparts. - -Sigild, calm and unmoved, had withdrawn his men behind the second -intrenchment. "The enemy," said he, "will not be able to pass till all -is consumed; that will take time; let him mount the rampart and cry -victory. Then will be our time for action." In fact, the green wood -burned badly, and produced much smoke; the besieged threw bushes and -chips on the red-hot faggots to feed the fire, and it continued burning. -The enemy were becoming impatient; the besieged looked on cheerfully. -About the middle of the afternoon, however, the fire went out at some -points; the besiegers threw earth and trunks of trees into the ditch, -and, perceiving no defenders, thought that the ramparts being intenable -were abandoned. With shouts they rushed on to the slopes, leaped the -half-consumed wattling, and meeting with no resistance, descended in a -close body into the camp (Fig. 8). There they were greeted by a sudden -shower of darts and stones; but they unhesitatingly rushed upon the -intrenchment, which presented only a slight elevation and a shallow -ditch, thinking to carry it easily. - -[Illustration: FIG. 8.] - -But the intrenchment was strong, and furnished with thick pointed -stakes. The assailants, urging forward and aiding each other, gained its -ridge; they were received with swords and pikes, and fell back dying -upon their comrades; others filled their places. The bodies of the -wounded, which in some places gradually filled up the ditch, afforded -them a passage. Many of the enemy had succeeded in throwing themselves -into the midst of the defenders, and in opening deep passages among them -which were instantly occupied by the most daring. The deep front which -the Brenn had formed behind the intrenchment was broken. Then it was -that he unmasked the two egresses at the extremities, sending out from -both the troops of chosen warriors, who, keeping close along the -deserted rampart, fell upon the dense stream of assailants. So compact -was the crowd, and so great the pressure against the intrenchment, that -they had scarcely room to move. The two detachments above mentioned were -mowing away before them to enable them to advance. But the enemy kept -pouring in, and the space regained was immediately filled with fresh -assailants, who, disregarding the attacks on their flanks, pushed -furiously on to the centre. - -The bodies of the slain and the faggots had filled the ditch for the -length of a hundred paces, and the loosened stakes formed but a slight -protection to the defenders. The noise of the attack brought a great -number of women hurrying to the spot. They might be seen with bare arms, -raising stones above their heads, and hurling them with shrill cries -against the breasts of the assailants, or despatching the wounded that -had fallen inside the intrenchment with the culinary wooden pestles used -for pounding herbs and flesh in hollow stones. A shout was raised, the -crowd of assailants opened, and a hundred men were seen steadily -advancing, bearing on their shoulders an enormous trunk of a tree, and -surrounded by warriors armed with axes. This column overthrowing all in -its passage, whether friend or foe, made a wide lane in the -intrenchment, strewn with dead and wounded. The beam was already more -than half way through on the inside of the defences when the women ran -in, and rushing like she-wolves on the flanks of the column, passed -between the warriors, and clung to the legs of the bearers. The enormous -beam swayed, toppled over, and bore down in its fall both assailants and -defenders by its vast weight. Sigild profiting by the confusion, then -dashed into the breach, followed by a troop of warriors which he had not -without difficulty kept in reserve. In his return he cut himself a -passage through the crowd of assailants. Seeing this movement, the -warriors who had issued from the two ends of the inner intrenchment -redoubled their efforts. Others rushed on to the rampart-walk by the -side issues of the intrenchment, and fell upon the enemies within or -without the rampart. The latter, cramped within this narrow space, and -with their centre broken through, were unable to use their arms. Some -fell and were suffocated. Those who were on the projecting part of the -rampart began to turn and fly into the midst of their advancing -comrades, who not seeing what was taking place behind the rampart, were -for compelling them to return to the battle. - -The crowd fell into confusion, and disregarding the voice of the chiefs, -accumulated in such masses in the ditch, the escarpments and the -rampart-walk, that it could act only by its weight, and offered itself -to attack without power of defence. Most threw down their bucklers which -hampered their movements. - -Sigild kept advancing, and all the warriors not engaged in defending the -intrenchment formed behind him in a column which became denser each -moment. As soon as they were outside the intrenchment, these warriors -turned about and threw themselves on the bulk of the assailants, who -were separated into two masses. Caught as in a pair of pincers by -Sigild's band, and by those coming from the terminal egresses of the -intrenchment, they were slaughtered without resistance. - -In vain did the chiefs of the enemy sound a retreat. The bulk of -assailants, who were massed between the rampart and the intrenchment, -could neither advance nor recede. Very few succeeded in rejoining their -companions. Fatigue alone stayed the defenders; it was no longer a -combat but a massacre. - -Although the warriors of the Val d'Avon had suffered considerable loss, -the success of the defence had intoxicated them, and they were eager to -take advantage of the disorder of the enemy to sally forth from the -Oppidum and fall upon them. Sigild was obliged to swear to them by the -most terrible of oaths, that their vengeance would be more effective by -delay. - -He told them, moreover, that the enemy were very numerous, and that the -losses they had suffered had not weakened them to such a degree as to -render them contemptible; that they were burning for revenge, and that -to attack them in their camp was to give them the very opportunity they -desired. The authority of the chiefs of the tribes of the Druids had, -however, to be appealed to, to keep the warriors within the Oppidum. - -Night fell on the narrow battle-field covered with the dead and wounded. -The Brenn took re-possession of the ramparts, had the wattle parapet -hastily repaired, the enemy's wounded put to death, and his own carried -into the middle of the camp, where they were consigned to the care of -the women; then he ascended one of the unburnt towers of that front, -hoping to perceive Tomar's signal. But the night was hazy, and the fires -of the enemy three or four hundred paces distant were scarcely visible. - -It was evident that Tomar could not have lighted his fire, or if he had -lighted it, it was impossible to see it through the haze. - -The warriors after the laborious day, chilled by the autumn fog, were -sleeping around their fires. The cries of victory had been exchanged for -a death-like silence, broken only by the groans of some of the wounded -who had been forgotten. - -The Brenn was considering whether it would not be wise to follow the -plan which he had indicated to the chiefs of the tribes--to leave the -camp before daybreak by crossing the river on a line of rafts, before -the enemy had time to effect a fresh assault. Provisions would certainly -fail them soon. But how move this multitude! The warriors needed rest. -"One more day," he said to himself; "and if I have no news of Tomar, I -still must consider it." Then he went out and ordered to the point -attacked a body of warriors some hundreds strong, who, having guarded -the unbroken part of the ramparts during the assault, and having taken -no part in the conflict, were fresh and vigorous. Some women even -mounted the towers. He enjoined all of them to give the alarm vigorously -if they saw the enemy approaching the ramparts, so as to rouse the -sleeping warriors. He despatched several of his trusty friends to the -other fronts of the camp, with injunctions to watch the approaches, and -to send out scouts through the gates to ascertain any movements outside, -and to light fires a little way from the ramparts, so as to illuminate -the immediate vicinity. He proceeded towards the southern extremity of -the Oppidum, and saw that the little camp above the bridge that had been -destroyed was guarded; but also perceived through the mist the fires of -the enemy in the valley opposite this point. - -It was midnight, and Sigild, exhausted by fatigue, returned to the -northern side and retired to rest beneath one of the towers. Some of his -friends kept watch outside around a large fire. - -The Brenn was sleeping, when a hand placed on his shoulder awaked him. -By the light of a resin torch he saw Tomar standing by him. "Is it -really thou, Tomar?" said he, thinking he was dreaming. "It is I." -"Alone?" "Alone here; the warriors are down there; the fog rendered the -signal useless: I am come." "Hast thou been seen?" "Thy warriors sleep, -no one has recognised me; a woman told me thou wert here." "Why a day -late?" "Ditovix has assembled a thousand warriors." "Ah, Ditovix is with -them." A cloud passed over the brow of the Brenn. "He is a noble -fellow," said he, after a pause. "Thou knowest that we were attacked -yesterday?" "I know it; I saw the field of the slain. The enemy are -numerous; they cannot turn back, to-morrow they will make another -attack--they are resolved to succeed." "And then?" "Then Ditovix is to -fall upon them before midday, when he knows the conflict is begun." -"Well?" "If I do not go back to Ditovix, or if he hears nothing from -you, he will make the attack." "Remain with us, then; thou art sure that -we shall be assailed in the morning?" "I passed along the enemy's -camp--they are preparing for a fresh assault; and there are warriors -following the course of the river to attack the west side also." - -There was not a moment to lose. Sigild called his friends together, and -informed them that a final effort must be made--that the enemy, harassed -on their rear by neighbouring tribes, must either get possession of the -Oppidum that very day or perish. Tomar was represented as having passed -the previous day in the besiegers' camp, and become acquainted with the -position of affairs. - -No one doubted the veracity of Tomar, who, so far from exaggerating, -never told a quarter of what he knew. - -Sigild scarcely had at his disposal, after the various assaults that had -taken place, three thousand men in a condition to fight, deducting the -troop stationed opposite the burnt bridge. He divided his forces into -three bodies, one of about twelve hundred men to defend the northern -ramparts, the second of eight hundred posted on the western rampart, and -the third of a thousand men which he kept in the centre of the Oppidum -under his own direct command. - -At the other posts around the Oppidum he placed men unaccustomed to -fight and unprovided with arms, but who were yet able to offer some -resistance if the enemy should present themselves. Women were posted in -the towers away from the points of expected attack. Their only duty was -to hurl stones at the assailants. - -The day broke slowly owing to the thick vapours obscuring the sky; -nevertheless the warriors, encouraged by the words of the Brenn and by -their success the day before, awaited the enemy full of ardour. The -Druids, informed by Sigild of the arrival of help, traversed the camp -announcing that the hour of deliverance had come, and that the souls of -those who should fall were secure of the most glorious future. The -Druidesses, with dishevelled hair, fastened sacred boughs to the -wattling of the ramparts. - -A body of the enemy about two thousand strong now became distinctly -visible opposite the western front of the Oppidum, with the river at its -back. Towards the end of the first quarter of the day, this troop -climbed the escarpment and stopped an arrow's flight off. It then -divided itself into eight parties, each of which, provided with faggots, -proceeded towards one of the towers. The assailants were received with -a shower of arrows and stones. They advanced nevertheless without -wavering, and heaped up the faggots at the foot of the towers, not -without considerable loss on their side; for the besieged hurled on them -over the parapets large pebbles and trunks of trees. - -The assailants tried several times to set fire to the faggots, but the -wood was damp, and the defenders threw baskets of wet earth on the -incipient flames. - -The assault on the western side had continued for some time, when a vast -number of the enemy threw themselves on the northern salient, whose -towers were partly destroyed. - -As on the previous day, they rushed in such a compact mass upon the -salient, that they were not long in effecting a breach. - -Sigild then sent out five hundred men by the western gate to take the -assaulting column in flank, whilst he proceeded with the five hundred of -the reserve body straight to the salient. By the time he had reached -this point the enemy was already within the rampart, and his forces were -sheltered behind the intrenchment. - -On seeing the heaps of the slain with which this quarter was strewed, -the fury of the enemy appeared to be redoubled, and they swept along -like a flood through a wide breach. Thinking themselves at last masters -of the Oppidum, they fell in disorder upon the troops led by Sigild. -This body, disposed crescent-wise, formed as it were a second -intrenchment, which the assailants vainly endeavoured to break through. - -The five hundred men who had gone out by the eastern gate had reached -the left flank of the throng of besiegers, when a tremendous shout arose -from the enemy's camp. - -Horsemen came galloping at the top of their speed towards the Oppidum. -The attacking host wavered. Assailed on their flank they made scarcely -any resistance, and a movement of disorderly retreat became more and -more clearly manifest. - -Those who had gained a footing within the rampart, seeing themselves no -longer supported, or rather forced on by new-comers, turned and fled -with all haste towards the wood. - -Sigild perceived that Ditovix was making his attack; then, collecting -his warriors and summoning all the men from the various parts of the -defences, he formed a dense column, and overthrowing the assailants who -were betwixt him and the rampart, passed it and rejoined the warriors -already outside: "Now," cried he, "forward! the enemy is ours; let not -one escape." - -The wretched besiegers, hemmed in between the warriors of Ditovix and -those led by Sigild, although twice as numerous as the forces of their -opponents united, became utterly disorganized, no longer thought of -defending themselves, and rushing now to one side, now to the other, met -death everywhere. - -Many attempted to fly towards the river or the rivulet; but at an -intimation from Sigild, Tomar, who had remained in the Oppidum, sent the -warriors posted on the ramparts in pursuit of them. - -The assailants on the western front, seeing the disorder into which -their party had been thrown on the plateau, had got down towards the -banks. On that side the warriors poured forth by the western gate, broke -the bridge of rafts, and fell upon the enemy hemmed in by the river. - -Those of the besiegers who did not meet their death that day, perished -of cold or hunger in the endeavour to escape pursuit. A thousand, -however, were taken; among others those who guarded the palisade in the -valley. They were slain in the Némède in presence of the Druids and -Druidesses. Most of the bodies were thrown into the river, and for -several days the dwellers on the banks of the river found corpses -entangled among the reeds. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -_THE COST OF DEFENDERS._ - - -Ditovix and his warriors had done their duty bravely; the tribes of the -Val d'Avon regarded them as saviours, and when the unfortunate besieged -went back to their devastated homes, they cheerfully divided the little -that remained to them with the new-comers. - -In the enemy's camp were found provisions, the fruits of pillage, and -upon the bodies of the slain a little gold, and arms; and all this was -equally distributed. But winter was approaching, the fodder that had -been collected was dispersed, the animals lost or consumed, the stores -of grain destroyed. The means of subsistence had to be procured from the -merchants, and the allies to be fed. Scarcity prevailed in this valley, -so prosperous a month before. Its saviours were exacting, and began to -ask where was that wealth and plenty which had been promised them. - -Quartered in the Oppidum with the warriors of Sigild, the followers of -Ditovix assumed a domineering air on the strength of the service -rendered to the inhabitants of the Val d'Avon, and whose importance they -were incessantly magnifying. Quarrels arose continually, and it needed -all the influence which Sigild had acquired among his people to moderate -their angry feelings. - -Ditovix abstained from interference in these disputes. When assistance -had been asked--he would say to Sigild,--his men had been promised -wealth of all kinds; how could he remonstrate with them if they were -left to die of want? - -Ditovix had brought a thousand warriors to aid the inhabitants of the -Val d'Avon; and, in spite of the losses suffered during the action, a -month after the dispersion of the enemy's army the number of these -auxiliaries was found to have unaccountably increased. - -The Druids then interfered; they represented to Ditovix that though he -and his warriors had saved the families of the valley from total -destruction, they were reduced to poverty; that if they died of hunger -the same fate would befal his men, since there was nothing left to give -them; and that in the common interest it was necessary to come to some -understanding. - -Then Ditovix adopted a different attitude. "I should be willing to take -my warriors back," said he, "but I cannot. They would refuse to follow -me, and would give themselves up to excesses of all kinds. I can -scarcely prevent their proceeding from murmurs to violence. I had to -promise much to induce them to come, and they must be satisfied. -Fighting has been their constant occupation--for the most part in the -countries beyond the mountains. They are not fitted for tilling the soil -or tending cattle. What do you propose?"--"What do you ask?" said the -Druids. "I will call together the leading men among them, and explain -the state of things; and will let you know what they want." - -Ditovix and Sigild consulted together, for both saw the necessity of -securing the same advantages for the warriors of the valley and the -auxiliaries, if they would avoid a collision. The two chiefs called in -some of the principal merchants who frequented the valley, to induce -them to furnish supplies in consideration of certain guarantees very -advantageous to them. - -Matters being thus concluded between Sigild and Ditovix, they called -their adherents together, and had no difficulty in getting them to -accept the conditions on which they themselves had agreed. - -These conditions were as follows:--The Oppidum was to be placed under -the guard of the warriors of the vale and the followers of Ditovix -exclusively of all others. Their number amounted to nearly three -thousand. The inhabitants of the valley were to give them one day in -four to help them in executing the works necessary for defence or for -building their dwellings. A fourth part of their crops and of their -cattle was to be contributed by every family of the vale for the -maintenance of the three thousand warriors. As Sigild and Ditovix took -upon themselves to supply the wants of the people during the scarcity, -all the merchandise was to be deposited beneath the promontory near the -bridge; and the inhabitants were to receive and exchange it there, being -forbidden under the severest penalties to treat directly with the -merchants. - -Harsh as these fiscal arrangements were, they were obliged to accept -them. Ditovix, loaded with valuable presents, quitted the Oppidum, -leaving his followers, who accepted Sigild for their Brenn. The bridge -was quickly restored, and there arose at either end dwellings and -storehouses for the merchants and their merchandise. The chiefs of the -warriors levied a toll on all the exchanges; they had the monopoly of -the market, as they bought up all the produce that was exchanged. - -Notwithstanding the pressure of fiscal burdens, nay, even as a result of -it, the inhabitants of the Val d'Avon secured a larger return from their -land than formerly, and they had a greater number of cattle. Their -commerce became more extensive, and the population increased. Many -merchants came to live in the town built at the two extremities of the -bridge. - -Thirty years therefore after the siege we have just described, the -valley had become highly prosperous; though the inhabitants smarted -under the domination of the warrior caste, and considered a quarter of -their substance and of their labour a great deal too much to give to men -who lived in idleness, and whose chiefs displayed an ostentatious -luxury. Often, it is true, these warriors would undertake some -expedition, from which all did not return to the valley; but those who -came back safe and sound took care to enforce the payment of past dues, -and would then spend days in eating and drinking, and were more exacting -than ever. - -They recruited from among the youth of the valley, and even from among -foreigners, for it was of importance to them that their numbers should -not diminish. - -Gradually the remembrance of the events which had led to this state of -things faded from the minds of the population. The grandchildren of the -followers of Sigild and Ditovix regarded the privileges accorded to -their ancestors as a birthright; while the tillers of the soil, and the -shepherds and craftsmen of the vale, became accustomed to submission, -and finally adopted the conviction that they had come into the world to -serve and support the men who inhabited the Oppidum. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -_THE SECOND SIEGE._ - - -Two centuries and a half had elapsed, and the Val d'Avon had become the -centre of a numerous and wealthy district of the Lingones. At the base -of the Oppidum, extending on both sides of the river, was a town-a -mercantile _depôt_ of some importance; for as the river is navigable -below the promontory, many boats coming from the Sequani ascended thus -far, laden with merchandise brought from the south, and returned -freighted with horses, tanned hides, ironwork, smoked and salted meat, -timber, grains, cheese, &c. &c. - -The Oppidum was then partly covered with habitations and gardens -belonging to the descendants of Sigild and Ditovix's warriors. Its -ramparts, oftentimes repaired, were in imperfect condition; earthworks -were to be seen there, with a few towers of dry stone walling--principally -on the north side. The part of the town on the right bank was uninclosed, -but that which stood on the southern slopes of the promontory was -surrounded by dry stone walls which reached the ramparts of the Oppidum. -A _tête de pont_, built of the same materials, appeared on the right -bank nearly contiguous to the houses of the part of the town built on -that side (Fig. 9). - -[Illustration: FIG. 9--THE TOWN AND CITE D'AVON (WAR OF THE GAULS).] - -It must not be supposed that this town presented the aspect of our -modern cities. It consisted of a series of inclosures of wood or dry -stone walls, surrounding gardens, in the middle of which were built -the houses--wooden buildings thatched with straw or reeds. - -On the southern point of the Oppidum, however--behind the Némède and -commanding the valley--there rose a structure of wood and stone, which -was conspicuous above the rampart (at A). It was the dwelling of the -chief of the warriors and his Ambactes,[2] who were numerous. - -His name was Catognatus: rich by inheritance, he also farmed the tolls -and taxes over a wide district of the Lingones, having thus greatly -increased his wealth. By his liberality he had gained numerous -partisans, and was always surrounded by a troop of cavaliers equipped -and fed at his expense. By family alliances he had acquired considerable -influence, extending even among the Ædui, and took part in the wars -which that people were waging against the Arverni. He was able to muster -five or six thousand warriors among his own adherents and those of his -Ambactes. - -When Cæsar set out in pursuit of the Helvetian emigrants who persisted -in passing through the Roman province to spread themselves in Gaul, the -Ædui had promised to supply his troops with corn. - -The Helvetians, and close upon their track the Romans, had already -passed the Avar,[3] and the promised grain had not arrived. The fact -was, that certain persons of influence among the Ædui were opposed to -the Romans, and, fearing that if once they got a footing in Gaul they -would aim at subjugating it, were using every effort to prevent the -fulfilment of the promises made by the magistrates of the principal city -of the Ædui. - -Catognatus was one of the chiefs most actively opposed to the Romans, -and had friends among Cæsar's auxiliaries who informed him of all that -was going on in the Roman camp. On his side he communicated to the -Helvetii whatever information he received respecting the movements or -position of the Roman army. - -Cæsar having become acquainted with these manoeuvres through Liscus, -took his measures accordingly; and after having in great part -annihilated the emigrant horde of the Helvetii, when the scattered -remnant sought refuge among the Lingones, he first sent couriers to -prohibit the latter from aiding or sheltering the fugitives: then, after -allowing his troops three days to recruit themselves, he pushed on again -in pursuit of the Helvetii. These quickly submitted; but Cæsar had not -forgotten the share which Catognatus had had in the matter of supplies -promised by the Ædui, and while he was treating with the latter with a -view to relieve part of Gaul from the tyranny of Ariovistus, he -despatched a legion and some auxiliary troops to assure himself of the -disposition of the Lingones, to seize Catognatus and the Helvetii whom -he had harboured, and, if necessary, to chastise the inhabitants of the -Val d'Avon--_i.e._, if they persisted in holding to their chief. - -Catognatus, who had his informants in Cæsar's army, was soon warned of -the danger that threatened him. - -He had, in fact, given an asylum to some Helvetian fugitives, thereby -raising the number of his men to nearly six thousand, supposing the -warriors of the Val d'Avon willing to make a stand against the Roman -troops. Assembling his Ambactes, therefore, and their principal -retainers, he urged on their consideration the inconsiderable size of -the Roman army; the fact that it was already distant from the frontiers -of the province, and had been weakened by preceding conflicts; that -though it had defeated the Helvetii in the open field, the issue would -have been different if the enemy had been posted behind intrenchments; -that they ought not to suffer the Romans to busy themselves with their -affairs or differences, since they, the Gauls, did not interfere with -the affairs of the provinces; that the Romans might justly prohibit the -Helvetii from passing through Roman territory, but that they infringed -the independence of their neighbours and allies when they presumed to -keep order among them without being formally requested to do so; that he -knew, moreover, that the Ædui, devoted though they seemed to the Romans, -were only waiting for an opportunity to chastise their presumption; that -Cæsar was going to divide his forces, and that if the men of the Val -d'Avon resisted the troops sent against them, this would be the signal -for a general rising which would be fatal to the Roman armies. He told -them also that they ought to remember that their ancestors made the -Romans tremble even in Rome, and that it was disgraceful to submit to -the dictation of those whom they had formerly conquered. - -Catognatus also adopted the stratagem of sending emissaries to the -houses of the people under the guise of travellers. They professed to -have seen Cæsar's troops, and to have found them half-starved and -utterly destitute; they affirmed that the best of them had been obliged -frequently to retreat before the Helvetii; that they were reduced by -three-fourths, and that the remainder of their army was composed of raw -recruits and of auxiliaries, who were only waiting for an opportunity to -return home. - -These reports, spread through the valley, were still more efficacious -than Catognatus's discourse; for the Gauls have always been inclined to -lend a willing ear to representations that flatter their desires, -without inquiring whether they are true or false. If any of the older -men shook their heads and said that it would be as well to know what -was asked of them before assuming a hostile attitude, they were treated -with contempt. Catognatus, seeing all the people inclined to resist, had -trunks of trees mingled with earth and pebbles heaped up before the -weaker points of the Oppidum. - -They re-dug the ditch before the walls of the left bank and surrounded -with palisades the part of the city that had remained unprotected on the -right bank. In addition to this, Catognatus had a cutting dug at a -hundred paces from the Oppidum between its northern salient and the -plateau. These works, hastily undertaken, were still unfinished when the -arrival of the Roman troops was announced. The infantry were advancing -in good order in the valley on the left bank, while the cavalry followed -the hills on the same side. Not a man quitted the ranks to go and -pillage the houses, and neither songs nor shouts were heard. The helmets -of polished bronze worn by the legionaries were shining in the sun, and, -seen from a distance, the troop resembled a long fiery serpent uncoiling -in the meadows. - -From the elevated tower occupied by Catognatus the slightest movements -of the Romans were visible. They soon deployed along the rivulet, their -left being against the river and their right protected by the cavalry on -the hills. The lieutenant, Titurius, then sent an envoy into the city. -He was commissioned to announce to the magistrates that the Romans -appeared as friends, but that since Catognatus had given an asylum to -some of the Helvetii, and had notoriously exercised his power to prevent -the Ædui from furnishing the supplies promised to the army commanded by -Cæsar, and which had come into Gaul with the sole purpose of hindering -the Helvetii from devastating,--that is, strictly in the character of -allies,--they must deliver up the said Catognatus and the Helvetian -refugees to the lieutenant Titurius without delay: that if this was done -the Romans would only demand provisions for ten days,--a reasonable -requirement, as between allies; after which they would return to the -Ædui. - -Catognatus, surrounded by his principal Ambactes, was present in the -assembly of the magistrates when the envoy delivered his commission. -Seeing them hesitating, he replied to the summons as follows: "Here is -the object of your search. I am Catognatus; I have afforded an asylum to -certain of the Helvetii, who are my friends, and whose hospitality I -myself have shared; I am allied with the Helvetii as I am allied with -the Romans. If the Romans had been beaten by the Helvetii, and any of -them escaped from massacre had taken refuge here, would they consider it -honourable for me to give them up to their enemies, had they come here -in arms to demand them? If such was the usual conduct of the Romans, I -should blush to be their ally. To the vague accusation respecting the -influence I am alleged to have exercised over the policy of the Ædui, I -have nothing to reply. The Ædui act according to their own good -pleasure, and it is not for me to interfere with them. The Romans should -demand satisfaction of the Ædui if they have not fulfilled their -engagements. As to myself, the Romans have asked nothing of me, and I -have promised them nothing: what business have they here? If they had a -message to send me, was it necessary that the bearer should be escorted -by a legion? Is this how allies should treat each other? Go and tell the -legate that we are at home here; that if he comes as a friend we shall -treat him as a friend; but that if he presumes to dictate to us and -treat us as children, we shall answer him as men who know how to act for -themselves." "He is right! he is right!" was the unanimous exclamation -of the Ambactes; and overwhelming the envoy with insults, they thrust -him out. Catognatus had to interpose to prevent the crowd from tearing -him to pieces. - -Titurius was instructed to show the greatest possible consideration for -the inhabitants, that the neighbouring peoples might not be irritated; -and to adhere scrupulously to the terms of the demand transmitted by the -envoy--simply to require the surrender of the Helvetii and Catognatus. - -On the other hand, his orders were to accomplish the expedition with all -possible despatch, as Cæsar had but a few legions with him. The legate, -therefore, refrained from investing the city and the Oppidum, and, as he -had no reason to fear the immediate arrival of help to the enemy, he -judged it best to direct all his efforts to the plateau, hoping to take -the fortress by a vigorous effort. It was, however, to be feared that if -the Oppidum was taken by assault, Catognatus and a part of the Helvetii -might succeed in escaping. - -At night, therefore, the legate was devising a plan by which, with the -eight thousand men or thereabouts of which his force consisted, he might -at the same time prevent all means of escape from within, and make a -vigorous attack upon the Oppidum, when a centurion came to tell him that -some of the inhabitants requested a private interview with him. - -The inhabitants in question were magistrates of the lower town.... -Falling at Titurius's feet, they told him with tears that it was with no -good will they submitted to the dominion of Catognatus and his warriors; -that the demands presented that day to the assembly by the envoy were -nothing but reasonable, since the Helvetii had entered Gaul only as -marauders, and that Catognatus had used his influence to embarrass the -march of the Romans their allies, who had come to destroy the Helvetii; -that they the magistrates had no authority over the warriors, and very -little over the populace, enthralled as they were, and deceived by the -agents of Catognatus; that this chief and his men had taken refuge in -the Oppidum, and the part of the town situated at the extremity of the -promontory, abandoning the part built on the right bank; that, in fact, -they entreated the legate to occupy that part of the city with his -troops, who would be well received, and who, they hoped, would not give -themselves up to any excesses, since they were treated as friends. - -Titurius raised them, and, speaking kindly to them, promised to do what -they asked; but, fearing treachery, stated that he must keep them as -hostages. The magistrates surrendered themselves to his disposal, -declaring that his troops would find the gates open, the posts -unoccupied, and the inhabitants in great excitement, but by no means -hostile, if they were well treated. - -On their arrival, the Romans had instituted a ferry on the river below -the town. A reconnoitring party despatched immediately reported that the -egresses were in fact free, and that no one appeared behind the walls. - -Titurius therefore invested all the egresses, and towards midnight a -thousand men selected from among the auxiliaries were in possession of -the lower town, without any sound of disturbance or sign of disorder. In -the morning the Gallic warriors posted at the head of the bridge saw the -Romans before them, and were vehement in their abuse of the inhabitants, -threatening to burn the town as soon as they had driven away the Roman -troops. Meantime, the Romans demolished several houses adjoining the -head of the bridge, and made use of the _débris_ to form a semi-circular -intrenchment of contravallation, ending against the river at its two -extremities. Titurius established some posts along the rivulet; and on -the larger stream above the city he constructed a bridge of boats -guarded by two posts at either end. This accomplished, he removed with -the bulk of his troops to the northern part of the plateau. - -Next day he examined the position, after having filled up a part of the -intrenchment; but Catognatus had done away with the egresses of the -northern front, and completed the rampart at this point. The assault was -vigorously repulsed. This success emboldened the besieged, and they -began to overwhelm the legate with sarcasms. Seeing that he could not -take the Oppidum by storm, in presence of a determined and numerous body -of men, he resolved upon a regular siege. - -Although the cutting dug by the defenders between the Oppidum and the -plateau was only a bowshot from the rampart, in a few hours it was -almost entirely filled up, consolidated, and levelled. Then Titurius had -a great number of trees felled in the woods extending along the northern -plateau, and brought in front of the camp. - -This wood being duly prepared, an _agger_ was commenced fifteen paces -from the ramparts, in spite of the darts and stones hurled by the -besieged. - -This _agger_ consisted of a terrace about a hundred paces long, ten feet -high and twenty deep, with a gap in the middle twelve paces wide. From -the two sides of this interval extended at right angles two galleries -(_vineæ_), solidly constructed with trunks of trees and covered in; -these galleries were about a hundred paces long. The _agger_ was made of -trunks of trees piled up, mingled with earth, with inclines for reaching -the summit. This was a work of some days; and as during that time the -Romans made no attack, and thought only of protecting those engaged in -it from the missiles thrown from the ramparts, the besieged did not -cease to ridicule them (for they were within hearing), asking them if -they were intending to build a city and pass the winter there. But one -morning the warriors of the Oppidum saw a wooden tower rising at the -extremity of the two galleries. This tower, the woodwork of which had -been prepared beforehand, was set up within the day; its summit rose -more than ten feet above the top of the towers of the rampart (Fig. 10). - -[Illustration: FIG. 10.] - -The Gauls contemplated this structure with uneasiness, although they did -not comprehend its importance; so Catognatus resolved to set fire to the -works during the night. With this view he had placed on the ramparts, -behind the wattling, barrels filled with pitch, grease, and dry sticks; -then he placed two bodies in readiness to go out by the eastern and -western gates, provided with vessels full of resin, tow, and grease. -These troops were to make their way along the outside of the defences, -and simultaneously attack the flanks of the besiegers, while the men -posted on the ramparts were to remove a portion of the wattling, and to -roll the barrels, after setting them on fire, against the _agger_ whose -front was raised on the counterscarp of the ditch. - -[Illustration: FIG. 11.] - -The Romans had been able to see these preparations from the summit of -the tower; moreover, they stationed a strong guard on the flanks of the -plateau every evening. The legate at nightfall had these points -protected by stakes, and had a quantity of _stimuli_ (Fig. 11) driven -into the ground outside. About the third hour of the night the besieged -issued noiselessly from the two gates and came within half a bowshot of -the Roman posts. At a signal given from the interior, the two bodies -rushed at once on the besiegers' flanks. But even before they could -reach the palisades, many of them, wounded by the _stimuli_, fell -uttering cries of pain. Those who reached the besiegers' posts, thinned -by the darts showered upon them, and hesitating on seeing so many of -their party fall, were more inclined to fly than to continue the attack -when they saw themselves in their turn taken in flank and rear by the -besiegers. The defenders on the ramparts, whom the darkness of the night -prevented from seeing clearly what was taking place, and not knowing -whether the confusion arose from the flight of the Romans or of their -own men, dared not discharge stones and arrows. - -Meanwhile the lighted barrels were being rolled in front of the -galleries, which had already begun to take fire. By the glare of the -flames they could see the Roman soldiers mount on the terrace carrying -baskets full of wet earth, which they threw on the barrels; and the -defenders killed or wounded many of them. At this moment some of the -fugitives who had taken part in the two sorties, re-entered the camp -calling out that they were pursued by the Romans. - -Catognatus had barely time to send troops to defend the two egresses and -to protect the retreat of his men. He himself took up a position in the -centre of the Oppidum with a chosen band, that he might be able to -assist the quarter that should be most closely pressed. Aided by this -diversion the Romans, less harassed by darts from the rampart, were able -to extinguish the fire. They took advantage of the last hours of the -night to advance the tower along the galleries by means of rollers, as -far as the edge of the _agger_, and in the morning the warriors of the -Val d'Avon were not a little surprised to see this ponderous wooden -structure commanding the whole rampart and the towers of the defences. - -At dawn, showers of stones and arrows hurled from the top of the -besiegers' tower prevented them from approaching the defences, and two -catapults swept the part of the Oppidum in front of it with enormous -missiles, which, hissing through the air, killed or shattered to -fragments all they encountered. Two _onagri_ overwhelmed with stones the -scaffolding set up by the defenders on their front to attack the -_agger_, and smashed it in pieces. - -[Illustration: FIG. 12.] - -A bridge was soon let down on the rampart from the face of the tower, -and the Romans, advancing in good order, took possession of the defences -(Fig. 12). - -Catognatus and his retainers, to the number of five or six hundred, had -not expected this turn of events, and had taken refuge in the -stronghold built beyond the Némède, at the southern part of the Oppidum. - -When the besiegers, whom no one thought any longer of resisting, were -drawn up in force on the rampart, and had occupied the towers--killing -those who occupied them rather as refugees than as defenders--they -separated into three large bodies: the two wings marched along the inner -side of the rampart, taking one after another the towers upon it, and -entered the enclosures and houses, killing those who endeavoured to -resist. The centre troop, drawn up in the form of a wedge, marched right -on and swept the plateau. The unfortunate defenders fled, and crowded -together along the side of the Némède. Many endeavoured to gain the -stronghold, but the entrances were closed and the bridge destroyed. -Catognatus was thus abandoning the greater part of his followers and -leaving them to the mercy of the enemy. The warriors of the Val d'Avon -threw away their arms, and with out-stretched hands implored quarter of -the Romans. Titurius then stayed the slaughter, and told the defenders -that if they gave up Catognatus and the Helvetii who had taken refuge -among them, their lives should be spared. Pointing to the lofty fort, -beyond the Némède, the besieged replied that it was not in their power -to surrender Catognatus, who had taken refuge there with a small number -of his followers, but that they would immediately deliver up the -Helvetii still among them. The legate wishing to act with mildness, -according to Cæsar's instructions, contented himself with this -assurance. The Helvetii were immediately delivered up, and the people of -Avon, disarmed and stripped of their warlike accoutrements, were sent -back to the valley, with the exception of a hundred hostages. The few -chiefs, however, who had remained among them, having been put in -fetters, were to be kept, with a view to being placed at Cæsar's -disposal. As to the Helvetii, who numbered five or six hundred, Titurius -kept some as hostages; the rest, having been disarmed, were ordered to -return to their country by the most direct route: provisions for the -journey were distributed among them. - -The buildings of the Némède and its grove prevented Catognatus from -seeing what was going on beneath its walls, but as he no longer heard -war-cries nor the clash of arms, he concluded that his men had -surrendered. As for himself and his retainers, knowing that they had no -mercy to hope for, they prepared themselves for defence, and resolved to -sell their lives as dearly as possible. - -A deep ditch partly cut in the rock separated the stronghold from the -Némède. The defences consisted of an enclosure, made in Gallic fashion, -of trunks of trees alternating with layers of stone surmounted by -wattling. A large quadrangular tower, constructed in the same way, -enclosing four stories, and terminated by a roof of reeds covering a -crenelation, served as a place of retreat. Within the enclosure were -wooden huts for the garrison; as the tower, which was only twenty paces -wide by twenty deep, and whose walls were thick (about three paces), -could barely contain a hundred men. - -Titurius reconnoitred the approaches. The ditch interrupted all -communication with the Oppidum, and ended against its ramparts. Towards -the south, the stronghold rose immediately over the escarpment, which on -this side was so steep that no ditch had been required. But a palisade -on the outside, fixed in a mound, prevented approach to the base of the -stronghold. As stated before, the walls of the upper town occupying the -southern slopes extended to the rampart of the Oppidum. But these walls -had been abandoned by the warriors of Catognatus who had taken refuge in -the stronghold. On quitting the upper town they had set fire to the -bridge, seeing which, the Romans posted opposite the head of the bridge -had passed this latter without meeting any resistance, and had succeeded -in extinguishing the flames. The bridge was promptly repaired. - -The legate, therefore, effected a communication with his troops in the -northern quarter, who were then occupying the upper town, and completely -invested the stronghold. Time pressed, and as he had already lost twelve -days before the Oppidum, haste was necessary. - -In the first place, he sent one of the Gallic prisoners to hold a parley -with the defenders of the stronghold. He promised to spare their lives -if they would give up their chief, and the Helvetii that might be among -them. If, on the other hand, the attack was once commenced, they must -expect to be all put to the sword. - -The messenger was received by a shower of stones, and returned bleeding -to the legate, who could no longer hesitate. The order was given to fill -up the ditch, and to speed the work; the centurions, employing threats -and blows at need, compelled a good many of the vanquished to carry -faggots and earth. Protecting themselves with mantelets, the Romans -suffered only trifling loss, for the besieged had but few missiles. -Besides, Titurius had brought up the engines of war, demolished those -parts of the wall of the Némède which might embarrass the operations, -and posted the best slingers and archers on the flanks, so that the -rampart of the stronghold, riddled with projectiles, was scarcely -tenable. At night the filling-in of the fosse was consolidated by -timberwork, on which were spread brushwood and turf. - -At the first hour of the day a cohort advanced in slow march on the -ground thus made, forming the _testudo_ (Fig. 13). - -[Illustration: FIG. 13] - -Some of the defenders endeavoured to resist; but they were few in -number, and exposed to the projectiles which the auxiliary troops of -slingers and archers incessantly discharged upon them in an oblique -direction. The rampart was soon taken; but darts, stones, and flaming -balls of pitch and tow were hurled upon the assailants from the tower, -and if they attempted to approach it, planks and pots filled with -gravel. It was necessary, therefore, to set up screens on the rampart -even; for to abandon that would have revived the courage of the -defenders. Here the Romans lost several men, and many were wounded. To -set fire to the tower was scarcely possible; for constructions of timber -mingled with stone do not readily take fire Titurius, however, placed -one of his catapults so that the projectiles thrown by it should reach -the roof of the tower; and when satisfied that this object was attained -(it was towards sunset), kept up a continuous discharge of burning -missiles--consisting of darts wrapped in tow saturated with oil and -tar--on the roof, which soon caught fire. The legate made sure that as -the floors of the tower were of timber, the roof when it fell in would -communicate the fire to the ground story; and in fact, the roof had not -long fallen in when a dense column of smoke, accompanied by sparks which -appeared as if issuing from a vast chimney, shot forth from the summit -of the tower. - -Catognatus, and those of his followers who had crowded into the -stronghold, despairing of maintaining it, then opened a concealed -aperture, which gave egress on the sides of the upper town; and without -bucklers, a sword in one hand, a flaming brand in the other, rushed with -terrible cries on the Romans, who were keeping guard outside the -palisading on that side, and who, surprised by this column of warriors, -opposed but a feeble resistance, and made an attempt to rally and fall -upon the flanks of the fugitives. It was night, and the slopes were -steep, occupied here and there by houses and palisading enclosing -gardens. The Romans were ill-acquainted with the ground, and often got -into places whence there was no exit. - -Catognatus and his followers, reduced to about two hundred men, rapidly -descended the paths with which they were familiar; and in passing threw -their brands upon the thatched roofs, or into the barns filled with hay -and straw. The inhabitants rushed out in bewilderment, not knowing -whence the attack came. Seeing parties of Romans passing by seeking -egress, entering the gardens and the houses, and breaking through the -gates and barricades to reach Catognatus and his men, they cried -"Treachery!" and threw stones at them, thinking their object was to burn -and massacre. The women, with dishevelled hair, threw themselves in -their path, covering them with abuse; others hurled furniture and -whatever came to hand upon them from the windows. Rendered furious by -these obstacles, by the failure of their pursuit, and the attacks of the -inhabitants, and seeing it was useless to reason with these -terror-stricken people, the Romans killed all they encountered. - -Hearing this outcry, and seeing the sky lit up by the flames, the legate -guessed what had happened, and sent two cohorts over the ramparts on the -town side, with injunctions to march with orderly pace down the paths, -rallying the Roman troops, and driving the inhabitants before them. At -the same time, he sent a centurion, by the bridge of boats which he had -formed across the river above the town, to warn the Roman detachments -that could be got together in the lower town and at the gateway of the -bridge, not to let any one pass out from the upper town. - -Catognatus, with most of his warriors, had in fact got as far as the -bridge; but he found it guarded by a body of Romans. He attempted to cut -his way through them; but as the bridge was somewhat long, the -enterprise was hazardous. The commander of the guard, an old soldier, -had marshalled his men at the first alarm, seeing that this passage must -be defended at any cost. Barricading the entrance with all the materials -they could collect, they awaited the fugitives behind their bucklers. -When Catognatus presented himself and--uttering the war-cry--sought to -force his way through, he was met at close quarters with a shower of -darts. The whole foremost rank of the fugitives fell right and left: the -others, rendered frantic by despair, passed over their bodies and threw -themselves upon the front of the Romans, who had now taken to their -swords. A fearful struggle commenced, lighted only by the gleam of the -conflagration. The Romans, having the glare in their faces, aimed badly, -while the Gallic warriors knew where to strike. - -The column of fugitives began to melt before the Roman front, whose gaps -were immediately filled up. Then came up the centurion, with fifty men -whom he had rallied. Seeing themselves supported, the Roman guard took -the offensive, and pressed on to the platform of the bridge, hewing down -the remnant of the defenders of the Oppidum like bushes in a thicket. -Not one of these warriors drew back; all met their death in the pass -through which they had thought to make their way. - -It was with great difficulty that order was restored in the upper town, -and only when they saw the Romans extinguishing the fires did the -inhabitants begin to understand what had happened. - -Next morning the body of Catognatus was found lying on the bridge; his -head was sent to Cæsar, and the expedition being terminated, Titurius -led back the legion and the auxiliaries to their quarters among the -Ædui. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 2: _Fideles_--warriors devoted to the chief.] - -[Footnote 3: The Saône.] - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -_THE PERMANENT CAMP--FOUNDATION OF A CITÉ._ - - -Six years after the events just related, the siege of Alesia being -terminated, Cæsar gave orders for the establishment of a permanent camp -on the plateau of Avon--the site of the Gallic Oppidum. - -As the plateau was near the road connecting Châlons-sur-Saône with -Langres, Cæsar judged it desirable to have at this point, which was -naturally favourable for defence, a safe retreat for a numerous body of -troops, more especially as the road passed through somewhat disturbed -countries. The camp was to be sufficient in case of need for two legions -and some auxiliaries--about twenty thousand men. Now, as the site of the -Oppidum was much more extensive than was needed for a force of that -strength, it was determined that the camp should be placed on the -southern part of the plateau, whose level was elevated some few feet -above the northern point, and which was separated from this extremity by -a wide ditch. - -[Illustration: FIG. 14.--THE ROMAN PERMANENT CAMP.] - -Fig. 14 gives a plan of the arrangement. A ditch thirty feet wide and -seven feet deep divided the plateau obliquely from W.N.W. to E.S.E. At A -was placed the Prætorian gate, and at B the Prætorium. At D was the -Decuman gate. The two lateral gates, F, E, fronted east and west -respectively. The sunken roadways of the Gauls had to be altered and -made into metalled roads; they started right and left of the bridge, C, -and followed the acclivities of the plateau, rising till they branched -off at O into the road from Châlons to Langres. From these two lateral -military roads there was an ascent to the gates E, D, F, the _place -d'armes_, H, and the two side entrances of the small advanced camp, I, -on the south point of the plateau. Thus the outer circuit could be -traversed without difficulty. - -The ramparts of the town occupying the southern declivities of the -promontory were destroyed, and the inhabitants obliged to settle on the -other side of the river, either to the south-east or to the south. The -head of the bridge, C, was repaired. - -The gates of the camp had good _claviculæ_, each with two towers -constructed of dry walling, earth, and timber work (Fig. 15). - -At regular intervals along the _vallum_--which, except the front on the -N.N.E., exactly followed the edge of the plateau--were erected towers, -or rather watch-towers, of timber. In addition to the supply from the -wells within the limits of the camp, the Romans collected the water of -the springs on the northern plateau, by means of pipes made of trunks of -trees bored lengthwise and joined end to end. This channel followed the -roadway G, and conducted the water into six good cisterns, hollowed out -in the rock and lined with cement. There was a cistern under the -Prætorium, and two for each of the legions. - -On the western side palisades connected the smaller camp with the ditch -sunk near the angle of the Prætorium; while on the eastern side of the -plateau its escarpment rendered this precaution unnecessary. - -The engineer entrusted with the setting out had disposed the fosse in an -oblique direction, as shown in Fig. 14, so as to present a larger front -to assailants who, having taken the smaller camp, should present -themselves on the _place d'armes_, H. The projecting angle was well -defended by the Prætorium, and the obliquity of the _vallum_ enabled the -defenders making a sortie by the Prætorian gate, and by that marked F, -to take the enemy almost in rear, and to drive them over the eastern -declivity of the plateau. - -[Illustration: FIG. 15.] - -The rampart walk of the _vallum_ was raised three feet above the level -of the camp, and was furnished with a cresting of stakes with wattling -to retain the earth on the parapet (see Fig. 15). The fosse was twelve -feet wide and seven deep, and was continued all round the camp, even on -the sides where the declivities were steep. - -The Némède was demolished. The Druids had it re-erected on the plateau -in front of the camp, to the south, at the entrance of the wood. The -inhabitants of the Val d'Avon were enjoined, under penalty of seeing -their town destroyed, to abstain from injuring these intrenchments while -unoccupied; they were even charged to keep them in repair, and to supply -provisions to the troops who should be quartered there to protect the -country against the invasions of the barbarians; for as Gaul was then -tranquilized internally, and brought under the Roman sway, there was -nothing to fear, except the attacks of the Germans, who were continually -threatening the north-eastern provinces. - -The camp was in fact occupied several times by Roman troops, and new -works were successively planned and executed there. The country was -fertile, and the position excellent, viz., between the large towns -Châlons-sur-Saône (Cabillonum), Langres (Andrematunnum), and Autun -(Bibracte). The camp received the name of _Aboniæ Castrum_, the town -being thenceforth called Abonia--a name which it retained until the -fourth century. - -It was from Abonia that Vindex set out with a party of troops, which he -assembled in the plains of the Saône, to rouse Gaul in revolt against -Nero, and to give the empire to Galba. After the death of the Gallic -hero, Galba wished to testify his gratitude to the towns and countries -that had declared in his favour: and Abonia then acquired the title and -rights of _civitas_, and enjoyed a long peace. - -From the reign of Titus onwards, the camp was no longer appropriated -exclusively to the troops. At the time when the Oppidum had been -converted into a permanent camp, the whole of the plateau, its slopes, -and part of the ground situated to the north, had been considered as -_Ager Romanus_. It was what we should now call "crown land,"--_Ager -Publicus_. The inhabitants, therefore, could not possess or build upon -this land, or, if permitted to occupy a part, it was as usufructuaries, -not as freeholders. - -This Roman law, which dated from the time of the Republic, and which at -first affected all provincial soil, was never rigorously applied. Its -enforcement would have been difficult, and the populations of the -provinces, as well as those of Italy, solicited and easily obtained the -_jus Italicum_, which consisted in the full possession of the soil, with -liberty to use, to sell, and to transmit it by way of inheritance. When -the imperial government was definitively established, the emperors -favoured the development of the principle of private property; because -the great landholders were then the only persons who could be considered -as forming an aristocratic class, privileged, it is true, but, on the -other hand, bearing the burden of special functions--such, for instance, -as that of urban magistrature, then very onerous. It must be observed -that the civic rights accorded by Rome extended not only to a town, but -to the whole of the territory pertaining to it. - -As the Vale of Abonia possessed the _jus civitatis_, and the site of the -camp remained unoccupied, the inhabitants petitioned that ground so well -adapted to habitations should be restored to civil uses. It was then -determined by the Emperor Vespasian that the _ager publicus_ of Abonia -should be colonized. Colonization under the Roman empire meant the -division solemnly made by the _agrimensores_, according to certain -religious prescriptions, of a part of the _ager publicus_ into shares. - -These shares were unequal, and, although apportioned by lot among the -colonists--that is to say, among the native inhabitants and the -foreigners who presented themselves as applicants for their possession, -it always happened--by what means we are unable to say--that the -allotments fell according to the rank or fortune of the individual. The -ancient Oppidum was therefore colonized. - -The remains of its ramparts soon disappeared; the wide fosse, which -separated the large camp from the smaller one, became a road terminating -by sloping paths in the level of the plateau; a theatre rose on the -eastern declivity; water was brought in abundance, by a fine aqueduct of -masonry, to baths constructed at the southern point, and to all the new -habitations which soon arose on every side, surrounded by gardens. A -temple, dedicated to Augustus, was erected on the site of the ancient -Prætorium, on the very spot where stood the shrine of former days, and a -second sacred edifice dedicated, say some, to Hercules--which is -doubtful--took the place of the ancient southern stronghold. A forum and -a basilica occupied the middle of the plateau. The _villæ_ spread beyond -the circumvallation, and extended over the two declivities, east and -west. - -The lower town continued to be occupied by the merchants, craftsmen, -boatmen, and the poorer class; it extended along the two shores down the -river. The bridge previously mentioned was rebuilt with stone, and a -second bridge of timber was thrown across half a mile further up the -stream, at the continuation of the sunken way by which the plateau was -divided. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -_THE FORTIFIED CITÉ._ - - -Three centuries of peace had caused the disappearance of the last -vestiges of the ancient ramparts which surrounded the permanent camp of -the Romans, then occupied by the cité of Abonia. But for many years the -incursions of the Germans had disquieted some of the neighbouring -countries. They had made their appearance among the Remi several times, -and although they habitually presented themselves as defenders of the -empire, or were actually called in by one party or the other during the -civil discords by which Gaul was then rent, their conduct was that of -enemies, not of allies. Finding the country attractive, they spread -gradually among the eastern provinces, robbing, pillaging, and burning -among the friends who invited their aid, as well as among the enemies -they were going to attack. At their approach the rural districts were -deserted, and the uninclosed towns hastily fortified. - -Reims, Langres, and Autun had repaired their defences. Sens had walled -itself round with the materials of its chief public buildings. The vale -of Abonia, which at that time contained about twenty thousand -inhabitants, followed their example; and pulling down their public -edifices and the deserted temples of the city, the urban population -formed ramparts around the plateau and a fence around the lower towns. - -The works, however, undertaken in haste, were of no great account, and -fortunately the Germans did not think of assailing them; but in the year -359, Julian, having assumed the purple, betook himself to Gaul to drive -out the barbarians. The siege of Autun raised, he passed through Abonia, -found its situation excellent, and arranged the plan of a fortress, -which after the battle of Strasburg and the defeat of Chnodomar, was -carried into execution. Abonia thus fortified formed part of the second -line of strong places established by Julian between Reims and Lyons, in -anticipation of fresh invasions by the Germans. - -Gaul, although her sons had furnished the Roman army with its best -soldiers for three centuries, had become unaccustomed to war at home. -The Roman legions no longer consisted of troops such as those commanded -by the Vespasians, the Tituses, and the Trajans. Composed principally of -barbarians, they wanted cohesion, were not sustained by patriotism, and -deposed their chiefs on the slightest pretext. - -The latter, moreover, too often appointed by a court governed by -intrigue, were for the most part incapable, or eager to enrich -themselves rather than to conquer the enemy. For these troops, composed -of heterogeneous elements, and having no faith in the valour of the -chiefs placed over them--for these populations, accustomed to peace and -the well-being it secures--ramparts were necessary, behind which the -defence of the territory might be organized; for in the open field, such -was the terror inspired by the Germans that a prolonged resistance could -not be reckoned upon. Julian, however, had shown that the troops in the -pay of the empire, if well commanded, were still in a condition to fight -the barbarians; but Julian was a philosopher; he understood his times, -and could not shut his eyes to the unsound state of the imperial -government, or at least believed the evil to lie so deep that he -attempted to stay its progress by a return to paganism, hoping perhaps -in this way to restore youth to the worn-out body. - -[Illustration: FIG. 16. - -THE GALLO-ROMAN TOWN CITÉ JULIANA.] - -Julian had then about him Byzantine engineers who were very skilful in -the art of fortifying places. This branch of knowledge is often -developed among nations in proportion to the decay of military -organization in the field. The conqueror of the Germans had caused the -fortifications of Autun to be repaired and completed. - -Those of Abonia, which were less extensive, were carried out with -completeness according to an entirely new plan, since there existed no -traces of the ancient fortifications: the engineer Philostratus sent by -Julian was therefore left to his own discretion. - -He began by clearing away the slopes of the ancient Oppidum along the -verge of the plateau, thus removing some of the villæ that had not been -destroyed at the time when the arrival of the Germans was expected (see -Fig. 16). After having carefully studied the conformation of the ground, -he perceived that the front of the city towards the north was weak, -inasmuch as this front was most accessible to attack on account of the -neighbouring plateau, whose level was but little below that of the site. -He determined, therefore, to fall back, so as to get a more extended -front. The front thus adopted was three hundred and fifty paces long.[4] -Outside of this front he had a fosse sunk twenty feet wide in the -bottom,[5] so as entirely to divide the tongue of land which connected -the promontory with the northern plateau. This fosse terminated at the -two declivities east and west. At each end the bottom of the fosse was -furnished with palisades, and there was a descent into the fosse by -means of a flight of steps contrived in one of the towers, as will -presently be shown. Outside the fosse he formed a _vallum_ about four -hundred paces in length, with an outwork containing a guardhouse and a -watch-tower. The Roman road to Langres came to this point. On the -eastern side, the aqueduct which brought water to the city followed the -_vallum_, and was crenelated (_vide_ A). A gate was opened in the north -front, flanked on the outside by two cylindrical towers. At the -north-west angle arose a square tower high enough to afford a distant -view of the valley at the bottom of which runs the river, and of the -plateau; another square tower was built at the north-east angle, and -between these two towers and the gate two other towers; so that between -each tower there remained a space of about eighty feet. - -Philostratus remarked that a daring besieger might run in towards the -west, between the river and the city, and attempt an assault towards the -salient of the west front, which commanded a rather gentle escarpment. -From the square tower, B, to the river, and set back a little, so as to -be flanked by the western face of this tower, he formed a _vallum_, with -a square tower at its extreme end, commanding the water-course. Further -back was constructed a wooden bridge, connecting the two banks, and -passing over the island of sand, C. Along the two escarpments the -engineer followed almost exactly the sinuosities of the edge of the -plateau, but placing the gates in the re-entering angles. Two gates were -disposed on the western front, and one on the eastern, very near the -situation of the ancient entrance to the _Oppidum_ on that side. These -three gates were each flanked by two towers, like those on the north. -The inclosure of the city, formed of a rampart rising twenty feet above -the level of the ground, including the battlement, and nine feet thick, -was thus strengthened by thirty-six towers, without reckoning those of -the gates. At the southern extremity, on the site of the ancient retreat -of Catognatus, was erected a _castellum_, or stronghold, separated from -the city by a battlemented wall, and about one hundred and eighty feet -away from the ramparts. At the southern extremity of the rampart, a -square tower had to be built of greater height than the others, to -overlook the vale of Abonia. Beneath this tower an egress was contrived, -abutting on a massive wall, following the declivity of the ground, and -crenelated on both sides; from the summit of which a descent could be -made into the work, E, commanding the junction of the rivulet with the -river, and the stone bridge constructed there. Upon the other bank was -built a vast _tête de pont_. The eastern gate was furnished with an -outwork commanding the road, G; on the northern flank of the north-west -entrance a guardhouse commanded the vicinity of the gate. The approaches -were improved, and a wooden bridge was thrown across at H, with a _tête -de pont_ and work commanding the confluence of roads at that point. -Building was prohibited on the western declivities--once occupied by -houses and gardens--within a distance of one hundred and ten paces from -the ramparts, or the military road, I; that is, habitations were allowed -to remain or to be built outside the military bounds.[6] Inside the -city, through the confusedly-grouped clusters of ancient houses, -Philostratus had new roads cut,[7] with a view to establish a -communication between the gates, and to facilitate the defence. At F was -placed a forum, with a temple to Apollo at I (for Julian had caused a -little Christian church, previously built in the city, to be -demolished). A basilica was built at M, a _curia_ at N; and at T baths -were erected. In the lower town, quay-walls, Q, kept the river within -bounds; a vast market was disposed at R, and an emporium for merchandise -at S. The town, or rather its suburbs, extended on the right bank, east -as far as the middle of the island of sand, C, and south, to the lower -side of the large _tête de pont_. These suburbs were simply inclosed by -a _vallum_, as a safeguard against a sudden attack; for being commanded -by higher ground they did not admit of defences adapted to resist a long -siege. - -These works occupied several years, and were executed with resources -drawn partly from the imperial treasury but chiefly from municipal -imposts. Abonia was wealthy; but it suffered long from the burdens -imposed upon it to render it secure against the incursions of the -barbarians. Philostratus, moreover, had authority to make requisitions -and levy dues, and he largely availed himself of it. - -The undertaking completed, this cité, thus transformed by the order of -the emperor who had saved Gaul, received the name of Juliana. The valley -alone preserved the name of Abonia. - -It may be desirable to give a few details explanatory of the defences. -Fig. 17 gives the section of the rampart between the towers. - -[Illustration: FIG. 17.] - -Its terrace, raised to an average height of fourteen feet above the -ground-level of the plateau, had a flight of steps between the towers -five feet wide. The merlons were six feet high, and the sill of the -embrasures was three feet above the footway. - -[Illustration: FIG. 18.] - -The rampart was constructed with two faces, of courses of small square -stones, with courses of brick at intervals. The masonry between the two -faces was of coarse rubble concrete. Outside, along the verge of the -plateau, a fosse ten or twelve feet wide protected the base of the -rampart and followed the projections of the towers. A narrow covered way -was led along the counterscarp to facilitate surveillance and allow the -patrol to go their rounds. Fig. 18 gives the plans of the northern gate -with its two towers, at A on the ground level, at B on the level of the -curtain battlements. In one of these towers was constructed a stair, C, -leading down to a postern, D, and in each of them other flights of -stairs, E, which afforded easy access to the higher stories. The gate, -divided into two archways for entrance and exit, was surmounted by a -gallery, G, at the level of the rampart-walk, forming a crenelation. The -road crossed the fosse, F, over an arch, _a_, and a wooden platform, -_b_, which could be easily removed in time of siege; and then upon the -platform, H, a screen of woodwork was to be erected, completely masking -the two archways. Outside the bridge, the stonework of which was -battlemented, two small uncovered posts, I, defended the approaches, and -a palisade, P, obliged all comers to make a circuit in order to cross -the bridge. Fig. 19 shows this gate in perspective. Below the roofing -was the crenelation, which constituted the effective defence of the -towers. Moreover, at the level of the first story three openings were -made, which in time of war were furnished with screens, and which -afforded front and side views. Munitions of war were hoisted to the -higher stories by means of pulleys suspended in the round-arched -openings, K (_vide_ plan of the first story). The other gates were -constructed on the same model, the outworks alone being different, -according to the disposition of the ground. - -[Illustration: FIG. 19] - -Fig. 20 gives a general view of the great _tête de pont_ on the south, -the _place d'armes_ and the battlemented wall ascending to the square -tower on the south angle of the cité, and the _castellum_. The square -towers were not covered by roofs but by platforms, so as to allow -catapults or _onagri_ to be placed upon them.[8] - -[Illustration: FIG. 20.] - -With this design quadrangular towers of the kind described were raised -at the salient angles of the defences, which were weak points, but -which, on the other hand, facilitated the discharge of missiles over a -more extensive field. In case a front was attacked, propulsive machines -were set up behind the curtains on earthworks or wooden platforms. - -The city thus strongly fortified was in a position to resist and defy -the attacks of the barbarians, who, at that period of their history, -were unable to undertake the siege of a stronghold well planned and -defended. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 4: A pace was equivalent to three feet.] - -[Footnote 5: The Gallic foot was the _pied du roi_ (thirteen inches).] - -[Footnote 6: The dark line indicates the habitations preserved, the red -line the tenements rebuilt on the sites left unoccupied after the -clearing necessary for the fortifications and their approaches.] - -[Footnote 7: These new roads are indicated by red lines.] - -[Footnote 8: The catapults could discharge bolts six feet long and very -heavy. The _onagri_ hurled stones of sixty pounds weight to a maximum -distance of two hundred and fifty paces.] - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -_THIRD SIEGE._ - - -Whether the Burgundians crossed the Rhine at the solicitation of the -Gauls, or to find more fertile settlements, or because the emperor -Honorius had granted them a territory on the left bank of the river, -certain it is that about the year 450 they were occupying the banks of -the Saône, and had pushed their way northwards to the neighbourhood of -Langres and Besançon, westwards as far as Autun, and southwards beyond -Lyons. Having entered Gaul as allies--as auxiliaries of the tottering -empire--they treated the inhabitants with a degree of consideration -which was not shown by the Franks and other tribes that were gradually -invading the west. They had indeed gained concessions of lands and gifts -of herds but they were living on a footing of equality with the Gauls, -and their presence resulted in a partition of property with the new -comers rather than subjection to their sway. The establishment of the -Burgundians on Gallic soil may be compared with that of those colonies -of veterans whom Rome sent out formerly to various territories, whose -position was similar to that of the original inhabitants, and who in the -second generation were confounded with them. - -Gondebald, the third king of the Burgundians since their entrance on -Gallic soil, was sovereign in the year 500. At that time the territory -of this kingdom extended from Basle to Lorraine and Champagne, included -the district round Macon, reached as far as the frontiers of Auvergne, -and skirting the High Alps, followed the course of the Rhône to the -shores of the Mediterranean. Juliana, including the city and fortress, -with the district appertaining to it, was therefore clearly in -Burgundian ground. The war undertaken by Clovis against Gondebald, and -the defeat of the latter near Dijon, had indeed resulted in reducing the -extent of Burgundy on the north-west; but Autun and even Dijon and -Langres still remained in the hands of Gondomar, the second son of -Gondebald since Childebert and Clotaire came and besieged him in the -first of these three cities. Gondomar had been elected king of the -Burgundians, after his eldest brother Sigismund had been deposed and -condemned to monastic seclusion at Orleans by the sons of Clovis. -Gondomar put his tenable places in a state of defence, collected an -army, and after a battle with the Franks in Dauphiny, and in which -Clodomir perished, resumed peaceable possession of his kingdom. Ten -years later Clotaire and Childebert made a fresh attempt to destroy the -menacing power of Gondomar. They wished to associate Theodoric with -them; but as he was occupied with a war in Auvergne, he refused to -accompany them. The two sons of Clovis therefore directed their forces -in 532 towards Burgundy, and sat down before Autun, in which the king of -the Burgundians had shut himself up. - -The cité was on the point of being taken; Gondomar succeeded in escaping -with some of his troops, and took refuge in the cité Juliana, as one of -the best munitioned strongholds of his kingdom, and the key to all the -mountainous and wooded part of Burgundy. - -He was hoping to keep the troops of the Franks there till winter, and -then to take advantage of the rigour of the season in that district to -assume the offensive, with the aid of auxiliaries promised from the -East. - -In fact, Clotaire and Childebert having taken Autun about the middle of -the summer, led their army before the cité Juliana; for they could not -think of pursuing their conquest while leaving this place on their -flanks or behind them. - -Gondomar, having entered it about a fortnight before the arrival of the -Franks, had caused the defences to be repaired and provided with all -that was needed to sustain a long siege. - -The lower town, the cité, and the vale, contained at that time a -population of about forty thousand souls, among whom might be reckoned -at least ten thousand persons capable of bearing arms. Many had even -become practically acquainted with war. For since the time of Julian -Gaul had been the theatre of incessant struggles; and though the country -surrounding Juliana had remained comparatively tranquil, its -inhabitants, both Gauls and Burgundians, had been present at more than -one engagement, especially since the definitive invasion of the men of -the North. These barbarians, long the auxiliaries of the empire, had -themselves learned the profession of war in the Roman school, and were -making use of the military engines adopted by the imperial armies. - -Among the Franks, however, as among the Burgundians, the Roman standard -of discipline was not attained, and these troops had not the firmness -and tenacity which still distinguished the best soldiers commanded by -the generals of the empire. On the other hand they were often brave even -to temerity. - -The cité Juliana was well stored with provisions and munitions of every -sort when the army of the Franks presented itself. Gondomar had not -thought it possible to defend that part of the town situated on the -right bank of the river of Abonia; for it was open, the habitations -having been built beyond the line of Roman intrenchments, and the latter -being commanded on the western front. He had contented himself with -keeping the two _têtes de pont_; one, the smallest, up the stream, -covering a wooden bridge; the other, the largest, a stone bridge. As -soon as the enemy's approach was announced, Gondomar set fire to the -foot-bridges spanning the river across the islet of sand.[9] - -The troops of Childebert and Clotaire debouched by the northern road and -the western plateau, above the part of the town that had been abandoned. -These troops therefore formed two bodies, separated by the river. -Gondomar was a man of astuteness rather than a soldier; but he had with -him a certain Clodoald, a veteran of long experience in arms, and who -knew how to inspire confidence in the soldiers, as much by his bravery -as by his rude and simple manners. Severe towards himself as well as -towards others, and gifted with herculean strength, he used to punish -every act of disobedience with his own hand, inflicting one unvarying -penalty--death. In spite of, perhaps on account of this inflexibility, -Clodoald soon became the idol of the city; while he was among them they -could not doubt of success. He confounded the Franks with the Germans in -the implacable hatred which he had vowed to the latter. Gondomar placed -all the forces at his disposal under his command. - -The defences of the cité Juliana were just as Philostratus had left -them; intact and massive, they defied all attack by main force. To take -them a regular siege was necessary. The army of the Frank kings -consisted of about forty thousand men when they had laid siege to -Autun, and, deducting losses and desertions, it counted scarcely more -than thirty-five thousand men on arriving before the city. It was, -however, expecting to be reinforced. The body which presented itself on -the northern plateau consisted of twenty thousand men, and that which -appeared above the lower town of fifteen thousand. The lower town was -nearly deserted; all the able-bodied men had taken refuge in the city, -and had sent the women, children, and old men to the eastern hills. - -The main body of the Franks was therefore able to enter the lower town -without striking a blow, and naturally enough, began to pillage it. -Clodoald observed from the ramparts the disorder thus occasioned. At -nightfall he despatched a thousand men to the _place d'armes_ at the -south of the plateau, and reinforced the post that defended the _tête de -pont_ on the right bank. The Franks engaged in plundering the town had -scarcely taken notice of the large _tête de pont_ placed on the extreme -right, but had given special attention to the smaller one opposite the -wooden bridge. Towards the third hour of the night Clodoald had the -gates opened, and led forth his men in silence. The Franks had scarcely -kept a guard at this point. Surprised by Clodoald's attack, they went up -again to the lower town, uttering cries of alarm. - -Many had encamped between the _Emporium_[10] and the _tête de pont_; the -Burgundians passed round them, and attacking them unawares, drove into -the river those who were not massacred. At the same time Clodoald set -fire to the whole quarter. The wind was blowing from the south, and the -habitations situated on the banks of the river soon presented a mass of -flames. When, the Franks having rallied, their forces were on the point -of taking the offensive, the Burgundians had already re-entered the -_tête de pont_, and were re-ascending the plateau. The Franks had lost -from four to five hundred men in this skirmish, while of the besieged -not more than twenty men had been put _hors de combat_. This -commencement brought joy to the city, and those who from the top of the -ramparts saw their houses in flames, endured their ill-fortune -patiently, thinking of the vengeance they might reasonably anticipate. - -Experienced in war as he was, Clodoald would not allow this ardour to -cool. On the morning which followed this night so fatal to the Franks, -he formed two bodies of two thousand men each, well armed with _angons_, -_francisques_, and _scamasaxes_ (for throughout Gaul at that time these -weapons were common to the Franks, the Gauls, and the Burgundians, with -some slight variations). He ordered a body of about five hundred men to -issue by the eastern gate of the southern _place d'armes_, to cross the -rivulet, and make a show of intending to pass the river below the stone -bridge of the valley, by means of light boats which four men could carry -on their shoulders. These boats had been stowed away in the _place -d'armes_. At the same time, one of the two bodies was to assemble in the -northern outpost, which had not yet been attacked, and make a vigorous -sortie. Clodoald himself, with a body of a thousand men, was to pass the -eastern gate of the city, skirt the ramparts and the outpost, and come -to sustain the attack and take the enemy in flank. The five hundred men -furnished with boats were to limit themselves to such a pretence of -crossing over as would be sufficient to attract the Franks to the spot; -then the second troop was to pass the great _tête de pont_ and act as -the occasion might suggest, either attacking the enemy on the march, if -he followed the descent of the river, or keeping back the Franks coming -from the lower town. A body of a thousand men were to fall upon the -troop presenting itself on the banks of the river, and cut them to -pieces or drown them.[11] - -This plan well explained to his lieutenants, the movement commenced -about the fourth hour of the day. The two Frank kings had taken the -command: Childebert of the troops encamped on the north, Clotaire of the -body encamped on the west in the lower town. A bridge of rafts had been -early constructed five hundred paces above the isle of sand, to -establish a communication between the two bodies. - -It must be observed that after taking Autun, the two chiefs did not -expect any serious resistance in the rest of Burgundy. On the strength -of the reports that had reached them, they were persuaded that Gondomar -had been killed, that the garrison of Autun constituted his best -soldiers, and that the other strong towns would be defended, if at all, -only by inexperienced men. - -The event of the preceding night, however, caused them to reconsider -their judgment; and at the moment when the sortie on the north was -taking place, the two chiefs were planning to take the _tête de pont_ by -a vigorous effort, and at the same time to attack the northern outpost. - -The Franks are inclined, even more than the Gauls, to take for truth -what they desire to find so; and the two kings were under the persuasion -that the garrison within the city was small in number, and would be -disconcerted by these two simultaneous attacks. Things were in this -position when the Frank chiefs received the news that the line of -investment on the north was attacked. - -By the term "line of investment" must not be understood a disposition of -their forces presenting a complete analogy with the strategic -arrangements of modern times. This line consisted of a body of men, one -thousand strong, grouped somewhat confusedly behind a barricade of trees -and brushwood, four hundred paces from the northern salient. A second -body followed, consisting in great part of cavalry, dispersed in the -woods at a hundred paces from the first line, and masking the encampment -of Childebert, surrounded by the bulk of his troops. - -At the first alarm the two kings mounted their horses, and, hurrying -along with them those who were equipped for fight, hastened to the field -of action. The cavalry of the second line dashed forwards to aid the -first, separating into two squadrons to attack the enemy on his flanks. - -Recovering from their first surprise, the Franks, protected to some -extent by the barricades, were keeping their ground against the attack. -A hand-to-hand conflict was commenced, but the Burgundians, as the more -numerous, were beginning to outflank the enemy's line, when the Frank -cavalry came up, and in their turn fell upon the two wings of the -attack. The Burgundians were compelled to give ground, and were obliged -to avail themselves of the barricades of branches and brushwood not to -be outflanked. Their position, however, was becoming untenable, when -Clodoald came up on the enemy's left flank. The Franks were -panic-struck, for the troop conducted by Clodoald was marching in good -order after the Roman fashion, in echelons, so as not to allow the -cavalry to outflank their right wing. The left of the Franks took to -flight, and their example was followed in turn by every part of the -line. The Burgundians dashed forward in pursuit of them, but Clodoald, -advancing to the front, brought his whole force to a stand, though not -without difficulty. - -The fugitives, on the other hand, found themselves confronted with the -main body of Childebert's army. Full of wrath, and upbraiding them with -their cowardice, he compelled them to go back; and a body of ten -thousand men soon presented themselves in sight of the Burgundians -through the woods. The order for retreat was given; and they returned in -good order, not re-entering by the outpost, but marching along the east -front, under the protection of the ramparts. Childebert's irritation was -such that he immediately sent a thousand men to seize upon the outpost, -thinking it would be feebly guarded, since the defenders were outside -the city; but the attack had been foreseen, and the Franks lost a -hundred men in this fruitless attempt. - -On the southern side, the sortie of the Burgundians had been more -decisively successful. The state of affairs was such as Clodoald had -foreseen. The Franks, expecting the enemy to cross the river so as to -outflank them on the right, had sent a thousand men to meet the -Burgundians. The lieutenant of Clodoald had then sallied out from the -great _tête de pont_ with his two thousand warriors. Drawing up half his -force in a square, on the river side, with his front towards the lower -town and his right supported by the _tête de pont_, he had dispatched -the other half in all haste against the Frank troops on their way to -oppose the passage. - -This troop, taken in flank and thinned by the darts hurled at them by -the Burgundians in their boats, was broken up, and fled in utter -confusion. The Franks remaining in the lower town, now learning that -Childebert's army was attacked on the north, were uncertain whether they -should march towards the southern side to support the troop lower down -the river on the right bank, or betake themselves to the bridge of rafts -to assist Childebert's army. This indecision rendered the attack on the -Burgundians drawn up in square near the great _tête de pont_ -inefficient, and permitted the two thousand men who made the sortie to -return without serious loss. The sortie on the north encountered more -trying fortunes; it had left in the woods more than two hundred dead, -and brought home as many wounded. - -The Franks had lost in these two conflicts more than six hundred men, -without reckoning the wounded. Far from yielding to despondency, -however, both chiefs and soldiers were full of rage, believing they -should take the city in a few days, and that they had before them a -garrison quite disposed to capitulate, so depressed did they suppose the -Burgundians to have become by the capture of Autun: in twenty-four hours -they had lost more than a thousand men, without having even approached -the ramparts. - -The wounded Burgundians remaining in their hands were decapitated; and -their heads, stuck on long poles, were ranged in a line at a hundred -paces from the advanced work. This, however, did not constitute a -countervallation sufficient to protect them from the sorties of the -besieged. It was therefore decided that the army on the north side -should dig a ditch at two hundred paces from the advanced work, which -should extend from the river valley to that of the rivulet; the ditch to -be about two thousand paces long, and behind this ditch, with the earth -dug out and barricades (of branches), an intrenchment was to be raised. -They could thus in the first place obviate any attack of the besieged at -this point. In the second place, it was resolved to seize the great -_tête de pont_. The only communication with the outside then left to the -besieged would be the valley of the rivulet; but this valley was almost -impracticable, full as it was of bogs and marshes; so that the -inhabitants of the city could attempt nothing on this side. As to -assistance from without, it was deemed out of the question then to -expect any; in any case, to prevent the besieged from issuing by the -eastern gate, a well-guarded work should be raised in front of it; next, -to prevent the besieged from getting provisions, the country on the left -bank of the river should be devastated. As regarded the aqueduct, it was -discovered and cut off. - -These measures resolved upon, the besiegers set to work without loss of -time. But Clodoald, who had been present at more than one siege, knew by -experience that a garrison which had no expectation of help from -without, has but one means of safety, viz. to allow the besieger no -respite, especially at the commencement of the investment, when the -enemy had not yet been able to complete his works and effect a close -siege. Without knowing exactly what the army of the Franks had in -contemplation, he knew its numerical force, and did not doubt that it -commanded the services of some Latin engineers, as such was the case at -the siege of Autun. Clodoald therefore divided his troops into eight -bodies. The inclosure[12] being defended by forty-four towers, eleven -hundred and eighty men were required to guard them, reckoning -twenty-five men for each of the thirty-six towers of this inclosure, and -thirty-five for each of the eight towers of the gates, or seventy men -for each gate and its works. The post of each tower, it must be -understood, was, in conformity with the military usages of the time, -intrusted with the guard of the neighbouring curtain. The guard of the -northern outwork required two hundred men; for the _place d'armes_ on -the south, and the _têtes de pont_, five hundred men; to garrison the -stronghold (_Castellum_) one hundred men; to watch the rampart on the -north descending from the angle of the city to the river, and to guard -its banks, six hundred men. Total for the ordinary guard of the -defences, two thousand five hundred and eighty men. He distributed this -first body so that the best troops occupied the _place d'armes_, the -_têtes de pont_ and the advanced guard, as well as the front on this -side. Clodoald constituted a second body of a thousand men, held in -reserve in the middle of the city, to hasten at need to one or several -of the points attacked. He had about six thousand men left, which he -divided into six bodies of a thousand men each, thus distributed: two in -the part of the town situated between the cité and the river, two in the -neighbourhood of the northern gate, and two near the eastern gate. These -six bodies were to be ready to make a sortie whenever the order was -given. - -Clodoald retained under his own direct command the thousand men in -reserve lodged in the middle of the cité. Then he provided for the wants -of the garrison and the inhabitants living within the walls. A great -quantity of provisions had been brought into the town by means of -requisitions and according to Roman usage. These provisions were stored -in the stronghold. The flocks and herds were driven to graze on the -slopes of the plateau on the south and east. Timber in considerable -quantity had also been laid in store. It was ranged along the interior -of the curtain walls. In addition to its walls the town had vast -cisterns, supplied by the aqueduct. This being cut off, Clodoald had the -rain-water from the roofs collected in channels which led into these -cisterns. Moreover, in the part of the town situated between the -ramparts and the river there was a fine spring capable of supplying all -the upper part of this quarter. - -Clodoald looked carefully to the lodging of his troops. Many of the -soldiers had their families in the town; he would not allow the -defenders to lodge in their houses. He had the public buildings arranged -to receive the seven thousand men who did not habitually occupy the -ramparts. Those who were charged with the guard were well lodged in the -towers, the public buildings of the quarter, or outside the ramparts. -Clodoald, as has been said, enjoyed the full confidence of his troops -before the arrival of the Franks; but after the successful affairs of -the first day, his men considered him as a kind of Providence, and -blindly obeyed him. Accordingly, these arrangements were readily -accepted and carried into execution. In details he had adopted the -composition of the Roman cohort, and every chief of a corps was -responsible for the execution of the orders he received under pain of -death. As for the inhabitants, they were obliged to lend assistance -whenever required; a refusal was capitally punished. - -Gondomar, whom we have scarcely had occasion to mention hitherto, -inhabited the _Castellum_; and Clodoald manifested the greatest respect -for him, acting as he said only according to his instructions; but for -the garrison, the veritable chief was Clodoald. - -Having provided for what was most pressing, namely the organization of -his force, he had two _onagri_ placed in the outwork the day following -the engagements, and these _onagri_ began to hurl stones of sixty pounds -weight on the Frank workmen engaged in the contravallation, two hundred -paces from the salient, with such effect that the besiegers were forced -to put back their fosse fifty paces out of range. The following night, -Clodoald sent out a thousand men by the eastern gate, who, defiling by -the road along the rampart, went and destroyed the first works of the -Franks, and re-entered immediately; at the same time another sortie, -effected through the south gate of the great _tête de pont_, surprised -several men of the Frankish outposts. Their heads, fixed on stakes, -were placed at the extremity of the northern outwork, as a response to -the proceedings of the Franks. That very night, the enemy attempted to -cross the river, aided by the islet of sand, in order to attack the -ramping curtain on the north from behind; but they were unable to land, -the quays being well lined with troops. Many of them were drowned. - -Things were proceeding rather unfavourably for the army of the Frank -kings; it was accompanied, however, by an able Latin engineer, who had -given proofs of his skill, especially at the siege of Autun. Childebert, -exasperated by the success of the besieged, poured forth menaces against -his own men as well as the enemy. He had not deigned to listen to the -advice of his engineer, who since the arrival of the army before Juliana -had been urging him to encamp on the north, and not to invest the town -till he had reconnoitred its approaches. Consulted after the preliminary -checks, Secondinus--that was the name of the Latin engineer--admitted -that it was difficult to withdraw, since the army was engaged around the -place; that the first thing to be done was to make it impossible for the -besieged to make a sortie; and to effect this result--the latter being -unable to issue without danger except by the eastern gate, and the -_têtes de pont_--it was necessary to raise works in front of these -points of egress, so as to close them completely; that it was hazardous -and of little advantage to try to seize the great _tête de pont_ by a -direct attack; but that it was necessary to occupy the western quarter -below the ramparts, and therefore to cross the river; that then, by the -same blow, the _têtes de pont_ and the ramping wall on the north would -be lost to the besieged, and the southern _place d'armes_ endangered. - -Thereupon, trees were felled in the forest on the plateau, and the -timberwork of the houses of the lower town brought away. A moat, filled -from the river, surrounded the works of the great _tête de pont_; but -those of the smaller one no longer possessed any; the fosse had long -been filled up, and the besieged had neglected to sink it afresh. The -south wall of the _Emporium_, which joined the northern shoulder of that -smaller _tête de pont_, was crenelated, and in the hands of the -defenders, including the square return on the road coming from the west. -Thus half the area of the Emporium was commanded in its length by this -wall.[13] Astride on this western road, Secondinus erected an _agger_ -which rested against the river, fifty paces from the square return, and -on this agger he fixed up a work of framed timber, which commanded the -enemy's rampart (Fig. 21). Around the great _tête de pont_, he contented -himself with raising a contravallation, which cut off the two roads. -Before the eastern gate of the city, the operation presented great -difficulties, because of the steepness of the slope of the plateau. -Every night, the besiegers' works were thrown down by the defenders, who -had the advantage of the dominant position. Secondinus, after several -unsuccessful attempts, was obliged to confine himself to forming beneath -the ascent of the plateau a work of earth and timber, forming an arc of -a circle, as in the accompanying sketch (Fig. 22). - -The besiegers could reach this work, which was out of range of the -plateau, by a road descending gently towards the western arm of the -rivulet. - -These works had not been executed without attempts on the part of the -besieged to destroy them, nor without considerable loss on the part of -the Franks. A fortnight, however, after the enemy's arrival, they were -completed, and strongly guarded. - -[Illustration: FIG. 21.] - -The enemy's troops were thus disposed around the cité:--The large -encampment on the north plateau was occupied by twelve thousand men; the -defenders of the great contravallation on the same side numbered two -thousand. The body lodged in the lower town consisted of six thousand -men; the guard of the work opposite the small _tête de pont_, five -hundred; that of the contravallation around the great _tête de pont_, -one thousand two hundred; the work raised at the bottom of the plateau -facing the east gate contained one thousand two hundred men. Total: -twenty-two thousand nine hundred men. There remained, deducting for -losses since the commencement of the siege, about ten thousand soldiers, -who scoured and devastated the country, collected provisions and forage, -and formed a reserve corps, ready to make a fresh attempt when the -propitious moment arrived. - -[Illustration: FIG. 22.] - -These preparations rendered it clear to Clodoald that the enemy since -his first checks was acting with method, and preparing for a decisive -action. He had quickly perceived that his attack would be directed to -the weak points of the fortress,--that is to say, the northern salient -and the banks of the river opposite the western bend of the cité; he had -therefore strongly barricaded all the roads of the town leading to the -quay, and had strengthened the latter with a _vallum_. - -[Illustration: FIG. 23] - -In addition to this, two hundred paces behind the square tower on the -river, to the north, he had run another vallum, _a_, _b_, through the -houses and gardens, following the slopes of the plateau in an oblique -direction, and joining the south-west gate (Fig. 23). The habitations -had been left as a mask in front of this entrenchment; a few houses and -fences only had been cleared away to give a free space outside. - -[Illustration: FIG. 24.] - -Clodoald could not attempt anything before the northern salient, the -enemy being there in front of him in force; but within the salient -itself he sunk ditches with retrenchments of earth and stakes, as shown -in Fig. 24. These works being low and masked were invisible to the enemy -outside. Every night he sent out of the city, by the postern which led -to the bottom of the wide fosse on the northern front, spies who -rendered him an account of the operations of the enemy. - -At the end of the third week from the beginning of the siege, his spies -reported a considerable degree of activity in the large camp; that -faggots were being got ready, that the soldiers were preparing their -arms, and that war-engines were being mounted. One of these spies, who -crossed the river below the town and observed the attitude of the enemy -encamped on the west, brought a similar report. Clodoald judged, -therefore, that the besiegers were on the point of attempting a grand -effort on the west and the north. - -On the morning of the twenty-third day of the siege, in fact, four -_onagri_ planted on the work opposite the small _tête de pont_ swept the -latter with stones so effectually that the defenders were scarcely -sheltered behind the parapets, and could not work the engines placed at -that point. At the same time, boats laden with inflammable materials -were launched in the river above the wooden bridge. These boats, -impelled in the direction required, were arrested by the piles of the -bridge, and were not long in setting it on fire (Fig. 25). The defenders -of the small _tête de pont_, seeing that their retreat was going to be -cut off, abandoned the work, which was soon occupied by the Franks. -Retired within the _place d'armes_ behind the bridge, the besieged -could do nothing but watch the fire. - -[Illustration: FIG 25.] - -At the same time, shielded by wicker mantelets, a numerous troop of the -enemy were advancing boldly against the north-east and north-west flanks -of the northern salient. Filling up the fosse with faggots, the -assailants rushed in a dense column against the rampart. The conflict -was furious. Thanks to the stonework of the aqueduct the enemy were -unable to break through the north-east flank; but they succeeded in -gaining a footing[14] on the opposite one. The besieged were obliged to -abandon the salient, retiring from one retrenchment to another, and -with but slight loss, whereas the assailants had more than two hundred -men killed on the rampart and in the ditches. - -At nightfall Clodoald with the three thousand men of his reserve corps -issued suddenly by the central gate--the bridge of which, strongly -barricaded, had remained in his possession--and fell upon the enemy: he -killed a hundred more, but was unable to retake the work. Moreover, he -anticipated another attack, and was not mistaken. Towards midnight the -Franks took possession of the island of sand with the help of rafts, and -there entrenched themselves in front of the quay. They were within -bowshot, and arrows were discharged on both sides, but with little -result. - -The loss of the advanced work had only the effect of animating the -besieged, who were for immediately re-taking it. Clodoald had to calm -their ardour by promising them to do better than retake it; adding, that -just then he had another enterprise in view, and that the enemy was -going to give them a fine opportunity of beating him. - -Clodoald strengthened the defences of the northern front, which could -not be taken by storm; placed a strong body in the outwork of the -eastern gate, with orders to defend it to the last man; and sent down as -large a number of troops as they would hold into the two _places -d`armes_ south and south-west. He strongly manned the oblique -entrenchment descending to the edge of the water, and placed there a -chief on whom he could depend, with special instructions. - -The next day passed without fighting. The Franks were engaged in -intrenching themselves within the outwork against the north front, and -destroying the _vallum_. They were bringing to the island timbers, -fascines, earth, and stones, and were beginning to fill up the small -arm with these materials. Sheltering themselves with wicker mantelets, -they threw stones into the water, then fascines, in which large pebbles -were inclosed to make them sink between the stones, then when these -materials began to rise above the surface; they laid trunks of trees -upon them across the stream, and between these fascines and clods of -turf. The besieged could scarcely do anything to hinder these -operations. Two _onagri_ sometimes hurled stones at the workmen; but -they, well shielded and always in motion, were seldom struck. Towards -evening the embankment was barely twenty feet from the quay wall, and -the water--rather low at that season--ran through the sunken fascines -without endangering the stability of the dam. The Franks continued all -night working at the consolidation and enlargement of the causeway; then -they brought timbers and ladders, and raised on its extremity about -fifteen feet from the quay wall a stage of timberwork prepared -beforehand. At daybreak the besieged perceived on the stage the end of a -kind of bridge, furnished with a wicker mantelet, moving slowly forwards -towards the edge of the quay (Fig. 26). Secondinus had the platform of a -bridge framed ten feet wide: this platform, laid on rollers which rested -on the inclined beams, was propelled by soldiers, aided by levers, and -drawn by two cables wound on capstans fixed in advance. The men with the -levers were screened by sheets of thick canvas stretched before them, -which stopped the darts. All this time two catapults and two _onagri_ -showered long darts and stones on the _vallum_ of the quay; while -slingers and archers rendered it impossible for the defenders to show -themselves. - -[Illustration: FIG. 26.--THE ATTACK--THE MOVABLE BRIDGE INTENDED FOR -CROSSING THE SMALL ARM OF THE RIVER OF ABONIA.] - -The chief who commanded the latter, following the instructions of -Clodoald, drew his men gradually away in the direction of the houses; -and when the rolling bridge attained the ridge of the _vallum_ of the -quay, not a single Burgundian remained behind this defence. The Franks -rushed with loud shouts on the platform, threw down the wicker parapet, -and spread themselves in great numbers over the deserted and silent -quay. Dreading some ambuscade, they were in no hurry to ascend the -slopes of the plateau, gentle though they were at this point, or to -venture along the roads whose barricades appeared not to be guarded. -They drew up along the quay in good order until they numbered about -four thousand men. This did not take long; for as soon as the first few -had passed from the stage to the _vallum_, the besiegers had placed -beams across on which they laid logs, brushwood, and turf, and the -bridge had thus attained a width of nearly thirty feet. - -A second body of considerable strength ready to sustain the first was -assembled on the island, and a third body was approaching on the -opposite bank. - -Secondinus was one of the first to reach the left bank, and he augured -no good from the apparent inaction of the besieged. He desired that any -advance should be made with caution, and not until a _tête de pont_ had -been erected with stakes and _débris_ taken from the neighbouring -houses. An exploring party sent into these houses found that they were -deserted, while behind the barricades erected where the roads opened on -the quay there were no defenders. - -He therefore ordered these barricades to be cleared away. All this took -up time, and the Franks began to murmur loudly, asking if they had been -sent across the river merely to guard the shores. Their chiefs insisted -that the besieged had abandoned this part of the cité, as they had the -lower town, that they had retired behind their walls, and that if -advantage was not taken of their retreat, they would regain courage and -come and attack the Franks in the night; that it was essential to occupy -the ground vacated by them without loss of time, and take up a position -beneath the walls, seizing in its rear the smaller _place d'armes_. -Secondinus shook his head, and persevered in ordering measures of -safety. Towards midday one of the Frank chiefs, still more impatient -than the rest, called his men together and declared that there had been -too long a delay, and that the slopes must be occupied. "Let the brave -follow me, and those who are afraid remain here and find themselves -sheltering-places!" and he and his followers made for the summit of the -plateau. His example was quickly followed, and by various paths through -the houses and gardens more than two thousand men ascended the slopes. - -Arrived at the _vallum_ formed on the slant, they were received by a -shower of stones and darts. But soon recovering the surprise, and urged -on by their chiefs, the Franks sprang up the escarpment. Their position, -commanded as it was by the besieged, was unfavourable, and the first -assault failed. They had to rally in the shelter afforded by the -habitations and hedges left by Clodoald outside the _vallum_. Hearing -the shouts of the onslaught, the troops left near the passage hurried in -their turn up the hill. Secondinus then judged it expedient to get over -a thousand men from among those who had remained in the island, giving -excellent reasons for keeping them at that point. - -Seeing the reinforcement ascending the hill, the first assailants -separated into three large parties, and at the word of command advanced -anew against the _vallum_. The fall of the foremost did not arrest the -new comers, who passed over their bodies. There were moments when the -intrenchment seemed to be carried, for its ridge was crowned by Frank -soldiers; but the defenders--independently of those who guarded the -_vallum_--had also divided into compact bodies, which, in readiness -behind, fell on the assaulting columns when their heads appealed above -the ridge. Thus the conflict presented a series of captures and -recaptures of the _vallum_, and it appeared as if the same turns of -fortune would be repeated as long as the assailants and defenders were -able to form bodies of soldiers. Many fell on both sides, for they -fought hand to hand. - -Then it was that Clodoald, who held the smaller _place d'armes_ on the -south-west, led forth a thousand men in good order, keeping along the -river; he ordered those who occupied the large _place d'armes_ to pass -on between him and the _vallum_, and to fall on the assailants in flank. -From the right shore the Franks perceived this movement of Clodoald, and -hurried towards the island to attack him and support those of their -party who were on the left shore. But Clodoald had the start, and -advanced by a direct road, whereas the enemy had to make a détour. In a -few minutes, therefore, he came upon the body of Franks which, at the -instance of Secondinus, was guarding the passage. He attacked it most -vigorously, and cut down the first he met with. The Franks resisted, -however, and, covering the embankment, formed in a square, with their -right against the river. Fresh assailants passed over to the embankment, -and took up such a position on the left that Clodoald's troop was on the -point of being surrounded, and to free itself was obliged to make a -movement in retreat, not without much loss--abandoning the left shore in -order to reach the slopes and choose more advantageous ground. - -The second troop of Burgundians was then advancing on the flank of the -besiegers, who were furiously storming the _vallum_. The assailants, -attacked in flank, almost in rear--by reason of the direction of the -_vallum_--gave way and ran down towards the passage, pursued by the -Burgundians. Seeing himself thus supported, Clodoald assailed the foe -with renewed energy. At that juncture came Gondomar sallying out from -the western gate, with fresh troops to reinforce the defenders of the -_vallum_. Seeing the enemy flying in all haste towards the passage, he -concluded that his force was strong enough to press them vigorously, -and, following the southern ramping wall, and then turning to the left, -he attacked the enemy on the shore opposite the island. The Franks, thus -attacked in front and on both flanks, with a narrow passage behind, -offered a desperate resistance; but their very numbers were unfavourable -to success, and they were overwhelmed with missiles hurled by Burgundian -slingers posted in the houses on the slope. - -When night came not an enemy remained alive on the left shore; many had -sought to reach the island by swimming, and a considerable number had -also effected their escape by the embankment; but more than two thousand -five hundred bodies remained along the _vallum_ and about the entrance -of the passage. Clodoald had faggots and straw heaped on the movable -bridge, which soon caught fire as well as the stage. The besieged lost a -thousand, and Clodoald was wounded. - -The Burgundians had kept the western portion of the town, but they could -not take the offensive in that quarter, since dense masses of the enemy -presented themselves there. - -During the same day the Frank kings had made a feint of attacking the -north front of the city; but the ramparts and the towers erected on this -front could only be taken by a regular siege, and the Burgundian troops -assigned to that quarter were more than sufficient to defy a serious -attack. - -Retired within their tent, Childebert and his brother accused one -another of the failure of their operations, but ultimately agreed in -throwing on Secondinus the blame of their defeat. The latter, summoned -into their presence, had to undergo the bitterest reproaches. "If," -replied the engineer, "your troops were disciplined--if they had not -persisted in attacking the quarter, on which we had fortunately gained a -footing, at haphazard--we should still be on that shore, and should -have been able to-morrow to seize the whole of that region; not that I -think it necessary to attack the cité on that front, but because we -could thus have prevented any sortie, and might without risk attack the -northern front and take it--which would only be an affair of time. - -"Not being in possession of the western quarter, all our siege works may -be destroyed in a vigorous sortie; for the besieged are audacious--they -have shown themselves so; and the ramping wall which descends to the -river from the west corner will always put our attack on the north front -of the cité at the mercy of a vigorous effort. - -"This ramping wall has no visible gates, but it will be easy for the -besieged to make outlets if there are not already some hidden ones; and -then under favour of night he can fall on the right flank of the attack, -burn our works, and render the siege much longer and more uncertain in -its issue. Each of our chiefs insists on commanding; and, brave though -they all are, before a cité so well fortified and defended, blind -bravery only involves you in useless perils. Obtain from them, -therefore, an implicit obedience to your commands, and remember that -your illustrious father owed his victories to the rigorous discipline -which he succeeded in maintaining." This firm language did not fail to -make an impression on the two kings, who, repressing their anger, began -to deliberate coolly on the situation. It was decided to seize the great -_tête de pont_, still in the hands of the besieged; to keep a strict -watch on the shores of the river; and to attack the place along the -whole extent of the northern front, comprising the ramping wall. - -The two kings decided that the chiefs of the various corps should obey -Secondinus, whom they intrusted with the direction of their operations. -The chiefs were assembled, and received from Childebert's own mouth the -order not to engage in any enterprise except such as Secondinus should -sanction. But these Franks had no liking for the Roman, as they called -him, and received the admonition with a bad grace. Many raised -objections, declaring that the slow proceedings of the Roman were the -cause of their failures, and that if they might have their way the cité -would soon be in their power. Childebert and his brother began to feel -their resolution failing at these representations, and looked to -Secondinus to reply. Addressing himself then to the chiefs who had -accused him, he said: "Let those of you who have a plan of attack to -offer, speak; let them explain by what methods they propose to force -walls defended by men inured to war and well commanded; and if they can -exhibit a plan superior to mine, I am ready to follow them like the -humblest of their soldiers. But the kings and the whole army, before -being called upon to advance, have a right to demand that their lives be -not risked in an enterprise without definite purpose, and not presenting -any chance of success." To this speech there was no response. "You, who -spoke," said Childebert then to one of the chiefs, "what do you -propose?"--"We took Autun by main strength; we invested the cité, made a -breach in the wall, and entered it."--"Yes," replied Secondinus; "but -Autun is not a cité built on the summit of escarpments like this; we -were able to attack it from the level on two of its fronts, without -having a river in the rear. Its walls, good though they were, were but -ill defended, and our simultaneous attacks on two opposite points -disconcerted the besieged. Here there is but a single front that can be -attacked from the level; all the others crown escarpments, that could be -easily defended, even without walls. Only two courses, then, are -possible: either to invest the place so closely as to force it to -surrender through want of provisions--which may be a tedious process, -for the besieged are well provisioned, and the Frank army, which -dislikes inaction, will melt away during such a blockade--or to attack -the only vulnerable side, and concentrate all our forces on that point. - -"By proceeding regularly, this front will be in our power in three -weeks. Then we shall be able to invest the _castellum_ closely, leaving -a numerous body to prevent any sortie. It must surrender eventually, and -in the meantime the kings will subdue the rest of Burgundy, without -being delayed here." Many of the chiefs responded, proposing irrational -plans of attack--appearing such, indeed, to the assembly; for though all -agreed in blaming the conduct of the siege hitherto, no one could -suggest a consistent plan of operation. Every proposition was therefore -received with murmurs or ironical laughter. Seeing this, Childebert made -a formal declaration that he and his brother were determined that -Secondinus should be obeyed in all points, since no one had a desirable -plan to propose; and the assembly separated. The two kings, remaining -alone with the engineer, urged him to contrive for securing an immediate -success that might cause the recent failures to be forgotten and restore -confidence to the army. - -"The difficulty," replied Secondinus, "is to obtain such a success, -without risk, with troops that do not strictly follow orders. What -secures success in siege warfare is patience, assiduous labour, and -rigid discipline; but your men are not patient, are not fond of digging, -and are undisciplined. They prefer getting killed in an assault under -unfavourable conditions to the safe, though painful, labour which in the -course of some days would secure the capture of the place without much -loss." - -Meantime the Frank army was reinforced by a body of about two thousand -men, sent by Theodoric, who, having terminated his expedition into -Auvergne, was reckoning on gaining some advantage from the war going on -in Burgundy. These two thousand men were robust, but ill-armed, and -little fitted for active war; but they were able to render great -services in siege works. They were placed directly under the orders of -Secondinus, who set them to work immediately, promising them a large -share of the booty when the cité was taken. - -[Illustration: FIG. 27.] - -We have seen that the northern salient had remained in the power of the -Franks. Secondinus raised an _agger_ at this point, in front of the gate -of the cité; and on the declivity of the plateau another _agger_ -opposite and on the counterscarp of the fosse of the ramping wall (Fig. -27). The ridge of these works did not reach the level of the footway of -the cité walls, but yet rose high enough to allow great stones to be -discharged on the battlements by means of onagers, and to render the -situation perilous to the defenders. The especial object of this was to -occupy the besieged. Under shelter of these two earthworks, Secondinus -had two mines commenced, one at the point A, the other at B, which, -carried under the bottom of the dry ditches, were to penetrate beneath -the walls. Clodoald, who had been rather severely wounded, was obliged -to confide the superintendence of the defence to his lieutenants, who -informed him of the besiegers' operations, and who believed that the -Franks were going to raise timber works to command the walls, destroy -the battlements, and throw bridges across. Nothing, however, favoured -the supposition that such was the intention of the Franks, who limited -themselves to furnishing the earthworks with screens to protect their -engines. This apparent inactivity was a constant source of anxiety to -Clodoald, who knew, through his spies, that the besiegers had received -reinforcements. As he was unable to take the lead, he dared not direct -his lieutenants to undertake any fresh sorties, and was obliged to -content himself with recommending the most scrupulous vigilance. -Trusting, moreover, to the solidity of the Roman walls and the rocky -site of the plateau, he scarcely believed that mining could be rendered -efficient; yet, in anticipation of such a contingency, he ordered that -trusty men should be set to listen in the lower stories of the towers, -and at the base of the walls opposite the face of attack; then he had -platforms prepared behind the rampart to receive six machines, which -discharged stones in abundance on the earthworks of the besiegers (Fig. -28). - -[Illustration: FIG. 28.] - -The Franks, on their side, were working vigorously at their two mining -galleries, not without great difficulty, for they had at several points -very hard rock to pierce. The excavated earth was heaped up within the -earthwork, and could not be seen by the besieged. Till they reached the -fosse the noise of the work could not be heard from the cité; but when -the miners had arrived below the fosse, the men on guard in the town -heard the sound of pickaxes dully reverberating through the night. -Clodoald, informed of this, immediately gave orders to countermine, -starting from the interior base of the rampart, and in the direction of -the sound. On both sides, therefore, the miners were at work; but this -did not prevent the projectile engines from being worked all day by both -parties. - -In a fortnight the besiegers' tunnels were near enough for the workmen -to hear the blows of the pickaxes in the rock. Clodoald was then in a -condition to leave his dwelling; he examined what had been done, stopped -the work, and listened attentively. He judged that the enemy's miners -were digging obliquely under the wall, near the north gate (Fig. 29), -while the countermine of the besieged followed the direction A B. - -[Illustration: FIG. 29.] - -He thought he also perceived that the enemy's tunnel was on a higher -level than his own. This seemed favourable to the plan he was intending -to adopt, and with a view to greater safety, he sunk the floor of the -countermine-tunnel still lower. On visiting the base of the ramping wall -he heard no noise at this point, although his lieutenants said they had -heard mining towards the upper third of the wall during the preceding -days. The countermine-tunnel was also commenced opposite to the place -where they thought they had heard the enemy's miners. Clodoald ordered a -suspension of the work till the besiegers' operations were clearly -understood. - -Next day, on the north front, it became evident that the -countermine-tunnel was crossing that of the enemy, for the steps of the -pioneers were heard above the ceiling. - -Clodoald then had the ceiling shored up along the sides of the tunnel, -and ordered that the layers of stone forming the ceiling should be -noiselessly removed by levers and crowbars, so as to render it as thin -as possible below the point where footsteps had been heard. - -When this had been done to the extent of leaving only a very thin layer -of rock, Clodoald had dry faggots, resin, tar, and all the inflammable -materials that could be got, heaped up in the countermine tunnel; then, -promising the most skilful of his miners a large reward on succeeding, -he told him to break down this crust, and as soon as he perceived an -opening, however small, to set fire to the faggots, retiring towards the -entrance. - -In fact, a few minutes after the order had been given, the miner -appeared at the entrance of the shaft, followed by a thick smoke. He -reascended quickly, and this opening was stopped with planks and earth. - -From the hole made below the floor of the besiegers' gallery the smoke -was rising into the tunnel, and suffocating the miners. They tried to -stop up this orifice, but the necessary materials were not at hand; and -the flame soon mounted high, as the hole produced a draft. The heat -burst the stone to pieces, and the opening was becoming larger. The -mining gallery was soon so filled with smoke that it was no longer -possible to stay there and some of the miners fell suffocated before -they could gain the somewhat distant mouth of the tunnel. - -The stir caused among the besiegers beyond the earthwork proved to -Clodoald that the operations had been frustrated, and the mine rendered -untenable. He then stopped up the entrance to the countermine, and when -the smoke was dissipated, he resolved on examining the state of things -for himself. The faggots were burning rapidly by reason of the draft, -and the flame was roaring through the hole, which was becoming larger -and larger. Fresh faggots were thrown on the fire with pitchforks, the -limestone was cracking incessantly and falling in large slabs. - -Secondinus had heard the counterminers at work, but had not been able to -ascertain the direction they were following, as they were excavating -under the limestone bed in a clayey sand. He thought the galleries would -meet some time or other, and that then there would be a struggle in the -tunnel. Anticipating this, he had screens in readiness, hoping thus to -remain master of his own gallery, and even to gain possession of the -countermine. - -The event disconcerted his projects; no further progress was possible -there. Along the ramping wall, Secondinus's miners had reached the sand, -and were consequently no longer heard. He sent all his workmen, -therefore, to this quarter, and had his galleries deeply excavated -according to the plan (Fig. 30). Thanks to the yielding nature of the -soil, this operation was completed the following night. The galleries -were well propped and shored with dry wood taken from the houses of the -lower town. Faggots smeared with tar were placed among these props, and -at dawn were set fire to. - -[Illustration: FIG. 30.] - -Clodoald's anxiety had brought him once more to this front of the -defence, when a cracking noise was heard.... A wide piece of the wall, -above the oblique intrenchment made by the besieged, immediately split, -bent forward, and fell _en masse_ outside into the fosse. Clouds of -smoke and dust arose, and the exulting cries of the Franks were heard -from the cité. - -There was not a moment to lose: weak as he still was from his wound, -Clodoald assembled all his men within call, and sent for a -reinforcement. With the soldiers--about two hundred in number--who had -hastened together at his first summons, he mounted to the summit of the -crumbling wall (Fig. 31) to meet the assault. - -[Illustration: FIG. 31.] - -When the dust and smoke were somewhat dispersed, he could see the -Franks, about two thousand in number, drawn up on the earthwork, -prepared to scale the ruins. Happily for the defenders, an engine -mounted on the platform of the square tower at the angle of the cité[15] -was quickly turned by those serving it, so as to discharge heavy stones -on the van of the attack, killing or wounding many men at every volley; -which forced the Franks to retreat until mantelets were brought up. -This delay enabled the besieged to assemble on the breach, and to heap -up fascines there--for the besiegers on their side were discharging a -quantity of stones on this point--and to place planks so as to ascend to -the summit of the crumbling wall more readily. - -All this occupied but a quarter of an hour, when the Franks ascended the -_agger_ once more, protected by the mantelets, threw fascines into the -space between the head of the wall and the slope of the _agger_, and -rushed forward resolutely to the assault. - -The position of the besieged was disadvantageous, for they had behind -them the escarpment produced by the thickness of the fallen wall, and a -ground deeply creviced by the fall of the masonry; while this fallen -wall gave the besiegers a slope of slight inclination, and of easy -access. - -[Illustration: FIG. 32.] - -The assault was vigorous and vigorously met, but the people of the cité -had only a thin front to oppose to a compact assaulting column; and -towards midday the Franks remained decidedly masters of the breach (Fig. -32.) Clodoald had died in the fight, and with him more than a thousand -Burgundians. - -The Franks on their side had sustained heavy loss, and the breach was -literally covered with dead bodies. Either from fatigue, or because they -feared some surprise, the besiegers allowed the remainder of the enemy's -forces to re-enter the cité without pursuing them. - -They now possessed all the western part of the town lying between the -river and the slopes of the plateau. Outside the cité the Burgundians -occupied only the southern _place d'armes_ and the great _tête de pont_: -the smaller _place d'armes_ of the bridge previously burned, being -uninclosed on the side of its access, and not united with the ramparts, -was evacuated. - -The Franks had no personal knowledge of Clodoald, and learned only from -prisoners that this brave captain had been killed in the assault. They -had his body sought for, and his head, fixed on a long pole, was placed -before the north gate. This time the prisoners were spared, and sent as -slaves to the royal domains. - -The cité Juliana was now shut in on all sides and reduced to its walls, -which were able long to defy the attacks of the Franks. But Clodoald's -death thoroughly disheartened the besiegers, and the Burgundian king was -not energetic enough to replace his skilful lieutenant. On the evening -of this unfortunate day, he assembled the chiefs of the defending forces -to deliberate on the measures to be adopted. Accustomed to the bold -enterprises of Clodoald, they thought themselves sufficiently numerous -to attempt a sortie at two points--the southern _place d'armes_ and the -eastern gate; they believed that the cité would be destitute of -provisions in a few weeks, since they could get no more supplies from -without, and they considered that this extremity and the disgraceful -surrender that must follow should not be waited for. The sortie from the -southern _place d'armes_ was to be supported by a body issuing through -the south-west gate. - -Thus they could drive back the Franks as far as the wall which they had -just passed. The sortie from the eastern gate would occupy them during -this time, on the left side of the plateau. - -But while they were engaged in these deliberations, Secondinus -understood well how to avail himself of the advantage so dearly bought. -During the night he had an intrenchment made at some distance from the -gate of the _place d'armes_, caused the road to be intercepted and the -slopes of the cité covered with abatis of trees, and thereupon commenced -without delay a mining tunnel under the descent from the castle to this -_place d`armes_ to destroy the fortified wall. - -In the morning, therefore, when the Burgundians were preparing to pass -the north gate from the great _place d'armes_, they saw before them a -well-guarded intrenchment, bristling with pointed stakes and intertwined -branches of trees. Reckoning, however, on the attack to be made by the -body that was to issue by the south-west gate, they advanced resolutely -against the intrenchment, whose defenders might thus be taken in the -rear. But this contingency had been foreseen by Secondinus; another -intrenchment at right angles was already raised before this gate, and -the road cut off; the approaches being furnished with barricades. After -losing a hundred men, therefore, the two bodies re-entered without -having been able to execute their design. Originating power and -promptness in execution were henceforth wanting to these brave people, -who were, however, determined not to capitulate. - -Three days afterwards the descent to the _place d'armes_ was undermined, -and part of it fell. The defenders of the post and of the _tête de -pont_ were surprised, and had only time to retire in haste by the road -ascending to the eastern gate: and some of them fell into the hands of -the Franks. - -The cité was then completely surrounded within bowshot distance. No -sortie could be of any serious use to the besieged; for Secondinus had -established posts supported by intrenchments around the ramparts. Seeing -the success of his last efforts, the Frank chiefs began to place more -confidence in the Latin engineer, and were obedient to his orders. - -Then Secondinus resumed his attack on the north front, and began four -mining galleries, making use of that which he had been forced to -abandon. Three were led under the square tower of the north-west -corner[16] (Fig. 33). The besieged soon heard the strokes of the miners' -pickaxes, and attempted a countermine, starting from the tower itself, -at A; but Clodoald was no longer there to direct the workmen, who, -wishing to repeat the manoeuvre previously adopted, dug too deep, -crossed the enemy's galleries underneath them, and had no clear -perception what direction their sapping should take. - -The sounds they heard were diffused, and seemed to issue from several -points; and, in fact, the Franks were working in more than one -direction, and, as Secondinus ordered, immediately under the foundation; -sometimes they were digging in the sand, and all noise ceased; sometimes -they would meet with rock, and then the blows of the pioneers again -became audible. - -[Illustration: FIG. 33.] - -The countermine gallery, therefore, was winding about, and only weakened -the basis on which the tower rested; and four days after the -commencement of the work, it was supported only by dry props, greased -and smeared with pitch. These being set on fire, the tower fell in, -bringing down with it a large piece of the north wall. Anticipating this -result, King Gondomar, who, after Clodoald's death, took the command in -the cité, had ordered an interior retrenchment to be raised, with a -strong wooden tower in the middle of the curve, projectile engines being -placed behind. He had sufficient time to complete these works after the -fall of the tower; for the breach was scarcely practicable, and was -stoutly defended. The Franks were two days in getting possession of it -and occupying the corner of the cité in front of the retrenchment, not -without having lost two or three hundred men. - -Secondinus interdicted the advance of the troops, who were eager to -storm the retrenchment and take it by main force; and this time he was -listened to. He had timber and mantelets brought, and gave orders for -the erection, on the very ruins of the angle, of a tower of green wood, -which he took care to protect with woollen blankets and fresh hides. The -engines of the defenders did not cease to discharge large stones at the -workmen, which greatly hindered them and killed many; but the Franks had -acquired confidence, and worked incessantly night and day with -enthusiastic ardour. - -Twice the defenders of the cité endeavoured to sally forth from their -retrenchments to drive off the assailants and destroy their works; they -met with a warm reception, especially as the Franks could avail -themselves of the ruins as a rampart. - -On their side projectile engines were hurling stones and darts on the -rampart walks of the extremities of the curtains that remained standing, -and made it impossible for the defenders to remain there. As soon as -anyone showed himself, showers of arrows were aimed at him. These -rampart walks were repeatedly furnished with mantelets, which were soon -thrown down by the stones from the engines. The wooden tower of the -besiegers was rising rapidly, and at the end of the second day -overtopped that of the retrenchment. An engine was planted at the top, -which incessantly discharged heavy stones on the works of the -Burgundians. The latter kept the old countermine gallery on the north -front; but they had not been able to extend it, because blocks of stone -had been thrown by the besiegers into the connecting opening, and were -replaced by others when the besieged ventured to remove them. The -enemy's miners were no longer heard on this side. The reason was that -Secondinus, having become better acquainted with the nature of the -soil, had perceived that by digging deeper he found a stratum of sand -easy to work in and carry away. From the old abortive gallery, however, -which the besieged could not speedily enter, he had conducted two -oblique tunnels, in an inverse direction and at a deep level, descending -into the sand, under the foundations of the curtain; one of them, A, -gradually rose again obliquely as far as the inner side of the ramparts -(Fig. 34). He expected in this way to make an entrance into the cité in -any case. - -[Illustration: FIG. 34.] - -But a thick bed of limestone prevented the ceiling from being speedily -penetrated. The gallery was far enough from that marked B, intended to -undermine the curtain wall, not to be destroyed by its fall, and he -reckoned on making use of it on occasion. - -Five days had been spent in these labours, and on the fifth day--that is -to say, the next day after the fall of the square tower of the -corner--the curtain near the north gate was undermined for a length of -thirty paces. The stays and props were set on fire during the night, and -in the morning the curtain sank down into the fosse, separating into two -masses. The Franks immediately threw a quantity of fascines into the -fosse, brought ladders, and rushed in great numbers on the ruined wall, -which still rose about six feet above the interior level of the cité. -The Burgundians, taken by surprise, could scarcely offer any resistance -to this escalade, and their efforts were at most confined to hindering -the assailants from crossing the breach. The position of the defenders -was one of the most unfavourable that can be imagined, especially as -they had raised no retrenchment at this point. They barricaded -themselves, however--making use of the houses, and hurling a quantity of -projectiles from the top of the neighbouring tower upon the assailants; -and the struggle was prolonged. Then it was that Secondinus sent workmen -to destroy the ceiling of the mine gallery, A, which terminated on the -inside of the wall. In four hours this was effected, and the besieged -saw a large hole on their left. In a few seconds this gaping orifice -poured forth a stream of enemies, who spread themselves along the wall, -outflanked the defenders, and hurried towards the gate to burst it open. - -The guard that defended this gate were massacred, and the doors being -smashed with axes and battering-rams, fresh troops were enabled to get -into the city. The town was taken, but the conflict was being kept up in -the streets and houses. Night came on, and the defenders of the -retrenchment, perceiving that the enemy had got round them, had retired -in haste towards the interior of the cité. - -The Franks no longer gave ear to the orders of their chief, but rushed -in small bands into every opening that presented itself, burning, -killing, and pillaging; many of them fell in with numerous bodies of -the besieged and met their death. - -The women, mad with fury, threw tiles, furniture, logs of wood, and -stones upon the Franks dispersed in the streets. As most of the houses -were of timber, the fire, fanned by a wind from the west, spread rapidly -in every direction. Besiegers and besieged fought till they were -surrounded with flames. It was a series of isolated struggles, in which -the voices of the chiefs on either side were unable to make themselves -heard. - -Gondomar, with about a thousand men, had taken refuge in the castle; and -from the summit of its towers the Burgundian king could see his faithful -cité burning, and hear the shouts of the victors and the vanquished -approaching nearer and nearer the walls of this last retreat. He had -been unwilling to close the gates, that he might gather in the -unfortunate defenders; and towards the end of the night these, driven -into the southern extremity of the cité by the enemy and the fire, began -then to arrive in crowds, many being wounded, and among them women and -children. The castle was being filled, and the enemy was approaching; so -the bridge was thrown into the fosse and the gates were shut. - -Engrossed with pillage, the Franks allowed the day which succeeded this -disastrous night to pass by without attempting anything against the -castle; and not before evening could the Frank king restore any degree -of order in the burning cité. - -There were not enough provisions in the castle to feed its numerous -occupants for forty hours. This was just what Secondinus anticipated; -accordingly he had no difficulty in persuading the Frank king to rest -content with investing the stronghold. Gondomar, overwhelmed with grief, -and seeing his helplessness, sought death by throwing himself from the -top of one of the towers. The fugitives were forced to surrender at -discretion, and most of them were carried away into slavery. - -The Frank kings destroyed the most important of the defensive works, so -as to render the cité Juliana incapable of sustaining a siege. But those -Roman works were massive; and two centuries afterwards the remains of -the towers and ramparts still presented an imposing mass of ruins. The -plateau was then a waste, and the ruins were overgrown with a luxuriant -vegetation; only a few shepherds' huts were to be seen in this desolated -region. On the western declivity, between the river and the ancient -ramparts, extended a poor little town, whose population did not amount -to more than twelve or fifteen hundred souls. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 9: See Fig. 16.] - -[Footnote 10: See Fig. 16.] - -[Footnote 11: See the plan, Fig. 16.] - -[Footnote 12: See Fig. 16.] - -[Footnote 13: See Fig. 16.] - -[Footnote 14: See Fig. 24.] - -[Footnote 15: See B, Fig. 16.] - -[Footnote 16: See B, Fig. 16.] - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -_THE FEUDAL CASTLE._ - - -In the year 1180, the valley had again become a fertile and prosperous -district. Several villages had arisen along the course of the river; and -a town of some importance covered, as in former times, the western -slopes of the old cité Juliana, and extended on the opposite shore. This -town was then called Saint Julien. How was it that the cité founded by -the Emperor Julian the Apostate had changed its appellation of Juliana -for that of Saint Julien? We shall not attempt to explain the fact. It -will suffice to say, that about the eighth century a legend arose -respecting a companion of Lucian, Bishop of Beauvais, named Julian, a -native of the Val d'Abonia, who had been martyred with Maximian a short -time before his holy bishop. His body, transferred to the place of his -birth, had there wrought numerous miracles, and was then resting in the -crypt of the church placed under his invocation, and which was the -appanage of a rich abbey, situated at the northern extremity of the -plateau. On the site in question, therefore, was to be found the city -and abbey of Saint Julien, and the castle of Roche-Pont, occupied by the -lords of Roche-Pont. As for the valley, it had preserved pretty nearly -its old name; it was the Val d'Abonia. Ever since the ninth century the -lords of Roche-Pont had been possessors of the vale, the town, the lands -contiguous, and the forests stretching northwards on the plateaux; they -claimed descent by the female side from the ancient kings of Burgundy, -and were rich and powerful. One of their ancestors engaged in a war -against King Robert, in the year 1005, and had contributed greatly to -the failure of that prince's expedition into Burgundy. On the submission -of this province at a later date to the king, the lord of Roche-Pont had -made conditions that had notably improved his domain. This lord was the -founder of the Clunisian abbey which stood on the north of the plateau; -he had endowed it with the uncultivated lands of the rivulet valley. The -monks soon made a capital domain of this valley, by taking advantage of -the little water-course, which never failed. With the aid of dams they -secured very productive pools; waterfalls turned mills, worked forges, -and irrigated fair meadows for flocks and herds, and, on the slope of -southern aspect, vineyards renowned for their fine produce. - -There were occasional misunderstandings between the abbots of Saint -Julien and the lords of Roche-Pont. According to their foundation -charter, they claimed to be perfectly independent of the lordship of -Roche-Pont--indeed, of all superiority but that of Rome--and to have -complete suzerainty over the lands they possessed; they refused to -render feudal dues to the castle, and on several occasions disputes -resulted in acts of violence. Then the abbots appealed to the Duke of -Burgundy; men of war interfered in the contest; and, as a matter of -course, the vassals had to pay the costs. - -One of the abbots, a restless and ambitious man, had presumed to -commence fortifying the abbey, and had persisted in doing so in spite of -the opposition of the lord of Roche-Pont. The lord had consequently laid -waste the abbey domain. The fraternity then appealed to the king of -France, who had intervened in the dispute. After much litigation and -cost to both sides, it had been decided that the abbey might be -surrounded by a wall without towers, and that in the event of a war in -which the interests of the suzerain were concerned, the lord of -Roche-Pont should garrison the abbey at the expense of the latter. - -The retainers of the abbey and those of the lord continued, -nevertheless, in a permanent state of antagonism; and not a year passed -in which there were not differences to be settled on this score at the -court of the duke. - -The castle of the lords of Roche-Pont was built on the remains of the -_castellum_ of the cité Juliana, and about the year 1182 it was very old -and dilapidated. - -Anseric de la Roche-Pont was at that time its owner. He was a young man -of ardent temperament and ambitious disposition, married to a niece of -the Count of Nevers, deceased in 1176--an alliance which had increased -his possessions. He bore with impatience his subjection to the Duke of -Burgundy, and in endeavouring to shake it off, his first step was to -rebuild his old castle, and put it in a condition to defy every attack. -Anseric de la Roche-Pont was encouraged in these ideas of independence -by one of his uncles, an old seigneur, who, having spent fifteen years -of fighting in Syria, had returned, worn out and impoverished, to -Burgundy. Anseric had given him an asylum in his declining years, and he -soon acquired an influence over the mind of his nephew, and even of his -niece. During the long winter evenings, the recital of adventures beyond -seas, to which the Baron Guy knew how to give a life-like interest, -would inflame the breast of the young lord. Often on such occasions the -latter would rise and pace the hall, with sparkling eyes and clenched -hands, stung with shame at his own inactivity, and consumed by the -desire of some nobler occupation than killing boars, and disputing with -monks concerning mill or fishery rights. At such moments the old baron, -far from seeking to calm his nephew's ardour, would seek to direct it to -a more attainable end than the conquest of towns in Syria. The Baron Guy -was a personage of remarkable idiosyncrasy--physically an elderly man, -tall and angular, and somewhat bent by the weight of arms: his head, -still covered with rough grey locks, square in the crown, exhibiting -projecting cheek-bones, and--beneath shaggy eyebrows--eyes of sombre -green, deeply sunk in their orbits. His wide mouth with its thin lips -showed, when he laughed--which rarely happened--rows of sharp white -teeth. When he was relating long stories, seated, his hands on his knees -and his head bent down, the light of the wax tapers fell only on his -bushy hair, his high cheek-bones, and nose. Sometimes, at exciting -passages in the recital, his head would slowly rise and, still in shade, -his eyes would send forth flashes which reminded one of distant -lightning. - -Morally, the Baron Guy is not so easily described. He hated monks--but -that is neither here nor there--and adored children; which is proof of a -happily constituted disposition. But the baron had seen so much of men -and things that it is not to be wondered at that there existed in his -mind a shade of scepticism, if such a term can be applied to the -_désenchantement_ of a noble at the end of the twelfth century. The -baron had, we say, acquired a marked influence over the mind of his -nephew; but to Anseric's two children their great-uncle was as indulgent -as possible. He was no less complaisant to his niece; she alone could -succeed in lighting up that stern visage with a ray of cheerfulness. - -The very high and noble dame Jeanne Eleanor de la Roche-Pont was a -woman of middle height. When animated, her somewhat oval face reflected -a lively intelligence; her eyes of light azure then assumed the hue of -the _lapis-lazuli_, and her complexion, habitually pale, was suffused -with a rosy flush. She had a bewitching smile, though her mouth was -slightly drooping; her swan-like neck, and the exquisite contour of her -figure, lent to all her movements a perfect grace, rendered still more -charming by an address and vivacity which was the delight of the old -baron. - -The baron, therefore, would pass whole hours with his eyes fixed on his -niece, as if he wished to study the least gestures of the Lady de la -Roche-Pont, and discover the marvellous mechanism in which their grace -and beauty originated. High-spirited on occasions, Eleanor was capable -of the greatest devotion and absolute self-sacrifice for those dear to -her. Her vassals loved her, and used to call her _la Gentil-Dame_. - -It has seemed necessary to describe at some length persons who will play -an important part in the course of this narrative. Events were, in fact, -more ruled by the individual in feudal times than during any other -period. The personal character of a noble exercised a preponderating -influence around him for good or evil. - -The Baron Guy, worn out, impoverished, and childless, was essentially -one of those sensitive spirits, bruised by contact with men and events, -which, having lost all elasticity where their own interests are -concerned, direct their entire energy and their need of something to -which to attach themselves, towards an object apparently distant or -fragile. The baron had certainly an affection for his nephew; but as far -as he alone was concerned, he would, have contented himself with leaving -him to hunt peacefully on his domains, and helping him at need; but for -his niece and her two children--handsome boys of five and eight years -old respectively--he had a love amounting to adoration, and which formed -the chief interest of his life. To him it seemed that for beings so dear -in his eyes the castle de la Roche-Pont and its domain were a very -pitiful heritage; and we may question whether even the duchy of Burgundy -would have appeared to him worthy of their acceptance. - -Ambitions of this _indirect_ character, as they may be called, are the -most insatiable and tenacious; they are of the kind stimulating to the -most daring enterprises, because they are disinterested and -irresponsible. - -When the Baron Guy spoke of the fortresses built by the Franks in -Palestine and Syria, he never failed to enumerate their towers, to -describe their lofty walls, their fair and strong defences; and, -invariably instituting a comparison between the wonderful fortresses of -Margat, Krak, Antarseus, Laodicea, Antioch, Ascalon, Giblet, and many -others, and the castle de la Roche-Pont, he exhibited the latter as a -mere hovel fit only for serfs to hide their heads in. - -When the baron's discourse took this turn--and it frequently -did--Anseric's face clouded over. Eleanor looked down, blushed, and went -to look for the children. - -One evening, as the baron had been complaisantly expatiating on the -advantageous site and solid construction of the castle of Krak, which he -had seen commenced shortly before his departure from Syria, and which -was to exceed in extent and strength the other Christian fortresses, -Anseric suddenly interrupted the recital. "Uncle," said he, "the -position of the castle de la Roche-Pont appears to me as good as that of -the knights beyond sea; and if it is only a question of making more -solid towers and higher walls than ours are, the thing is easy:--what do -you say to it?" The baron did not raise his head. "Yes," he replied, -"but you must resolve upon it." "Well, if I did resolve upon it?" -"Perhaps you might, my good nephew; but he who builds a strong castle -must expect to see it attacked." "Well, what then?" "Why, you will have -to defend it, my good nephew." "And have we not men and ourselves?" -"Yes, we shall indeed want men--men accustomed to fighting; and we shall -want arms and mangonels; moreover, the work must be done quickly if you -would avoid an attack before it is finished; and remember the duke's -court is not far off, and he will perhaps be curious to come and see for -himself what the Sire de la Roche-Pont is about." "The duke! the duke! -what business has the duke to inquire whether I am rebuilding my castle? -It is my affair, not his!" "The monks of the abbey, too, they will go -and complain to my lord duke (though he shows no great deference for -these white, black, or grey habits), and will persuade him that in -building a stronger castle your object is to lay hands more readily on -the wealth of the Church; whereas the duke prefers to keep the convent -treasures for himself." "As to the monks," said Eleanor, "you need be -under no anxiety about them; leave the matter in my hands, and I engage -that they shall give you no trouble." "Eh! what what will you do, _belle -amie_?" replied Anseric. "Will you let me act as I think best?" "By all -means; as you please, _belle amie_." - -It must be observed that Eleanor--as a wife and a lady of high -descent--entered into the baron's views, though without letting it -appear that she did so; and her most cherished desire was to leave to -her firstborn the finest domain in the province. As allied to the house -of Nevers, she had no liking for the duke; and the feudal bonds which -connected her domain with the duchy of Burgundy were perhaps a greater -annoyance to her than to her husband. - -Next day Eleanor sent for the abbot, under the pretext of having -something of importance to communicate to him. The abbot was a little -man of pale complexion, with sharp black eyes, and always elegantly -attired, as far as was permitted by the order of Cluny, which in point -of costume was then very tolerant. He came to the castle on a handsome -mule, richly caparisoned, followed by two monks, also mounted. Wine and -sweetmeats were offered them on their arrival, and when the abbot was in -Eleanor's presence, she spoke thus to him: "Sir abbot, you are aware in -what veneration I hold your sacred abbey, and how much I desire to add -something to its splendour; if my lord and myself have not done so -hitherto, it is because we have been waiting for a favourable -opportunity. My lord and myself are happy that such an opportunity -presents itself while you are ruling the abbey, because we have a -particular and profound esteem for you personally. While, then, what we -propose to do has for its object the securing to ourselves the more -especial protection of the holy apostles, Peter and Paul, it is also -prompted by consideration for your own virtues and wise administration. - -"Our castle is very old and ruinous; my lord is intending to have it -repaired; and to draw down upon its walls the benediction of heaven, he -thinks of building within its inclosure a handsome chapel, which will be -served by your fraternity as you shall direct, and which will -consequently be dependent on the abbey. An annual revenue of a hundred -livres will be devoted to the maintenance of the chapel, to be raised -from our estate of Try. Moreover, your dependency of Vieil-Bois is -unsightly and dilapidated; my lord wishes to have it rebuilt, and to -assign for its support, which is at present insufficient, twenty-five -days' labour in such vineyards of our domain as are near that -dependency." - -At each of these announcements the abbot bent his head in courteous -submission. "Lady," replied he, "the abbey of Saint Julien, founded by -one of my lord's ancestors, will be delighted by the new donations you -graciously promise. Though it has witnessed with sorrow the differences -that have sometimes arisen between the lords of Roche-Pont and its -abbots, it has never ceased to address prayers to God, to the Blessed -Virgin, and the holy apostles Peter and Paul, for the illustrious house -of its founders; and in the words that have proceeded to-day from your -gracious mouth, what it will appreciate beyond the announcement of your -intended gifts, is the assurance that its privileges and its -independence will receive fresh guarantees of that protection which was -accorded to it in the past." - -"Assuredly," replied Eleanor; "we shall take care that no harm is done -you or your vassals; and, the charter we shall give you will expressly -mention our desire to respect the immunities of the abbey, and if need -be, to enforce that respect on others. Moreover, sir abbot, you are not -ignorant that in these unhappy times the property of the Church is not -always respected, even by those who ought to defend them. You know the -trials the abbey of Vezelay has experienced: it is our intention to -shelter the cloister of Saint Julien from these insults; and there is no -surer means of protecting your abbey than putting the castle in a state -of defence." - -On his way back, the abbot asked himself what could be the cause of this -new turn in affairs. He re-entered the monastery, however, none the less -gratified; and after vespers a _Te Deum_ was sung. - -"To-morrow, my dear lord," said Eleanor to her husband, when all met at -supper, "you may set about rebuilding your castle; the abbot of Saint -Julien will not feel himself aggrieved." "A good fairy has intervened, -no doubt," said the Baron Guy; "we are bound to proceed." "By the bodies -of the saints!" said Anseric, when he learned the conditions by which -the abbot's acquiescence was to be secured, "you propose to build so -much for the Church, _belle amie_, that there will remain nothing for -the castle!" "In good sooth," replied the baron, "I am not so very well -pleased that these monks should get a footing among us." "Pshaw! we will -put the chapel in the bailey;[17] and if we have to defend the castle, -the monks will remain outside." "But why, sir uncle, are you always so -severe upon the good monks?" "Ah! gentle fairy, if you had seen them, as -I have, in lands beyond the sea, you would agree with me that it is the -worst breed----" "Come, do not blaspheme, sir uncle; here we are in a -Christian land--not among the Saracens." - -A few days afterwards, in fact, Anseric set the labourers to work. The -burgh and the villages of the domain had to furnish their contingent in -men, and in draught cattle and carts; materials were not wanting in the -vicinity. Kilns were erected for burning lime, and the forest supplied -timber in abundance. Baron Guy, in virtue of his military knowledge, -undertook the office of director. He sent secretly for a master of the -works--a native of Troyes, whom he had known in Palestine. This person -was kindly received at the castle, was well provided for and newly -clothed, but carefully watched, lest he should take it into his head to -run away. The plans of the new castle were devised by himself and the -baron. Use was made of a part of the Roman fortifications which still -existed. But the reader must know the position of the buildings then -occupying the plateau (Fig. 35) to understand what is to follow. - -[Illustration: FIG. 35.--THE OLD CASTLE DE LA ROCHE-PONT.] - -At A was the castle of la Roche-Pont, erected on the Roman remains, and -composed of irregular buildings out of repair; at B the cloister of the -abbey; and at C its church: at D the abbot's building. - -The monastery was bounded on the west by the ruins of the ancient Roman -enclosure, and on the other three sides by battlemented walls, with a -few turrets. - -At E was the pleasance of the abbey; at F that of the castle.[18] Two -fine mills, dependencies of the castle, stood at G; and at H was the -pond, filled by the pent water of the stream. - -The upper town, built on the western incline of the plateau, contained -two parish churches, I and K. A wooden bridge, with mills belonging to -the castle, existed at L, another wooden bridge at M, and the Roman -stone bridge at N. - -On the right bank were several houses with gardens. At O the road along -the plateau branched into two--one leading to the entrance of the abbey, -the other to that of the castle. At P was a breadth of cultivated land, -and at R the forest, which extended in a northerly direction more than -two thousand paces. Of the ancient ramping wall of the Romans, S, and of -the enclosure, T, there existed only heaps of _débris_. These remains, -overgrown with vegetation, formed, nevertheless, an elevation which it -was possible to defend. - -This sketch of the general topography premised, we proceed to explain -the dispositions adopted in the building of the new castle (Fig. -36).[19] At O existed a fosse, which was re-excavated. A barbican -stood at A, entered on the left side. - -[Illustration: FIG. 36 - -THE CASTLE OF LA ROCHE PONT. 12TH CENTURY.] - -The main entrance of the castle, with its drawbridge, was necessarily -placed at B. This gate had to be protected by two towers. Upon a part of -the ancient Roman north front, five towers were planned, whose curtains -were to join the two ancient towers, Y, which were repaired and -re-crowned. A wide space, C, therefore necessarily remained behind this -foremost defence. It was the _bailey_, a fore-court or outer-court, in -which were laid out the chapel, E, promised to the abbot; stables, D; -and outbuildings, F, upon a Roman ruin. At P was sunk a second fosse for -the protection of the castle, whose gateway was disposed at G. A postern -gave egress at H. The ancient Roman wall, M, received a new crowning, -and three new towers were to add to its strength. - -At I were laid the foundations of the donjon--partly on ancient -masonry--a donjon defended by a chemise and ditch. The buildings -designed for habitation were situated at K, with a chapel at I. At the -extremities of the ditch, P, cuttings were contrived in the two Roman -curtains, to intercept, if necessary, all communication between the -defences of the bailey and those of the castle. This contrivance was -also adopted for the two curtains abutting on the donjon. - -The baron spent his whole time, ever since the decision come to by his -nephew, with the master of the works, Alain of Troyes; while the workmen -first called in cleared the ground and levelled the Roman ruins, and -quantities of stone, sand, gravel, and timber were brought in, and the -ditches and trenches for the foundations were excavated by the forced -labour of the tenants. - -The baron designed to erect opposite the plateau (the point of attack) a -great front, slightly convex, to screen the projections, W. He wished -to have a wide barbican in the middle of this front, in which to collect -the troops intended for sorties, and to shelter them in case of retreat. -He had observed that in all the good defences erected by the Christians -in Syria the entrances were so disposed that the assailant was obliged -to present his right flank to the defender--with good reason, since the -left is protected by the shield or buckler. The position of the gate, C, -of the castle had been the subject of considerable study and discussion -on the part of the baron and his master of works. The latter wanted to -place it parallel with the front, but the baron insisted on its forming -a decided angle with the entrance of the bailey. The master of the works -urged that the left-hand tower of this gate, G, would then form a -projection insufficiently defended, and open to attack; but the baron -maintained that if the besiegers endeavoured to attack or mine this -tower, they would be commanded obliquely by the tower, R; that by giving -sinuosities to this front of the castle all points of the bailey would -be commanded; that the principal gate was thus well masked; that nothing -more would be needed than to give a considerable thickness to the walls -and a greater diameter to the entrance towers; and lastly, if the enemy -succeeded in reducing the projecting tower on the right hand, a -barricade might still be raised from S to T, and the defence prolonged, -with the favourable consideration that if this tower of the salient were -thrown down, the other would remain intact and would command the breach. - -The postern, H, was also the subject of lengthened consideration on both -sides. This postern was necessary to secure the provisioning of the -castle without encumbering the main entrance. Placed near the angle -tower, U, which the enemy could not attack because of the steep -escarpment of the plateau, the postern was well protected by that -tower; moreover it was to be surmounted by a quadrangular work with -double portcullis and double doors; lastly, a _braie_,[20] X, defended -its approach. It was agreed, moreover, that the great central habitable -part of the castle, erected on the remains of the square Roman towers, -should be crenelated, and should command the curtain, and consequently -the two entrances. Wells existed or were sunk at _p_. - -Every part having been thus carefully determined, the works were -vigorously prosecuted. The baron was always at hand, and persisted in -seeing everything for himself. The north front of the bailey, and the -chapel, E, were first begun. This exterior work did not greatly alter -the appearance of things; but the donjon was next commenced. And when -this tower, whose diameter was ninety feet, had reached an elevation of -thirty, its aspect had become formidable. The townspeople viewed from a -distance this huge mass rising on the point of the plateau, and began to -wonder what their lord was intending to do with such an enormous tower. -The abbot was somewhat disquieted; but he was so handsomely entertained -at the castle that he gave no sign of dissatisfaction, especially as the -great chapel of the bailey promised to be very beautiful. - -Fortunately for Anseric, the Duke of Burgundy had at that time some -rather important matters in hand--a misunderstanding with the King of -France. Philip Augustus gave him considerable uneasiness, and at such a -time he did not wish to alienate his nobility. More than two years thus -passed without anything of serious consequence occurring to the lord of -the castle. By that time the building was very nearly finished. We give -a bird's-eye view of it (Fig. 37), taken from the north-east angle. - -[Illustration: FIG. 37.--BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF THE CASTLE OF LA -ROCHE-PONT.] - -Nothing was talked of throughout the province but the beauty and -strength of the new castle of Roche-Pont, and there were men of family -in the neighbourhood, envious of the wealth and connections of Anseric, -who did their best to represent him to the duke as an ambitious person, -impatient of the feudal ties which bound him to his suzerain. It was -even insinuated that the Sieur de la Roche-Pont, on the strength of his -descent, aimed at nothing less than supplanting the duke; and that he -had already begun to intrigue for that object with the king of France -and with Pierre de Courtenai, who had married Agnes, sister of the last -Count of Nevers and aunt of Eleanor; that his tenants were crushed under -the burden of forced labours; and that the duke ought not to allow one -of his vassals to oppress the poor people thus, in order to erect a -castle surpassed in strength by none in Burgundy. - -As only too frequently happens, malevolence was thus suggesting to -Anseric the course he should pursue to fulfil his ambitious designs. - -The Duke of Burgundy (Hugh III.) was anything but a protector of -ecclesiastical property. The abbot of Saint Julien knew this; so that, -although he was troubled in mind by the defensive preparations of the -lord of Roche-Pont, and augured no good to the abbey from the vicinity -of so strong a castle, he did not dare to manifest his fears, or -endeavour to communicate them to the ducal court; for he was perhaps -more afraid of the duke's intervention than of the power of his -immediate neighbour. - -At length Hugh was moved, and lent an ear to all that was reported -concerning the character and intentions of his vassal. An opportunity -soon offered of revealing his real intentions. While Anseric had enemies -and enviers at the ducal court, he had also some friends; and they did -not fail to inform him of the sinister impressions produced in the -duke's mind respecting him, and which he took no trouble to conceal. He -had been heard to say that he would soon go and try whether the fortress -of La Roche-Pont was as strong as was asserted. Prudence was not the -duke's forte, any more than reticence. He had sent a body of his -men-at-arms to examine matters closely. Now, the duke's men-at-arms had -acquired the habits of their master; they were great robbers and -plunderers. Whether they acquitted themselves of their mission I cannot -say; but certain it is that they plundered some hamlets and set fire to -several granges belonging to the abbey of Saint Julien. - -The monks were greatly disquieted, and did not fail to complain to the -lord of Roche-Pont. - -The fief of Roche-Pont lay under the obligation to send every year to -the Duke of Burgundy, as its feudal dues, six war horses caparisoned. It -was the custom of the lord of Roche-Pont on this occasion to present -himself at the ducal court after Easter. The current year was 1185. -Anseric did not appear at court, and did not send the six horses. Hugh -demanded them; Anseric replied that the duke's men, plunderers and -brigands as they were, had themselves taken off the horses that were -destined for him; and that it was their place to give them up to their -master; that as for himself and the abbot of Saint Julien, they claimed -compensation for damages, and demanded that the plunderers should be -hanged on the public gallows. Moreover, that he, Anseric, was aware that -the Duke of Burgundy lent an ear to the malevolent insinuations of the -enemies of Roche-Pont, and he would choose his own time for giving them -the lie. - -At this haughty answer Hugh's anger was roused, and he swore that he -would take no rest till the castle of Roche-Pont was razed to the -ground, should it cost him a fourth of his dukedom. - -Baron Guy had observed the storm increasing not without a secret joy; -but though he liked fighting, and cherished an unbounded ambition, he -was a prudent man, and one who--like all who had long sojourned in the -East--knew how to intrigue and to secure the favour of circumstances. -Most of those old knights of Syria joined the character of the -diplomatist to that of soldier, in consequence of their relations with -the court of Constantinople and the Saracens. - -After Anseric's reply, there was no alternative but to prepare for war, -and war _à outrance_. But, however strong the place might be, Baron Guy -knew well that every besieged fortress must, in the end, fall into the -besieger's hands, if it is not relieved. Anseric had no army to bring -into the open field against the duke's; he could assemble two hundred -and fifty men-at-arms--which would imply a total of about twelve hundred -fighting men, as each man-at-arms was accompanied by three or four -fighting men. Adding to this body the men in the town who owed service -to the lord, a garrison of fifteen to eighteen hundred men might be -reckoned upon. - -Baron Guy had therefore a long conference with Eleanor and Anseric the -evening after the answer had been sent to the duke; when it was resolved -that the Lady de la Roche-Pont, with a sufficient retinue, should repair -to the court of the king of France, promising him liege-homage for the -lordship of Roche-Pont; and asking help from him against the Duke of -Burgundy, who was devastating the lands of his vassal, and plundering -the estates of the abbey of Saint Julien without cause or reason. Baron -Guy had some motives for believing that these overtures would be -favourably received; but he refrained from saying all he knew about the -matter. He advised his niece to take the abbot in her train, if -possible, or, at any rate, some of the fraternity, authorised by him. - -Dame Eleanor undertook the commission without making the least -objection, and, with apparent calmness, though her heart was ready to -burst under her slender corset. - -She employed the night with her women in making preparations for her -journey, and early in the morning sent for the abbot. The abbot, who -foresaw but too clearly--whatever might happen--the devastation of the -abbey domains, gave vent to repeated sighs, protested, and denounced the -barbarity of the times, but came to no resolution. "Sir abbot," said -Eleanor to him, at length, "with or without you or your monks I am going -to set out this morning; would you rather plead your cause yourself, or -have it pleaded by a woman?" "Ah! most gracious lady," replied the -abbot, "can I quit my flock when the wolf is preparing to devour it?" -"Well, then, give me three of your monks." "Yes, you are right--it must -be--it must be." "Let them be here on horseback in an hour." "Yes, noble -lady, they shall be here, under the protection of God and the Holy -Virgin!" "But, before all things, sir abbot, not a word about this -journey, and do not let the brotherhood know where I am taking them." -"Yes, certainly; the fraternity are to understand that they are sent to -some dependency or some neighbouring abbey." "Very good, but make -haste!" Dame Eleanor, weeping, embraced her children, her husband and -uncle; but, drying her tears as she mounted her palfrey, she presented -herself to her small retinue with a calm countenance. "Fair niece," said -Baron Guy to her, just as she was waiting on the horse-block, "the duke -will certainly do his utmost to be here as quickly as he can. He might -possibly arrive before your return. If it should be so, proceed with -caution, conceal yourself and your train at the vavasor's,--Pierre -Landry's--two leagues hence, in the valley; he will be informed of your -intention, look out for your return, and give me news of you. Then we -shall see what can be done." - -The Lady de la Roche-Pont's train consisted of a dozen trusty men, -retainers of the castle, commanded by a veteran knight of prudence and -experience, with two women and the three monks. The party was supposed -by the servants at the castle, to be making a visit to the Lady de -Courtenai, Eleanor's aunt. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 17: Outer court.] - -[Footnote 18: "The pleasance" was a garden, planted with fruit trees and -groves, which served for a place of promenade, and for divers outdoor -pastimes.] - -[Footnote 19: In this figure the black tint indicates the Roman -substructions preserved and surmounted by new works; the yellow the -Roman buildings entirely razed; the red the defences added by the lord -of La Roche-Pont; and the grey the domestic buildings rebuilt or -repaired.] - -[Footnote 20: An outer wall of no great height.] - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -_THE FOURTH SIEGE._ - - -The Duke of Burgundy was making all speed to reduce his vassal. In the -space of a fortnight he had gathered six or seven thousand men, and was -beginning his march. Anseric and Baron Guy had not failed to make the -most of this respite. They provisioned the castle for three months at -least. They fabricated four large trebuchets and half-a-dozen catapults. -Timber in sufficient quantity had been cut in the forest for making -hoardings, palisades, and wooden defences. Thirty stone-cutters were -constantly at work making projectiles of sixty and a hundred pounds -weight for the mangonels. Each workman could produce ten in a day, and -at the end of a fortnight they had amassed a store of four thousand five -hundred. In the town, cross-bows and quarrels were being made; for the -townsmen who had to render service were bound to come armed, equipped, -and provided with missiles in sufficient quantity. There were archers -also, for whom arrows of ashwood, bows of yew, and cords of long-fibred -hemp were being made. - -Although the lord of Roche-Pont could not, as stated above, assemble -more than eighteen hundred men, and therefore could not contemplate -defending the whole plateau--that is to say, the castle and the -abbey--Baron Guy, who had reasons for it, urged him not to allow the -enemy to occupy the monastery without defending it, even were it -feebly. "You ought to defend the monastery," he would say to his nephew, -"whenever the interests of the suzerain are involved; and since -henceforth you are going to do homage for your fief to the king of -France, he is your suzerain; his interests, therefore, are involved, and -it is your duty to defend the abbey." - -To this specious reasoning Anseric could find nothing to answer. The -northern wall of the abbey was therefore put in a state of defence; they -connected its north-east angle with the _débris_ of the Roman wall still -existing on the edge of the plateau by a strong palisade and ditch, and -barricaded the western brow above the town, between the abbey and the -bailey of the castle. - -The abbot had made a show of opposing these works, asserting with reason -that the abbey was not at war with the Duke of Burgundy, and did not -refuse its customary homage. But Baron Guy, as an old crusader, was a -casuist of the first order, and, relying on the letter of the charter, -maintained that the lord of Roche-Pont was fighting for the cause of his -suzerain, and that consequently he must be faithful to the stipulations -respecting the abbey. These debates did not stop the workmen; and -although the abbot had sent for his vassals with a view to guard the -monastery, they were in no hurry to obey his summons, believing that -they were not in a condition to resist Anseric's vassals, and preferring -to await the result of what was being done before taking any side. - -The baron also had a trench dug from the south-east angle of the abbey -wall to the eastern ridge of the plateau; then he had the trench covered -with timbers and faggots, and the turf replaced above it, so as to leave -no external sign of its existence. Outside the barbican of the castle -and the ditch was raised a strong palisade which protected its -circumference, leaving between it and the wall a space of twenty paces, -and which gave lists thirty paces wide in front of the counterscarp of -the ditch. - -The twenty-second day after Anseric's answer (the 5th of May), the -duke's troops appeared on the plateau before the abbey. The first comers -spread themselves in the town, and were beginning to plunder it, when -the duke interposed, and, contrary to his wont, gave orders that the -inhabitants and their property should be respected. Listening to wise -counsels for once, he was intending to separate the interests of -Anseric's vassals from those of their lord, to isolate the latter, and -thus subdue him more easily. So that very evening he issued a -proclamation by sound of trumpet through the whole town, to the effect -that he was attacking the lord of Roche-Pont only, who had been declared -a felon for having broken his fealty to the Duke of Burgundy; that the -inhabitants of the town and of the valley would be respected as long as -they did not take part with the lord of Roche-Pont; that from this day -forwards they were free of all dues and services towards the said lord; -but that those who should be convicted of taking part with him should be -hanged as traitors to their lawful lord, the Duke of Burgundy. A herald -presented himself before the walls of the abbey, and in a loud voice -uttered the same proclamation.[21] But the baron had foreseen this -contingency, and all the townsmen who had come in arms at Anseric's -summons were shut up in the castle. He had appointed for the defence of -the abbey, only men on whom he could rely--men who were directly -dependent on Anseric, and attached to his fortunes--with some of those -adventurers whose services were enlisted in any wars that might arise, -and who, having no ties of family or country, used to fight for those -who paid them best. - -These defenders of the abbey were scarcely more than one hundred -resolute men. They received the herald's proclamation with derisive -shouts, answering that they knew no other lord but the king of France; -and that if it came to hanging, they could play at that game quite as -well as the duke's people. During the night two mangonels were mounted -opposite the north wall of the monastery, and had soon dismantled the -defences; but Anseric's men had retrenched themselves in the building -behind that wall; and when the Burgundians advanced with ladders to -scale the wall, they received them with a shower of darts, which killed -some of the assailants. - -Nevertheless, the besiegers mounted the wall and descended into the long -narrow court enclosed by the building. There they were exposed to the -stones and _débris_ of timber which the defenders threw at them out of -the windows. The east court was barricaded, and Anseric, with about -twenty men, was guarding the barricades. He defended it bravely for a -good hour, and the Burgundians, fighting in a narrow space, sustained -some losses. They succeeded, however, in breaking open a door of the -building, and rushed into the cloister. There they were still exposed to -the darts and stones hurled at them by some of the defenders posted on -the north side of the church. - -A body of Burgundians began to attack the south-east barricade, outside -the enclosure, to take the abbey in the rear. It was there that the -baron was posted, with about fifty men. The combat was severe and -sanguinary, and before withdrawing, seeing that the defenders were -gradually abandoning the abbey, he had the faggots in the trench behind -set on fire. - -Already Anseric and his men were on the road to the _château_, and were -sheltered by the defences of the barbican. Guy rejoined them, pursued by -a large body of Burgundians. But a thick smoke soon began to issue from -the trench, and the assailants who were coming up, seeing the ground -undermined beneath them, dared not advance. On this Guy and Anseric fell -upon those who had ventured within bowshot of the barbican, and killed a -good number of them. Excited by the struggle, and exasperated by the -resistance they met with, the duke's men entered the various buildings -of the abbey, killing the wounded, and plundering. Fire, kindled by the -defenders or the Burgundians, soon reached the cloister and the roof of -the church. - -The poor monks, assembled in the choir during the struggle, were soon -forced to quit this retreat; for burning brands were falling on the -pavement through the holes in the vaulted ceiling. It was already night, -and many were massacred by the drunken soldiery. Most of them had -cowered down trembling in a vaulted chamber on the ground floor. It was -there that the duke found them when he entered the burning abbey. The -abbot threw himself on his knees; but the irritated duke repulsed him -harshly, saying: "Sir abbot, it ill becomes ecclesiastics to fight -against their lord; and if I do not have you and your monks hanged, you -may thank your habit. Begone, and tell your brethren of your -_forfeitures_!" Vainly did the abbot protest his innocence, and -asseverate that if the abbey had been defended, it was against his will; -and the duke, whose anger seemed to gather warmth at every word the -father spoke, ended by ordering his men to drive out all the monks. - -The unhappy fraternity, perishing of hunger, betook themselves to the -town, where some kindly-disposed persons took them in; but the duke -would not allow this, and proclaimed next day that every inhabitant who -should give shelter to a monk should be hanged. Collecting some -provisions, therefore, they started for Cluny on foot. - -The duke had given orders to extinguish the flames, for he was intending -to reside in the abbey during the siege of the castle; but there -remained no part of it fit for habitation except the abbot's dwelling, -situated north of the church.[22] - -Retired within the castle, after having lost a fourth of their men who -had been engaged in the struggle, Anseric and the baron were making -their final arrangements. The troops who had re-entered with them were -in high spirits, for they had inflicted sensible losses on the enemy; -and thought of nothing but defending themselves to the uttermost. Guy -was delighted, and his sombre visage was lighted up with an air of -gaiety. - -"We are getting on bravely," said he to his nephew, when they were -alone, "bravely, I say: now that the abbey is burned we are sure to be -aided by the king of France; we have made a capital commencement." "But -these poor monks; what has become of them? Ah! my worthy uncle, it would -have been better to leave them alone; we should now have some thirty -brave fellows more here, and should not have to reproach ourselves with -having caused the convent to be burned and the monks massacred, -perhaps." "Stay, stay, my good nephew; monks always get out of their -difficulties, and they are sure to be able to restore their abbey. -Besides, it is the duke's men who have burned it! Besides, was it not -our duty to defend it? Say no more about it. Jean Otté will get out -to-night by the donjon postern. He is a rough sort of fellow, but a -cunning blade; in five days he will be with our gentle Eleanor, and -tell how that the noble duke has sacked the abbey, and burned all the -monkery! It's capital! capital!" - -On either side about a dozen prisoners had been taken. The next morning, -May 7th, the people of the castle saw three of these unhappy men hanging -up, by the duke's orders, on the trees of the pleasance. Immediately -three Burgundian prisoners were hanged on the battlements of the -barbican. - -[Illustration: FIG. 38.] - -None of the bridges had been destroyed by the besieged. They were -occupied by the duke's men, and defended each by a good _bretèche_ (Fig. -38), to hinder any communication from one bank to the other. The south -wall of the abbey was strengthened by palisades joining the two ridges -west and east of the plateau. A guard was posted in the two mills -belonging to the monastery,[23] and a wooden tower built by the side of -the rivulet, below the south-east part of the castle. - -These first measures adopted, the duke had a ditch dug, with a mound -crossing the pleasance of the castle within bowshot, and connecting the -two ridges. This intrenchment of contravallation was strengthened by two -wooden towers, one at each end, with an outlet near each of them, and -one in the middle (Fig. 39). The castle was thus completely invested -(May 15th). - -[Illustration: FIG. 39.] - -While these works were being executed, there were trifling skirmishes -every day between the defenders and the besiegers. They were trying each -other's strength, but nothing serious was attempted. The duke bent his -whole strength towards preventing the lord of Roche-Pont and his men -from escaping: he was taking his time. Baron Guy was often closeted with -a certain individual whom he called his chaplain, and who had -accompanied him from Palestine. In the castle, this so-called chaplain -never went by any other name than the _Saracen_. He was a tall, thin -personage, with dark brown skin, black eyes and hair, always dressed in -a coarse grey surtout. He spoke little, and drank nothing but water; but -never failed to be present at mass in the chapel of the castle, and -would remain long hours in prayer. The baron asserted that he was a monk -of the order of Bethlehem. Whatever he was, he had charge of the sick, -and possessed remedies for wounds of all kinds. He was gentle in manner, -never looked a woman in the face, was a scholar, and would read aloud so -as to charm the most delicate ears. His official name was Brother -Jerome. Now, during the leisure which the enemy left the besieged (who -were not sufficiently numerous to offer any hindrance to the siege works -of the Burgundians, and could do nothing but keep a careful look-out), -it was remarked at the castle that the baron and Brother Jerome passed -whole hours together, in the lower apartment of one of the towers, of -which they alone had the key. Their clothes were often observed to be -blackened when they came out. - -It was the eighth day of the investment, which appeared now to be -complete (May 22nd). The baron had a secret conference with his nephew -and Brother Jerome in the evening, and about six o'clock, orders were -given to prepare one of the largest trebuchets, whose framing had been -transported thither during the preceding night, at the western end of -the lists, outside the ditch. - -About two o'clock in the morning, the engine was mounted, the night -being still completely dark, as it would be at that season. They then -tried its range against the right-hand tower of the besiegers' -contravallation, with stones; and when the proper range had been -secured--a point ascertained by the noise of the projectiles that fell -on the woodwork--Brother Jerome placed in the lowered pouch of the -stone-propeller a barrel provided with a match, and giving orders to let -go the beam of the engine, set fire to the match with a brand taken from -a brasier kindled for the purpose. - -With a whizzing sound, the end of the beam traced a bow of fire, and the -barrel was shot forth, leaving a long and luminous trail behind it; it -struck the wooden tower, and in bursting spread a sheaf of white flames -which seemed to cling to the woodwork. The engine, lowered anew, sent a -second barrel and a third. The wooden tower then resembled a furnace -(Fig. 40). - -[Illustration: FIG. 40.--NIGHT SORTIE OF THE GARRISON OF THE CASTLE.] - -Great was the agitation among the guard of the besiegers, and the -defenders could hear their shouts from the ramparts. Taking advantage of -their confusion, Anseric had the barrier of the lists opened, and -followed by two hundred men, went at full speed to the contravallation, -passed through the central gate, which was but slightly guarded, and -turned to the left, passing along the interior of the enemy's earthwork. - -The Burgundians had betaken themselves to the tower to try to extinguish -the flames. The besieged rushed upon the disorderly mass, most of them -being unarmed. The baron had also gone out with a second body to protect -his nephew's retreat. The duke heard the shouting from the abbey, saw -the fire, and immediately gave orders to march forward. But during the -last hours of night, men are not very active. Before help arrived, -Anseric had had time to kill or put to flight all who were guarding the -contravallation. He could therefore re-enter the lists at his leisure, -and without having lost a single man; some few being wounded. Daylight -revealed to the duke the smoking remains of one of his towers. - -This sally raised the courage of the besieged; none of them, except -those who had been in the wars of the Crusaders, knew the effects of -the Greek fire. They deemed themselves, thenceforth, invincible. This -was the baron's object in planning this attack, whose result was -otherwise of little value to the besieged. - -In place of the wooden tower that had been burned, the duke had a -platform raised, consisting of wicker-work and turf, on which was placed -a substantial floor of beams to receive a _trebuchet_ which swept the -lists, and almost reached the barbican. Then he raised a second -platform, in the very centre of the front of the contravallation, with a -mangonel, whose projectiles fell right into the barbican. To these -engines the besieged opposed the first trebuchet, and another mounted in -the barbican. But on neither side was any great damage effected by them -during a whole day's working, for as soon as the soldiers saw the beam -of the enemy's engine lowered, they got out of the way. The besiegers -enlarged the central platform, and were then able to mount the mangonels -upon it, which succeeded in utterly destroying the trebuchet set up in -the barbican, and the palisades in front, and in dismantling the -battlements. The garrison of the castle were obliged to cower down -against the walls, if they would avoid abandoning the works. When the -besiegers deemed the palisades indefensible, and the battlements -sufficiently broken down, the signal was given for the assault (May -25th). - -In the first place, protected by mantelets or by their bucklers, the -archers and crossbowmen advanced to about sixty paces from the barbican, -forming an arc of a circle around it--the archers in the front rank, the -crossbowmen behind. Immediately one of the defenders showed himself on -the rampart, he was hit. The garrison, sheltered as far as possible by -the remains of the merlons, and by their bucklers, replied as best they -could, but ineffectually, for their situation was a very trying one. -Not wishing to risk his men's lives uselessly, Anseric made them lie -flat on their faces on the rampart, so as to be ready at the moment of -assault. - -Two bodies of Burgundians then advanced, provided with ladders having -hooks, and with planks, which they threw over the little ditch of the -palisade. Some resolute men defended the palisade, but it was so broken -by the projectiles that these defenders had to abandon it. Then about -thirty ladders were set up against the barbican, and strings of men -climbed their rounds; but the garrison succeeded in unhooking the -ladders and throwing down the assailants; others, making use of the -_débris_ of the merlons, crushed them. Those of the assailants who -reached the summit were received with blows of bills, boarspears, and -crowbars. - -The foot of the barbican was already covered with dead and wounded, with -the _débris_ of ladders, and stones. From the towers of the bailey gate -skilful crossbowmen, well protected, hit most of those assailants who -succeeded in mounting on the remains of the parapet. The assault, three -times renewed, was as often repelled, with considerable loss to the -Burgundians. The assailants had burst in the gate of the barbican; but -the baron, seeing that the lists could not be defended, had caused the -gate to be barricaded, leaving only a narrow egress to allow the last -defenders of the palisades to re-enter. As soon as these had got in, -beams and barrels were heaped up against this gate. On this side the -assailants were exposed to the projectiles hurled from the towers and -curtains of the bailey. They succeeded, however, in setting up mantelets -to protect them, and throwing sulphur and resin on these remains of the -gate, set it on fire. The flames were communicated to the barricade, but -the defenders incessantly brought up fresh pieces of wood, and night -came without the enemy having been able to occupy the work. He -nevertheless maintained his position around the barbican, sheltered -behind fascines and mantelets, and piling against its walls trunks of -trees, clods of turf, and mattresses taken from the scattered houses; -while a trebuchet was incessantly discharging stones on the area of the -defence. The besieged had abandoned it since midnight, and had thrown -down the bridge giving entrance to the bailey. - -At sunrise, therefore (May 26th), the Burgundians were able to get -within the walls of the barbican without opposition, but they found -themselves directly exposed to the projectiles thrown from the defences -of the bailey, which were provided with hoarding. It was not without -loss that the besiegers got a lodgment within the barbican, a -considerable length of whose wall they threw down. Then, having cleared -the breach, they set to work to bring forward a _cat_ which had been -framed together beforehand out of range, at some distance from the -contravallation, while two terraces were being raised outside the walls -of the barbican, and abutting against them (Fig. 41). - -[Illustration: FIG. 41.--THE BESIEGERS GET POSSESSION OF THE BARBICAN.] - -The Burgundians could not undertake a new attack before these works were -completed. Baron Guy determined to avail himself of this respite. Behind -the left-hand curtain of the bailey gate, he set up the two remaining -trebuchets on a wooden platform, and then connected the corner of the -chapel and the corner of the building D, belonging to the stables, by a -good palisading with a ditch.[24] The trebuchets were mounted within -this palisading, forming an interior retrenchment. The timbers of the -hoarding were thoroughly wetted and smeared with mud--as far as the -enemy's attacks permitted. This precaution was not useless, for the -Burgundians soon discharged on these hoardings, with their catapults, -darts furnished with tow dipped in pitch and lighted. The besieged, -armed with poles to which were fastened pieces of wet blanket, -extinguished these missiles without much trouble; for the flame had not -the intensity of the Greek fire, and did not cling to the wood. In fact -the tow would sometimes be extinguished in its passage. - -In twelve hours the trebuchets of the besieged were mounted, and began -to hurl stones of sixty and a hundred pounds weight on the barbican -occupied by the enemy, and even beyond, which annoyed them excessively; -for not seeing the engines, they were unable to aim in return--except by -guess--with the mangonels they had set up on the terraces; and all the -projectiles passed over the heads of the defenders. During three days no -change occurred in the situation on either side. The Burgundians, -however, had succeeded in filling up the fosse on the right of the -bailey gate; and they had thrown so many stones with their mangonels -against the hoarding of the neighbouring towers, that these timber -defences fell to pieces; but the stone battlement behind remained -intact, and the defenders were still perfectly sheltered behind their -merlons, whence they sent showers of quarrels and arrows. - -The fosse having been filled up (May 30th), the _cat_ advanced, rolling -on planks between the two terraces, through the breach of the barbican. -Then as the filling in of the fosse had an inclination towards the -curtain, the _cat_ of itself went striking its iron muzzle against the -wall (Fig. 42). Thereupon the besieged threw down on its double-sloped -roof huge stones, beams, and small barrels of Greek fire. But the roof -was solidly plated with iron; its slopes greatly inclined, and covered -with earth and wetted mattresses, allowed the stones, beams, and -barrels to slip off right and left. Men placed within the _cat_ thrust -away the inflammable projectiles with long forks, so that they might not -set fire to the sides of the gallery. This latter was preserved, -therefore, despite the efforts of the besieged, and the miners, -protected by its roof, set to work at the base of the wall. - -[Illustration: FIG. 42.--THE CAT.] - -The following night Baron Guy determined to make a last effort to set -the _cat_ on fire. The working of the miners could be heard. Beneath the -gate B[25] of the bailey, there was a drain which discharged the -rain-water of the court into the ditch. This mouth had been in great -part walled up when the enemy presented themselves before the place. The -floor of the bridge, in falling, had moreover hidden it from the -besiegers. The baron had the walling removed noiselessly with crowbars, -and when the opening was large enough to allow a man to pass, he chose -three determined fellows who, with Brother Jerome, slid down into the -ditch. Crawling up the mound which supported the _cat_, they slipped -beneath its gallery two small barrels of Greek fire. Lighting the match -with the aid of a preparation which the brother brought in a box, they -went back as they had come, and the mouth of the drain was again walled -up. - -From the summit of the neighbouring towers the besieged had then the -pleasure of seeing the barrels spread streams of white flames, which, -clinging to the timbers of the gallery, set it on fire. - -The more water the besiegers threw on the flames the more intense they -became, so they began to try turf and mould. The defenders then -recommenced throwing beams and stones on the roof of the _cat_; then -more barrels of Greek fire, bundles of straw, and faggots. - -In spite of the efforts of the Burgundians, the gallery being quite -filled with suffocating smoke, was no longer tenable. They were forced -to abandon it; and it was with great difficulty that they were able to -preserve from the fire about eighteen feet by cutting it away with axes. -The besieged on their side had not been able to prevent part of the -remains of the hoardings above the _cat_ from catching fire; but these -hoardings were already past service, and their efforts were confined to -preventing the fire from extending right and left. The entire head of -the _cat_ against the wall and twenty feet of its length was burned. The -operations of the miners were not much advanced, still they had already -removed enough material to give shelter to two men from the projectiles -falling from the ramparts. Under favour of night, therefore, some -pioneers returned to the mine-hole by creeping under the _débris_ of the -_cat_. The darkness was great and the defenders did not observe them. -But Brother Jerome was on the watch for suspicious sounds, and soon came -to inform the baron that they were mining again. "Well," said the -latter, "let us repeat yesterday's manoeuvre; send men out through the -mouth of the drain which these Burgundians are so stupid as not to have -looked for; and let some good thrusts of the knife relieve us of these -burrowers; but let there be no noise!" The mouth of the drain was once -more unwalled, and Brother Jerome with his three companions in the -previous exploit, armed with long knives and gliding along the wall, -reached the hole of the mine. Three pioneers, intent on their work, were -noiselessly killed; a fourth, who was outside hidden in the _débris_ of -the _cat_ to watch, slept, heard nothing, and remained there unperceived -by Brother Jerome and his companions. Waking up soon afterwards he -called in a low voice to his comrades ... there was no answer; he felt -with his hand, touched a dead body--then a second, then a third. -Terrified and not daring to return to the Burgundians from fear (a very -reasonable one) of being hanged, he followed the wall, came to the -_débris_ of the bridge, and found himself in front of the mouth of the -drain, which was being silently walled up for the third time. Only a -dark lantern threw its faint light on the workmen who were visible -through the small opening which remained to be closed. The Burgundian -comprehended, and immediately determined what to do. "A deserter!" said -he in a low voice at the orifice. "Thy hand!" replied Brother Jerome. -The hand appeared at the entrance of the hole, and the whole body was -forcibly dragged through, not without excoriations, by the friar and one -of his companions. The new comer was disarmed and conducted before -Anseric and the baron as soon as the mouth of the drain had been -securely closed. The poor wretch remained trembling before the two -Seigneurs and naïvely recounted what had happened to him. He was a young -man from Sémur, in Auxois, who, like most of his countrymen, was not -wanting in intelligence. He gave all the information demanded of him -concerning the duke's army: "Listen attentively to what I say," said the -baron: "if the castle is taken, thou wilt be hanged by us before the -first Burgundian enters. If the duke's men take the castle, thou wilt be -hanged by them, to a certainty. If thou servest us faithfully and the -duke's troops are obliged to raise the siege, the Lord of Roche-Pont -will take thee into his service: what is thy calling?" "A harness-maker" -"Well then! thou shalt be attached to his stables--shall he not, my -worthy nephew?" "Certainly; and if he aids us efficiently, and if events -show us that he speaks the truth, he shall have two pounds of silver on -the raising of the siege." - -[Illustration: FIG. 43.--THE BOSSON.] - -These last words completely loosened the harness-maker's tongue; and he -told all that he knew as to the number of the engines, the arrangements -of the besiegers, the posts they guarded, and the towers of the -contravallation; after which he was sent to the servants' hall, where he -soon made friends with Anseric's dependants. Friar Jerome, however, was -ordered not to lose sight of him. - -It was not before the time when the miners were to be relieved (by -another set) that the Burgundians discovered what had happened. The -vanished harness-maker was strongly suspected of having assassinated his -comrades while at work; they sought for him--to no purpose, of course. - -Before sunrise the baron commenced a countermine at the point indicated -by the deserter, inside the bailey wall. "If thou mistakest by so much -as a yard," said the baron to the harness-maker, "thou shalt be hanged." - -The work was carried on by both parties, and towards the close of the -day the miners and counterminers met and attacked each other in their -close quarters with crowbars and pickaxes. The Burgundians and the Lord -of Roche-Pont each sent men to seize the mines. A barrel of Greek fire -dislodged the duke's men; but the masonry of the wall, whose mortar had -not thoroughly set, cracked above the mine. Seeing this, the Burgundians -next night, making use of the rescued portion of the _cat_, set up a -kind of front-work, formed of pieces of timber; and in the morning -brought a _bosson_, or battering-ram on wheels (Fig. 43), with which -they set to work to batter the base of the wall. At each blow the -masonry was shaken, and stones fell down within and without. - -The besieged tried to break the _bosson_, by letting fall great pieces -of timber on its head, and to set fire to the timber; but these had -been wetted, covered with mud, and filled round with manure at the -bottom: the parapet was so well swept by the duke's mangonels and by the -crossbow men that it was scarcely possible to retain a footing on it. -Besides the men upon this wall, shaken as it was and vibrating at every -blow of the ram, lost their self-possession and did not do their best; -while the _bosson_ held out, especially as the assailants had put large -pieces of timber in an inclined position against the wall, which caused -the beams thrown by the besieged to slide off. - -At the end of three hours of continued effort, the wall gave way, and a -piece about twelve feet long fell on the bosson. The Burgundians -immediately bringing up planks and ladders rushed to the assault through -the narrow breach. The struggle was severe, and the garrison themselves, -mounted on the ruins of the wall, fought bravely and maintained their -front unbroken. - -From the parts of curtains that remained intact and from the towers the -defenders showered darts and stones on the assaulting column. The -trebuchets within the rampart continued to send stones which, passing -over the heads of the defenders and assailants on the breach, struck -those who were gathered around the remains of the _cat_, and made wide -lanes among them. By the evening, the Burgundians were masters of the -breach; but seeing the interior rampart before them they did not venture -to descend, but took up a position on the breach, protected by mantelets -and fascines. - -The same evening they set miners to work between the tower of the -north-west angle and its neighbour; reckoning on thus getting round the -retrenchment by passing through a second breach.[26] They likewise took -possession of the two rampart walks of the curtain in which the breach -had been made; but the tower of the gate and that on the left were still -holding out at eight o'clock in the evening. - -[Illustration: FIG. 44.] - -An hour later, the assailants being masters of the rampart walk in that -quarter, set fire to the roofs of these towers (Fig. 44), which the -defenders were forced to abandon. - -In the morning, therefore, the gate was in the power of the enemy. The -defenders still held the rampart walk to the east and west of the -towers that had been burned, had raised barricades, and were determined -to contest the position inch by inch. - -The assailants as well as the defenders needed rest. Notwithstanding -their progress, the Burgundians were suffering considerable losses, -while of the force in the castle there were only a hundred killed and -wounded. By a kind of tacit agreement the day following the assault -passed without fighting. The duke, alarmed at the losses he had already -sustained, determined not to continue the attack without taking every -precaution; for his men were complaining that they were always made to -fight unprotected against soldiers carefully shielded, and asserting -that even if they got as far as the donjon, there would not be a man -left in the duke's army to enter it. - -That day was spent by the Burgundians in thoroughly protecting their -quarters on the breach, in placing a catapult, then in crenelating the -back walls of the towers, of which they had got possession, and in -constructing a kind of wooden tower provided with a second catapult at -the interior opening of the gateway. The defenders, on the other hand, -made a second retrenchment from the angle of the building D of the -stabling to the western curtain, and a strong barricade from the angle -of the chapel choir E, to the neighbouring tower. Next, in front of the -main gateway of the castle, a _bretèche_, or outwork with palisading to -protect the men in case of retreat. It was evident that next day, the -6th of June, a decisive action would render the Burgundians masters of -the bailey, even if they did not exert themselves to the utmost; but the -defenders were resolved that they should pay dearly for their success. -Anseric, firmly resolved to resist to the last extremity, and to perish -under the ruins of his donjon, congratulated himself on Eleanor's -absence, and regretted that his children were not with her. The noble -lady was, however, not far off. The evening of the day that had been -entirely employed in preparations for attacking and defending the -bailey, she and her escort had arrived at the dwelling of the vavassor, -Pierre Landry, who had immediately despatched a trusty messenger to the -castle. - -At the base of the donjon was pierced a slanting aperture one foot six -inches square, which, opening into the lower hall, ended in the rampart -walk left between the great tower and its outer inclosure. From this -rampart walk a subterranean passage made along the foundations of the -Roman wall, descended the slope of the plateau for a length of sixty -feet, and opened out in an old quarry overgrown with brambles. Two -strong iron gratings closed this tunnel. Watchmen were posted night and -day in this passage; they were let down and hoisted up through the -inclined shaft of the donjon by means of a carriage worked by a -windlass. - -By this passage Anseric had often sent out and brought in spies, who at -night made their way furtively among the Burgundian posts. Now in the -dead of night, Pierre Landry's messenger presented himself at the -entrance of the subterranean passage, gave the signal agreed upon, and -handed to the watchman a little box, saying that he was awaiting the -answer hidden in the quarry. The box was immediately transmitted to -Anseric. Eleanor informed him of her return, and said that she would -contrive to re-enter the castle with her train the following night by -the donjon postern. Anseric hardly knew whether to rejoice or grieve at -this return. But the baron called his attention to a flower which -Eleanor had attached to the end of the vellum on which the letter was -written, and which was a token of good news. - -On the morning of the 6th of June the Burgundians were in no hurry to -attack; they contented themselves with sending darts inside the -retrenchment, with their catapults and quarrels and arrows in great -numbers from the top of the abandoned towers; they were replied to from -the top of the church, the stabling, and the great towers of the castle -gateway. About three o'clock in the afternoon, the miners engaged (as -above mentioned) at the north-west curtain, threw down a part of it. The -duke had thus three openings into the bailey; this last breach, the one -effected two days before, and the gateway. Baron Guy advised that time -and men should not be lost in defending this second breach, since they -were intrenched behind; but, thanks to the corner tower, he was able to -resist the immediate capture of the rampart of the curtains on that -side. The defenders occupying the tower Y[27] were thus cut off. Anseric -sent them a note by means of an arrow, urging them to hold out as long -as possible. Fortunately this tower had no doors opening on the bailey, -and no perceptible communication except with the ramparts. Now those -adjacent to this tower still remained in the power of the occupants of -the castle; as the Burgundians only possessed the defences of the middle -part of the front. About five o'clock the signal for the assault was -given. Three columns entered in good order by the two breaches and the -gateway, and rushed, protected by their shields and bucklers, against -the palisading, resolutely throwing themselves into the little ditch, in -spite of the missiles which the defenders, who still possessed the tower -Y and its curtains, hurled upon them from behind. - -An egress had been left in the strong barricade which connected the -angle of the chapel choir with the adjacent tower. - -Anseric and a party of his best men issued by this outlet and fell upon -the flank of the attack, which fell back in disorder. - -Then other egresses well masked were opened on the front of the -retrenchment, and the defenders resumed the offensive. They very nearly -regained possession of these breaches and of the gateway; but the duke, -on seeing his force in disorder, brought up his reserves, and the three -bodies of assailants, four times more numerous than the defenders, -obliged the latter to retire again behind their retrenchments. Then -about seven o'clock in the evening--for the combat was prolonged without -decisive success on either side, and the days are long at this period of -the year--the two catapults discharged a quantity of darts furnished -with burning tow on the roof of the stabling and of the chapel. The men -of the castle exclusively occupied with the defence of the retrenchment, -had no time to think of extinguishing the fire, more especially as the -crossbowmen stationed on the defences of the bailey, now in the hands of -the Burgundians, struck every defender showing himself on these -buildings. The fire, therefore, soon gained the roofs. During the attack -on the retrenchment, the duke resolved to get rid of the defenders -remaining in his rear in the tower Y, and who annoyed the assailants. He -called to them by a herald, that they could no longer hope for relief, -that if they did not instantly surrender they should all be put to the -sword. These brave men sent, as their only reply to the herald, a -crossbow bolt, which wounded him. Then the duke, much irritated, ordered -straw and faggots to be collected within the bailey and in the outside -ditch, and all the wood they might have at hand, and set fire to, in -order to smoke out the rebels. Very soon, in fact, the tower was licked -by curls of flame, and communicated the fire to the hoarding and roof. -Not one man cried "quarter!" for all seeing the fire gaining them, and -blinded by the smoke, had retreated by a subterranean passage which from -this tower communicated with the gateway of the castle--it was a Roman -work preserved beneath the ancient curtain.[28] In withdrawing, they had -stopped up the outlet of this passage, which, moreover, was soon filled -up by the smoking _débris_ of the tower floors. The duke was persuaded -that they had perished in the flames rather than surrender, and that set -him gravely thinking. - -To the last glimmering of daylight succeeded, for the combatants, the -illumination of these three fires. - -It seemed as if the heavens were bent on adding to the horror of the -scene. The day had been fiercely hot; a storm soon arose accompanied by -gusts of wind from the south-west, which blew down the smoke and strewed -burning brands over the combatants. - -At one time Anseric began to resume the offensive with his best soldiers -by the barricade of the chapel; then transporting himself to the -opposite palisade, he debouched along the western rampart upon the -assailants, who on this side tried to get round the stable building. The -direction of the wind was most unfavourable to the Burgundians; they -received full in their faces both the smoke and the sparks from the -western building. The attack languished, despite the efforts of the duke -to obtain a decided advantage, and to bring his united force to bear on -one point. A pouring rain and fatigue stopped the combatants about nine -o'clock in the evening. - -They almost touched one another, being only separated by the -retrenchment. The rain fell so heavily that, in every direction, -assailants and defenders sought shelter, until there remained none but -the watchmen within and without the palisading. - -At nightfall, Eleanor and her escort, habited as Burgundian soldiers, -departed on horseback from the house of the vavassor, Pierre Landry, and -under his guidance. They ascended the valley in silence, and saw before -them the outline of the castle in dark relief before the sky, lit up by -the fires. With hearts full of anxiety, none dared to express their -fears.... What was burning? Was the enemy already within the bailey? Had -he succeeded in setting fire to the northern defences of the castle? -Having got to within two bowshots of the wooden tower, erected by the -duke, at the junction of the river with the stream, they kept along the -latter, forded it below the mill, left their horses there under the care -of the vavassor's men, and ascended a-foot the slope of the plateau in -the direction of the quarry. But at some distance from the opening, -Pierre Landry, who was walking in front, perceived through the rain some -men occupying the point of the plateau beneath the outer wall of the -donjon. The duke had in fact sent some parties to watch the environs of -the castle during the combat, and especially the base of the donjon, -supposing, with reason, that this defence possessed a postern, as was -usual, and fearing, that if the assault turned in his favour, the -garrison, in despair of maintaining the defence any longer, after the -taking of the bailey, might attempt to escape by some secret outlets. - -Pierre Landry turned back towards Eleanor's escort and communicated to -it this disagreeable discovery. To enter the quarry was not to be -thought of. What was to be done?... - -The vavassor concealed Eleanor, her two women, the three monks, and the -twelve men-at-arms, as well as their captain, in the best way he could, -and made his way along the escarpment by creeping through the -underwood. Flashes of distant lightning enabled him from time to time to -make out the eastern walls of the castle. No troop appeared on that -side; he advanced therefore gradually as far as the foot of the rampart. - -After the combat, Anseric, full of anxiety, and without stopping to -change his martial accoutrements, covered with mud and blood, had -hastened towards the postern of the donjon. There he had learned from -his watchmen that the environs of the outer wall were occupied by the -Burgundians about bowshot distant, that they were numerous, well -shielded, and communicated with another post established beneath the -western rampart, and with a third on the eastern side. - -Anseric felt a cold sweat cover his face; but he said to himself that -the vavassor was cautious, and certainly would not come and throw -himself blindly into the snare. He thought for the moment of sallying -with his bravest men by the postern to fall on the troop; but to what -purpose? The latter would quickly be supported, the post of the wooden -tower would take to their arms, and all chance of getting Eleanor and -her party in would be compromised. It would be better to send away his -wife and to await events.... But how communicate with her? It was -impossible to send her a message. He then remounted the steps of the -postern in anxious thought. The baron came that way, and Anseric related -everything to him. - -"Nothing is lost, dear nephew; we will get Eleanor in, for it is -necessary that we should know from herself the result of her mission; -that must influence, one way or the other, the sequel of our -defence..... Leave me to act.... Brother Jerome is an intelligent -fellow; we will consult together.... - -"In the meanwhile, go and watch without from the top of the eastern -ramparts; for, whether Pierre Landry comes alone or with our party, it -can only be by that side, since he cannot cross the river whose bridges -are guarded. He must have crossed the rivulet in order to get to the -outlet of the postern. Go, look and listen attentively!".... Anseric, -ascending the eastern defences, enjoined on his men the greatest -silence, and put his ear to the listening places--first in one tower -then in the next; but he only heard the dripping of the rain on the -roofs, and the sighing of the wind. In a little while the baron and -brother Jerome, provided with a long rope, came to seek him. "Make -yourself easy, dear nephew; Brother Jerome is first going to -reconnoitre.... But call four men to help us." - -A board was fastened transversely to one end of the cord; this end was -thrown over the outside through one of the embrasures, while the cord -was held by the four men. Brother Jerome, with his grey dress tucked up, -a large knife at his belt, put his feet on the board, grasped the cord -with both hands, and he was gently let down. When the rope was slack, -the brother was at the foot of the rampart, and they waited. - -At the end of half-an-hour, which seemed an age to Anseric, a slight -movement given to the cord intimated that brother Jerome was returning. -The cord tightened, and the four men had soon hoisted the brother up to -the merlons. "Well?" said Anseric. "The vavassor is there; I was very -nearly killing him, taking him for a Burgundian, for he has the dress of -one; it was he who recognised me and called me by my name." "Well! well! -Eleanor?"--"All are there concealed, for the Burgundians are not far -off; in this diabolical weather they are earthed like rabbits; no time -must be lost. Let down a _barquette_ at the end of the cord; we will -hoist up the Lady Eleanor, and the others afterwards, if the Burgundians -let us." - -The _barquette_ was quickly brought, and firmly attached to the cord, -then let down; a shake of the rope intimated that Pierre Landry was -below: soon after, a second shake intimated that the _barquette_ was -loaded. They hoisted, and dame Eleanor very soon showed her face at the -battlement; all hands lifted her to the arms of her husband. The two -women, the captain, the eleven men-at-arms, and the three monks were -thus hoisted, without mishap, but were wetted to the skin. - -In spite of the loss of the bailey, and the death of a good number on -their side, Anseric's men were full of joy when at dawn the defenders -were told that an army of the King of France was coming to their relief, -and that it was only a question of continuing the defence a few days -longer. - -Eleanor's mission had perfectly succeeded. The king, Philip Augustus, -who appeared to hesitate at first, had quickly determined when the -messenger Jean Otté came to tell Eleanor of the burning of the abbey. -The king had desired to see this messenger, and the latter, who knew -whom he had to deal with, had recounted how the duke's men, without -warning, without any provocation, had taken possession of the monastery, -had set it on fire, had massacred some of the monks, and driven out -those who remained. Soon after, a letter from the abbot of Cluny came to -confirm the fact, imploring the justice of the king. - -Eleanor, as a woman who knew what she was about, had not failed to make -known to the suzerain that the dearest wish of her husband and herself -for a long while had been to put the fief of La Roche-Pont into the -hands of the king: that they should not, however, have declined the -homage rendered to the duke for the fief, if that noble had not, by his -violence and the plundering of his men, provoked this decision on their -part; that far from being the protector of his vassals, the said duke -was bent upon ruining them: and that if he (the king of France) -presented himself on the domain of Roche-Pont, he would be received -there as the sole and puissant justiciary, alone worthy to govern. - -The opportunity was too tempting for Philip Augustus not to be eager to -avail himself of it. To lessen the power of a great vassal under so -plausible a pretext, and with the rights of the case in his favour, -accorded too completely with his general policy to allow him to display -less than the full measure of that vigour and firmness for which he was -so distinguished. Eleanor quitted the court with the assurance that, a -few days after her return to Roche-Pont, the royal army would confront -the forces of the Duke of Burgundy. - -The grand point, therefore, was to sustain the enemy's attacks with -firmness. The defenders numbered no more than a thousand men capable of -offering an effective resistance; but the perimeter of the defence was -sensibly diminished, for it was impossible to recover the inclosure of -the bailey. They must limit themselves to the castle walls, arresting -the progress of the Burgundians as far as possible. The baron made no -great account of the retrenchment raised between the stables and the -chapel; but he considered it of the greatest importance to preserve the -west part of the bailey as long as possible, for the north flank of the -castle gate evidently presented a weak point, although it was defended -by three towers. The baron, convinced that the duke was not sparing of -the lives of his men, had no doubt that by sacrificing a thousand -soldiers, this front might be broken into in forty-eight hours; the -works designed to bear upon this point must therefore be interrupted at -all risks. The building, D,[29] of the stabling had been burned; but -fortunately the lateral wall of the building looking eastward was part -of the Roman curtain, of thick and solid construction. Between this -building and the castle ditch the enemy could not pass. He could only -attack by the breach made on the side of the tower, Y, or by the -interval left between this tower and the building, D, that had been -burned. The tower, V, of the western angle had remained in the hands of -the defenders. It was wide and solidly built, resting on the Roman -substruction, and covered by a platform on vaulting. Towards daybreak -the baron had caused two trebuchets remaining within the palisade to be -dismounted with all speed. Their timbers were carried into the court of -the castle, for, as he foresaw that the palisaded retrenchment would not -hold out long, he did not wish these engines to be taken possession of -by the Burgundians. A strong catapult had been reserved in the western -corner tower V. The baron had it mounted on the platform by daylight, -not without difficulty.[30] But that a clear idea may be formed of what -follows, we must give a plan indicating the position of the enemy, and -the state of the defences (Fig. 45).[31] - -[Illustration: FIG 45 - -THE TAKING OF THE BAILEY] - -On the morning of the 7th of June the defenders were still in possession -of the retrenchment C, of that marked A A, and of the barricade B; at H -a strong palisade, with a _bretèche_, had been erected before the -entrance at the very commencement of the siege. At D' another palisade -arose in front of the ditch; at E was a second retrenchment, before the -postern entrance; and at G a strong barricade. The building, F, part of -the old Roman construction, crenelated at the top, might hold out for -some time. The towers, V, M, _m_, _m'_, and V' were still in the hands -of the defenders, and could take the assailants in the rear, should they -attempt to enter the chapel, I, and the stables, D, that had been -burned. - -Anseric and his uncle came to the determination to abandon the -retrenchment, A A. To defend it was only to lose men, since the enemy -could not venture into the return formed by the two towers of the gate -and the building F. It was preferable to direct all their efforts to C, -for this was evidently the point of attack. - -About five o'clock in the morning, therefore, the retrenchment, A A, was -abandoned; and in fact the Burgundians contented themselves with making -gaps in it without advancing further. In the early morning the duke had -directed a quantity of burning darts on the roof of the tower, M; but -the catapult planted by the defenders on that of the angle, V, greatly -annoyed the assailants grouped outside, who were preparing to make a -vigorous attack through the breach C. - -It was about noon that the duke gave orders for a simultaneous attack on -two points; the roof of the tower, M, was already on fire. The first -attack was vigorously directed to the retrenchment C. The second made a -gap in the crenelated walls of the chapel, the intention being to get -possession of the palisade E. At the same time, two catapults planted -outside were showering burning darts upon the roofs of the towers _m_, -_n'_ and V, while a trebuchet was destroying the hoarding and -battlements with volleys of stones. - -The defenders posted on the summit of the tower, V, by discharging -stones and quarrels on the flanks of the assailants, who were -impetuously assaulting the retrenchment, C, did them much damage, their -bucklers not availing to protect them in front and flank; and from the -narrow front of the castle, skilful archers discharged arrows in -abundance over the heads of their own party on the assailants who -presented themselves at the breach, C; for they were within bowshot. - -[Illustration: FIG. 46.] - -Seeing they could make no impression, the duke withdrew his men, and had -mantelets brought forward and placed perpendicularly to the wall, and -fronting the tower in the angle, and then a small bosson on wheels--its -head strongly armed with a solid iron point. The wheels of this bosson -were screened (Fig. 46), to shelter those engaged in working it. Twenty -men under shelter, with heavy crowbars, were awaiting the effect of the -bosson. The fourth time it encountered the palisade a dozen stakes were -greatly shaken, and the cross-rails broken. Then the pioneers, armed -with crowbars, set about bringing down the shaken stakes, or at least -turning them aside. The assaulting column threw itself upon the -openings. There was a hand-to-hand fight, and so densely were they -pressed together, that the men posted in the tower at the corner dared -not shoot for fear of wounding their comrades. - -On the opposite side the Burgundians had succeeded in making a wide gap -in the wall south of the chapel; and screened by its ruins, they -attacked the angle of the retrenchment E.[32] From the east curtain, -however, the garrison discharged stones and arrows on their rear; and -this assault was but feeble, as the duke was entirely occupied with -directing the others. - -Anseric defended this point by the desire of the baron, who had urged -him to resume the offensive, supported by the building F, however -difficult the undertaking might be. - -One of the men posted at the defences of the gate hurried down, and, -passing the postern, came and told him that the retrenchment, C, was -forced and his people in great danger at this point. Anseric, therefore, -taking two hundred and fifty men whom he had with him, issued from the -retrenchment by its eastern extremity, rushed furiously on the -assailants, threw them into disorder, and leaving forty brave soldiers -to defend the gap in the chapel, and the barricade, B, that had remained -almost intact, traversed the area of the bailey in an oblique direction, -crossed the retrenchment, A, which was partly destroyed, and fell on the -left flank of the assailants, uttering the war-cry: "Roche-Pont! -Roche-Pont!" ... The Burgundians, surprised by this unforeseen attack -and not knowing whence these soldiers came, abandoned the retrenchment, -the bosson, and even the breach, C. - -The baron's troops, seeing this, plucked up courage, and killing all -that had remained within the bailey, occupied the breach, _c_, once -more, while Anseric was occupying the barricade, C. The bosson was -destroyed with hatchets, and the mantelets left by the enemy were put in -readiness for repairing the broken-down palisades. - -The duke was furious, and had broken his sword on the backs of the -runaways. But no further attempt could be made that day, and the -advantages he had gained with so much trouble were jeopardized. The -defenders were seen barricading the breaches, and he could hear the -cries of the unfortunate men who had remained in the bailey, and were -being pitilessly massacred. - -The Burgundians had lost more than two thousand men since the -commencement of the siege; and on the 7th of June the duke's army -amounted to no more than four thousand five hundred or five thousand men -at most. The besieged were reduced to about a thousand; but they were -full of hope, and assured of success, while the besiegers were losing -confidence. Their advantages had been gained only by enormous -sacrifices, and this last affair threatened altogether to "demoralize" -them. - -The duke had reckoned on taking the place in a month at most; and now at -the end of thirty-two days he found that he had lost the third of his -army without being much more advanced than the second day after his -arrival. Order and method had been wanting in the various phases of the -siege; this he could see when it was rather too late. If, instead of -pursuing their advantages in the centre of the front of the bailey, the -besiegers had contented themselves with taking the barbican, so as to -hinder any sortie from that side, and if with good earthworks they had -advanced under cover against the western end of this front towards the -tower, M,[33] directing all their efforts to this point and raising a -movable tower, they would be in possession of the western court, would -destroy in succession the works on their right, would be able to protect -themselves against offensive re-action on their left, and would attack -the castle on its weak side; that is, between the gate towers and that -marked Q. Thus they might take in the rear all the eastern defences, -moving along the western curtain by successive breaches. - -The duke, it is true, was not acquainted with the place, and believed -that in making a wide breach in its centre he was striking at its heart. - -These reflections occurred to him too late; he could not draw back, and -it was necessary to act with decision. Assembling his chief captains, -therefore, in the evening, he announced that a decisive effort must be -made; representing it as evident--in spite of the check just -experienced--that if they could gain a permanent footing in the western -court of the bailey, they could soon break into the castle on the flank -of the gateway defence, and this flank once seized the castle would be -theirs. The soldiers, rather ashamed of the panic that had lost them the -advantages they had acquired, cast the blame of the failure upon each -other; and those who had been the first to run away were bent upon -vindicating their bravery. So that when, on the morning of the 8th of -June, the order was given for attacking the lost breach, _c_, and every -preparation had been made for protecting their position within the -bailey, the Burgundians were eager to advance. - -A vigorous return to the charge was expected by the garrison, and the -baron concluded that the breach, _c_, would be attacked. Part of the -night, therefore, had been occupied in strongly barricading this -breach. Two Burgundian catapults and a trebuchet covered the breach with -darts and stones, so that the defenders had to shelter themselves to the -right and left behind the remains of the curtains; and about ten o'clock -the barricade was destroyed and only a heap of rubbish remained. The -palisade of the retrenchment in the rear was also damaged, and the -projectiles that were showered upon this point precluded the defenders -from repairing it. Then the first attacking column advanced, passed -through the breach, and reached the palisades. Anseric, posted behind -the building, D (belonging to the stables), was on the point of taking -this column in flank, as on the previous day, but a second troop rushed -through the breach, and the Lord of Roche-Pont was all but taken. With -great difficulty he and his men retreated to the outwork of the gate, -and brought aid to the defenders of the western court. The surging host -of the Burgundians was continually increasing, the palisade was taken, -and the second palisade, D, was the scene of a desperate struggle -between assailants and defenders. The garrison could not bring their -forces to bear on this point, and Anseric feared they might be cut off, -and not be able to retire into the outwork of the gate, H; he therefore -ordered a retreat in the evening, while from the three towers and the -curtain of the castle, quarrels and arrows were showered on the -assailants confined in the court. - -The tower, V, which still remained in the hands of the besieged, took -the Burgundians in the rear; and the latter employed all the rest of the -day in securing themselves in front and in flank, while the duke had the -tower, M, undermined. - -The door of the tower, V, opening into the bailey, had been broken in; -but the stairs were so well barricaded with stones and _débris_ that it -was impossible to clear it; and even should this be done the assailants -would be easily overpowered by the defenders. - -A wooden bridge connected the curtain of the bailey on this side with -the corner tower of the castle. By means of a catapult the Burgundians -succeeded in throwing combustibles on it, which obliged the defenders to -abandon the tower, V, in haste. They were seen re-entering the castle -just when the flames were beginning to consume the bridge. The roof of -the tower, Q, was all but set on fire; and the defenders had great -difficulty in arresting the progress of the flames. - -If Anseric had had five hundred more men he might from the central court -have resumed the offensive at the moment when the Burgundians were -trying to gain a lodgment in the western court. But he had lost a -hundred men in the last engagement, and had no more soldiers than were -absolutely necessary for the defence of the castle. In the evening the -central part of the bailey was occupied by the Burgundians, who took up -their quarters there, and intrenched themselves securely this time. - -Next morning, the 9th of June, the tower, M, being undermined, fell, and -the breach, _c_, was proportionately widened. The ditch was filled up, -and the tower, V, occupied by the Burgundians. The defenders, before -they abandoned it, had set fire to the catapult mounted on the platform. - -The crown of the tower, Q, in the corner of the castle, rose more than -twenty feet above the curtain, and thus hindered the Burgundians from -moving at will on the rampart-walk of this curtain, which was not -furnished with covered hoarding. - -The whole of the 10th of June was employed by the Burgundians in -completing their works in the western court of the bailey, clearing the -breach, _c_, and working at a wooden movable tower, designed to attack -and command the rampart between the gate and the corner tower, Q, of the -castle; for this rampart, raised on the rock, could not be undermined. -The duke, aware by this time of the strength of the place, and supposing -the defenders to be more numerous than they really were, was unwilling -henceforth to run any hazards. As far as was possible he manned the tops -of the ramparts of that part of the bailey which was in his possession, -succeeded in setting fire to the roofs and floors of the towers _m_ and -_m'_, and commenced a mining attack on the tower _v'_. It was no longer -the interest of the defenders to guard these works, which weakened them -to no purpose. They therefore evacuated them, threw down the bridge -uniting the eastern rampart of the bailey with the corner tower, and -retired permanently within the castle. Meantime the Burgundians were -working at their movable tower outside the old palisade, C, that had -been destroyed, and covered the outside with fresh hides to preserve it -from the Greek fire. They filled up the ditch in front of the tower -_p_,[34] not without difficulty protecting themselves with fascines and -mantelets. - -On the 20th of June the tower was completed, and the road for it -constructed of strong planks firmly fastened as far as the filling up of -the ditch. For the few last days the enemy had been incessantly working -the catapults and two trebuchets against the crest of the defences of -the castle between the gate and the tower, Q, and had tried to set fire -to the hoarding and roofs; but these ramparts were higher than those of -the bailey, and the baron had covered all the timbers with hides and -blankets always kept wet, so that the flaming darts of the Burgundians -were ineffectual against them. The roofs, too, were carefully watched. -The hoarding, however, was almost entirely destroyed by the projectiles, -and its _débris_ had been removed by the garrison, as only embarrassing -the defence. The whole of the crown of the tower, P, was greatly -damaged, especially as it did not rise above the crest of the curtain. -Seeing the enemy's preparations, the baron mounted a strong mantelet of -thick wood and a catapult on the platform of this tower, P, which had no -roof. Then, to meet every contingency, he had a strong retrenchment made -from the angle, _t_, to the opposite tower, behind the tower, Q. - -In the evening of this day, the 20th of June, the wooden tower began to -be moved, borne along on huge rollers. As soon as it was about thirty -yards from the rampart, the baron had the catapult directed upon it, and -sent against it cases of Greek fire fixed near the iron points of the -darts. The fresh hides protected it well, and the points did not stick -in the wood; so the fire fell on the ground, and the Burgundians, under -cover of the base-work of the tower, flung off the flaming cases by -means of forks. This gave them plenty to do, and the tower advanced but -slowly, while the further it proceeded the greater was the chance of its -taking fire. The baron, who had but a small quantity of Greek fire -remaining, was afraid to waste it. Already five cases had been thrown -without effect; so he resolved to wait till the tower was close to the -ramparts. - -At this time of the year (June 21) the nights are not completely dark, -and day breaks early. At two o'clock in the morning the wooden tower was -on the counterscarp of the ditch. The mound that filled it presented a -slope towards the ramparts, and was covered with planks. At a signal, -the tower, urged on from behind by means of twenty powerful levers, -rolled quickly along its inclined plane and came into collision with the -summit of the tower P, above which it rose ten feet. The shock made the -walls tremble, and a shower of stones and darts was poured upon the -defenders from the top of the wooden tower. Then a bridge fell noisily -on the head of the tower above-mentioned, shattered the mantelets and -the catapult; and the assailants, uttering formidable shouts, leaped on -the platform. - -Anseric was at the top of the tower, Q, and Baron Guy was posted on the -battlements of the gate. Both of them, rushing towards the curtains, -attacked in their turn the assaulting column on this narrow rampart; -many on both sides fell within the court, and were killed or had their -limbs broken. - -Numbers conferred no advantage, since it was impossible to deploy; so -that the crowd of assailants that continued to pour forth from the -wooden tower had to fight on the right and the left in a space six feet -wide. The staircase of the tower, P, having been blocked up, the enemy -could not get down through it; so that, driven into a corner on the -platform of the tower, they had to make their way along one curtain or -the other. Anseric, at the head of his troop, was cutting an ensanguined -road before him with a long-handled axe. At his side, his men, armed -with pikes and hooks, stabbed or grappled with and threw down the wall -those who attempted to approach their lord. These unfortunate men fell -from a height of twenty-five feet on the _débris_ of hoarding which the -garrison had thrown down within, to clear the rampart walk. - -The crossbowmen, posted at the top of the wooden tower, discharged -quarrels on the two bands; but the men were well protected with armour, -and the quarrels rebounded from their helmets or were arrested by their -hauberks. Friar Jerome, armed with an enormous mace, mounted on a -merlon, felled all who came within his reach. - -The duke, remaining at the bottom of the wooden tower, and supposing the -rampart taken, was urging on his men-at-arms that they might follow up -with overwhelming numbers those who had first reached the rampart. -Thanks to Anseric's efforts and those of the baron, there was some -amount of delay at the top of the tower, and the exit from the bridge -could not be readily effected. The assailants who were coming up behind -the front of the assault were pressing upon those before them, and this -pressure only increased the confusion. - -By dint of numbers, however, the Burgundians succeeded in gaining a -footing on the tower; and the two bands of defenders were not -sufficiently numerous to thrust them back. Seeing that they were going -to be absolutely overwhelmed, the baron called Father Jerome, who, -leaping from merlon to merlon, succeeded in reaching him. - -A word spoken in the friar's ear made him run towards the neighbouring -tower belonging to the gate. A moment afterwards and a strong crossbow -mounted on the upper story of the work, behind the hoarding, shot -quarrels, to which cases of Greek fire were fastened, against the sides -of the wooden tower, which was not so well protected by skins as its -front. The friar took a cool aim at the exposed part of the timbers, -chiefly about seven or eight feet above the base of the tower. He had -ten of these cases left, and all were aimed with a sure hand, being -attached to strong quarrels, whose points were well sharpened. Four of -the quarrels failed to stick, but the six others were fixed firmly in -the timber, and the cases they bore spread a tenacious and burning lava -over the wood. - -At the first moment the Burgundians, absorbed in the attack, did not -perceive the danger. Those who had reached the top of the tower could -not be aware of it. - -The duke was one of the first to see the thick smoke issuing from the -kindled wood. Immediately he gave orders for the extinction in all haste -of the fire with the aid of small hand-ladders; but as soon as anyone -mounted one of these ladders, a dozen archers and crossbowmen posted in -the gate tower made him their mark. Four or five men had been killed or -wounded before the level of the flame was reached. Inside, the soldiers -who, like a rising flood, were ascending to the top of the tower, soon -found themselves surrounded by the suffocating smoke produced by the -Greek fire. Some were the more eager to mount, others hesitated and were -for going down. "Now! to the rescue! Arde le beffroi!" cried Friar -Jerome, coming to rejoin the baron's troop, which was almost driven into -a corner close to the tower; and with his long mace he took the lead, -breaking heads and arms. "Arde le beffroi!" he shouted at every blow. -"Roche-Pont! Roche-Pont! Arde le beffroi!" shouted, in its turn, the -baron's small troop (Fig. 47). Anseric's men, who were crowded up in the -corner tower, re-echoed this cry. - -[Illustration: FIG. 47.--THE MOVABLE TOWER.] - -The Burgundians, however, did not retreat; in fact, if they had wished -to do so, they could not. They tried to place ladders to get down into -the court, but they were too short. "Burgundy! Burgundy!" shouted the -assailants, in their turn. "Place prise! Place prise!" - -The grey light of dawn faintly illumined this scene of carnage, and its -pale, cold gleams mingled with the ruddy glow of the fire. The smoke, -driven by a breeze from the north-east, beat down upon the combatants, -and sometimes hindered them from seeing each other; but the struggle -raged on. Heaps of the dead and wounded--the latter being speedily -dispatched by menials posted in the court to resist any who should -try to get down into it--lay at the interior base of the curtains. - -Although Anseric and the baron had ordered those who remained in the two -neighbouring towers (that of the angle and that of the gate) not to quit -their post under any pretext, and not to unbar the gates till the two -troops were absolutely driven back upon those defences, these brave men, -seeing so fine an opportunity of routing the Burgundians, and observing -the weakness of the two bands of the defenders compared with the host of -assailants, opened the gates and sallied forth to help their comrades. - -Eleanor and her waiting-women, with some of the wounded, perceiving the -critical state of affairs (for the combat took place in front of the -western inhabited part of the castle), had proceeded along the western -curtain and had reached the corner tower, Q,[35] behind the troop -commanded by Anseric. The lady of the castle was the first to encourage -the men on guard there to go out, saying that she knew well enough how -to bar the doors. As to the wounded who were with her, they posted -themselves as best they could at the hoarding, to shoot at the enemy -outside and the compact mass of Burgundians engaged on the platform of -the tower. These two reinforcements arrived very opportunely. The new -comers, fresh and vigorous, made their way, some on the tops of the -merlons, others on the _débris_ of the hoarding, and relieved their -comrades exhausted by the struggle. - -The fire was catching the framework of the tower, and the Burgundians -soon found their retreat cut off. Those who had gained the rampart, -however, sold their lives dearly, and the struggle did not cease till -the flames of the burning tower curled round the platform and the -rampart walk. - -Nearly five hundred Burgundians were killed, wounded, taken prisoners, -or burned. The sparks of fire, driven by the wind, were borne down upon -the roof and the hoarding of the tower at the angle, and it caught fire -about six o'clock in the morning. - -The day was a fortunate one for the defenders, but they had lost nearly -two hundred in killed and wounded. Anseric had been struck by several -quarrels that pierced his hauberk, and was covered with blood. The -baron, that he might be more at his ease in fighting, feeling himself -oppressed by his helmet, had taken it off during the struggle, and had a -large wound in his head. They hastened to throw over the battlements the -bodies of the slain Burgundians upon the last blazing timbers of the -tower, and to bury in the court the dead that had fallen there. All in -the castle were exhausted with fatigue. Eleanor and her attendants were -engaged in dressing wounds and in bringing food and drink to the various -posts. The lady of the castle preserved her tranquil countenance and -gentle look amid these sanguinary scenes, and during the whole day and -through the following night she did not cease to render aid to all who -needed it. "Fair niece," said the baron to her, while she was dressing -his wound, "if the king's army does not make haste it will find no more -defenders to deliver; but we have given the duke some trouble, and if he -goes on he, too, may have to return to his court alone." - -The 22nd of June passed without fighting. The duke had a _cat_ -constructed with a view to sapping the rampart at its base--which seemed -the more feasible, since the destruction of its hoarding and the burning -of the tower in the angle deprived the defenders of the means of -opposing the sapping effectually. The garrison could see the enemy -engaged in this work in the bailey behind the mantelets, and they -accumulated within the rampart all the materials they could procure, -with a view to blocking up the mouth of the mine at the moment it -reached the court. - -On the morning of the 25th of June, the watch posted on the gateway -tower were much surprised at seeing not a single Burgundian in the -bailey. They went immediately to inform Anseric and the baron. "It is -either a ruse, or the king's army is coming," said the latter; "let -there be a sharp look-out in every quarter." They ascended the donjon. -The posts on the south were abandoned. The _cat_ and the mantelets -remained in the bailey as well as the trebuchets. About noon the baron -sent out ten men with the deserter, who was to conduct them to the -various points occupied by the Burgundian captains. In three hours' time -they returned, saying that they had met only some laggards, who had fled -at their approach, and some wounded; that the encampment was utterly -deserted, but there were some waggons and military engines left. - -The duke having been informed of the advance of the king's army, which -was only a day's march from the castle, had decamped in the night, -abandoning his material of war. - -Great was the joy at La Roche-Pont. The inhabitants of the town soon -came and confirmed the news. The last of the Burgundians had departed -about noon, not without leaving many of their men on the field; for, in -spite of the injunctions of the duke, the inhabitants of the lower town -of Saint-Julien had been considerably plundered and had driven out the -last of the soldiers with stones and pike thrusts. - -Soon afterwards the Sieur de la Roche-Pont did homage for his fief to -King Philip Augustus; and the monks re-entered their abbey, for the -repair of which the king gave five hundred livres. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 21: See Fig. 35.] - -[Footnote 22: See Fig. 35.] - -[Footnote 23: See G, Fig. 35.] - -[Footnote 24: See Fig. 36.] - -[Footnote 25: See Fig. 36.] - -[Footnote 26: See Fig. 36.] - -[Footnote 27: See Fig. 36.] - -[Footnote 28: See Fig. 36.] - -[Footnote 29: See Fig. 36.] - -[Footnote 30: See the general bird's-eye view, Fig. 37.] - -[Footnote 31: The parts of the castle marked red are those taken by the -Burgundians; those marked black are still retained by the defenders. At -_a_ is marked the breach in the barbican; at _b_ the filling up of the -fosse and the first breach made in the curtain; at _c_ the second -breach. At _o o_ are seen the Burgundian posts established on the night -of the 6th and 7th of June; at _x_ the outline of the subterranean -passage of the refuge postern of the donjon; at _z_ the quarry; at P the -route traversed by Pierre Landry and Eleanor's escort; at R their place -of concealment, and at S the point where they were got into the castle -by means of a rope.] - -[Footnote 32: See Fig. 45.] - -[Footnote 33: See Fig. 45.] - -[Footnote 34: See Fig. 45.] - -[Footnote 35: See Fig. 45.] - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -_THE FIRST DEFENCES AGAINST FIRE ARTILLERY._ - - -King John had possessed himself of the duchy of Burgundy and united it -with the crown; he resigned it in favour of his son Philip, who, as is -well known, had distinguished himself on the fatal day of Poictiers. -From that epoch till the time of Charles the Bold, the duchy had -remained in the hands of the descendants of King John; and although the -dukes of Burgundy were very warlike, and had formed a league with the -English against the crown of France, in consequence of the quarrel that -arose in 1400 between Philip and the Duke Louis d'Orleans, brother of -Charles VI., the duchy was relatively at peace, while the north of -France, as far as the Loire, was in the power of foreigners. - -After the death of Charles the Bold before Nancy, King Louis XI. lost no -time in despatching to the province of Burgundy La Trémoille, baron of -Craon, who, acting in concert with the Prince of Orange, soon reduced -the whole province into subjection to the king of France; this was in -1477. - -The town of La Roche-Pont (at that time the abbey alone preserved the -name of Saint-Julien, and the town had adopted that of the castle) had -been deemed by Charles the Bold worthy of special attention. Recognising -the advantageous site of the place and the importance of its strategic -position, this prince had adapted the ancient defences to the new mode -of attack. The old castle of La Roche-Pont, several times repaired, -still showed some of its defences dating from the end of the twelfth -century, the donjon being particularly well preserved; but the abbey and -the entire plateau had been surrounded by a new wall by Philip, about -1380, and the town had been rebuilt within this enclosure, the right -bank of the larger stream being completely abandoned. At the end of the -fourteenth century there existed only a suburb on the slopes of the -plateau along the left bank, and this suburb had no other defence than a -wall of inconsiderable strength on the north. The great-grandson of -Anseric, Sieur de la Roche-Pont, having died without male heirs, the -fief of La Roche-Pont had reverted to the Duke Philip, who, as well as -his successors, appointed the governors of the town and castle, -henceforth a ducal domain. - -The enclosure of the town had been rebuilt in great part on the Roman -foundations. It consisted of a substantial wall rising about twenty-four -feet above the outside ground level, without machicoulis, strengthened -with cylindrical towers thirty-six feet in height surrounded by -machicoulis and covered with conical roofs. Machicoulis formed also the -upper defence of the curtains and towers of the castle, whose plan had -not been changed. - -This place had not suffered any attack since the date of these new -works, and it was intact under Charles the Bold. During his struggle in -the north with the people of Ghent and Hainault, and as a precaution -against the intrigues of Louis XI., he had thought it needful to put the -town of La Roche-Pont in a good state of defence. Now, limited though -its efficiency was, the artillery of the king of France already played a -sufficiently important part in sieges to render it necessary to provide -against its effects. The duke therefore raised several boulevards to -replace the walls and receive artillery. (Fig. 48.) - -[Illustration: FIG. 48.--THE TOWN OF LA ROCHE-PONT IS FORTIFIED BY -CHARLES THE BOLD.] - -As shown in our plan, the bailey of the castle no longer existed. It was -replaced by a wide ditch, A, of little depth; its bottom was on a level -with the two boulevards, B and C. A third boulevard surrounded the base -of the donjon externally, in the place of the ancient _chemise_. This -boulevard commanded the stone bridge rebuilt in the fourteenth century -on the Roman piers. Before the north front was raised an isolated -boulevard of earth, D, of slight elevation, but commanding the road of -the plateau. At the angles of the north front two large towers, E, F, -adapted to receive cannon, flanked the angles and were in a position to -sweep the boulevard, D. Set back on the eastern side, a similar tower, -G, commanded the valley of the rivulet. Two boulevards, H and I, forming -projections beneath the defences of the fourteenth century, commanded -the course of the river, and could cross their fire with the boulevard -B, and the tower E. A boulevard was also raised on the eastern salient -at K. - -The faubourg had preserved its two parish churches, and a convent of -Jacobins had been built at L, on lands bought by Saint Louis while the -fief of La Roche-Pont was still directly dependent on the crown of -France. - -The abbey of Saint-Julien, O, had diminished its enclosure, and yielded -a part of its estates. Houses arose in its ancient pleasance, whose -perimeter had been somewhat altered. These habitations were within its -liberties and belonged to the abbey, which granted them on lease. - -At M, a parish church under the invocation of Our Lady had been built -towards the end of the thirteenth century, when the lord of La -Roche-Pont, wanting money, sold some lands--formerly belonging to the -castle--for building. At N was the market-place. Three gates gave -admission to the _cité_: one on the north, called Saint-Julien's gate; -one on the east, Mill-gate; and the third on the south-east, called -Castle-gate. - -We must enter into some details respecting the new defences raised under -Charles the Bold. Figure 49 presents a bird's-eye view of the northern -boulevard, D, with the _cité_ front in the background, its gate of the -fourteenth century, and the two great corner towers. - -[Illustration: FIG. 49.] - -Fig. 50 A gives the plan of one of these towers at the level of the -lower battery, and B its section through _a_, _b_. - -These towers were forty yards in diameter on the outside, and consisted -of a low battery, whose floor was six feet beneath the upper level of -the plateau. The descent to this low battery was by a slope ending in an -octagonal hall whose vaults rested on four great cylindrical pillars. -Three chambers with embrasures for three large cannons opened into this -hall. By the galleries, C, there was a communication between two of -these chambers and two other smaller ones pierced with embrasures for -culverins. From the descent D, two passages, E, gave access to two -chambers, F, likewise arranged with embrasures to receive two large -guns. - -[Illustration: FIG. 50.--MASONRY TOWER FOR ARTILLERY.] - -The barrel vaults of these rooms had openings to allow the smoke to -escape. Small powder magazines, G, opened near each of the chambers, and -five large lunettes pierced in the vaults of the central hall gave air -and light to the interior. At H, a well was connected with a cistern -constructed under the central hall, as indicated in section B. This -cistern was supplied by rain-water falling on the platform and -discharged by four pipes passing down through the inner walls. Two -winding staircases connected the lower battery with the platform and the -curtains of the fourteenth century, I I, and allowed of a descent -through two posterns, K, into the braie, L, defended by an epaulement, a -palisade, and narrow ditch. Flanks, _l_, raked the salient of this -braie. The curtain, whose rampart walk rose six feet above the level of -the platform, closed the gorge of the tower, as shown in section B at N. -Two watch-towers, P, were built in the thickness of the parapet, pierced -with nineteen embrasures for small pieces. This parapet was not too high -for arbalisters to shoot over its slope. A wide incline, R, facilitated -the getting up of guns and the ascent of men to the platform. - -Fig. 51 presents a bird's-eye view of boulevard _I_,[36] with the -ramparts of the fourteenth century. These boulevards were earthworks, -and their interior surface was four yards below the level of the -plateau. The boulevards, B and C, raised at the western angles of the -castle, had their platforms on a level with the bottom of the ditch, as -mentioned above. Having thus described the general plan and the details, -we proceed to narrate the events of which the town of La Roche-Pont was -the theatre in 1477 and 1478. - -[Illustration: FIG. 51.] - -With a view to securing the aid of the Prince of Orange, after the death -of Duke Charles, Louis XI. had been most liberal to him in promises, one -of which was that he would place in his hands all the strong towns of -Burgundy that belonged to the estate of the Prince of Orange, his -grandfather, and which Duke Charles had forestalled. - -But when the Seigneur de Craon had taken possession of these places he -would not give them up, notwithstanding the demands made upon him by the -Prince, and the apparent orders of King Louis XI. - -The marriage between the daughter of Charles the Bold, sole heiress of -his domains, and Maximilian, Duke of Austria, took place in the -meantime. The latter proceeded to recover possession of the duchy of -Burgundy, and had a conference with the Prince of Orange, exasperated at -the non-fulfilment of the promises made him; while the province was soon -to a large extent roused against the French, whom the Seigneur de Craon, -eager for gain, and by no means faithful in accomplishing his -engagements, rendered detestable. - -The Seigneur de Craon had left in the town of La Roche-Pont only a -somewhat feeble garrison. At the instigation of the agents of -Maximilian, who was filling the country with emissaries, the inhabitants -barricaded themselves one evening in the streets, and attacked the -French posts. The latter, small in number, and indifferently commanded, -took refuge in the castle after having lost some soldiers. The castle -was ill supplied with provisions and munitions. Surrounded by the -townspeople, the garrison could not hold their position long; so that -one night it escaped on the south side, passing right through the -Burgundian posts to join the Seigneur de Craon's army near Dijon. The -inhabitants immediately hoisted the Cross of Burgundy on the keep, and -hastened to Maximilian to inform him of the success of the rising, and -to ask assistance against a return of the king's armies; for they were -scarcely in a condition to defend themselves. Maximilian sent them a -body of twelve hundred Germans, Swiss, and Brabançons, with cannon, -munitions, and engineers. The first thing these troops did on arriving -was to commit some depredations in the environs and the western -faubourg, after which they set about the defence of the place. - -The Sire de Montcler had been invested with the command of the foreign -troops and of those he was able to collect together in the town and -neighbourhood. He was an active, enterprising, and rather shrewd man, of -noble bearing and handsome countenance, in the prime of life, capable of -enforcing obedience, and trusting to himself alone in getting his orders -executed. He had soon decided on his plans. - -The able-bodied population of the town amounted to about two thousand -men, half of whom were in a condition to render effective service, and -were accustomed to war. Some days after the arrival of the foreign -troops, some Burgundian lords who favoured the young duchess, and were -much incensed against the Seigneur de Craon--who, for no other reason -than to get money, had plundered their estates and taken away their most -valuable property--assembled at La Roche-Pont. They brought with them -two hundred lances and some convoys of provisions. The effective -garrison might therefore be said to amount to three thousand fighting -men, of whom five hundred were horse--each lance being followed by an -esquire. - -The place was not in a good state of defence; the braies were much -dilapidated, the earthen boulevards crumbling away, while the ditches -wanted clearing out. No piece was mounted. There were neither gabions -nor fascines nor stakes for palisades. The Sire de Montcler made the -following arrangement:--All, whether captains, soldiers, pioneers, -inhabitants of the town, men or women, were to go every morning before -daybreak to the posts assigned them beforehand, on pain of death. And -with a view to impressing this order on all, gallows were set up in the -various wards, which bore the following names: Tower ward (on the -North); Saint-Julien's ward (including the abbey and the eastern part of -the _cité_ opposite the monastery); Saint-Louis's ward (situated between -the abbey and the castle, on the west); the Mill ward, looking towards -the east. The tenants of the abbey had claimed exemption from the -service, but the Sire de Montcler had paid no attention to their claims -any more than to those of the abbot, whose gardens and buildings served -as a central arsenal. Two or three obstinate burgesses had been hanged, -and since then none had failed in his duty. At noon all went to dinner, -and returned at two o'clock to work till nightfall. The women and the -children from eleven to sixteen years of age carried earth in baskets -and traies; and the soldiers, pioneers, and townsmen, under the -direction of the engineers, began to restore the parapets of the -boulevards, cleared out the ditches and restored the braies again. A -sawing machine was established at the mill and cut wood to make -palisades. In a few days the inhabitants, who had at first thought this -very hard work and regretted having driven away the French garrison, had -become habituated to this life of fatigue, and endured it quite -cheerfully. Singing and laughing were heard in every quarter while the -work was going on. It might have been supposed that they were engaged in -a _fête_. - -The governor had not overlooked the supply of provisions. It was the end -of the summer. All the harvest produce of the neighbourhood had been -ordered to be brought into the town. A pair of millstones, which were -still available after the establishment of the saw-mill, was at work -night and day. All the provisions stored in the houses were to be -deposited in the abbey or the castle, on pain of death, and the -inhabitants received their several rations like the soldiers. A large -store of grain and vegetables laid up in the abbey considerably -increased the supplies of provisions. The Sire de Montcler had of -course laid hands on these provisions. - -[Illustration: FIG. 52.] - -The old men and young children were occupied in making gabions and -cutting turf for the taluses of the boulevards. Behind the north front -the governor had a good trench dug, demolishing some houses, with -retrenchment and good gabionades on the flanks for artillery. The north -wall of the abbey was terraced and united to the east curtain by a -retrenchment with a ditch. - -The Sire de Montcler was a good-humoured man, familiar with all, present -everywhere and talking to everybody; and, thanks to his jocular and -pleasant ways, the good people saw their houses demolished and the soil -of their gardens taken away to make ditches and epaulements without -being greatly distressed. - -When everything was well prepared for the defence, however, the governor -sent away all useless mouths. Women, children, and old men had to seek -an asylum in the environs. After this, the western faubourg was burned -to prevent its being occupied by the troops of Louis XI. - -A _tête du pont_ had been formed on the right bank outside the -drawbridge (Fig. 52), with a large cavalier on the left bank; the two -other bridges were destroyed. On the plateau towards the north arose, in -front of the boulevard D,[37] an intrenchment of earth, with barricades -of trees and large gabions screening two culverins. The boulevards and -towers on the north were armed with bombards. - -Every night the governor took care to reconnoitre the environs. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 36: See the general plan, Fig. 48.] - -[Footnote 37: See Fig. 48.] - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -_THE FIFTH SIEGE._ - - -The 4th of September, 1478, the army of King Louis XI. was reported by a -company of horsemen to be half a day's march from the town. This army, -consisting of five hundred lances and infantry, forming a total of about -six thousand men, was commanded by Messire Charles d'Amboise, lord of -Chaumont, a sage and moderate man, no plunderer as his predecessor had -been, and as valiant a man of war as he was a clever politician. - -Messire Charles d'Amboise was expecting a reinforcement of twelve -hundred Swiss; for he had been able to push his interests so ably with -some of the gentry of the Cantons by offering them attractive -advantages, that they had resolved to furnish him with troops. - -Besides the four florins and a half a month which he gave to each man, -Messire Charles d'Amboise paid for this service twenty thousand francs -to the cities of Berne, Lucerne, Zurich, Solerne, and twenty thousand to -the private individuals who undertook the recruiting. For which -consideration, a body of Swiss troops for the service of the king was to -be raised, amounting to six thousand infantry. - -The king's army took with it a good and powerful artillery, consisting -of twelve large bombards, twenty-four spiroles, veuglaires and -ribeaudequins, without reckoning fire-arms and the munitions for this -ordnance. Thus accompanied it marched slowly and in good order, well -guarded on its flanks. - -Some of the Burgundian lords, with about forty lances, having wished to -try the strength of the French previous to their arrival before the -city, suffered for their adventurous spirit; for they left half their -number on the field. The governor, therefore, commanded that no one -should go out without his orders. The first troops of Messire Charles -d'Amboise showed themselves at nightfall on the northern side of the -plateau, just beyond the range of boulevard D[38], and began to install -themselves, setting up between them and the town, mantelets brought on -carts, and fixed with the help of stakes driven in the ground. When it -became quite dark, the Sire de Montcler tried to attack them; but -perceiving that this vanguard was efficiently sustained by a large body -posted in the rear, he retired after a slight skirmish. - -Next day, the 5th of September, Messire Charles d'Amboise sent some -scouts into the lower town, and on the eastern side towards the mills, -which he took without striking a blow, for they were not guarded. -Immediately, some bombs were discharged at these mills, and the -besiegers were obliged to abandon them for the moment, for at the second -discharge one of the roofs fell in. The Sire de Montcler organized his -troops as follows:-- - - In each of the four wards mentioned above, 200 armed men from the town - were intrusted with the guard and defence of the ramparts 800 - There remained 500 Burgundian foot soldiers, among whom there were - bombardiers and culverineers 150 - Skilled javelin men, archers, and arbalisters 250 - Pioneers 100 - The Germans who were not on friendly terms with the inhabitants were - posted in reserve in the abbey, amounting to 800 - And in the castle, amounting to 400 - The men-at-arms, partly in the abbey 200 - Partly in the castle 200 - Partly in the neighbourhood of the gates 50 - ----- - Total of force 2,950 - ----- - -It was evident that the garrison was not numerous enough to attempt -sorties; it had already enough to do to guard its defences in presence -of a besieging army amounting to nearly six thousand men; an army -moreover which might receive reinforcements. The governor was clearly -awake to the facts, and felt that he must economise his strength. - -He resolved, therefore, to limit himself at least for the moment to an -energetic defence; but this did not prevent him from sending messengers -to Maximilian before the complete investment, to ask him to intervene -and send a corps of relief, if he did not wish to see the place fall -into the hands of the king of France, which would certainly happen if it -were left to itself. But he added it would resist to the last, and he -could answer for the disposition of the garrison. - -On his side, Messire Charles d'Amboise seemed not to wish to precipitate -matters; he hanged several soldiers who had been guilty of acts of -pillage in the neighbourhood, and ordered that the dwellers in the -suburbs should be considerately treated. By the evening of the 8th of -September the town was completely invested. A body, consisting of three -thousand two hundred men, remained encamped on the northern plateau, -acting in conjunction with five hundred men posted among the ruins of -the lower town and three hundred men behind the walls on the lower -slopes of the hills on the east.[39] Most of the cavalry occupied the -right shore of the larger stream and the valley on the south. A body of -about five hundred men blockaded the _tête du pont_, and had orders to -seize it when a favourable occasion offered. That night some pieces of -artillery were brought into position on the lower slopes of the eastern -hills to command all the eastern declivity of the _cité_. Some were -assigned to the body of troops blockading the _tête du pont_. - -The besiegers' artillery was thus disposed:-- - - Veuglaires, - Bombards. Spiroles. - - Attack on the northern boulevard 4 2 - Battery on the slopes of the eastern hills 2 4 - Before the _tête du pont_ 4 - On the western slopes of the plateau commanding - the lower town 2 - Park of reserve 6 12 - -- -- - Total 12 24 - -- -- - -The artillery of the besieged consisted of:-- - - Bombards. Culverins. - - On the platforms of the three great northern - towers 3 3 - In the casemated batteries of these towers 6 - On the earthwork in front of the northern - boulevard 2 - On the northern boulevard 1 2 - On the boulevards B, C, H, I, K 5 5 - On the cavalier commanding the bridge 1 2 - Reserve in the abbey and the castle 4 8 - -- -- - Totals 14 28 - -- -- - -On the 10th of September the besiegers began a cavalier in form of a -horseshoe, three hundred paces from the boulevard, E, towards the -north-east, to rake its gorge at A (Fig. 53). This cavalier was armed -with two bombards and a spirole. Northwards, on the side of the road, a -second cavalier, B, was also provided with two bombards. Next was -commenced an earthwork, running obliquely with traverses, to reach from -this cavalier in a south-west direction as far as the edge of the -plateau near the defenders' intrenchment C, D. The great boulevard, E, -of the defence was armed with a bombard and two culverins, and two other -culverins flanked the intrenchment C, D. On the morning of the 17th of -September, the four bombards of the besiegers sent into the boulevard -stone balls two hundred pounds weight, which very much damaged the -gorge, and about noon dismounted the bombard and one of the culverins. -The besieged had answered their fire as well as they could, both from -the boulevard and the two great towers G, H. But it was only the balls -of the bombard mounted on the platform of the tower H, that reached the -cavalier A. Those of the tower G only rolled as far as the slope of the -cavalier B. The governor might have mounted other bombards on the -boulevard E; but he was afraid of losing the pieces, and preferred -reserving them for the defence at close quarters. On the 18th the -besieger had terminated his earthwork as far as the point I, and there -he brought up a veuglaire to dismount the flank culverin C. At this -point some men were lost on both sides; for the besiegers sent among -those engaged in the works large balls of stone and leaden bullets, -fired from the bombards of the tower G, and from small cannon. - -[Illustration: FIG. 53.] - -On the 18th of September, at daybreak, the bombards of the cavaliers, A -and B, redoubled their fire on the boulevard; then Messire Charles -d'Amboise, having massed a body of four hundred men at the point, I, -sheltered by gabions and fascines put up during the night; at the word -of command this body fell upon the flank, C, which was vigorously -defended for an hour. After this the Sire de Montcler, observing that -the besiegers were continually sending reinforcements to this point, -withdrew his troops into the barbican, K, and the boulevard, E, which -enabled the artillerymen posted in the tower, G, to keep up a brisk fire -from their bombard and their small cannon upon the assailants. - -From the boulevard, E, the besieged, in spite of the projectiles they -received in their rear, sheltering themselves as best they could, -discharged volleys of stones with their culverins on the point occupied -by the enemy. The latter sought to avoid them by descending a short -distance below the ridge of the plateau; but they were none the less -exposed there to the fire from the tower, G. They brought up gabions and -fascines, and endeavoured to gain a footing on this flank, not without -some loss, when about three o'clock in the afternoon another attack was -contrived against the flank, D. Passing round the end of the -intrenchment, and hastening with all speed along the slopes, the enemy -attempted to take the defenders in the rear. This attack was -unsuccessful. Those who served the bombards and culverins of the tower, -H, seized the right moment for discharging volleys against this column -of assailants, which made deep lanes in the battalions. These, moreover, -who were retired within the barbican, precipitated down the slopes those -of the enemy who had already passed beyond the intrenchment; and the -struggle ceased towards evening, the besieger occupying the point C -alone, without being able to advance. He was endeavouring to find -shelter there, both against the projectiles and against any attack in -retaliation. The citizens had lost only a few men and a culverin. The -enemy reckoned one hundred and fifty dead, and a large number of -wounded. - -During the night the Sire de Montcler brought up fascines, casks, and -timber _débris_ with which he raised a barricade connecting the barbican -with the boulevard along the road, and a second connecting the eastern -extremity of the intrenchment, D, with the fausse-braie of the tower, H, -along the ridge of the plateau. He brought up one of the reserve -culverins, and mounted it in the centre of the first barricade, then, -with gabions, he strengthened the shelters and parados of the boulevard. -The bombard was remounted as well as it could be, and directed against -the point, C, of the intrenchment. And a second bombard was brought from -the abbey to the platform of the tower G. - -On his side, Messire Charles d'Amboise had not remained inactive. At the -point, I, an earthwork was raised with gabionades, and two bombards were -brought thither. The point captured was strengthened by great gabions, -all covered with fascines, and well furnished with small cannon. These -works were scarcely terminated when the day broke (September 19th). It -was the besieged who began to direct the fire of their bombard from the -boulevard, E, against the point C. - -Immediately one of the bombards from the platform, I, replied, while -the other discharged balls on the tower G, whose pieces were not slow in -responding. Then the bombards of the cavaliers A and B joined in as on -the previous day. The fire of these five pieces, converging at once on -the boulevard, soon threw down the gabionades, killed most of the -artillerymen, and dismounted the bombard a second time. This defence was -no longer tenable. However, the governor would not yet abandon the -advanced work: protecting his men as best he could along the interior -slopes, he sent for five hundred Germans held in reserve in the abbey, -and when duly marshalled, at a signal agreed upon, all the pieces of the -tower G, the culverins of the barricade, and another culverin that had -remained in battery on the boulevard, fired at once on the point C; and -immediately putting himself at the head of the Germans and one hundred -volunteers, among whom were most of the Burgundian men-at-arms, crossed -the barricade and charged the enemy's position, who, surprised by this -bold attack, defended themselves but feebly, and were partly driven on -the slopes of the plateau. Messire Charles d'Amboise, who was on the -platform I, seeing this rebuff, threw two large battalions, held in -reserve behind the earthwork, against the intrenchment between the point -C and the boulevard. - -His men crossed the obstacle quickly enough, in spite of the barricade -and the defenders posted at this point, and attacked the troop of the -besieged in flank and in rear. In the midst of this _mêlée_, the -artillerymen on both sides were prevented from firing; it was a combat -with sharp weapons only. The Sire de Montcler found himself much -jeopardised when, from the barbican and the boulevard, those who were on -the field, although they had orders not to quit their posts, fell in -their turn on the troop of besiegers. Immediately dividing his forces -into two bodies, the governor was able with one to hold his ground -against the assailants thrown on the slopes, and with the other to make -head against the French, in their turn attacked on both sides. - -The conflict was sanguinary. The besiegers, driven back against the -intrenchment, could neither deploy nor manoeuvre. Messire Charles -d'Amboise sent a reinforcement, but the bombardiers of the tower G, at -the risk of killing some of their own party, discharged stone balls and -leaden bullets over the intrenchment at the fresh troops. Some -well-aimed shots threw this battalion into confusion, as the soldiers -could not see what was taking place in the interior, and were besides -exposed to projectiles thrown by defenders mounted on the salient of the -intrenchment. In fact the utmost these last comers could do was to -facilitate the retreat of their comrades, which had become a very -perilous one. The outwork was therefore recovered by the besieged--were -they able to keep it? - -Messire Charles d'Amboise saw that it was not prudent to hurry on an -attack, and that in the face of a resolute garrison he must determine to -proceed methodically. As the last rays of daylight faded the besiegers -had all repassed the intrenchment conquered the day before, and were -leaving on the field more than a hundred dead, wounded, and prisoners. - -They had been obliged to abandon the culverin they had seized. The -wounded were transported to the abbey and consigned to the care of the -monks, who attended to them as well as to the wounded among the -besieged. The prisoners were shut up in the castle, where they were well -treated. Some Swiss were among them. - -It was painful to the Sire de Montcler to abandon the outwork after this -success; but it was evident that the besiegers would make new efforts to -seize it, since the place was accessible only on that side, and many -men must be sacrificed in retaining it. Now the garrison had suffered in -the last struggle losses at least equivalent to those of the enemy; and -these losses could not be repaired, while the troops of the king of -France would be reinforced, if necessary. The Swiss prisoners, when -questioned, had not concealed the fact that the enemy might reckon upon -a fresh body of their own countrymen, five hundred in number, before -long. - -At nightfall therefore the governor assembled the captains of the -various posts and the Burgundian lords, and spoke to them as -follows:--"Gentlemen, our troops have displayed courage and intelligence -in this day's struggle; and this assures us success, with the help of -God. Though inferior to the enemy in numbers, we have defended and -recovered the outwork; it would therefore be possible to keep it. Yet we -cannot do so without directing all our means of resistance to this -point, and imposing a severe task on the garrison. We should be rapidly -exhausting our strength, while the enemy, which is much more numerous -than we, can employ fresh troops every day. It would seem wise, then, to -abandon this outwork, exposed to the batteries of the enemy, and to -retire behind the ramparts; but besides the disinclination which men of -honour must feel for retreating, after a success has been gained, and -not trying to avail themselves of the advantages they have secured, -there is the consideration that if we abandon the boulevard this defence -will be turned against us by the besieger, and will support him in -attacking our front. I have, therefore, resolved to unite this boulevard -with the extremities of the curtains by two intrenchments, which will be -flanked by the towers. This very night we must begin; and if we have not -finished the works to-morrow morning we must defend our present -intrenchment, that we may secure time to finish the new one. Be so good, -therefore, as to assemble the townspeople in their various quarters -within an hour, and let them be in readiness on the ground to work at -the said intrenchments." - -[Illustration: FIG. 54] - -The orders of the governor were peremptory, and about nine o'clock four -hundred workmen, and even women, issued by the north gate to raise the -earthworks marked out on the ground by the engineer (Fig. 54). This -intrenchment consisted of a small ditch with an earthwork surmounted by -stakes, rubbish from the demolition of houses in the town, fascines, and -barrels filled with earth. On the western side it started from the -boulevard at N, and joined the fosse of the curtain at L, leaving a -passage of twenty-four feet between its extremity and the ditch. On the -eastern side it reached the entrance of the boulevard O, and followed -the line O M, with a similar passage at M. At R and P two culverins were -mounted, protected by strong gabionades. On the enemy's side an -embankment, with platform and gabions, had been raised at S, and the two -bombards of the cavalier, B, were mounted on this platform. At T, -Messire Charles d'Amboise had placed a culverin, protected by a -gabionade. - -The bombards of the cavalier B were replaced by three veuglaires to -crush the battery S, if the besieged, taking the offensive, endeavoured -to seize it. - -On the morning of the 20th of September the works of the besieged were -almost completed, or at any rate were high enough to present an obstacle -to the assailant. The boulevard, E, had been well furnished with -fascines and gabions that very night. The bombard, remounted, swept the -point C, and the two culverins the exterior. The intrenchment, C D, was -strongly occupied by the defenders at the break of day with small cannon -and powerful catapults. The barricades on the flanks, V and X, were -strengthened. The Sire de Montcler sent two hundred men to the -boulevard, E, with orders to keep under cover as far as possible, and to -use their weapons only in case of the intrenchment being forced. The -attack commenced about six o'clock. The two bombards, S, discharged -stone balls on the salient of the intrenchment and on the boulevard; at -the same time the two pieces, I and T, directed their fire on the -epaulement, C, and the interval, S T, was occupied by arbalisters and -men who served the small cannon under cover of mantelets. From the -cavalier, A, the bombards continued to discharge balls broadcast on the -boulevard E, as on the previous days. From the platform of this cavalier -A, Messire Charles d'Amboise had observed the intrenchment which the -besieged had raised during the night; he therefore resolved to bring all -his efforts to bear on the salient and the boulevard. With this view, -about eight o'clock, he brought up two culverins at Y, which, protected -by gabions, were also made to do duty. The besieged replied only with -their small cannon and the two culverins of the epaulements, C and D, -and their arbalisters. They were husbanding their fire for the moment of -assault. At noon, the salient of the intrenchment was broken down, and -the escarpment of the boulevard was greatly damaged. The defenders were -driven from their position at Z; their culverin, C, was dismounted, and -the western epaule rendered untenable. They dispersed or took refuge -along the intrenchment from Z to D, which was less exposed. The Sire de -Montcler gave orders to return within the second intrenchment. They -brought away the culverin D, which was mounted at the extremity L; but -they were obliged to leave the piece C after having spiked it. As soon -as Charles d'Amboise saw the besieged abandon his intrenchment he ceased -firing, and, having marshalled an assaulting column furnished with -ladders, poles, and cutlasses, ordered it to cross the ruined salient -and assault the boulevard without giving the enemy breathing time. This -was the moment for which the commandant was waiting. As soon as he saw -this column begin to move and pass the intrenchment, he directed upon it -a simultaneous fire from the pieces of the two towers G and H, the two -culverins mounted on the boulevard, and all the small cannon. The -assaulting column, thus taken obliquely and in front, hesitated and -fell back; when it was greeted by a shower of crossbow bolts from the -ramparts of the boulevard. It rallied, however, behind the battery S, -which discharged a volley upon the boulevard, and, turning slightly on -its right so as at least to shelter itself from the fire of the tower H, -it passed the intrenchment once more and threw its scaling ladders on -the escarpment of the boulevard. The defenders sustained the assault -resolutely. The tower, G, then began to fire on the assailants as well -as the culverins brought up at L and P. - -The besiegers suffered severe losses. On two occasions some of their -number reached the parapet, but could not hold their ground. They did -not fall back, however; and most of them heated by the fight, not -obeying or not hearing the voice of their captains, advanced along the -new intrenchment N L, hoping to force it, for it was but weak. In fact, -in a few moments this defence was passed, and the assailants then -endeavoured to take the boulevard by the gorge. The defenders posted -between C and M seeing themselves taken in rear, took refuge, some in -the boulevard and others in barbican K. A hand to hand fight began in -this triangle. In this _mêlée_ the garrison dared not shoot from the -curtain. The Sire de Montcler, who was in the barbican, then put himself -at the head of his men and encouraged them by saying that the enemy was -taken in a snare from which he could not escape; he sallied forth in -good order, driving the scattered assailants before him as far as the -gorge of the boulevard, which was crowded by the defenders, crying -"Burgundy! Burgundy!" (Fig. 55). The works of this boulevard were -commanded by a cool-headed captain, who was able to prevent his men from -being disturbed by the struggle going on behind them; and who -maintained his ground against the assault--now diminishing in -vigour--issued from the gorge, and rallying all the panic-stricken -soldiers who were massed together at this point, rushed on the enemy. -The French were then obliged to retreat as best they could, not without -leaving many of their men on the field. But it was evident that the -boulevard P could hold out no longer. Surrounded by the enemy's fire, -and the outer intrenchment taken, a fresh assault would place it in the -power of the enemy. Its parapets were ruined, and its three pieces -disabled. All night the besiegers occupied both sides of the -intrenchments N, L, O, M and kept up an incessant fire to hinder the -besieged from reinforcing this defence. The Sire de Montcler determined, -though with regret, and only to avoid a useless sacrifice of life, to -give the orders required for bringing back into the town such pieces of -ordnance as were still serviceable. He was obliged to abandon the -bombard, of which indeed the besiegers could make no use. Two of the -five culverins were placed on the platforms of the great towers, and the -three others on terraces raised behind the curtain, together with three -pieces taken from the reserve. - -[Illustration: FIG. 55.--ASSAULT ON THE BOULEVARD.] - -On the morning of the 21st of September, the besiegers found the outwork -abandoned; but in occupying it themselves they were exposed to the fire -of the two great bombards of the towers and of ten culverins, which did -not cease to fire on the boulevard and the intrenchment. - -Towards evening, however, they had succeeded in opening a wide breach in -the boulevard, opposite the gorge, and inclosing the latter. They were -occupied all night in restoring its slopes and parapets in front of the -town, and raising platforms and mounting three bombards on the -boulevard. - -[Illustration: FIG. 56 - -ATTACK ON THE OLD FRONT.] - -At the two epaulements of the intrenchment C, D they raised two -gabioned cavaliers, and placed a bombard and two veuglaires on each of -them. - -On the 21st of September, these works having been terminated by noon in -spite of the fire of the besieged, one of the bombards of the boulevard -discharged its stone balls at the gate, the two others at the two -towers. At the same time the veuglaires of the cavaliers fired on these -towers with iron balls and the bombards with their stone balls. These -projectiles left only feeble traces on the masonry, but often threw down -the gabionades and the parapets, and dismounted the pieces (Fig. -56).[40] - -This artillery fight lasted till evening; on both sides pieces had been -dismounted or were silenced; and the whole of the night was employed -both by besieger and besieged in replacing the cannon on their repaired -carriages or in bringing up new pieces. - -Messire Charles d'Amboise was irritated; the affair was advancing but -slowly. He had already received pressing letters from the king; for -Louis XI. was afraid that a prolonged resistance would determine the -other parts of Burgundy which had remained faithful to the court of -France, to declare for the young duchess. He knew that emissaries of -Maximilian were going through the province and endeavouring to persuade -the authorities of the great towns that the king's army was feeble and -disheartened; seeing that, in spite of formidable artillery, twenty days -had not enabled it to make any impression on the little city of -Roche-Pont. - -Although the besiegers concentrated their fire, the number of pieces -mounted by them was inferior to that of the cannon of the besieged. The -stone balls of the bombards did no great damage to the defences. Messire -Charles d'Amboise, therefore, during the night intervening between the -22nd and 23rd, raised a cavalier at A, strongly gabioned and terraced, -and armed it with three large culverins. On the morning of the 23rd of -September the corner tower, G, received the fire of five pieces loaded -with iron ball and of a bombard discharging stone balls. After two -hours' fire all the defences of the platform were knocked down and the -three pieces dismounted, the embrasures of the tower battery shattered, -and the defenders killed or wounded. Then orders were given that the -tower should be fired upon only by two pieces from the cavalier C; and -the fire of the three culverins of the cavalier A, and the three -bombards of the boulevard, concentrated their fire on the gate and its -barbican. Towards the end of the day this fine gate presented the -appearance shown in Fig. 57. In the evening the besieger's pieces that -had not been dismounted--that is to say, two culverins of the battery A, -a veuglaire of the cavalier, and one of the bombards of the -boulevard--concentrated their fire on the terrace P, of the -besieged.[41] By evening the wall was dismantled, the gabionades tumbled -down, and only one of the three culverins was available. However there -was no breach, and an assault could not be attempted. - -[Illustration: FIG. 57] - -The Sire de Montcler decided that he must at all risks retard the -besieger's progress if he could do nothing more. He reckoned that in two -days the enemy would be able to effect a breach, either by his cannon or -by mining, and that then the _cité_ must be taken; for the garrison -could not long hold out behind the interior retrenchments. In the -cannonade of the preceding days the Sire de Montcler had lost but few -men, and his reserve force had not been drawn upon. He therefore got -them under arms about nine o'clock, summoned a troop of one hundred -well-mounted horsemen, and gave the following orders:--The hundred -horsemen, accompanied by a hundred _coutilliers_ on foot, were to sally -forth by the eastern gate against the post established at the mills, -attack the small encampment installed in the meadows below, fall back by -the road skirting the plateau on the east side, skirmish on the -outskirts of the French camp, or cut down the posts they came upon on -their way, and then return at full speed to the east gate. A second body -of a hundred foot soldiers was to be at the cross road above the mills -to protect their retreat. During these attacks, designed to attract the -enemy's attention to the left, a troop of five hundred men on foot would -issue from a masked postern giving egress below the front of the abbey -on the west, and filing off along the ramparts, vigorously attack the -cavalier C, and the battery A, spike the pieces, and do all possible -damage. It was to retire by the same way, protected by the western -ramparts. - -Messire Charles d'Amboise was too experienced a warrior to fail in -pushing his advantage. He knew that success, especially in sieges, -ultimately accrues to him who leaves the enemy no repose, and does not -fall asleep when his first advantage has been gained. The north front of -the place was rendered powerless; but an energetic governor of a town -may, in a single night, accumulate many obstacles, devise a hundred -stratagems, and very greatly hinder the efficiency of an attack. Charles -d'Amboise had therefore resolved to have fascines conveyed to the ditch -by a body of a thousand men, some yards from the great tower of the -corner G, and to attempt an escalade, while the ordnance, firing on this -tower at discretion, hindered the defenders from fortifying the platform -again. He had observed the embrasure on the flank of this tower raking -the ditch, and had summoned a body of twenty men, furnished with -mattresses, and pieces of wood to mask it. As regarded the -_fausse-braie_, that was ruined, and could not present any serious -obstacle. - -The Sire de Montcler had some reason to expect a night attack; but he -intended to be beforehand with it, and crush it in the bud. "Whatever -happens," he said to the troops ordered for the sorties, "act according -to your instructions: do not allow yourselves to be diverted by any -attempt at an assault; on the contrary, execute the orders given you to -the letter. We are still numerous enough to sustain an attack." - -At a quarter past ten the two detachments were in the act of issuing -forth by the eastern gate and by the abbey postern. The governor then -mounted the _débris_ of the defences of the tower at the corner C, and -attentively examined the attitude of the enemy. The fires they had -lighted were no longer to be seen; but, on listening, he heard -indistinct sounds along the works of the besieger. The sky was overcast, -and drops of rain were in falling. The Sire de Montcler descended to the -lower battery; all the embrasures fronting the exterior were in ruins, -and all the pieces of ordnance covered with rubbish. The embrasure of -the flank was intact, and the small piece with which it was furnished -was in good condition. He had it loaded in his presence with nails and -old iron, and gave orders to those serving it not to fire till they saw -the enemy a few paces off; behind this piece he had a second placed -similarly loaded, so that two volleys might be discharged one after the -other. Then he went up again to the rampart walk of the curtain, and -himself drew up his men, who were armed with long bills and good daggers -and axes. He next visited the ruined gate. It presented such a pile of -rubbish that the enemy would not have been able to pass it in the night; -nevertheless in every corner he posted troops, with orders not to use -their weapons till they found themselves face to face with the enemy, to -observe absolute silence, and not to shout during the fight. This done, -he placed a reserve of two hundred men behind the interior retrenchment, -and fifty men, furnished with tarred bundles of straw, on the ridge of -this retrenchment, with orders to kindle them when they heard the cry -"Burgundy!" - -About three-quarters past ten the Sire de Montcler again ascended the -platform of the corner tower, and recognised the presence of the enemy -some yards from the ditch. Notwithstanding the darkness, he could see a -black mass deploying in silence; then he heard the fascines rolling into -the fosse and the wood cracking under the men's feet. In a few minutes, -about fifty ladders were set up against the curtain, and each of them -was covered by the enemy. These ladders were provided with hooks at the -top and stays along the sides, so that the defenders could not throw -them down: two, however, fell, dragging the assailants with them. - -At this moment the small pieces of ordnance on the flank of the tower -fired, and the cries of the wounded resounded from the ditch, while -three more ladders were broken and fell. The hosts of assailants surged -over on the rampart walk, and at the cry of "Burgundy!" the fires having -been kindled, the encounter with keen weapons in this narrow space -presented the strangest spectacle. - -The artillery of the besieged was then directed to the flank of the -curtain and the exterior, from the platform of the corner tower; while -shouts arose from this battery, and the five hundred Burgundians who -were ordered to the sortie on the west began an attack, and the troops -that were preparing to reinforce the assault turned their backs to the -town to fall on this attacking body. - -The Sire de Montcler heard shouting in the distance on the north-east -side, and saw a bright gleam through the darkness. He then went down to -bring his reserves to the curtain. The French, however, succeeded in -getting to the top of the rampart, and reached the corner tower. The few -men who were on the summit of the dismantled platform struggled bravely -until the moment when the reserve sent by the governor, ascending the -incline on which the artillery was posted, fell on the French, and drove -them back to the rampart walk of the curtain. The assailants then -forming in a column on the rampart walk, directed a vigorous attack -against the tower. From the interior retrenchment, showers of bolts, -arrows, and small-shot were discharged upon them in flank; and although -they had bucklers, the French lost a great many. As the rampart walk was -narrow, the head of the column could present only three men abreast, and -was met by a compact mass of defenders. It was not advancing; the -soldiers in the rear, who were exposed to darts in flank, were pressing -on those before them in order to force the platform and fight. In this -press many fell mutilated within the town. One of the culverineers of -the tower, aided by a dozen men, had succeeded during the struggle in -getting a culverin out of the rubbish and carrying it without its -carriage, loaded, into the midst of the group of Burgundians defending -the passage. Thrusting the mouth of the piece between their legs, he -fired it: the ball, and the stones with which the bore of the culverin -had been filled, made a frightful lane in the compact body of the -French: some leaped down into the town, others ran towards the towers of -the gateway, and several climbed the parapet to regain their ladders. -The Burgundians made another rush along the rampart, killing all who -resisted. - -But at that juncture a large body of the French issued forth through the -gate of the lower battery. By aid of pickaxes and crowbars they had -succeeded, after filling up the ditch with fascines, in enlarging the -openings of two of the embrasures, already broken down by the cannon; -then, throwing into these openings lighted bundles of straw and tar -mixed with gunpowder so as to drive away the defenders, they had made -their way into the interior at the risk of being themselves suffocated -by the smoke, and rushing towards the gate, killing the few that had -remained in the battery, they had forced the doors and made an entrance -for their comrades by the same road. Issuing forth into the town they -ascended the incline at full speed.[42] The cry Of victory on the part -of the Burgundians was answered by cries of "France! d'Amboise!" These -shouts revived the courage of the French who had remained on the -rampart, and they renewed the attack. The Sire de Montcler despatched -his last reserves against the new comers, but they continued to pour out -on level ground and fought valiantly. Their number was increasing every -moment, and they succeeded in driving back the reserves to the -retrenchment. The Burgundians, cooped up on the platform of the tower, -surrendered after having lost half their men. Messire Charles d'Amboise -ordered that they should be honourably treated. The tower of the -north-west salient was in the power of the enemy, as well as the whole -of the curtain stretching from this tower to the north gate. - -Day was breaking when the combat ceased, and some hours' repose were -needed on both sides. The corner tower was lost to the besieged; the -governor strongly barricaded the adjoining tower opening on to the -curtain, and placed a number of small cannon in the upper story of this -tower. He had done the same on the broken summit of the western tower of -the gate. He wished to hinder the enemy from gaining ground on the -curtains, and outflanking--particularly on his right--the retrenchment -connected with the old wall surrounding the abbey, and meeting the tower -on the north-east corner.[43] - -A short time before the end of the struggle, the two bodies destined for -the sorties were on their return, the foot soldiers through the abbey -postern, and the men-at-arms, not through the east gate, but through -that near the castle on the west. The foot soldiers brought in a hundred -prisoners; the horse had lost a third of their party. The fortune of -these two bodies had been as follows:--The foot soldiers, operating on -the left, had come upon the enemy unawares, making their way through the -brushwood of the western slope of the plateau as far as the gorge of the -enemy's battery, C,[44] had fallen on the guard, spiked the guns, and, -taking advantage of the confusion, had taken the attacking column in -flank, had entered the battery, A, whose pieces they had also spiked, -but, seeing themselves too far advanced, had beat a retreat, descending -the slopes straight towards the west. As they were not vigorously -pursued, they had entered the lower town, surprised and captured two -bodies of guards, set fire to some huts erected by the besiegers, and -regained the town. Charles d'Amboise, at first surprised by the audacity -of the attack, but quickly perceiving that it could do him no serious -damage, had given the strictest orders that nothing should divert his -men from the assault, and had contented himself with sending against the -troops of the besieged two or three hundred men to keep them back and -compel them to seek the slopes, without troubling to pursue them. The -men-at-arms had followed the governor's instructions, had fallen upon -the small encampment above the mills, and, leaving the _coutilliers_ -there to complete their commission (the latter had re-entered about two -o'clock in the morning by the east gate), they had pursued the road -indicated as far as the base of the plateau, and had arrived without -hindrance at the boundary of the French camp, charging the posts in a -direct line at full speed. - -This attack had thrown confusion into that part of the camp which was -occupied by the baggage, the carts, and camp servants. Stacks of forage -had caught fire amid the disorder thus occasioned. But the assailants -had soon observed three or four hundred horsemen close upon them; they -had then made straight for the north, and buried themselves in the thick -woods upon their right; they next wheeled towards the left, reached the -banks of the stream, whose left bank they followed without interruption, -but with the loss of a third of their comrades, who had strayed, or been -captured or killed. They supposed they had fallen in with a body of the -French in the lower town, and were preparing to pass it at a gallop, but -they turned out to be the Burgundian foot soldiers. - -Charles d'Amboise, at the first report of this attack on the rear of the -camp, had been much disquieted, supposing that succour had arrived; but -being soon correctly informed, had sent out men-at-arms to cut off this -body of adventurers, and was only the more eager for the assault. - -Messire Charles d'Amboise was accustomed (in this respect differing from -the warriors of the time) to surround himself with young captains of -intelligence and energy, who kept him constantly informed of all that -took place in the army, during the march and on the field. When the -information furnished was found to be exact, and was reported in cool -discretion and without exaggeration, Charles d'Amboise would praise -these young officers in presence of all his captains, and recompense -them liberally. If, on the contrary, the reports were false or tainted -with exaggeration, or incomplete, he would inflict severe and public -censure on the reporters, and assign them some subaltern and humiliating -duty, such as guarding the baggage or superintending the camp servants. - -When Charles d'Amboise learned next morning the damage caused on the -border of the camp by a few Burgundian men-at-arms, the loss of his men -encamped at the mill and in the lower town, and the spiking of six of -his pieces of ordnance, he was much annoyed, but could not refrain from -saying to his captains: "We have to do with brave men, who defend -themselves valiantly. I beg you, gentlemen, to take care that their -wounded and prisoners be treated with all the respect due to soldiers -who do their duty." Then about the second hour of the day he sent a -herald to the retrenchment of the besieged, to ask a parley with the -governor. The Sire de Montcler having ascended the terrace, the herald -spoke as follows: "Sir Governor! Monseigneur Charles d'Amboise, -commanding the army of our lord the king of France, sends me to you to -require of you to render up the town and castle of Roche-Pont, which you -are withholding contrary to the treaties and defending against their -lawful lord. Henceforward the said _cité_ is in the power of the army of -our lord the king of France, and a longer resistance will only cause the -useless loss of a great number of brave men. In consideration of your -brave and noble defence, Monseigneur Charles d'Amboise will let you go -forth--you and your men--with your lives and property. May God have you -in his keeping and guide you to a wise decision." "Sir messenger," -replied the governor, "Messire Charles d'Amboise is a captain too well -acquainted with war to think himself master of the town and castle of -Roche-Pont because he has got possession of a tower and a curtain. He -knows what it has cost him to advance even so far; and there is still a -considerable space between this retrenchment and the castle, and the -castle is good and defensible. I acknowledge no other lawful lords of -Burgundy, and of this city in particular, than the Duchess of Burgundy, -daughter of the noble and puissant Duke Charles, and her illustrious -husband Maximilian. I am here to defend their property against all -comers, and I will defend it as long as I have a sword in my hand. -Nevertheless, tell Messire Charles d'Amboise that if he is willing to -exchange prisoners, man for man, I am prepared to do so. If he prefers -to leave things as they are, I give him my word of honour that his -people are being well treated." - -"Well, then," said Charles d'Amboise, when the herald had conveyed this -answer to him, "this _cité_ will be damaged for a long time to come!" - -During the 24th of September, the rain did not cease to fall in -torrents. Besiegers and besieged were at a hundred paces from each -other. They were employed in burying the dead, whose numbers were -especially great on the side of the French, and both were preparing for -a fresh struggle, though the bad weather greatly impeded the workers. -Figure 58 shows the position of the besieged and the besiegers.[45] - -[Illustration: FIG. 58 - -TAKING OF AN ARTILLERY TOWER.] - -After the losses sustained since the commencement of the siege, the -garrison scarcely reckoned more than two thousand available men, for -typhus was already devastating the town; three-fourths of the wounded -crowded together in the abbey were attacked by it. The good monks tended -them with their utmost care, but they themselves were largely sacrificed -to the contagion; and of a community of a hundred and fifty in number -scarcely more than fifty survived. The progress of the besieger, -however, seemed only to increase the determination of the inhabitants, -and the women worked heartily at the defences. They were the first to -cry shame on those of the defenders who manifested despondency. - -During the night between the 24th and 25th, the Sire de Montcler -strengthened the retrenchment. From A to B[46] he took advantage of the -ancient enclosure-wall of the abbot's pleasance, then occupied by -dwellings. A culverin was mounted on a terrace at B. The retrenchment -leading from C to D, which had been made of earth and the _débris_ of -the houses demolished at this point, was armed with three culverins at -C, at E, and D. - -The French on their side had cleared the platform of the conquered -tower, G, had well gabioned the parapet, and mounted three pieces -pointed at the retrenchment, and a spirole directed against the tower, -K, which remained in the power of the Burgundians. - -The women, children, and old men were employed in strengthening also the -second retrenchment, I, M, behind the abbey wall, and the junction, M, -N. This second retrenchment was armed with three pieces. Places of -egress were reserved at the extremities and through the gate, O, of the -abbey. - -The rain continued during the 25th of September, which passed without -any serious engagement. The combatants were trying one another's -strength. The garrison was not numerous enough to allow of their -leaving a post at the _tête du pont_. This work was abandoned on the -night between the 25th and 26th, and the enemy entered it without -striking a blow. - -But as they were fired on by the bombard of boulevard I,[47] they did -not advance along the ascent, but took shelter behind the cavalier of -the left bank. The Sire de Montcler conjectured, however, that the -French were preparing a real or feigned attack on this side. - -During the night, thirty-six feet of the northern curtain, near the -tower, G, fell into the ditch, reaching from _a_ to _b_; the miners had -been working for two days to accomplish this. On the morning of the 26th -of September, the besiegers opened fire against the retrenchment. The -dominant position of the tower, G, gave them a great advantage; and -though the garrison did their best to reply, the culverins, C and D, -were dismounted and the gabions thrown down about noon, when orders were -given for the assault. A strong column of infantry advanced through the -breach, _a b_, cutlasses in hand, and in fine order. But from the -platform of the tower, F, which had remained in the power of the -Burgundians, two culverins fired simultaneously on this column. Messire -Charles d'Amboise supposed that the pieces in this tower had been -silenced, and so they had been. But during the night, the Sire de -Montcler had hoisted up three of the small pieces of the lower battery -through the vault holes, and had masked them under the rubbish of the -parapets. This discharge produced disorder in the column of the -assailants. Fortunately for them, the pieces of the outer boulevard, in -the power of the French, began to fire in their turn on the platform of -the tower, P, and soon silenced the Burgundian spiroles. - -The assault was vigorous, well directed and well sustained, while from -without the French did not cease firing on the gate and tower F, so that -those of the garrison who had remained in the upper works of the gate -had to abandon them and escape by the curtain and tower F. - -Messire Charles d'Amboise, standing on the breach, _a b_, was -continually sending reinforcements to the assailants, and when he saw -his people too fatigued he would replace them by fresh troops. The -Burgundians had not enough men to do the like, so that about four -o'clock they were exhausted, and some were beginning to file off along -the ramparts. At length a vigorous effort forced the centre of the -retrenchment, and the French pushed forward through the street running -along the old wall of the abbey. The Sire de Montcler, however, -retreated in good order in three columns, two along the ramparts, and -the third by the road in the middle. When he saw his men sheltered -behind the second retrenchment, he discharged the _pierrier_ placed at -M, and the culverin mounted at I, so that the assailants fell back in -disorder. Then, followed by some brave men--his last reserve--he fell on -the French coming along by the abbey and the western rampart. From the -top of this rampart the assailants were also exposed to a shower of -darts. Night was advancing: the brave men who had kept close to the -governor were urging forward, attempting to recapture the first -retrenchment. Many of the Burgundians who had retired behind the second -retrenchment, seeing the enemy fall back, began to issue forth in their -turn, filled with fresh ardour. - -Messire Charles d'Amboise, however, was able to keep his troops at the -first retrenchment, and had some small pieces brought up which fired on -the groups of Burgundians who were still distinguishable in the -torchlight. - -The combat lasted thus for two hours more, in the midst of confusion, -and the Sire de Montcler was obliged to sound the retreat several times -to rally his troops. - -In this engagement he had lost nearly five hundred men taken, killed, or -wounded. About ten o'clock at night there was silence on both sides; the -Sire de Montcler, retreating to the second retrenchment, sent back all -his men who had remained on the ramparts beyond this retrenchment, and -prepared to defend this last line vigorously--the castle being his only -refuge should that be taken. But on reviewing his troops, he observed -the absence of a body of five hundred Germans, whom he had posted in the -abbey to protect the retreat of the defenders of the first retrenchment. - -These Germans, seeing the unfavourable position of affairs, and taking -advantage of the general confusion during the last struggle, had gone -away through the abbey postern. - -The governor had only a thousand men remaining. He endeavoured to -persuade his men that the Germans were shut up in the castle by his -orders; but few were deceived by this, for it was evident to all that -after the taking of the corner tower the Germans scarcely cared to fight -for a cause which had no great interest for them, and which they -regarded as lost. - -The fate of these runaways was, by the way, miserable enough. To support -themselves they took to plundering in the outskirts, were surprised by a -corps of French gendarmerie employed as scouts round the camp, and put -to the sword or hanged as thieves. The few who succeeded in escaping -perished under the blows of the peasants in arms against marauders. - -It seemed hard to the Sire de Montcler to abandon his second -retrenchment without awaiting an attack; so as he had scarcely any need -to economise the provisions in the town, he had a double ration -distributed to his men, and encouraged them by cheering words, -preserving his animation in mien and gesture when among them. He told -them that succour would soon arrive, and that if they resisted a few -days longer Charles d'Amboise would be obliged to raise the siege. - -Having examined the retrenchment, and posted men in the houses behind -and in the northern building of the abbey, the Sire de Montcler was -preparing to take some repose, when he was informed that along the -slopes, above the bridge, the sentinels posted on the boulevards thought -they perceived some movement on the part of the enemy. He went -immediately towards that quarter, and saw in effect a black mass that -appeared to be advancing up the slope like the rising tide, opposite to -the boulevard, B.[48] - -To summon the garrison of the castle and to draw them up in this -boulevard--they were only two hundred in number--required only a few -minutes. The escarpment of this boulevard, whose platform was on the -level of the castle ditch, rose but slightly above the acclivities -(about twelve feet). Before the assailant had placed his ladders, the -governor fired on that moving mass, which the darkness of the night did -not completely hide from view. The balls from the culverin and the -bombards made furrows among them; shouts were heard, and the assailants, -separating into two columns, set up their ladders on the two flanks of -the boulevard. - -Nearly at the same instant the second retrenchment was vigorously -assaulted, and to facilitate this night attack, the assailants set fire -to the houses between the first and second retrenchment. Thus, having -the fire at their back, they could clearly see the defenders, while the -latter were blinded by this mass of flame, whence the French seemed to -issue like black shades. The Sire de Montcler was hastening on horseback -from one point of attack to another, cheering on his men, and exposing -himself to the projectiles; and both the attacks were well sustained. -From the abbey building the arbalisters and bearers of small cannon -inflicted very serious loss on the assailants, who, despairing of -forcing the retrenchment at this point, were moving towards the -junction, M N. - -It was evident to the brave governor that the place was lost, and that -nothing was left for him to do but to rally the remains of the garrison -in the castle, if he could reach it. But he was determined that this -retreat should cost the enemy dear. He therefore sent a reserve which he -was keeping in the abbey to reinforce the defenders of the boulevard, -B.[49] This reserve consisted of a hundred men at most; but they were -brave fellows; their orders were to defend the boulevard at all cost, -and if they were outflanked to return into the castle as soon as -possible, to raise the bridge, and not let it down again till they saw -him return with the remains of the garrison through the enemy, through -whom he would force a passage. - -Then he took up his position resolutely at the head of the _débris_, -which still defended the retrenchment, and, availing himself of the -houses and the abbey walls, he gave way only step by step, obliging the -enemy to besiege every house and every enclosure, and taking advantage -of the lanes and passages to resume the offensive, and inflict losses on -the French. Exasperated by this, the latter set fire to the houses which -they could not break open. The abbey resisted for more than two hours -after the besieger had taken the retrenchment. The defenders, seeing -their retreat cut off, fought with desperation; for the postern was -occupied outside by a large body of men. The church and the principal -buildings were in flames. - -The Sire de Montcler maintained the struggle in the streets and houses -of the town till daybreak, and then debouched with four or five hundred -men who remained to him in the open space before the castle. He found it -almost entirely occupied by the enemy, whom some brave men were still -resisting. - -He rallied this greatly diminished body, and entered the castle, whose -bridge was immediately raised. The town was taken, but much damaged, as -Messire Charles d'Amboise had predicted. He gave the strictest orders to -stay the flames and stop pillage, and to save the lives of the unarmed -inhabitants. But there were many victims. The wounded and sick shut up -in the abbey had perished in the flames; women, old men, and children, -were lying on the pavement and in the houses. The 27th and 28th of -September were spent by the French in re-establishing order among the -troops after the combat of the night, in removing the wounded and -burying the dead. Messire Charles d'Amboise, during the two preceding -days, had lost a thousand men; he was anxious to end the struggle. -During the night of the 28th, therefore, he had twelve pieces of -ordnance brought up in front of the castle, provided them with -gabionades, and once more sent a herald to summon the garrison to -surrender. - -The reply was that the garrison would not surrender till it saw itself -incapacitated from continuing the struggle. - -On the morning of the 29th the twelve pieces began to open fire against -the defences of the gate. The besieged could only answer the attack with -small pieces mounted on the summit of the towers. But in the evening all -these summits were dismantled, the roofs pierced, and the -machicolations destroyed. - -Moreover, in the course of the 30th of September and 1st of October, -four large bombards were mounted in front of the outer tower of the -gate. In the evening this tower was falling in ruins into the ditch. - -Messire Charles d'Amboise, before commencing the assault, again proposed -to the governor to capitulate. The latter then appeared on the ruins, -and declared that he would surrender the castle on condition of being -allowed to quit it with his troops, their lives and baggage being -spared, and with colours flying, and to go wherever they chose. - -Charles d'Amboise on his side, then came forward on the breach, and gave -his word of honour that these conditions should be granted. The two -captains then approached and held out their hands to each other. - -The city and castle of Roche-Pont were again subjected to King Louis XI. -The Sire de Montcler had but five hundred fighting men left; and even of -these there were a full third wounded. Messire Charles d'Amboise gave -them a safe-conduct, ordered that they should be supplied with -provisions, and entertained the Sire de Montcler and his captains at his -table. Two days afterwards they took their departure for Flanders with -the foreign troops that were still with them. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 38: See Fig. 48.] - -[Footnote 39: See the topographical map, Fig. 1.] - -[Footnote 40: In this figure the parts coloured red indicate the works -occupied by the besieger and the direction of his fire.] - -[Footnote 41: See Fig. 56.] - -[Footnote 42: See Fig. 50.] - -[Footnote 43: See Fig. 48.] - -[Footnote 44: See Fig. 56.] - -[Footnote 45: The black lines show the part of the defence still -occupied by the besieged, the red lines the parts gained by the -besiegers.] - -[Footnote 46: Fig. 58.] - -[Footnote 47: See Fig. 48.] - -[Footnote 48: See Fig. 48.] - -[Footnote 49: See Fig. 58.] - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -_THE CITÉ OF LA ROCHE-PONT IS FORTIFIED BY ERRARD DE BAR-LE-DUC, -ENGINEER TO THE MOST CHRISTIAN KING OF FRANCE AND OF NAVARRE._ - - -In 1606, Henry IV. had succeeded in subjugating the religious and feudal -factions that had imperilled France for more than thirty years. He -cherished great designs which his skilful policy, his patriotic soul, -his military talents and the advantageous alliances he was able to form, -promised to render successful. But Henry IV. left nothing to chance, and -would not embark in any enterprise after his accession to the throne, -till he had made every preparation to insure its success. - -When he saw the moment arriving at which he could effectually intervene -in the affairs of Germany--a part of which had its eyes directed to -France, and was only waiting for a signal from the Louvre to escape from -the incessant rivalries of the princes and from religious -contentions--he took measures not only to facilitate a successful -intervention abroad, but to strengthen his frontiers and establish -depôts and centres for provisioning his troops. Assured of the good-will -of the Swiss and tranquil as regarded Italy--thanks to the alliances he -had formed in that Peninsula--and wishing to act at once in the east, -and on the Pyrenean side, he turned his attention to the defences of -Roussillon and of the line which unites Burgundy with Champagne. - -Henry IV. had been engaged in partisan warfare; but then he had only his -own life at stake. As a sovereign he thought it his duty not to run -risks; and before launching into the great enterprises he had in view, -and which might change the face of Europe, he wished to put fortune on -his side as far as possible. For more than six years, in concert with -Sully, he had lost not a day or an hour in preparing for France, which -had been a prey to civil war and invasion at the end of the sixteenth -century, a future of the noblest order, and which might have secured to -it the most honourable destiny, if the hand of an assassin had not in a -single day destroyed hopes founded in a wise policy and the most -thoughtful foresight. - -This prince knew by experience that in war a check is always possible, -even when fortune is, or seems to be, entirely on our side, and that the -talent of a general consists in his ability to discover new resources -after a reverse. Success in arms is secure in proportion to the -foresight exercised in preventing a first reverse from becoming a -disaster. Henry IV. therefore set about preparing a good line of retreat -and supply in the rear of the army, which he was intending to lead in -person towards the east. He put in a state of defence the towns and -important strategic points from Châlons-sur-Saône, passing through -Beaune, Dijon, Langres, along the course of the Haute-Marne, and from -Langres to Chaumont, Saint-Dizier, Châlons, Reims, Laon, Péronne, and -Amiens. Verdun and Metz had been visited by him, with a view to -examining their defences. At Metz he had ordered works of considerable -importance. The town of La Roche-Pont was comprised in that portion of -this line of defence which lay between Dijon and Langres. The engineer -Errard de Bar-le-Duc had been entrusted with these operations, beginning -with Châlons-sur-Saône. He had, we may observe, merited the confidence -reposed in him by the king, for he had given proofs of considerable -ability and ingenuity. - -Errard de Bar-le-Duc made use of the ancient walls, considering them -suitable for defence at close quarters; but he constructed works outside -which would command the country, and force the besieger to commence his -operations at a distance of one thousand or one thousand two hundred -yards. The system of boulevards was still maintained, but these, instead -of presenting only an isolated obstacle, defended each other by crossing -their fire, and were, in fact, true bastions. - -[Illustration: FIG. 59.--THE BASTIONS OF ERRARD DE BAR-LE-DUC.] - -The three great round towers on the north of the _cité_ of La Roche-Pont -were then much dilapidated. Errard had them terraced, and then -surrounded them with earthworks with walled escarpments. Towards the -plateau fronting the north he had a great tenaille constructed with a -double ditch and ravelin. Fig. 59 gives the plan of the _cité_ after the -operations planned by Errard. Besides the works just mentioned, -indicated at A, B, C and D, the king's engineer raised the bastions, E, -F, G, H, and I, which crossed their fires, and whose orillons masked -small pieces designed to flank the old ramparts. - -Most of the old towers were lowered and terraced to receive cannon. The -ancient castle, of which little more than the donjon and some -outbuildings remained, was surrounded by a bastioned enclosure, with a -tenaille on the town side. - -The lower town, towards the west, though reduced to narrow dimensions, -continued nearly in the condition already described. As to the upper -town, after the conflagration of the last siege, it had been rebuilt in -a very indifferent style. Under Francis I., the abbey had been -secularised, and its ancient church was served by a Chapter. The old -stone bridge near the outflow of the rivulet still existed, and at O was -a second wooden bridge connecting the two shores. The bridge, P, had -fallen into ruins and had not been rebuilt. - -[Illustration: FIG. 60.] - -From the bastion, B, to the river, and from the bastion, D, to the pool, -Errard built two fronts, K and L, _à crémaillères_,[50] to command the -slopes of the plateau on the right and left, and to hinder an assailant -from occupying a position on the east and west flanks of the _cité_. - -For the time, these works appeared strong, and the axiom in -fortifications, "What offers itself as a defence ought to be defended," -was already pretty generally adhered to. Fig. 60 gives the northern work -which was destined to sweep the plateau, and to render difficult the -approach to the cité on this its very accessible side. This work -consisted of a ravelin, A, whose height above the level of the plateau -was not more than six feet; next of a first tenaille, B, with orillons, -eighteen feet above the plateau, and a second tenaille, C, three feet -above the level of the tenaille, B. Two bastions, D and F, enveloped the -two great towers, G and H, which were terraced. The platforms of the -latter rose three feet above the platforms of the bastions. The gate, I, -of the fourteenth century, had been preserved and repaired, and the -curtains, K, terraced to receive cannon. - -[Illustration: FIG. 61.] - -The road passed over the right face of the ravelin, and thence at right -angles to the centre of the tenailles. A wide fosse, E, protected the -exterior works, and a second fosse, L, the curtain of the second -tenaille. - -Fig. 61 gives a sketch in perspective of the bastion, F.[51] No use, -however, was made of these defences till about thirty years after their -construction. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 50: In plan not straight, but broken by a series of returns -each in advance of the other.] - -[Footnote 51: Of the general plan, Fig. 59.] - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -_THE SIXTH SIEGE._ - - -About the beginning of July, 1636, France, governed by the Cardinal de -Richelieu, saw its northern frontier invaded by the too celebrated Jean -de Weert, with an army of Hispano-Belgians, to which the empire had -added a numerous body of cavalry, composed of Poles, Hungarians, and -Croats. These allied troops advanced into Picardy, and Paris was, for -the moment, anticipating a siege; but the enemy were delayed by the -siege of Corbie, and, having taken this town, in which they left a -garrison, they retired for fear of being taken in rear by the Dutch. - -The French army soon came in its turn to besiege and retake Corbie. At -the same time, an attack on Burgundy had been concerted by the Imperial -troops, while the army of Condé was besieging Dôle, which was holding -out for the Spaniards. But the Imperialist army having had to wait long -for the necessary reinforcements, did not start at the same time as that -of the Hispano-Belgians, and did not cross the frontier till the 22nd of -October; which gave time for the French troops employed at the siege of -Corbie to pass into Burgundy, to assemble the troops of the province, -and to receive the reinforcements sent to the Prince de Condé by the -Duke of Weimar and the Cardinal de la Valette. Being unable to raise the -siege of Dôle, the Imperialists directed their course to the Saône, -which they passed, and sent a body to seize the little _cité_ of La -Roche-Pont, the capture of which would give them a centre for attacking -Dijon or Langres, and enable them to isolate the Prince de Condé. The -town of La Roche-Pont was but scantily furnished with artillery, and had -a garrison of only a thousand men, when the Imperialist forces presented -themselves before it on the 2nd of November. They numbered six thousand -men, and brought with them thirty pieces of ordnance, of which twelve -were of large calibre. They were commanded by Galas, and were expecting -to take the place in a few days, for the captains knew by their scouts -that the garrison was weak, scantily provisioned and unprepared for an -attack. - -However, Count Rantzau had been sent by the French generals to -re-victual Saint-Jean-de-Losne and La Roche-Pont, and to place an -experienced captain in the latter. The count arrived before La -Roche-Pont two days previous to the Germans; he left a thousand men -there, with Rincourt as governor--ordnance munitions and a convoy of -provisions; but having only two or three thousand men left him, he -thought himself not in a condition to attack the Imperialist army, and -therefore marched to Saint-Jean-de-Losne, which he entered on the 2nd of -November, in the teeth of the Germans, who were already beginning to -invest the town. Immediately on his arrival before La Roche-Pont, Galas -summoned the place, offering the garrison the most favourable -conditions, and the inhabitants respect for their persons and property. -The envoy of the Imperialist general was sent back as he had come, and -attack and defence were respectively prepared for. - -Rincourt's nature was one of those which are apparently nonchalant and -cold, fond of repose, and never appearing discomposed; he was of middle -height, with a little embonpoint. His pale face, blonde hair, and dull -blue eyes, would be deemed no indication of a soul of firm temper, but -rather of one quite destitute of elasticity--an _esprit blasé_, or at -least an impassive disposition. Rincourt had however given proof of his -ability on many occasions, and Count de Rantzau, who knew him well, -esteemed him highly. On leaving him in the place, he had given him these -simple instructions--"Hold out here to the last man: for the rest act as -you judge best." To Galas's messenger, Rincourt had replied: "My -instructions are to defend the place, and I shall defend it." - -Rincourt, while making the arrangements necessary for the defence, and -enquiring into the stores of provisions, was aware that if he allowed -himself to be shut up at once in the town, the enemy would have made a -breach in less than a week, and the taking of La Roche-Pont would be at -most an affair of fifteen or twenty days. The stock of provisions -scarcely admitted of so long a resistance; and at this time of the year -it was difficult to add to them, even if the place were not closely -invested. The governor resolved, therefore, to take the initiative and -to hinder the enemy's approach-works to such an extent, that however -favourable the weather might be, the enemy would have difficulty in -maintaining his position. - -He sent for the mayor and notables of the town, and asked them what they -intended to do, and whether the inhabitants would remain at home with -their hands folded, while the king's men were fighting to defend the -town. They assured him that, on the contrary, the inhabitants were -disposed to defend themselves, and that even the women would mount the -ramparts if necessary; that all of them knew how the enemy had behaved -in Picardy, and thought that the worst course was to trust to their -promises, and that if they must die, it was better to die fighting. "If -it be so," replied the governor, "and if your acts respond to your -words, you may be assured that the Germans will not enter this place; -but, you must be doing. Have you any artillerymen among the -inhabitants?" "We have some; all our young men are hardy and robust, and -many know how to make use of musket and pike." "Well, assemble them -to-night, and let all the volunteers, armed or unarmed, be with you -to-morrow morning, in the open space before the castle. Whatever you -hear this evening, do not let your attention be diverted from this -object, and do not be alarmed." - -When night arrived (and it comes early on the 2nd of November), Rincourt -prepared for the transport of two small pieces of cannon, and ordered two -hundred men to mount their horses--for he had some cavalry--accompanied -by four hundred foot soldiers; took care that the artillerymen should be -at their guns in the works of the tenaille, leaving their captains -precise instructions; summoned four hundred men to appear at three -o'clock in the morning; and about ten o'clock sallied forth with his -six hundred men and two guns through the gate of the outwork. - -The night was foggy and perfectly dark. The governor had taken the -precaution to envelope the wheels of his two guns with pieces of cloth -and canvas, and to have the crowbars, powder spoons, and rammers, -carried by the servers, to avoid noise. On issuing from the ravelin, he -directed the two cannons obliquely right and left, so as to keep them -within musket shot from the centre column; the cavalry was escorting -them. He himself, with his three or four hundred foot soldiers, marched -straight for the enemy's outposts. About a thousand yards from the -outwork he met them, making soup in front of their fires. Falling -suddenly on the sentinels and neighbouring posts, he threw himself into -the very heart of the enemy dispersed among the orchards, and killing -all who resisted, drove them before him. - -In conformity with the instructions they had received, the artillerymen -then brought their pieces into position, and fired right and left -towards the two extremities of the encampment. The Imperialists believed -themselves attacked along the whole extent of their front, and took some -time to concert their defence. - -As soon as Rincourt saw the enemy drawn up in considerable numbers -before him, he hastily drew off the right and left of his small band -towards the two guns and the cavalry. The Germans then advanced in a -compact, but not very orderly body, looking for the assailant, and not -knowing whether they should go towards the east or west of the plateau -in pursuit of him. Then, after a renewed discharge of the pieces, the -two small French corps, cavalry and infantry, rushed upon the flanks of -the column, killed or took about a hundred men, and fell back with all -speed to the outwork, protected by volleys discharged with as good aim -as circumstances allowed from the bastions of the tenaille. - -This affray terminated at midnight, without loss. Rincourt sent his men -to rest, and at three o'clock in the morning sallied forth once more -with the four hundred foot soldiers, summoned for that hour; this time -without cannon or cavalry. He went along the western edge of the -plateau, and when he saw himself within musket shot of the advanced -posts, drawing out his musketeers in a long line, he commanded a general -discharge; then moving off obliquely, he executed the same movements a -few seconds afterwards, on the eastern side, after which he retired. - -The enemy were completely puzzled by these attacks. They had passed the -whole of the night on the look-out, and in the morning determined to -establish their first lines about a mile from the tenaille, placing -advanced posts behind intrenchments hastily thrown up. They then opened -the trench about half a mile distant. - -Throughout the day the heavy guns mounted on the platforms of the -tenaille kept up a fire on these advanced posts, killed some men and -overthrew the intrenchments. During the night of the 3rd of November, -Rincourt, who had observed that a considerable body of the enemy was -advancing up the river, perhaps with the view of passing the night -there, and attacking the front K[52] in the rear with cannon, sent out -two hundred of his infantry, under efficient command, through the -ravelin of the outwork, and made a sortie with three hundred men through -the gate of the front, K. He attacked the posts along the river, while -the first troop was skirmishing with the advanced posts established -along the western slopes of the plateau. When the first troop saw itself -too much pressed, it rapidly descended the western slope to rally -Rincourt's force, who on his side was retreating after having thrown the -enemy into confusion. - -The besiegers, however, being on their guard, went in pursuit of the -five hundred men from the town with vigour, and in increasing numbers. -But this had been foreseen by the governor; and a second body of four -hundred men, which during the action issued in its turn from the -ravelin, descended the western slopes at full speed, and fell upon the -flank of the Imperialists. - -On this the five hundred men commanded by Rincourt faced about. There, -also, two or three hundred Germans were killed, wounded, or threw -themselves into the water. The losses of the French were insignificant. - -While these continual alarms in some degree fatigued and disconcerted -the besiegers, who did not suppose they had before them a garrison -numerous enough to dare to act on the offensive, they restored -confidence to the besieged, and gave them a high idea of the military -talents of the governor. - -Rincourt continued to preserve his cool aspect and nonchalant demeanour, -though he was constantly on the alert, and gave his orders with -precision. Seeing the turn things were taking the _dizainiers_ of the -town assured the governor of their entire devotion, and of the good-will -of the volunteers, who deemed themselves capable of guarding the -ramparts unaided; he might therefore commence operations outside in full -confidence, and "amuse" the enemy. This was exactly what Rincourt -wanted. - -The Imperialists in the meantime continued to advance with their trench. -On the evening of the 5th of November it was fifteen hundred feet from -the salient, and in the rear there was a pretty good _place d'armes_, -surrounded by an epaulement with cannon at the angles and abatis of -trees, at the foot of the bank. Every night the governor found means to -disquiet the enemy, often at intervals of two or three hours, so as to -keep him incessantly in alarm. - -Galas, in the meanwhile, had sent two pieces of ordnance to the right -bank of the stream out of sight of the besieged, and on the 7th of -November he mounted them on this bank so as to attack the front _à -crémaillère_, K,[53] in the rear. The wooden bridge had been burned by -the besieged, and the stone bridge barricaded and furnished with a -cavalier on the left bank, which swept the right bank. Behind the houses -of the western faubourg, Rincourt established a battery armed with three -cannons, which had been taken from the arsenal during the night. On the -morning of the 8th of November the houses which masked the three pieces -having been thrown down, these guns opened their fire against the -besieger's battery, which was soon silenced. - -[Illustration: FIG. 62.] - -That same day the trench was nine hundred feet from the outwork, and a -second _place d'armes_ was commenced at this point (Fig. 62). The -governor resolved to overthrow the enemy's works. At two o'clock in the -morning he first sent out a troop of five hundred men to attack the -_place d'armes_ on the west, while a second troop of two hundred men was -to attack it on the east, and himself going out with four hundred men to -continue the offensive, if the former had a chance of succeeding, or to -protect its retreat. His men were armed with pikes, cutlasses, grenades, -and pistols. - -The besieger had at this point from twelve to fifteen hundred men to -protect the workmen. The first troop of the garrison advanced resolutely -against the flank, throwing grenades into the trenches, and destroying -the gabions and fascines. They were soon attacked by all the Germans -posted at this point; but knowing that they were going to be immediately -reinforced, they maintained their position in the middle of the _place -d'armes_, making use of every obstacle to intrench themselves. This -struggle was visible only through some bivouac fires at a considerable -distance, and the explosions of the grenades. The townspeople, that they -might recognise each other, had put shirts over their buff coats, or -their _pourpoints_. The second troop soon arrived from the east, and a -part of the besiegers was thus attacked on both sides. The latter -retired, and rallying about a hundred paces behind the _place d'armes_, -attacked in their turn the people of the town on the two flanks; the -struggle recommenced with violence, the French not being willing to -abandon the place. They would, however, have been ultimately overwhelmed -by numbers, if Rincourt had not come up in the midst of the _mêlée_ with -his reserve of four hundred men (Fig. 63). He fell upon one of the -flanks of the numerous troop of the Germans without uttering a sound. -These then fell into confusion, and commenced a speedy retreat. Soon, in -spite of the officers, the route was complete, and the fugitives went -off and alarmed the neighbouring posts, and even the camp, asserting -that they had been surprised by a large body that had come to succour -the besieged. - -[Illustration: FIG. 63.--NIGHT SORTIE--THE ATTACK ON ONE OF THE -BESIEGERS' PLACE D'ARMES.] - -Galas was not certain whether this was a concerted sortie or whether -succour had reached the besieged between his lines and the place. -Collecting all the troops at his disposal, and ordering two or three -hundred men to mount their horses, he betook himself to the abandoned -works. Rincourt had not waited for him; but having damaged the trench -for the length of a hundred paces, scattered the gabions, set fire to -heaps of fascines, spiked two guns, which the enemy had abandoned, -broken open some casks of munitions, and taken away the tools of the -pioneers, retreated with his men. This sortie had cost him about fifty -men; he brought back his wounded. - -When Galas came up none but the dead of both parties and some wounded -remained in the works. In his anger, he broke his cane on the back of -the first soldiers he met with, calling them cowards and traitors, and -threatening to decimate the whole troop entrusted with the guard of the -trench. The mischief could not be repaired in the few hours of night -that were left. They were quite bewildered in the midst of these -scattered gabions and trenches filled up at some points; and when day -appeared the besieged discharged three or four volleys from the tenaille -in the midst of this confused host, which then retreated to the first -_place d'armes_. - -To increase his embarrassment, about ten o'clock in the morning, a -message sent from Saint-Jean-de-Losne informed the Imperialist general -that this insignificant town was holding out, that the continual sorties -of the garrison were fatiguing the troops, that the siege would be -longer than was supposed at first, and that, in fact, his presence would -be necessary to direct the attack and make head against the Count de -Rantzau, who was occupying the town. - -The possession of Saint-Jean-de-Losne, which he supposed was already in -the hands of his troops, was still more important to the Imperialists -than that of La Roche-Pont. For Saint-Jean-de-Losne secured to the -Germans the passage of the Saône; but if this town held out they might -be cut off by the Prince de Condé, who, on raising the siege of Dôle, or -taking that place, would fall upon the rear of the Imperial army. - -Galas was therefore much embarrassed. To raise the siege of La -Roche-Pont, and to march with all his forces against the Prince de -Condé, was perhaps the wisest part to take, but this would have -interfered with the plan of the campaign on which the Imperialists -founded the most brilliant hopes; it would have been to abandon that -conquest of Burgundy which a few days before Germany had regarded as -certain; it would have been a manifest check at the very commencement of -the campaign. - -Galas therefore adopted a middle course, which in war is always the -least desirable; he resolved to leave before La Roche-Pont sufficient -troops to invest it closely, knowing that the place had not provisions -sufficient to last long, and to finish the siege of Saint-Jean-de-Losne. -This place fallen, he might resume his original plan. - -On the evening of the 9th of November, after having appointed a -commander for the troops remaining before La Roche-Pont, and leaving his -instructions, he quitted the camp to go and rejoin the army before -Saint-Jean-de-Losne. - -These instructions were in substance as follows--the establishment of a -line of investment around the place and the continuance of the attack on -the northern salient, under good protection and taking the time -necessary for the works. He had also a plan made out for a battery of -bomb mortars. He had sent for four of these engines to bombard the -town.[54] Galas's lieutenant was of Italian origin, and was named -Forcia: he was an impetuous man, serviceable for a bold stroke, a great -talker, a fairly skilful engineer, but wanting in persistency and -perseverance, and continually changing his plans. By dint of flattery -and the admiration he manifested on all occasions for the military -talents of Galas, Forcia had succeeded in persuading him that no one was -better fitted than himself to act for the general, to enter into his -designs, and put his plans in execution. Forcia, we say, had appeared to -appreciate the wisdom of Galas's designs, and had promised to follow his -instructions implicitly and to the letter. But where is the flatterer, -however astute, who does not leave in the mind of the person -flattered--however wanting in judgment--a feeling of mistrust. -Accordingly Galas in quitting the camp of La Roche-Pont, had instructed -a young lieutenant who acted as his secretary, and whom he left with -Forcia, to take note of all that transpired and to keep him informed of -the minutest details by frequent messages. - -Rincourt allowed his troops the night of the 9th for repose, as half the -garrison had been engaged the night before. On the morning of the 10th -one of the spies whom he was careful to employ in the country, and even -in the camp of the enemy, came to inform him that Galas had departed the -evening before with an inconsiderable escort, and that the Imperialist -troops were placed under the command of one of his lieutenants. This -news set the governor gravely thinking; he knew that Saint-Jean-de-Losne -was still holding out, and he gained a glimpse of the real state of -affairs. Devoted to the Count de Rantzau, he felt it his duty more than -ever to give the enemy so much to do as to render it impossible for him -to think of reducing the number of troops assembled around La -Roche-Pont, to reinforce those engaged in the siege of -Saint-Jean-de-Losne. - -The garrison was full of confidence and determination; and the militia -of the town asked to share in the sorties. This militia consisted of a -body of about twelve hundred men, which Rincourt had divided into -companies of one hundred men each, commanded by ten subalterns and a -captain. He had divided these companies into two battalions of six -hundred men each. The first was composed of the robuster men who had had -some experience in arms; the second was composed of the householders, -men of mature age inexperienced in war. These latter were especially -employed as guards of the ramparts, as a daily and nightly patrol, and -as a police for the town. With the regular troops, therefore, the -governor had at his disposal, even after the losses he had sustained, -and after leaving in the town artillerymen enough to man the guns, about -two thousand two hundred men. - -The women of Roche-Pont had also offered their services. Rincourt formed -them into brigades of ten; and their duty was to bring ammunition, -prepare the provisions, repair military accoutrements, and make fascines -and bags. - -Even since the enemy's arrival, the governor had been able to get some -cattle, grain, and fodder into the town, affording a supply for sixteen -days longer. - -He had good hopes of getting rid of the Germans before the end of this -period. The townspeople, moreover, were rationed like the garrison, and -the inhabitants were obliged under pain of death to deposit all the -provisions they had in the public storehouses. The two churches of the -upper town had been converted into hospitals for the wounded. - -If the spirits of the garrison were kept up and even raised, such was by -no means the case with the Imperialists. Forcia lost no time in announcing -to the German troops that he was appointed commander-in-chief; he called -the captains together and thought it incumbent upon him to address them -in a somewhat long and high-flown discourse, accompanied by theatrical -gestures. - -This had but a slight effect on the minds of the officers, who were for -the most part veterans, and who had no great respect for Forcia. They -returned to their quarters, therefore, somewhat depressed, and auguring -no good for the prospects of the siege. Following the instructions left -him by Galas, Forcia gave orders for the complete investment of the -place. - -Deducting the losses suffered since the beginning of the siege, and the -desertions, Forcia when entrusted with the command had little more than -five thousand men. The object to be secured was to maintain at the point -of attack a body of troops numerous enough to prevent the sorties of the -garrison from not being formidable to them, and to distribute around the -_cité_ posts sufficiently well connected and defended to cut off all -communication between the town and the outside; for it was certain that -the inhabitants would be reduced to famine before many days elapsed. - -Prudence therefore demanded that a line of contravallation should be -established, and provided with artillery, that every point should be -efficiently guarded, and that the garrison should be so occupied as to -make vigorous sorties impossible. These tactics must infallibly result -in the surrender of the town at no distant time. Such were in substance -the instructions of Galas. But Forcia had a more ambitious aim; these -methods appeared to him tedious and unworthy of him; and he saw himself -in imagination master of the place, and sending the news of its -capitulation to Galas in a message worthy of ancient Rome. - -Still he dared not formally disregard his instructions, but he resolved -merely to affect compliance with them, eager to show the army how an -engineer of first-rate ability can conduct a siege. He believed that -three thousand men would be enough to keep the besieged in awe on the -north, to prosecute the approach-works vigorously and to take the place. -With two thousand men he made sure of intercepting all communication -between the inhabitants and the outside. Accordingly he established a -post of two hundred men along the river on the left bank, two hundred -yards from the angle of the curtain K;[1] a second post of two hundred -men on the right bank, in front of the destroyed wooden bridge O; a -third post of one hundred men, opposite the ancient bridge P; a fourth -post of three hundred men, two hundred yards from the stone bridge; a -fifth post of three hundred men along the rivulet to the south-east of -the escarpment of the castle; a sixth post of two hundred men behind the -embankment of the mills on the east; and a seventh post of three hundred -men above the pool to the north-east--in all sixteen hundred men. Four -hundred men were commissioned to connect these principal posts, or to -strengthen them at need. The rampart L[55], prevented the besieger from -making his way between the pool and the town, the fifth, sixth, and -seventh posts communicated with headquarters only by a long détour, and -could not be supported by the posts of the right bank unless a bridge -were thrown across below the stone bridge. This was a serious -disadvantage. Forcia had no idea of taking possession of the stone -bridge by a sudden attack, as this passage was commanded by a cavalier -and by the bastions of the castle. He preferred throwing a bridge across -below to put his posts in communication with each other. - -Wishing to keep all his artillery to batter the place and to effect a -breach quickly, he did not provide any of these posts with guns, but -contented himself with ordering them to erect a strong palisading, and -to raise epaulements for shelter. The instructions he gave were wanting -in precision, but he often cited Cæsar and Vegetius and Frontinus, and -some of the great captains who had shed a lustre on Italy in the -preceding century. While urging vigilance on his captains he merely went -with them to reconnoitre the ground, and to determine their posts; but -did not trouble himself further to know whether his orders were -understood and strictly carried out. The investment was only a -concession made to the general-in-chief, and his attention was entirely -given to the attack on the north. He could not even avoid observing in -presence of his officers that up to that time the works had been feebly -conceived and executed; a remark which soon reached the ears of Galas. - -Rincourt took advantage of the respite allowed him by the besieger to -organize his little garrison more effectually. We have seen that he had -six hundred militiamen capable of acting outside the ramparts. He set -about equipping these men, who were but imperfectly armed. The castle -contained a hundred muskets, which he distributed to those who knew best -how to use this weapon, but had not been provided with it. The rest he -armed with strong pikes, breach-knives, and partisans. Not counting -artillerymen, he had remaining sixteen hundred soldiers--three hundred -being horsemen--whom he formed into four bodies of four companies of -infantry of eighty men each, commanded by a captain, and three companies -of horsemen, one hundred strong. - -The town contained thirty-two pieces of ordnance of various calibre. -There were sixteen mounted in the north work; two on the cavalier behind -the bridge; one in the bastion of the donjon; two in the bastion F[56] -and one in each of the seven other bastions; in all twenty-eight. Two -were placed in the tenaille of the castle, and two were kept in reserve. -The enemy's arrangements were soon made known to the governor, either -through spies or the reconnaissances made by his best officers, or -himself personally; he took care not to disturb the carrying out of -those arrangements, and contented himself with doubling the guard at the -bridge, which was raised to two hundred men. - -[Illustration: FIG. 64.] - -During the night of the 11th of November, Forcia had a second breach -opened, and marked out the approach-works, as shown in Fig. 64. Besides -the two _places d'armes_ A and B, already marked out, he planned a -third, C, to be reached by a new trench D, next two batteries at G and -F, for two pieces each, and a battery for two mortars H. He had the -first trench lengthened at I, with a piece at its extremity sweeping the -curtain K. Two pieces mounted in the _place d'armes_ B commanded the -battery F, and the surroundings; a piece mounted at E commanded the -battery G; and a piece mounted in the _place d`armes_ C swept the -outside of the western battery. He thought he should thus provide for -every contingency. If the besieged determined to attempt some bold -stroke, they could not advance far, and if they succeeded in taking -either of the batteries G, F, he could crush them. The two batteries G, -F were intended to silence the fire of the north-west salient and of the -left half of the tenaille. That done, he could--secure against the -right-hand fire--advance as far as the counterscarp, set up a breach -battery, and take the place by the north-west salient. Meanwhile, the -mortar battery would render the right of the work untenable, crush the -defenders of the ancient terraced walls, damage the gates, and prevent -the besieged from attempting anything at this point. The plan was not -badly conceived; nothing remained but to execute it. - -The phlegmatic governor had the gabionades of the work strengthened, and -traverses and _paréclats_ raised, especially on the platforms of the two -great towers. He had shelter places arranged on the platforms of the -earthworks. Moreover he kept up a continual fire on the workmen, so that -they could scarcely make any advance except during the night. Sometimes -at ten o'clock at night, sometimes at midnight, at two o'clock in the -morning, or shortly before daybreak, Rincourt would alarm the enemy's -camp by sorties of no importance considered with reference to the final -result, but which greatly exhausted the besiegers. - -These sorties were effected by one or two companies while the others -rested. In this way he exercised the militia, and accustomed them to -fighting. - -By the 15th of November the besieger's works had scarcely made any -progress. However the _place d'armes_ C was made, as also the parallel -which connected it with the _place d'armes_ B; and the trenches were -commenced which were to lead to the two batteries. The bomb-mortars were -mounted, and began to fire towards evening. But they produced more noise -than damage to the besieged. Their fire was badly directed, and most of -the bombs burst too soon or too late. The besieged became accustomed to -them, and kept out of their way when they saw them coming. For a dozen -bombs fired the first evening, two men were wounded, and one -gun-carriage damaged. - -On the morning of the 25th of November the weather, hitherto fine, -suddenly changed. About nine a fine snow fell, and was soon after -followed by a deluge of rain, accompanied by squalls. During the night -of the 15th, the men on guard in the trenches were up to their knees in -water; it was impossible to work. The rain continued regular and heavy -during the whole of the 16th. Rincourt took advantage of this -disagreeable state of the weather. The bridge which had been thrown -across the river by the Imperialists, below the stone bridge, consisted -of a floor six feet wide, laid partly on trestles, partly on boats -collected in the valley and linked together. This was a clumsy -contrivance, for the water on beginning to rise lifted the boats -proportionately so that it was extremely difficult to maintain the -connexion between the floor resting on the boats and that laid on the -trestles. Accordingly in spite of the rain the besiegers worked all day -on the 16th to prevent the rupture of this bridge. The governor who -passed all that day in examining the environs, had perceived from the -top of the platform of the cavalier the precarious condition of the -besieger's bridge, and at night he had some large trunks of trees thrown -over the parapet of the stone bridge, which struck against the boats and -trestles and impeded the current, which kept on rising. At midnight -twenty of these trunks had accumulated against the boats, and the river -continuing to rise, the bridge was carried away. A light appearing for -an instant at a certain point of the valley of Abonne apprised Rincourt -of the destruction of the bridge. The signal was given by one of the -spies. - -Secure, therefore, against being cut off on his right by the -Imperialists, the governor sent out three hundred militiamen and three -companies of soldiers, kept under arms after supper, by the western -gate, next to the castle; and another three hundred of the militia, and -two companies by the eastern gate. This second troop was commissioned to -make for the causeway of the pool, attack the enemy's post established -beyond the embankment, outflank it on his right and pursue it hotly -along the rivulet. Rincourt commanded the foremost troop of six hundred -men. He descended the slope of the bridge, crossed the rivulet by means -of planks and trestles which he had ready prepared behind the cavalier, -and attacked the post of three hundred men established at two hundred -yards below the stone bridge. Finding themselves attacked by a body much -more numerous than themselves, they quitted the bivouacs in all haste, -and set off along the left bank of the rivulet to join the second post -(consisting) of three hundred men established between them and the dam, -as the bridge was broken. This was just what Rincourt anticipated. At -the same time, in an opposite direction the post at the pool embankment -was in flight, pursued by the second troop of the besieged,--depending -on getting the support of the post at the rivulet and that of the -bridge, since they were outflanked on their right. These two posts--that -of the bridge and that of the embankment--retreating as fast as the -nature of the ground permitted in an inverse direction, to the post at -the rivulet, the latter supposed it was an attack, and fired several -arquebusades at the two troops of these outposts. They recognised each -other with difficulty, and these eight hundred men thus collected, saw -themselves attacked on two sides by Rincourt and the second troop of the -besieged. The combat did not last long, in consequence of the confusion -into which they were thrown as much as through the numerical -inferiority. Few resisted, many sought the marshes, and two or three -hundred laid down their arms and begged for quarter. Of those who had -betaken themselves right and left to the marshes, about a hundred -managed to reach the camp in the morning, the others were killed by the -peasants. - -Forcia, informed in the middle of the night of the attack on his -south-eastern posts, got a thousand men under arms. But the weather -continued as bad as ever; the captains obeyed with a very ill grace; -they had lost all confidence, and it was not until daylight that Galas's -lieutenant was able to go down into the valley. His three posts were -taken, and he found from two to three hundred men dead or wounded on the -banks of the rivulet. - -Rincourt had quietly gone up again into the town with his two troops and -his prisoners by the castle gate, about three o'clock in the morning. He -had not lost more than fifty men, killed, wounded, or strayed. Forcia -returned to the camp about ten o'clock in the morning. But from the top -of the donjon, at the first glimmering of daylight, the governor had -seen the troop of Imperialists defiling in the direction of the posts -that had been taken. Without an instant's delay, placing himself at the -head of four companies of foot soldiers, fresh and ready for the -struggle, and of his three hundred horsemen, and after having fired -several volleys on the besieger's works, he courageously sallied forth -by the ravelin and rushed impetuously upon the trenches. The enemy, -taken by surprise, without a commander, and out of heart, fled, and -Rincourt succeeded in spiking the guns of the two foremost _places -d'armes_, spiking and throwing down the mortars along the slopes, -breaking the gun-carriages, overthrowing the gabionades, and taking a -quantity of workmen's tools. - -When Forcia returned, it was to learn this fresh disaster. His captains -murmured loudly. He called them cowards and ignoramuses, and they -retorted sharply, and abuse was lavished on both sides. Happily for -Forcia a messenger came from Galas that evening enjoining him to raise -the siege of Roche-Pont and to fall back upon the Saône without an -hour's delay. - -Saint-Jean-de-Losne had held out and had suffered no damage; the -Imperialists, surprised by the inundations, and fearing to be cut off by -the French army, determined on returning home. - -If that French army had been led by a Rantzau and a Rincourt, not a -German would have repassed the frontier; but the Duke of Weimar and the -Cardinal de la Valette, who might have destroyed the invaders, were by -no means energetic in the pursuit. The Imperialists, however, lost in -this expedition, by which they hoped to gain the most brilliant -advantages, all their baggage, a good part of their artillery, and a -third of their force. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 52: See Fig. 59.] - -[Footnote 53: See Fig. 59.] - -[Footnote 54: Bombs, invented by the Dutch in the beginning of the -seventeenth century, were already used in sieges.] - -[Footnote 55: See Fig. 59.] - -[Footnote 56: See Fig. 59.] - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -_THE TOWN OF LA ROCHE-PONT IS FORTIFIED BY M. DE VAUBAN._ - - -Born at Saint-Leger de Foucheret, in the middle of Burgundy, Vauban, who -loved and was well acquainted with this beautiful province, had occasion -to visit Roche-Pont several times. The situation of the fortress and its -strategical position attracted his notice, and suggested a plan -connecting this little town with a line starting with Besançon, passing -through Dôle, Auxonne, La Roche-Pont, Langres, Neufchâteau, Toul, -Pont-à-Mousson, Metz, Thionville, Longwy, Montmédy, Sedan, Mézières, -Rocroy, Avesnes, Maubeuge, Valenciennes, Lille, and ending at -Dunquerque. The date was 1680; it was a second line. Would to Heaven it -had always been maintained by works accommodated to the means of attack! -but if the French know how to take, they are but remiss in keeping what -they have taken. - -The fortress of La Roche-Pont was exposed to attack only from the -northern plateau, and the artillery of Vauban's time could make a -serious impression only on that side, as the town was protected on its -two sides, east and west, by escarpments and two water-courses. -Batteries placed on the hills east and west were either dominated by the -artillery of the town or must have been placed at a distance of eighteen -hundred yards--_i.e._, out of range--to attain the level of the -ramparts. Vauban decided therefore to construct outside the ancient town -a large work on the north, which should command the plateau. At the same -time--for he was economical of the money of the state--he thought he -might avail himself of part of Errard's works, especially the bastions -which that engineer had raised on the east and west fronts, and improve -the defence of the castle, which would then become a good stronghold. -Besides this he planned works, only revetted at the base, along the -river, to protect the lower town. On the rivulet side, in like manner, -he planned a flanked front for musketry, to secure that side from -approach, and to keep some land useful either for the cultivation of -vegetables in case of siege, or for pasturage. A weir placed at the -mouth of the rivulet, with a flood gate, allowed the inhabitants to -inundate the meadows situated on the east of the escarpment. - -[Illustration: FIG. 65.--VAUBAN'S DEFENCES.] - -Fig. 65 presents the general plan of the works laid out by Vauban. At -first he had thought of making on the north, before the front fortified -by Errard de Bar-le-Duc, a horn-work before a demi-lune; but he could -not thus effectually sweep the divergent points of the plateau. He -determined, therefore, on the plan given in Fig. 65, making use of a -part of the northern revetments of Errard de Bar-le-Duc. In advance of -the northern front, in lieu of the narrow and contracted defences of -Errard,[57] he made a great demi-lune, A (Fig. 65), with a tenaille -behind, and next the bastioned work, B, which swept the whole plateau. -As to the rest of the town, making use of the old bastions, he strongly -flanked them and disposed the stronghold as shown by the plan, D. The -roads of the upper town were widened and improved, and the houses -detached from the ramparts. The ancient bridge at C had been destroyed -by a swelling of the river, and was not rebuilt; but at P, in 1675, a -new stone bridge was built, with a _tête du pont_ of earthwork. At O a -foot-bridge still existed in 1680. The town had again extended along the -left bank, and the importance of the _cité_ above was diminishing. - -[Illustration: FIG. 66.--VAUBAN'S OUTWORK.] - -Fig. 66 presents on a larger scale the plan of the outwork constructed -by Vauban. Before the three fronts of this work, demi-lunes with -tenailles behind defended the approaches. - -Four barracks were built at _a_. Cavaliers arose on the bastions, and -the covered ways, with their _places d'armes_, were furnished with -traverses. In the event of this work being taken, the main body of the -fortress could still hold out some days. - -Fig. 67 gives the sections of these works, which were cased with -masonry, presenting a strong defence which only a regular siege could -affect. - -[Illustration: FIG. 67.] - -But it is desirable to point out the reasons that determined the plan of -this work, and the method adopted by the illustrious engineer. - -Vauban fortified according to the nature of the position, and was not -one of those _esprits routiniers_ who, when once a certain system has -made good its claims, insist on applying it on all occasions. - -The fortresses, which, like that of La Roche-Pont, are situated at the -extremity of a promontory and present only a narrow front to the -besieger, assuredly give certain advantages to the defence, since they -have scarcely to fear more than one attack and are accessible only on -one side; but this position is not without its drawbacks, especially if, -as in the present instance, a fan-shaped plateau spreads outside the -fortress; for then the besiegers sweep the defences with converging -fires, to which the besieged can oppose only a narrow front unprovided -with considerable flankments. On the east side the large bastion, in -the middle of which Vauban had left standing the fifteenth-century -tower, which thus gave him a good revetted cavalier, sufficiently -flanked the eastern brow of the outer plateau; but on the western side -such a flankment failed entirely, on account of the outward bend caused -by the promontory. To obviate these disadvantages Vauban inclined his -capital some paces eastwards.[58] - -He had thought at first of suppressing the south flanks of the two -extreme bastions, but in that case the exteriors of the east and west -faces of these bastions would have been too slanting to sweep the crests -of the plateau effectively, while the two curtains answered this object. -Besides, the enemy could not then, without risk, commence his trenches -on the slopes of the plateau and rapidly approach fronts insufficiently -flanked. Vauban therefore set out the plan of the great outwork -according to the following method (Fig. 68):--To the outside he gave a -length of 180 toises, or 1,156 feet. To the western side, _a c_, 1,120 -feet; to the eastern side, _b d_, 1,054 feet--that is, he placed the -points _c_ and _d_ according with the edge of the plateau; the two -angles _a_ and _b_ being equal to one another. On the centre of the side -_a b_ of the polygon he erected the perpendicular, _e f_, having a -length equal to one-sixth of _a b_. From this extreme point, _f_, were -drawn the lines of defence, _a g_, _b h_, on which the lengths of the -faces of the bastion, _a k_, _b i_, were set off equal to two-sevenths -of the outer side, _a b_. To find the flanks of the bastion, according -to the method usually adopted in these defences, points _k_ and _i_, he -described arcs of a circle, _k l_, taking _i k_ as the radius. The point -of intersection of this arc with the line _b h_ gave the length and the -direction of the flank of the bastion; but, not having been able to -trace a regular half-hexagon, and the angles _a_ and _b_ being less -obtuse than those of a regular hexagon, by proceeding in this manner, -the gorges of the bastion would have been too contracted. Therefore, to -determine the flank of the bastion, from the points _i_ and _k_, he let -fall perpendiculars to the lines of defence, _a g_, _b h_, and the -point _h_ gave the re-entering angle in the curtain, _h g_, parallel to -the side _a b_. This exposed the flanks a little too much, but enabled -them to sweep the outsides more effectively, and in this particular case -that was the principal consideration. - -[Illustration: FIG. 68.] - -The width of the ditch of the main work was fixed at 112 ft. 7 in., to -the rounding of the counterscarp; and this was determined by a tangent -to this rounding, drawn from the angle of the epaule of the opposite -bastion. - -The ditches being dry, Vauban sunk cunettes in the middle, 23 ft. 4 in. -wide and 6 ft. 8 in. deep. Double caponnières connected the tenailles -with the demi-lunes. The demi-lune was set out as follows:--Taking _g k_ -as radius, the arc _k m_ was drawn. Its meeting with the perpendicular, -_e f_, prolonged, gave the point of intersection _m_, the salient of the -demi-lune. From _m_, the face _m n_ was directed upon a point, _o_, -taken on the face of the bastion at 31 ft. 3 in. from the angle of the -epaule, _i_. The width of the covered way was fixed at 31 ft. 3 in., and -that of the glacis at 124 ft. 4 in. The internal _places d'armes_ were -100 ft. across the demi-gorge and 133 ft. 4 in. along the faces. These -_places d'armes_ were closed by traverses. The ditch of the demi-lune -was 89 ft. 7 in. in width. The tenailles, _g_, constructed in the -direction of the lines of defence, were 43 ft. 9 in. wide at the base. - -Cavaliers were made on the bastions to obtain convenient views over the -slopes of the plateau. Their faces and sides, parallel to those of the -bastions, had to be placed at a considerable distance from the -epaulements, in order that the un-cased external foot of the talus might -leave the necessary room for the easy working of the pieces of -artillery.[59] - -The same method was followed for the sides _a c_ and _b d_. The width of -the ditch was increased to 100 ft., and the great demi-lune, _t_, was so -formed that its faces had a length of 332 ft. and its narrow sides 66 -ft. The old bastions restored and enlarged, _u v_, were armed with -cavaliers, and the escarp of these bastions was 6 ft. 6-1/2 in. higher -than that of the bastions of the outwork,[60] which difference, for that -matter, was favoured by the conformation of the ground. - -All the escarps and counterscarps were cased with strong masonry, with -counterforts in the terre-plein; as shown in the sections of Fig. 67 and -Fig. 69. - -[Illustration: FIG. 69.] - -The works communicated with each other by posterns. As the fortress of -La Roche-Pont was only assailable on one side, the number of cannon -necessary for its defence might be, it appeared, in proportion to its -extent, inconsiderable. The number amounted to thirty twenty-four -pounders, ten twelve-and four-pounders to arm the demi-lunes. - -At the end of the reign of Louis XIV., the efforts of the coalition were -directed towards the north-eastern frontiers, and the garrison of La -Roche-Pont did not get a view of the enemy. However, during the course -of the eighteenth century, this fortress was kept in passable condition. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 57: See Fig. 60.] - -[Footnote 58: See Fig. 65.] - -[Footnote 59: See Fig. 67, the section on E, F.] - -[Footnote 60: See Fig. 67, the sections on G H and I K.] - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -_THE SEVENTH SIEGE._ - - -On the 31st of December, 1813, the grand army of Bohemia, one hundred -and eighty thousand men strong, and commanded by Prince Schwartzenberg, -crossed the Rhine at Bâle, entered Switzerland, and penetrated into -France. Its right bore down on Belfort, Colmar, and Strasburg, its -centre marched for Langres, its left for Dijon. The same day the -Prussians were crossing the Rhine at Mayence. The invasion of the -eastern frontier had to be met by sixty thousand men, at most, echeloned -between Epinal and Langres; and this force consisted only of dispirited -soldiers and of recruits scarcely knowing how to use their arms. Prince -Schwartzenberg's army--which had some reason to fear being attacked on -the side of Savoy by the forces commanded by Prince Eugene, and knew -that the _débris_ of the army of Spain had orders to make for Lyons with -all speed--wishing to secure its base of operation, left detachments -before Bésançon, Dôle, along the Saône and between Dijon and Langres, -with injunctions to occupy the most favourable strategic position. La -Roche-Pont was to be taken; and the generalissimo of the Bohemian army -imagined that it was not in a condition to hold out eight-and-forty -hours, for he knew that it had no garrison, and that the citizens were -little disposed to defend themselves. - -Among the inhabitants of La Roche-Pont were some royalist families, -whose emissaries had assured the commander-in-chief of the Bohemian army -that the whole population were impatiently awaiting the arrival of the -Allies to declare for the Bourbons. Prince Schwartzenberg was too -clear-sighted, and knew too well to what illusions the royalists were -ready to yield themselves, to place an unlimited faith in these -statements; and he was anxious not to encounter serious obstacles during -his first stages, that he might put himself as speedily as possible in -communication with his allies on their way from the north-east. He -therefore informed the royalists of La Roche-Pont that it was -undesirable to provoke a political manifestation on his march; that the -best means of assuring the success of the Allies was to remain quiet; -that his troops, in conformity with the proclamation issued by the -coalition on entering French territory, would respect property; that -they were not animated by a spirit of vengeance, and that their glory -would consist in concluding peace as quickly as possible, so as to -restore to Europe the repose it so much needed. - -In the meantime Napoleon, on learning that the German troops had entered -France from the south through Basle, had sent pressing orders into the -Bourbonnais, Auvergne, and Burgundy, to make a levy of conscripts as -soon as possible and send them to Paris. At the same time the depôts of -Dauphiny and Provence, as also the conscripts in the eastern -departments, were to assemble at Lyons to close to the enemy the -approaches from Switzerland and Savoy, and if necessary to operate on -his rear. - -The prefects of Burgundy, Picardy, and Normandy, and of Touraine and -Brittany, were to appeal to the communes to form companies of National -Guards _d'élite_, who were to march to Paris, Meaux, Montereau, and -Troyes. - -These arrangements were hardly made in time to present a serious -obstacle to the invaders. The civil authorities and the regular troops -began to make a hasty retreat before the armies of the coalition, and -were leaving the inhabitants to themselves without arms or guidance. It -thus happened that some bodies of troops coming from the south found -themselves in an isolated position, and uncertain whether they ought to -continue their route or fall back. Such a case happened on the Saône; -three battalions of infantry, certain artillerymen called to Vincennes -to assemble at the great central depôt which the Emperor was organising -there, and some detachments of various arms making their way for Dijon, -to push on thence towards Troyes--found themselves on the flank of the -left column of the army of Bohemia. They retraced their steps, and made -a rather long détour, hoping to get beyond the enemy's right, and resume -the route for Troyes through Beaune, Sémur, Montbard, and -Châtillon-sur-Seine; but surprised by bad weather and snow, during a -night march in the mountains of the Côte-d'Or, they lost their way, and -found themselves in the morning at Saint-Seine, which was already -occupied by a body of Austrian pioneers. The French were much limited in -point of munitions, and had no artillery. They could not force the -passage, and were obliged to fall back into the valley of Suzon, hoping -still to find the road from Dijon to Langres clear. But at -Thil-le-Châtel they came upon another body of the enemy, and had to -retire towards the small town of La Roche-Pont, for it was evident that -they were cut off. The colonel who commanded this small column was -instructed, should it be impossible to reach Langres, to take up a -position at Auxonne or at La Roche-Pont, to keep his ground there, and -to form a nucleus of defence until the arrival of Augereau's force, -which was to march from Lyons through Macon, Châlon, and Gray, to fall -on the rear of Prince Schwartzenberg. - -Such were the events that had happened at this juncture at La -Roche-Pont. Conformably to the last orders transmitted by the prefect, -companies of National Guards had been promptly organised. The -inhabitants of La Roche-Pont, like their neighbours of Auxonne, Dôle, -and Saint-Jean-de-Losne, preserve military habits; and sieges--not -without reason, as we have seen--are a tradition among them. There were -always companies of archers and arbalisters at La Roche-Pont during the -Middle Ages, and at a later date bombardiers and artillerymen. Under the -Consulate La Roche-Pont had been a depôt for the army concentrated -between Dijon and the Swiss frontier to pass the Saint-Bernard, and -munitions had been stored there; some siege pieces had also been placed -there, and still remained. At the approach of Prince Schwartzenberg's -army the population of La Roche-Pont was in agitation; and even before -the prefectoral instructions had arrived, three companies of National -Guards, one of which was of artillerymen, had been spontaneously formed. -All had old muskets of the time of the Revolution, or good hunting -weapons. The lower town, occupied in great part by rich families, of -which several were devoted to the royal cause, did not share in these -preparations for war. Some indiscreet revelations made the upper town -aware of the intrigues of the royalists. The mayor was a man who had -been conspicuous for his devotion to the Emperor while the Empire had -been in vigour; but who, seeing its fortunes decline, became daily more -and more of a royalist. - -If he had not actively opposed, he had at least obstructed the formation -of a company of National Guards _d'élite_, endeavouring to gain time. -The little citadel of La Roche-Pont was occupied by a company of sixty -veterans, for the most part invalided, under the orders of an old -one-armed captain of engineers, who had served in almost all the -campaigns of the Empire. When it was known that the enemy had entered -France, Captain Allaud--that was his name--had asked for orders from -Dijon, but had not received them. However, he employed his men in -restoring and replenishing the arsenal. He enjoyed a certain amount of -authority in the upper town. The male population of the _cité_, composed -in great part of men who had been soldiers--all the youth had left in -the first months of 1813--never called Captain Allaud anything but "the -Governor," and had applied to him to form companies, only asking for -munitions. Now the arsenal of La Roche-Pont contained a good supply of -powder and balls, about twenty old bronze pieces of small calibre, six -twenty-four pounders, two howitzers, four small mortars, and about a -hundred muskets past service. The six gendarmes remaining till then at -La Roche-Pont had been summoned to Dijon at the beginning of January. - -Captain Allaud asked for co-operation in repairing the arms, making -cartouches and cartridges, repairing the parapets, the traverses, and -epaulements, and fabricating gabions and fascines; and the women made -bags for earth,--as if it had been possible to sustain a siege with the -sixty veterans and the three companies of National Guards, forming a -total of two hundred and sixty men. The Prefect of Dijon had transmitted -the order for these select companies of National Guards to fall back -upon Langres, but the order had not arrived. The royalists shrugged -their shoulders on seeing these two hundred and sixty National Guards -exercising on the platform of the outwork, and went so far as to joke in -the places of public resort about Captain Allaud's _garrison_. He could -not put up with raillery, and talked aloud to his men about running -their swords through the jokers. High words and even blows were -exchanged in the _cafés_. The mayor ventured to interpose his authority; -he was insulted and called a traitor, and the captain was informed of -the intrigues set on foot by the royalists. At night the captain had the -gates of the _cité_ shut, and the antagonism between the upper and lower -town was increasing in violence. "If the Austrians come," said the -captain, "the houses of these royalist traitors will be the first marks -for our balls!" Both parties became excited, and the mayor had the -impudence to ask the captain on whose authority he was acting. "I am the -_commandant de place_," replied the veteran, "since there is no other -officer here, and La Roche-Pont is a defensible place.... To prove it to -you I arrest you!" And he had the mayor conducted to the citadel. - -Great was the excitement in the town, but the royalists were in a feeble -minority, and dared not stir. They cried "Vive le Gouverneur!" in the -taverns. The mob attempted to plunder the mayor's house, which was -situated on the _cité_, and the captain had great difficulty in putting -down the disturbance. "Rascals!" cried he to the fellows who were -already breaking in the doors of the house, "I will have you shot like -dogs. Sacrebleu! you can break open doors; we shall see whether you have -so much pluck when the Germans come! Here," added he, turning to a dozen -veterans, who were following him, "clear the place of this _canaille_!" -and, setting the example, he dealt blows in abundance with the flat of -his sword on the backs of the plunderers. - -It was the morning following this riot when the French corps above -spoken of presented itself before La Roche-Pont. It was welcomed in the -upper town with every demonstration of joy. An army come to their help -magnificently accoutred and provided would not have been better -received. But this troop, exhausted by fatigue, and having eaten nothing -for twenty-four hours, without artillery or munitions, had all the -appearance of a band of fugitives. Covered with mud, and scantily -clothed, these poor soldiers seemed scarcely able even to defend -themselves. But in such times of distress, so much do people cling to -any semblance of hope, that the sight of a friendly uniform revives -every heart. Seeing themselves so well received, these brave fellows -made their entrance into the city in good order, and presented when -defiling through the streets, in spite of their exhaustion, a martial -appearance which redoubled the enthusiasm of the inhabitants. A colonel, -three chiefs of battalions, and some captains, of whom one belonged to -the artillery, composed the staff. Two hours after their arrival, these -soldiers, most of whom had seen much service, having rested well and -brushed themselves up, presented a very different appearance. - -The news brought by this small corps proved clearly enough that there -was no time to lose, if they wanted to put the town of La Roche-Pont in -a condition to defend itself with honour, if not with hope of success. -The colonel, of course, took the command; his name was Dubois. He had -been in the campaign in Portugal, then in Russia, whence he had returned -captain, and having been appointed _chef de bataillon_ in the Saxon -campaign, he had distinguished himself at Dresden, and had been a -colonel from the date of the battle of Leipzig. He was a man of about -thirty, but appeared to be much older. He had scarcely seen anything but -the disastrous side of French glory. His countenance, therefore, did not -bear that impress of confidence which was exhibited by many of his -brethren in arms, who had been less tried than himself by the -misfortunes of the times. Of the war in Spain he had seen only the -miseries, the privations, the failure of order, the utter -disintegration. With Ney on the return from Moscow he had learned what -the performance of duty is without the prestige of glory. At Dresden, -the regiment to which he was attached had lost half its men; and the -disaster of Leipzig had followed. With each grade in his promotion was -associated a mournful date. - -Colonel Dubois had an appearance of coldness that served to hide his -natural timidity and profound distrust of his fellow-men. It must be -allowed that there were reasons for his distrust of men and things. -Entering the service at the age of twenty as a common soldier, though he -belonged to an honourable family in Poitou and had spent his earliest -years in the bosom of his family, he had seen only the sinister side of -warfare, and his first companions in arms did not respond to his ideal -of the soldier's character. It was still worse when he went to Spain. -His delicate nature had fallen back on itself, and allowed no sign of -pity or even sympathy for anyone to be visible. Yet so profoundly does -what we call "heart" imprint itself on every action, even when its -possessor attempts to conceal its slightest manifestation, that this -man, in appearance so cold, and who was not known to have a friend, -exercised a moral authority over his soldiers which was very rare at -that time. - -The soldier--an infallible judge in this matter--is able to discover the -weak side of the officer; but he only esteems him and confides entirely -in him when he recognises besides military talents a soul of energetic -vigour and a heart that beats in unison with his own. The soldier's -glance can penetrate without difficulty a cold and harsh exterior, and -soon discovers whether this appearance conceals insufficiency, -stupidity, or pride; or whether it is only the countenance of a man -accustomed to command--the exterior of a soul really accessible to all -human sentiments. - -In an action Dubois could see his men fall without the slightest show of -emotion, and would not permit a soldier to leave his place to help them; -but after the battle he was the first and the most attentive in -relieving the wounded, and would take no rest till they were carried to -the ambulances. - -Of the three battalions (they were not complete) which he commanded, two -belonged to his own regiment; the third was composed of fragments drawn -from all sides. Nevertheless, after two or three days' march, all these -men, as well as the companies of various arms which he was to lead to -Troyes, knew Colonel Dubois better perhaps than he knew himself. These -brave men, after some hours' rest were well satisfied to submit to -circumstances and remain under the orders of their Colonel de _Bois_, as -they used to call him--and thought it a fine joke to defend themselves -in this _nest_ of La Roche-Pont, cut off from all help. - -Though in concert with Captain Allaud he made the most needful -preparations for defence--were it only to save his own honour--Colonel -Dubois wished to ascertain whether it was possible to reach Langres and -Troyes without compromising his troops. He therefore instructed a young -orderly officer of energy and intelligence, by whom he was -accompanied--giving him two attendants and two guides from the town and -known to the captain, all mounted--to reconnoitre the route and return -as quickly as possible. - -We have seen that before the colonel's arrival the defenders numbered -three hundred and twenty men, of whom sixty were veterans. Among these -men about fifty were capable of serving the guns, having been -artillerymen. The troop brought by the colonel consisted of three -battalions, in all one thousand four hundred and fifty men, twenty-five -artillerymen, and thirty dismounted horsemen; total, one thousand eight -hundred and twenty-five men, including officers. - -Provisions were the first question. The colonel, having learned the -arrest of the mayor, summoned him into his presence, and soon heard the -confession of the municipal magistrate. He gave him to understand that -the proofs of his royalist intrigues were sufficient to justify his -being shot there and then, and that the only means of avoiding this -unpleasant necessity was to set about provisioning the city without a -moment's delay. He added that he only commanded the vanguard of a _corps -d'armée_, marching from Lyons in the rear of the enemy, while the -Emperor was to take them in front: it was important therefore for the -town of La Roche-Pont to be in a position to resist for some days, and -if it were obliged to surrender for want of provisions, the Emperor's -Government would lay blame on the mayor, as having an understanding with -the enemy, and then it was all over with him. - -The poor mayor, more dead than alive, promised everything, and swore by -all the saints that he was devoted to the Emperor, and that in -four-and-twenty hours the fortress should be supplied with all the -provisions that could be found in the neighbourhood. "I don't know what -there may be in the neighbourhood," replied the colonel; "you probably -_do_; but I have to tell you that by four o'clock to-morrow -afternoon--it is now a quarter-past six--there must be on this spot, -first, rations of meal, meat, and wine for a garrison of two thousand -men for twenty-five days at least; secondly, the inhabitants of the town -must also be provisioned for thirty days; and that if this is not done, -I shall be unfortunately obliged to send you back to your place of -confinement, where you will await the decision of the Emperor's -Government; I am going to give you twenty men to accompany you and help -you. Planton! ask the major to come here!" "But, colonel," said the -mayor, "you must be aware that at this time of the year I shall have -great difficulty--" "You prefer then to return to prison immediately?" -interrupted the colonel. "Major!" said he when this officer was -introduced, "Monsieur le maire de la Roche-Pont engages to provision the -town within twenty-four hours. Here is a list of what is required. You -will accompany him, and have twenty pressed men with you--thirty if you -want them. You must begin at once. I wish you good luck, Monsieur le -maire." Addressing himself to the major, while the mayor was retiring, -pale and covered with perspiration, in spite of the cold: "Do not suffer -this man to go out of your sight, he is a Royalist; keep him at work, -and bring him back here with the provisions." "I understand, colonel." -It was many years since the upper and lower town of La Roche-Pont had -been so animated. The upper town resounded with the noise of arms, of -the excavators going to the works, of guns being taken from the arsenal -and mounted in the batteries, and of the repairing of the carriages. In -another part the carpenters were at work making platforms. As in former -times, women mingled with the workmen and brought bundles of willows cut -from the side of the pool to make gabions. Behind every window some were -to be seen sewing bags for earth. Wheelwrights were repairing wheels; -and all engaged were singing and laughing as if they were preparing for -a fête. The meal and forage carts were coming in, while pigs, cows, and -sheep were rendering the streets almost impassable. - -The lower town presented a different aspect: the _cafés_ were full, and -all were talking at once and very loud. The mayor, followed by the -major, who kept close to his elbow, and by his staff of assistants, was -making his visits to the shops and houses. - -The whole of the population was at the windows or at the door-sills. -Carts were got ready, and the twenty pressed men filled them in no time; -if horses could not be found to draw them, the workmen pushed at the -wheels. Some large houses, however, remained closely shut. - -They had to go through the valley and visit the farmers and millers of -the neighbourhood. Many inhabitants of the upper town went down in -search of hams, meal, and grains. The grocers' shops and the pork shops -were emptied one after the other; provisions were rising in price, so -that the last ham was sold, at three o'clock in the afternoon, for sixty -francs. - -At four o'clock the mayor, followed like his shadow by the major, -presented himself before the colonel and gave him the list of all the -provisions he had been able to bring into the upper town. The colonel -bade him sit down, and examined the account carefully, asking many -questions and appealing to the major's testimony respecting the -correctness of the statements. The twenty-five days' rations for the two -thousand men were found complete, thanks to a good stock of un-ground -corn which made up for what was wanting in meal. - -The colonel expressed himself satisfied, especially as they had found in -the castle some few hundred-weight of biscuit in good condition. "Thank -you, Monsieur le maire," said he; "you must be fatigued, and may return -home; but as I am not unaware of the ill-feeling of some bad sort of -people towards you, you shall have a man on guard posted at your door; -and I must beg you not to quit your house except to go to your office, -which fortunately is situated in the upper town, which will enable you, -when we are invested, to fulfil your functions with the zeal you have -just manifested. - -"I will also beg you to make arrangements without delay for an ambulance -with fifty beds duly furnished--suppose we say to-night--and to send me -the surgeons of the town, if there are any at La Roche-Pont, this very -evening.... Major! accompany Monsieur le maire while he attends to this -business, so that no harm may befal him...." - -That same day, at eight o'clock in the evening, the reconnaissance -returned and reported what they had seen. - -The enemy was at Gray near Champlitte, and was occupying the roads -between Gray and Thil-le-Châtel. His force had been seen at Bèze, about -eighteen miles from La Roche-Pont. Communication between Dijon and -Langres was cut off: and although the enemy had not occupied that town, -he was forming a curtain between it and the north to mask his ulterior -movements. - -The circumstantial details given by his orderly officer confirmed the -colonel in the idea that the army of Bohemia was paying but little -attention to what was taking place in his rear, but was pushing on -towards the capital by the basin of the Seine. "Ah!" said the colonel, -when he had heard every particular from the young officer, "if we only -had twenty thousand of those men who were lost in Russia, we could make -these German and Russian gentlemen pay dearly for their temerity, and -few of them would see the other side of the Rhine again." - -Colonel Dubois therefore determined to follow the second part of his -instructions. He sent a reliable man, selected by Captain Allaud, to -Auxonne to inform the governor of the place--if the town was not already -occupied--that he was holding La Roche-Pont, that he was in a condition -to defend himself there for some time, and that he should wish all -isolated detachments and any provisions or munitions that had no -particular destination to be sent to him. - -Up to the 15th of January the town of La Roche-Pont had not seen a -single enemy. The centre column of Prince Schwartzenberg's army was -marching in the direction of Gray along the heights of the Seine and -Marne basins, and avoiding the Lower Saône. This delay had allowed -additional munitions to be brought into the town, and the garrison -increased by some recruits who, not being able to join their regiments, -were wandering about without orders. Four pieces of field artillery, -whose carriages were out of repair, had also been got into the town. The -colonel had put himself in communication with Lyons; and Marshal -Augereau, still hoping to commence offensive operations, had confirmed -the previous orders that had been given--that is to say, to hold La -Roche-Pont, and to gain all possible information respecting the enemy's -movements in the north. - -Towards the end of January the great army of Bohemia had some grounds -for apprehending an attack on its rear; and Prince Schwartzenberg knew -that from Macon along the ascent of the Saône, and as far as the -countries intersected by hills which form a part of Upper Burgundy, a -nucleus of resistance was being formed which might at any moment take -the offensive and embarrass him greatly. After the battle of Brienne -(29th of January), as the result of which the Prussians were thrown back -by Napoleon on La Rothière, the sovereigns assembled in Prince -Schwartzenberg's neighbourhood deliberated as to whether they should -stop short at Langres or risk advancing alone against the troops -commanded by the Emperor. - -This indecision with regard to ulterior operations led to a more -effective concentration and the occupation of a circle of wider radius -around Langres. - -Orders were then given to a body of four thousand of the allied -Bavarians and Austrians to invest La Roche-Pont, and to guard the route -from Lyons to Langres. - -It was not till the 1st of February that the front of this corps showed -itself before La Roche-Pont. - -Colonel Dubois had not been wasting time: the garrison was provisioned -for more than six weeks, and munitions were not wanting. This superior -officer had put everything in order; and his troops, motley in -appearance, certainly, but well rested and full of confidence, amounted -at that time to more than nineteen hundred men, of whom twelve hundred -were experienced soldiers who might be relied upon. The works on the -north were well armed and the defences in good condition, duly furnished -with palisades, traverses, and appliances for shelter. - -On the evening of the 2nd of February, some of the enemy's horse were -caracoling at a distance of about two hundred yards from the works; this -bravado cost them about a dozen men. - -The enemy, however, did not seem desirous of undertaking a regular -siege, but took up a position about a mile from the northern salient; he -sent detachments to occupy the faubourg on the left bank, and raised an -encampment on the eastern hills. - -The colonel had blown up the stone-bridge and destroyed the -foot-bridges. - -On the morning of the 4th of February an envoy appeared on the glacis -and handed on to the governor of the place a summons from General -Werther, demanding the surrender of La Roche-Pont to the troops of the -allied princes. The garrison would be allowed to retire southwards with -arms, baggage, and field artillery. - -The colonel replied that the place was sufficiently strong and well -provided; it would not capitulate till the moment when the breaches were -no longer tenable; and he judged that the defence could not be prolonged -to any purpose. - -The following night Colonel Dubois sent out a hundred men to try the -strength of the enemy's outposts and reconnoitre their positions. - -By the end of the two following days--the 5th and 6th--the investment -was almost complete, and the communication with the surrounding country -interrupted. On the evening of the 9th there came another summons from -the enemy's general, declaring that if the place were not surrendered -within twenty-four hours the bombardment would commence. The colonel -replied as before. - -In fact, on the 10th of February a mortar battery opened fire, first on -the northern salient, about eight o'clock in the evening. The bombs -produced no effect, and in ten hours' bombardment only eight men had -been struck, the roof of one of the barracks broken in, and two -gun-carriages damaged. - -The pieces of large calibre mounted on the cavaliers of the bastions of -the work did not begin to fire on the mortar battery until daybreak, and -silenced it about noon. The enemy appeared then to limit his efforts to -the investment; and it was not till the 17th of February, probably in -consequence of news received from the north, that he appeared to decide -on a regular siege. Perhaps until this moment he had not the needful -appliances. - -On the night of the 17th, the first parallel was commenced about six -hundred yards from the salient of the re-entering _place d'armes_ (Fig. -70), as also the communications between this parallel and the depôts. -About two o'clock in the morning the governor sent out a hundred and -fifty men, who charged the advanced posts protecting the workmen on the -western side of the plateau, and forced their passage through to the -trench; put the sappers to rout, took some of their tools, and then, -seeing themselves taken in flank, rushed up the slopes of the plateau, -and re-entered by the postern of the lower town, protected by the fires -of the demi-bastion. - -On the 18th of February those who worked by day finished what their -comrades, told off for night work, had commenced; and the engineers -fixed in the parallel the prolongations of the works of the place, which -they were intending to ricochet, with a view to planting the first -batteries. By the method in which the besieger was proceeding, Colonel -Dubois and Captain Allaud had no difficulty in perceiving that they had -to do with a methodical enemy, who would conduct his attack according to -the rules of the art, and would employ the acknowledged methods of -approach against the main work of La Roche-Pont. The commander of the -Bavarian engineers, in fact, had drawn out the plan of siege as -exhibited in Fig. 70. - -On the night of the 18th of February he commenced the ricochet batteries -of the first parallel, and the boyaux of communication that were to lead -to the second parallel; the works were continued by day. He was -intending to direct the siege in the method we are going to describe. - -On the third night the batteries of the first parallel were completed so -as to fire in concert at daybreak. - -The fourth night, supposing the artillery of the besieged to be -silenced, they would commence the second parallel, and the fifth night -the counter-batteries parallel and perpendicular to the faces to be -cannonaded. - -The sixth night would be occupied with the continuation of the -counter-batteries and the commencement, by sap, of the zigzags about as -far as one hundred and sixty yards from the crest of the salient angles -of the covered way. - -During the seventh night the construction of the counter-batteries would -be finished, and they would dig the demi-parallels. - -On the eighth night they would continue to advance by sap in zigzag, and -arm the demi-parallel with howitzers and mortars, to commence their fire -at daybreak at the same time as the counter-batteries. - -On the ninth night the sap-fronts would reach the glacis fifty or sixty -yards from the salient angles of the covered way, and the zigzags would -enter the third parallel, which they would continue by day. - -On the tenth night the works would be completed, the third parallel -should be finished, and batteries of stone mortars planted there. - -On the eleventh night they were to drive two saps a length of twenty-six -or thirty yards, right and left, of the capital (Fig. 71). They would -dig the circular trenches, and then advance straight on the capital by -double sap to within range of hand-grenades; twenty-six to thirty yards -from the salient of the _places d'armes_. Protected by the fire of the -third parallel, this work would be continued by day. - -The twelfth night would be employed in tracing the trench cavalier by -means of two saps; these works were to be terminated by day. - -The thirteenth night, starting from the extremities of the trench -cavaliers near the capitals, by double sap, they would crown the salient -angles of the covered way. At daybreak these crownings would be -finished, and the construction of the counter-batteries commenced. They -would get down by means of two saps (Fig. 71) to the _place d'armes_, -to establish a lodgment parallel to the rounding of the ditches. - -If necessary, they would drive right and left of the crowning two saps -which would meet each other in the middle of this crowning. A fourth -parallel would, if necessary, be established, on which they would then -place the stone mortars of the third parallel. If this fourth parallel -was not needed, they would advance from the third parallel by means of a -double sap directly upon the salient of the re-entering _place d'armes_. - -The fourteenth night the crowning was to be extended along the branches -of the covered way as far as the first traverse. The construction of the -counter-batteries, and that of the fourth parallel, would be continued. -If this fourth parallel were not required, the saps would reach to the -salient of the re-entering _place d'armes_, which they would crown. At -daybreak the breach batteries would be commenced. - -On the fifteenth night these works would be completed; then, if they had -been obliged to dig a fourth parallel, they would diverge from that in -two saps which would unite to form a strong traverse, under shelter of -which these saps would reach as far as the salient of the re-entering -_place d'armes_, which they would crown by extending that crowning right -and left. They would then have to commence the descent of the ditch. - -During the sixteenth night the breach batteries would be terminated, and -would begin firing. They would work at the descent of the ditch. If -possible, they would get down into the _place d'armes_ to install -themselves and plant a battery of stone mortars there. - -The seventeenth night would be occupied in finishing the descent to the -ditch, and they would commence the epaulement of the passage. - -During the eighteenth night they would begin to make a breach, and -advance the passage of the ditch of the breach, which should be effected -in the morning. - -During the nineteenth night they would reconnoitre the breach, and the -sappers would render it practicable. They would terminate the -epaulements of the passage of the ditch, that the assault might be made -next day. - -Thus, according to the plan of the siege, in nineteen times twenty-four -hours the place would be in the power of the enemy. - -The lines were fixed upon, and General Werther did not doubt of success, -as he did not imagine that La Roche-Pont could be succoured, and was -aware of the weakness of the garrison and the inefficient character of -its artillery. - -Nevertheless, these theoretic calculations were somewhat disconcerted by -the energy of the defence. - -Colonel Dubois had not men enough to act efficiently at a distance; he -did his utmost to economise his strength, and contented himself with -impeding the works at the commencement with his artillery. This -consisted, as we have seen, of-- - - Guns of various calibre 20 - Twenty-four pounders 6 - Howitzers 2 - Mortars 4 - Field-pieces 4 - -- - Total of ordnance 36 - == - -A dozen stone mortars and rampart rifles formed the rest of the -artillery. The arsenal contained also a certain supply of hand-grenades -and fireworks. - -At length, on the 20th of February, the batteries of the first parallel, -to the number of ten, opened their fire. Each of them was armed with -three guns; the first on the right (of the besieger), à ricochet, raked -the covered way in front of the right face of the left bastion (of the -besieged). The second swept the right face of the left demi-lune; the -third, the left face of the middle demi-lune; the fourth, à ricochet, -raked the covered way in front of the left face of the left bastion; the -fifth swept the salient of the demi-lune; the sixth swept the right face -of that demi-lune; the seventh, à ricochet, raked the covered way in -front of the left face of the right bastion; the eighth, à ricochet, -raked the left face of the demi-lune in the centre; the ninth swept the -left face of the right demi-lune; and the tenth, à ricochet, raked the -covered way before the left face of the right bastion. Four mortars were -mounted between the batteries 4 and 5, 6 and 7. Captain Allaud did not -doubt that the principal attack would be directed to the left bastion; -he had the gorge of this bastion therefore retrenched during the night. -The six twenty-four pounders were placed in battery on the cavaliers of -the bastions of the main defence, and well sheltered by traverses and -blindages. These six pieces concentrated their fire on the fourth and -fifth batteries of the besieger, and succeeded in silencing their fire -about noon. Then they fired on battery No. 3, and before night silenced -its three guns also. The guns in battery on the cavaliers of the -bastions of the work were sufficiently well sheltered not to be in -danger from the enemy's projectiles, to which they responded only -feebly. But on the night of the 20th February the plans of the besieger -had to be modified. At midnight the colonel ordered five hundred men to -arm, put horses to his four field-pieces, whose wheels had been covered -with rags and wool, and going out by the left demi-lune, he had two -pieces placed on the right and two on the left of the road, two hundred -yards in front of the glacis, and, on the road itself, the two -howitzers, a hundred yards behind. Then he advanced resolutely towards -the communicating boyau, between the third and fourth of the enemy's -batteries, whose fire had been silenced. The posts offered but a slight -resistance; the sappers fled, abandoning the trench, and were pursued to -the batteries at the point of the bayonet. - -[Illustration: FIG. 70. - -THE THEORETICAL ATTACK ON VAUBAN'S WORK.] - -The reinforcements then arrived, and the colonel drew back his men -quietly, by echelons, to the guns. These then opened a simultaneous fire -on the enemy with grape; and the five hundred men advanced once more, -and brought back some prisoners, but seeing themselves again attacked by -a superior force, fell back. This time the Germans did not go beyond -their trenches, but contented themselves with a few volleys of grape at -random. This skirmish did not last more than half an hour. At one -o'clock A.M. Captain Allaud placed two hundred workmen at a distance of -two hundred and fifty yards in front of the face of the left demi-lune -No. 1, crossed by the road, to commence a trench at this point (Fig. -72). These workmen were protected by a post of one hundred men, and the -two howitzers left on the road. This work consisted of two redans, with -massive traverse-shelters (see A). It was sufficiently advanced at -daybreak to be able to shelter the workmen. When the enemy, who had -begun his work again at the trench boyaux, B and C, in order to commence -the second parallel, perceived at early dawn the new work executed by -the besieged, he hastened to bring the fire of battery No. 1 upon it, -for batteries 2, 3, and 4 had not yet been remounted. But from the -cavaliers of the bastions No. I. and V., six guns in two hours silenced -this battery, No. 1, in spite of the besieger's batteries, 5 and 6. The -day thus passed in cannonading, and the Germans could not continue their -boyau of communication, B, which was raked by one of the howitzers which -the besieged had placed behind the great traverse of the salient of -the redan on the left. They had to modify the direction of the trench, -and follow the dotted line, _a b_. - -[Illustration: FIG. 71. - -THE THIRD PARALLEL AND CROWNING OF THE COVERED-WAY.] - -[Illustration: FIG. 72.] - -During the night of the 21st of February, Captain Allaud completed his -redans, enlarged the traverses, and set up blindages for seven guns; and -in the morning the work presented on the inner side the appearance -(Fig. 73). The gun on the left, A, directed its fire on battery No. 1; -the two guns on the left return, B C, on battery No. 4; the pieces D E, -of the right return, on battery No. 1; and the two pieces F G, of the -right face, on battery No. 6.[61] But this did not hinder the -bastions V., VI., I., II., and III. from firing on these batteries. - -[Illustration: FIG. 73.] - -That same night, however, the besieger had been able to start his second -parallel; but he was evidently embarrassed on his right, and was -modifying his plan on this side. He seemed to be giving up an attempt on -the place by the salient of bastion No. 2, and was working actively on -his left. - -During the 22nd of February, the besiegers could not restore battery No. -1, because the besieged kept up a constant discharge on this point. They -succeeded only at nightfall in remounting their guns in batteries 2 and -3; and having determined the range before night, discharged the balls of -two guns on the salients of the redans. About midnight Colonel Dubois -sent out five hundred men, who, traversing the western ridge of the -plateau, attacked battery No. 1. A few moments afterwards, a second -troop of four hundred men attacked the two batteries, 2 and 3; and the -besieger having been dislodged from battery No. 1, the first troop of -the besieged came and formed in line of musketry between battery No. 2 -and the salient of the redan on the right; while fusiliers posted at the -trench, A,[62] and one of the howitzers, swept the ground as far as -battery No. 1, in order to hinder the enemy from taking the sortie in -the rear. - -This operation was completely successful; not only were the works of -battery No. 1 damaged, and the three guns with which it was armed (the -carriages belonging to these guns, as stated above, were already -broken), but around batteries 2 and 3 there was a very sharp struggle -which resulted in the Germans being repulsed, the guns rendered useless, -the munitions scattered, and the gabions and earth-bags thrown down. A -body of a hundred men had also been posted by the colonel on the slopes -of the plateau to hinder the enemy from making his way along that -escarpment to attack the work A. - -Under favour of this sortie, two hundred workmen had been placed by -Captain Allaud along the western ridge of the plateau, to raise a new -work, B C D (Fig. 74), which consisted of three new redans presenting -three batteries each for two guns, traced _en crémaillère_, and -separated by strong traverses. By the morning of the 23rd of February -the first battery, B, was sufficiently strong to resist projectiles. - -Moreover, this battery could not be immediately attacked by battery No. -1, which was abandoned, and whose guns were useless. Forty-eight hours -at least were required to enable the besieger to restore batteries 2 and -3. Batteries 4 and 5 must change their embrasures to direct their fire -on this battery B, and only batteries 6 and 7 could sweep the redans A -and B. Now these batteries, 6 and 7, received the fire of the two guns -of the right face of the right-hand redan, of the two guns of the right -face of the bastion II., of the two guns of the left face of the bastion -III., and of a gun of the right face of the demi-lune 2. Every moment it -was necessary to repair the gabionades, and replace the earth-bags; and -since the beginning of the day the enemy had had ten artillerymen -killed, and as many more wounded, in these two batteries. - -The German engineer, who had so methodically traced the successive -operations of the siege, was evidently embarrassed by the strategy of -the besieged. It was in his opinion barbarous, absolutely contrary to -rules, and showed an ignorance of, and contempt for the art of -fortification, which must end in disaster. - -[Illustration: FIG. 74.] - -During the night of the 23rd of February the Germans were finishing -their second parallel, except in the north-west side. They gave the -eastern branch of this parallel an inclination towards the south,[63] -and commenced the batteries 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. Battery 13, of two -guns, was to rake the work A. - -But that same night Captain Allaud terminated the second battery, C, -started the third, D, had an intrenchment made on the ridge of the -plateau, and raised an epaulement, E, to sweep the slopes, with a good -parados. - -If the besieged succeeded in finishing and arming these works, the -batteries 11 and 12 of the besieger would be taken obliquely, the boyaux -of communication would be for the most part raked, and the siege would -have to be recommenced. The German general was in a very bad humour, and -blamed the commander of the engineers, who, with his plan on the table, -endeavoured to show that his siege had been duly arranged, according to -all the rules of the art; that the ignorant temerity of these Frenchmen -could not be foreseen, and that if the Germans acted with vigour, they -would be made bitterly to repent of thus advancing wedge-like on the -flank of the attack; that such a thing had never been seen, and that if -they concentrated three batteries on this salient in the air, they would -soon crush it. - -On the morning of the 24th of February two twenty-four pounders, placed -in battery on the left face of bastion VIII., opened fire on batteries -13, 14, and 15 of the besieger, which they raked, and damaged greatly -before they were completely finished. This time the German general -proceeded from ill-humour to passion and even menaces; so that the -unfortunate officer of the engineers, repairing to these batteries after -a violent scene to raise traverses and rectify the line, which he -asserted had not been executed conformably to his instructions, had his -head broken by a splinter from a gun-carriage. - -The direction of the engineering was then given to a young officer, who, -after a conference with General Werther, modified the plan of the -attack. During the 24th of the month there was scarcely any firing on -either side, the besieger firing only at long intervals. The French -garrison, which was anxious to economise its munitions, scarcely -replied, but worked with ardour at perfecting its advanced works on the -west. - -A sortie effected during the night of the 24th, to ascertain whether the -enemy was re-taking possession of batteries 1, 2, and 3, only -encountered advanced posts, which retired after a feeble resistance. -These three batteries were in the condition to which they had been -reduced by the preceding sortie. - -Captain Allaud employed the whole of the night in strengthening the -batteries B, C, D. They were armed with six guns, which on the morning -of the 25th swept the boyaux of communication and a whole branch of the -second parallel. - -The Germans scarcely replied, and seemed to be abandoning their works. - -They were probably going to try another attack. The colonel was somewhat -disquieted at Captain Allaud's novel strategy, which, in face of a bold -assailant, presented grave perils. The calmness of the enemy made him -fear some unexpected design; perhaps a strenuous attack on that salient -which, if it were taken, would furnish the besiegers with an excellent -position for rapidly establishing breach batteries against demi-lune No. -I, and bastion II. This salient therefore must be defended at any cost, -since they had been led to establish it in order to disconcert the -systematic attack of the Germans. Moreover, if they lost it, they would -probably lose at the same time most of the guns that armed it; and the -defence had only a restricted number. - -Thirteen guns armed the advanced work. The two howitzers were placed in -battery, one at the extremity of the salient D, pointed at battery No. -1, the other in the right re-entering _place d'armes_ of the demi-lune -No. 1. Two guns were also placed on the right face of the demi-lune; two -guns on the front, between the bastions I. and II., and two guns on the -right and left faces of this bastion, to sweep the advanced works if -they were taken. In all, nineteen guns and two howitzers. Besides, the -ridge of the plateau was well defended by a good trench-shelter with -traverses, that the work might not be able to be taken by assault in -rear by the escarpment. One of the twenty-four pounders was placed in -battery in the bastion V. of the main work, in the direction of its -capital, to sweep this slope. - -On the 25th of February only a few cannon-shots were exchanged. The -mortar batteries of the besieger concentrated their fire on the western -redan, without doing much damage; but during the night of the 25th the -fire of the bombs was so incessant that it became difficult to labour at -these works. It continued during the 26th, but the besieged dismounted -three of these mortars with the guns left on the bastions II. and III. -The besieged on his side placed the two mortars in battery on the front -between these two bastions, and sent projectiles into the batteries 11 -and 12. - -During the 26th of the month (the weather being clear) the enemy was -seen to be erecting three batteries on the north-west, evidently -directed against the batteries A, B, C, D, to crush them. They could not -reply to their fire; the colonel therefore decided that they should -bring back into the town temporarily the six guns of the batteries B, C, -D. The bombs continued to fall into the works during the whole night of -the 26th; and on the morning of the 27th the fire of the three batteries -of the enemy, erected six hundred and fifty yards behind the abandoned -battery No. 1, was opened against the redans B, C, D; it lasted the -whole night of the 27th, damaged the blindages very severely, and threw -down the traverses. On the morning of the 28th the _crémaillère_ ceased -to be tenable, but the work A had not been seriously injured. The -howitzer placed at D had been brought back behind the great traverse F -surmounted with a banquette. - -About nine o'clock the enemy resumed possession of the battery No. 1, -installed four field-pieces there in spite of the fire of the bastions -I. and II., and threw an assaulting column against the damaged works D, -C, B. This was what the colonel anticipated. The column encountered the -fire of the three guns left in the redans A, the howitzer, and a front -of fusiliers posted on the great traverse F. Bending to the right and -defiling below the crest of the plateau, this column was able to seize -the work B, C, D, without excessive loss; and, sheltered behind the -ruins of the earthworks, it was able to keep its ground there while the -field-pieces of the battery No. 1 cleared off the defenders of the great -traverse F. The colonel, however, had brought in again the guns left in -work A, and gave orders to his men to fall back. But at this juncture, -from the demi-lune No. 1, the bastions I. and II. and the curtain -between these bastions, twenty-two guns and some stone mortars poured a -tremendously heavy fire into the abandoned work, inflicting very serious -loss on the besieger, who was endeavouring to hold his ground there. -This cannonade lasted till noon. The colonel, supposing the enemy to be -giving way, sallied forth at the head of eight hundred men and fell on -the posts which the Germans had begun to fortify. He had his attack -sustained by the two howitzers. The work was retaken, but not without -the loss of about a hundred men. The great point was to keep it. About -two o'clock two field-pieces conveyed behind the ruined epaulements of -batteries 2 and 3, and the four of battery No. 1, once more overwhelmed -the salient with small bombs, balls, and grape. The bastions I., II., -and III. replied immediately, and dismounted some of the enemy's pieces, -which were ill-protected by the battered-down epaulements. The colonel -made his men lie down behind the traverses C, B, F, and awaited a second -assault; which was in fact attempted about four o'clock, as the enemy -believed the outwork was once more abandoned. The assaulting columns -passed the first epaulement; but as soon as they found themselves in the -last redan, D, they were received by a discharge of muskets almost at -arm's length, from behind the traverse C (Fig. 75), followed by a -bayonet charge; this time two hundred Germans remained on the field, and -the remains of the assaulting column fell back in disorder to the -batteries, which recommenced firing and went on till nightfall. - -The besieged remained masters of the place, but under the converging -fire of the enemy they could not maintain this wedge-shaped and badly -flanked position. There was no advantage in keeping it, sufficient to -compensate for the loss they would suffer in resisting fresh attacks. -However, the colonel was unwilling to abandon the redans without cost to -the enemy. The evening was employed in charging three powder-mines under -the salients A and B, and raising earthworks to protect themselves as -well as they could. All this night of the 28th of February the bombs -fell thick on the outwork: the men were still tolerably protected on the -_débris_ of the blindages. On the morning of the 1st of March the German -artillery recommenced firing on the redans more briskly than the day -before, from the three batteries behind and from battery No. 6. - -The colonel withdrew his men into the town, and left only one platoon, -well sheltered, with orders to fire the mines only when the enemy -thought himself covered by the epaulement of the redan A, and was -endeavouring to take up his position there. - -[Illustration: FIG. 75.--ATTACK ON THE WORKS OF COUNTER-APPROACH.] - -The 1st of March passed by without a new assault being attempted by the -besiegers. "They will try it to-night," thought Colonel Dubois. He went -back about seven o'clock in the evening into the salient, to make -certain that the train was well laid; and to encourage his men, he -reinforced them with twenty fusiliers, enjoining upon them, when they -saw their enemy, to make such a pretence of defending themselves as -should be sufficient to draw him on; but to fall back promptly after -setting fire to the train. - -The bombardment was recommenced about eight o'clock, but at ten ceased -for a time; and the colonel, who had ascended the cavalier of bastion -II., thought the enemy was about to make a fresh attempt. In fact, -notwithstanding the darkness of the night, he saw black masses spreading -successively through the works D, C, and B[64]. On arriving at the -traverse F, they were received by a volley of musketry, to which they -responded by a well-sustained fire. A mass of the enemy might be seen -moving along the traverse F, and halting outside the redans A. At this -moment three successive explosions were heard which made the ground -tremble, succeeded by loud cries. The order was given: from the -demi-lune No. 1. and bastions I. and II., all the pieces fired together -on the outwork for half an hour; after which two hundred men of the -garrison sallied forth and rushed on the enemy. The outwork contained -only dead and wounded. Captain Allaud then went out in his turn with two -hundred volunteer workmen, to fill up the trenches and destroy obstacles -as far as possible. About midnight the bombs fell once more on the -corner of the defence, and orders were given to retire within the -fortress, so as to avoid unnecessary loss. - -The siege had lasted twelve days, and the second parallel, which ought -to have been terminated on the sixth day, was not finished. The garrison -reckoned about a hundred and fifty men killed and wounded; but they had -inflicted more serious losses on the besiegers. - -General Werther found the affair a very tedious one, and was much -annoyed. Some royalists, who had mansions in the faubourg on the other -side of the river Abonne, were on very friendly terms with the troops of -the coalition, and manifested their impatience and anger against "this -handful of _brigands_" who were holding the upper town and prolonging a -useless struggle. The German general was very anxious to come to terms -with the garrison: four hundred of his men were already _hors de -combat_, and he thought this a great expenditure in taking this "nest," -which was supposed to be without a garrison or munitions. The news he -had lately received from the north was more encouraging, but he was -urged to finish the business. - -One of the most zealous of the royalists, who were constantly in the -German camp, proposed therefore to pay a visit to the governor, to -inform him that Napoleon's armies were retreating at every point, that -the capture of Paris was imminent, that the Bourbons would soon return -amid the acclamations of the whole of France, and to urge the -uselessness of a longer defence. - -General Werther readily acceded to the proposal, and on the 2nd of -March, Baron de X*** presented himself at the outpost with a German -envoy. The colonel received the German officer and the baron in a room -in one of the ruined barracks. The German envoy first asked for an -exchange of prisoners. This was readily granted by the colonel. Then -the Baron de X*** began in his turn to explain the object of his visit. - -Scarcely had he begun when the colonel stopped him: "I do not know, and -do not desire to know, sir, whether you come here to speak for yourself -alone or as the representative of a certain number of your countrymen; -but I will answer you briefly and clearly. I am here on the authority of -superior orders to defend the place against the enemies of the country. -The political inducements which you urge have not the slightest weight -with me. I utterly ignore them. I shall not surrender the place unless -compelled by force or ordered to do so by the Emperor's Government. -Permit me to add, sir, that the part you are performing to-day is not an -honourable one. What do you think of it, _Monsieur le capitaine_?" added -he, turning to the German officer. The latter merely bowed slightly. -"The prisoners shall be exchanged this very day, if you desire it, man -for man," said the colonel, rising. "As to you, sir, if you had not come -here protected by a flag of truce, I should have you tried, and probably -shot before the garrison, ere sunset." And dismissing his two visitors, -the governor enjoined on the officer commissioned to accompany them back -to the outposts not to allow them to have any communication with anyone. - -The besieger from this day forwards was but slow in carrying on his -approach works; he contented himself with terminating the second -parallel and setting up three batteries of six pieces each, which opened -fire on the 6th of March upon the faces right and left of bastions II. -and III., and on the left face of demi-lune No. 2, with the evident -intention of making a breach at four hundred yards' distance. Three -mortar batteries covered the works with bombs. The Germans were -evidently intending to keep the garrison occupied, and put it out of -heart; waiting the chance of political events to put the place in their -hands. Of the four thousand men under General Werther's command, and who -had been reduced to three thousand four hundred by the losses sustained, -it was necessary to send one thousand to Troyes; only two thousand five -hundred men therefore remained before La Roche-Pont. Besides, the -general had received orders to run no risks, but limit himself to a -surveillance of the passages from the Saône to the Marne, and blockading -the garrison of La Roche-Pont, keeping it sufficiently employed to -prevent its taking the offensive, but without losing men in the capture -of so insignificant a place. On the other hand, the royalists of the -lower town were constantly predicting the end of hostilities and the -return of the Bourbons. - -On the 12th of March news was received at headquarters that Napoleon had -received a check before Laon, that Marmont's force had been routed, and -that the allied troops were in full march on Paris. The royalists -thought that the moment had come for another application to General -Werther to induce him to complete the capture. They were anxious to be -the first in Burgundy to declare for the Bourbons, and the cautious -deliberation of the general of the allied troops exasperated them. He, -too, would have liked to get possession of the place before the -anticipated cessation of hostilities. He therefore sent another envoy to -Colonel Dubois, to give him the latest news of the armies of the -coalition, to inform him that the Allies were just about to enter Paris, -which was now without defence, and to summon him to surrender in order -to avoid a useless effusion of blood; and to say that if he refused to -capitulate he must expect rigorous measures, which he, General Werther, -would rather avoid, and of which the governor alone would have to bear -the responsibility. Colonel Dubois' answer was exactly the same as -before. He said he could not capitulate, as his defences remained -entire. - -During the night of the 12th of March, two mortar batteries were planted -on the hill slopes of the right bank, and opened fire in the evening on -the faubourg of the left bank. The _flèche_ which served as a _tête du -pont_ was broken down by the shells. The German general thought he -should thus induce the townspeople to insist on the governor's promptly -capitulating. Some of the houses in this faubourg caught fire, and the -inhabitants took refuge in the upper town. The garrison could not -respond to the fire of the mortar batteries, as they had no more guns of -large calibre. The six twenty-four pounders were employed to oppose the -enemy's batteries on the north, and they could not disarm the bastions -on this side. To complete their distress typhus broke out among the -wounded in the _cité_. - -Provisions, too, were becoming scarce, and the garrison was placed on -half rations. - -On the plateau the cannonade on both sides was continuing, and the -escarpments of the two bastions II. and III. were much damaged. As the -enemy found nothing more to destroy or burn in the lower town on the -right bank, he began his approaches on the 15th of March, and -established a demi-parallel with two fresh batteries during the night -(of the 15th and following day), of four guns each. This was, however, -not accomplished without difficulty, for these batteries were only three -hundred yards from the faces of bastions II. and III., whose cavaliers -still preserved three guns of large calibre. But on the 18th and 19th of -March twenty-six guns were brought to bear against the works, and -succeeded in throwing down the parapets and dismounting the guns of the -besieged. - -During the night of the 19th of March, the colonel endeavoured to mount -the cannon that still remained to him; but these pieces of small calibre -could effect nothing against the enemy's works. However, the breaches -made in the salients of demi-lune No. 2 and of bastion II., were not -practicable; and the colonel, wishing to reserve the little artillery he -had left, for the moment of assault, retrenched the gorge of bastion -II., withdrew its cannon within the fortification and waited the issue. -Not to keep his soldiers idle he occupied them at night in trifling -sorties which fatigued the besieger. He kept the covered ways in good -repair as far as the enemy's fire allowed, and prepared camouflets and -_chicanes_ for the moment when the assailant should try to ascend the -counterscarp. - -On the 25th of March the third parallel was finished. The place was -thenceforth only defended by musketry, and a few stone mortars, and -grenades, which small sallying parties threw into the trenches at night. - -The approaches to crown the covered way and set up breach batteries were -advancing but slowly, thanks to the activity of the garrison, whose -courage seemed redoubled in seeing the enemy approaching and which -defended its glacis foot by foot. - -On the 1st of April came the news of the capitulation of Paris, the -abdication of the Emperor, and the order to suspend hostilities. The -garrison was allowed to retire to Nevers, through Auxonne, Beaune, Autun -and Château-Chinon. - -On the 5th of April Colonel Dubois quitted La Roche-Pont at the head of -seven hundred soldiers of all arms, who were all the able-bodied men -left him. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 61: See for the numbers of the enemy's batteries, Fig. 72.] - -[Footnote 62: See Fig. 72.] - -[Footnote 63: See Fig. 74.] - -[Footnote 64: See Fig. 74.] - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -_CONCLUSION._ - - -Notwithstanding its bastioned enclosure and great outwork which was -still existing in 1870, exactly as Vauban had planned it, the town of La -Roche-Pont could not have held out forty-eight hours before the German -artillery. A few batteries to the north, on the plateau, and on the west -and east on the sides of the hills placed at nearly two miles distant -would have overwhelmed the place with projectiles without a possibility -of replying; for in September 1870 the small arsenal of La Roche-Pont -contained only six cast iron guns, and four bronze pieces with smooth -bore, two thousand pounds of powder and two or three hundred solid -balls. - -It was not attacked, though bodies of the enemy showed themselves not -far from its walls. - -Its garrison consisted then of a guard of the engineers and a brigade of -gendarmes. - -The inhabitants of La Roche-Pont are, however, patriotic, and mention -with pride the numerous sieges they have experienced. - -They had organized their national guard as early as August, including an -artillery corps. It is true they had not been able to supply these -National Guards with more than a hundred flint guns which were lying in -the citadel, and about thirty muzzle-loading guns. These brave people -were not less determined to defend themselves, and began to cast -bullets and make cartridges. They had not the pain of seeing the Germans -there. - -In 1871, a French captain of engineers, having been in General -Bourbaki's army, had entered Switzerland with the _débris_ of the corps. - -Captain Jean had received a bullet in his breast, not far from the -frontier, and had been taken up by some peasants in the environs of -Pontarlier, and saved by some Swiss custom house officers who had -conveyed him to Lausanne, where he had received the most careful -attention. We might give a touching account of that sad period of our -disasters; and indeed we must write it if it is to be on record at all, -for the Swiss are not the people to make a parade of the zealous -kindness they displayed on this occasion in saving our harassed, -famished, and frozen soldiers. Peasants and townspeople set out amid the -snows of the Jura, to guide and to give shelter to our disbanded and -wandering regiments. Some sacrificed their lives in this service of -humanity, and emulated each other in offering an asylum and giving -assistance to our exhausted soldiers. The behaviour of these excellent -people has excited universal admiration. - -Captain Jean was living at Lausanne when Monsieur N.... an officer on -half pay happened to be there. His medical attendants thought that the -climate would contribute to the cure of the wounded man, who had -obtained a congé in the hope of regaining health under the clement skies -of this part of the lake of Geneva. His sister had come to join him and -was doing all for his cure that the tenderest affection could suggest. -His strength was however not returning and alarming symptoms continued. - -Captain Jean was from La Roche-Pont; he was on intimate terms with -Monsieur N.... and the conversation often turned on the recent war and -the resources which through ignorance or inability had not been -employed; and they frequently spoke of this beautiful province of -Burgundy, placed on the flank of the invasion, and which was so well -adapted to mask and protect an offensive movement, if they had had an -army of reserve with its right supported by Besançon and its left by -Dijon, and abundantly supplied from the basins of the Rhône and the -Saône. - -The Captain used to employ his leisure in studying the defence of his -dear little town whose history he knew so well and which he deemed a -strategic position of some importance. - -Monsieur N.... spent nearly a month in the company of this amiable and -well-informed man, whose feelings were deeply affected by our disasters; -but whose active mind sought in these misfortunes themselves a means of -instruction, and an opportunity for developing the resources and -advantages peculiar to France. This was an inexhaustible subject of -conversation for the two friends, and they would continue talking till -the sister interposed her authority as nurse to enjoin silence and rest. - -In December 1871, Monsieur N.... received the following letter at Paris, -accompanied by a bundle of papers. - -"LAUSANNE, _December 10th, 1871_. - -"SIR, - -"My dearly loved brother died in my arms the day before yesterday, his -death being the result of his wound and also perhaps of grief for our -late disasters,--deeply affected as he was by the indelible recollection -of the sufferings he had witnessed. - -"He retained his consciousness to the last, and I am fulfilling one of -his most urgent requests in sending you these papers. It is the only -souvenir he can bequeath to you--as he said to me the day before his -death--of the hours you so kindly devoted to a poor invalid. - -"My brother often spoke to me of you; you were able to appreciate his -excellencies and noble character, and will receive his bequest, I doubt -not, as a mark of the profound esteem he had for you. - -"As for myself I cannot quit a neighbourhood where I have lived with my -brother, and where we have met with so much sympathy." - - -_Extracts from Captain Jean's papers._ - -Attack implies a shock or onset; defence is a resistance to this onset. -Whether a piece of ordnance discharges a ball against a plate of iron, -or a casing of masonry, or an earthwork; or an assaulting column climbs -a breach, the problem is substantially the same; in either case we have -to oppose to the impulsive force a resistance that will neutralise its -effect. - -When there were no projectile weapons, or their range was -inconsiderable, only a normal resistance had to be opposed to the -shock--a man to a man--or if the effect was to be rendered certain, two -men to one. But when projectile arms acquired a longer range, the -_position_ of the attack and defence became a question of importance. -Thus were evolved for combatants in open ground the elements of tactics, -and for fortification, arrangements of a more and more complicated -character. - -It is evident, for example, that when it came to a close engagement--a -hand-to-hand struggle with an adversary; if the latter found himself -placed behind a circular enclosure, the obstacle that protected him -would give him a considerable advantage--an advantage that could only be -compensated for by renewing the attack. - -[Illustration: FIG. 76.] - -To make this very simple principle intelligible at a glance, suppose -(Fig. 76) a circular enclosure containing forty defenders separated from -each other about a yard apart; a hand-to-hand struggle can only be -carried on with a number equal to that of the defenders--or nearly -so--and these under cover. It is no use for the assailants to assemble -as at _A_, they can only present a front equal to that of the defence, -and if this is energetic, the triangle _a_, _b_, _c_, will be effective -only at _c_. - -[Illustration: FIG. 77.] - -But let us suppose the attacking body to possess projectile arms (Fig. -77), and instead of encountering the circular enclosure, the assailants -to set up their engines between _A_ and _B_ within fair range. They will -overwhelm the segment _d_, _c_, _e_, of the circle with projectiles, -while the defenders will be able to oppose only an inferior number of -engines to the convergent fire. - -[Illustration: FIG. 78.] - -To compensate in part for this inferiority the defending party adds -appendages to the enclosure (Fig. 78 A), which allow an almost equal -front of defence to be opposed to the attacking front, as regards the -number of projectile weapons, and very superior in point of elevation -and protection. But the attacking force will thus naturally arrange its -engines as seen at B. Thus the projectiles sent from _a_, _b_, _c_, _d_, -_e_, converge upon the salient C. The defence adds the new appendages D -D, and if the engines are well protected, it can make the projectiles -_g_, _h_, _i_, converge on the engine K and crush it, secondly the -projectiles _l_, _g_, _h_, on engine _m_ and destroy it, and so on. - -Besides, these appendages have the further advantage of giving side -views over the circumvallation itself and masking its foot. - -This principle regulates and will always regulate attack and defence; -distances alone modify its applications. - -The more eccentric the defence is, the more distant must be the attack, -and the wider the perimeter it must occupy; but it should be observed, -that the more widely the defence is extended, the more open its flanks -are to attack; these flanks therefore must also be capable of being -defended, for every obstacle that offers only its own resisting force, -without being protected by the action of a neighbouring obstacle, is -soon destroyed. - -Whether fortifications or plans of battle are in question, the same -principle comes into play. "Every part should defend its neighbour and -be defended by it." It is clear that the solution of the problem becomes -more and more difficult in proportion to the enlargement of the range of -projectile weapons, and the extent of fronts of fortification or lines -of battle. - -Vauban, and most of the engineers who were his rivals and successors, -had resolved the problem in view of the range of the artillery of the -period. - -Suppose a hexagon (Fig. 79), fortified according to Vauban's first -method, it is evident that all the parts of the circumference of one -thousand, and even one thousand eight hundred yards, are commanded by -the curtains, the faces of the bastions and the demi-lunes. If the -fortress stands in a level country, the enemy cannot occupy any point in -that circumference without being exposed to its fire. - -To raise his first parallel and first batteries, he would have to begin -his works at the limit of the range of the rampart guns; and, as we saw -in Fig. 70, he must erect these batteries sufficiently near the place to -enable their fire to tell upon the defences--_i.e._, at eight or nine -hundred yards. At this distance the curtains could be swept, the faces -and flanks raked, and the parapets thrown down. As the projectiles -reached either point blank, or under an angle of about 10° when the ball -rebounded, the besieged could protect himself against it for a very -considerable time, and keep his own artillery intact. - -[Illustration: FIG. 79.] - -But as the range of siege pieces in the present day extends to eight or -nine thousand yards, the conditions both for the besieged and the -besieger are very different. Hence (Fig. 80) the enemy raises his -batteries on two or three fronts of the circumference, taking advantage -of the rise in the ground, a wall, or a wood to protect his works, and -when all is ready, he unmasks these batteries, and covers a segment of -the fortress with a quantity of explosive projectiles, which, reaching -it at an angle of 25° to 30° burst, no matter where--_dans le tas_, to -use a common expression--the distance not allowing an aim at flanks or -faces in particular--the besieger being in fact unable to distinguish -them. Supposing the besieged able to maintain his artillery and reply, -exposed as he is to the deluge of iron on his face and flanks, he has to -aim at eccentric points which may vary, to whose position he has no clue -but the smoke of the guns, and at an enemy, who, taking advantage of an -indefinite amount of space to make his arrangements and shelter his men, -is completely free. But to maintain his artillery and preserve his men -and munitions, the besieged has only a space relatively limited to move -in; he is soon encumbered with _débris_ of all kinds, every movement is -difficult for him, and he has not even room to repair damages. He tires -himself out to no great purpose. If the attack has maintained its fire -at a long range for several days, it has introduced such confusion into -a great part of the defences, that in two or three nights afterwards the -first parallel may be commenced at about one thousand yards, it may be -well armed and protected by batteries _en retraite_ and trench-shelters, -so as to discourage sorties and allow of an advance to crown the covered -ways. In what state are the works of the besieged by this time? The -flanks of the bastions are as much damaged as their faces, the -demi-lunes are untenable, and the ditches partly filled up; disorder and -confusion prevail on all sides. No breach is practicable, certainly; but -all the works are seriously injured on three or four fronts, and at one -thousand yards distance, a breach may be made, and that a wide one. The -garrison may sustain the assault to the last, and sell the possession of -the _débris_ of its work dearly; but in this case the final result is -not doubtful. - -[Illustration: FIG. 80.] - -In proportion to the length of the trajectory, therefore, the defence -must remove its defensive arrangement from the centre of the place. - -[Illustration: FIG. 81.] - -If each front of Vauban's defence was about four hundred yards in -length, it ought to be from thirteen to fourteen thousand yards now -(Fig. 81). That is to say, the side of the hexagon which was four -hundred yards--_i.e._, from one salient of a bastion to another--should -be fourteen hundred yards. Let A be the main body of the fortress--on a -plain suppose; forts will be erected at B and C, the zone of action of -each of these works being eight thousand yards, they will protect each -other and cross their fires without the possibility of their projectiles -falling into the fortress if any of them should be in the power of the -enemy. - -[Illustration: FIG. 82.] - -Fig. 82 presents the block plan of each of those forts B and C, to whose -interior arrangements we shall return. But by this excessive lengthening -of the _capitals_, the forts B (Fig. 81), may be swept along the whole -extent of the arc of a circle _a b_ (more than the third of the -circumference); they occupy the points of a triangle, and if one of them -were taken the enemy would be able to batter two of the forts C. It is -therefore necessary, with an extended radius, to multiply the defences, -and to enable them to protect each other in a more effective manner. -This is the method indicated in Fig. 83. - -Here we have a dodecagon. The forts of the outer zone are seven thousand -yards apart, and the works, A, flank each other; a second zone of forts -B commands the latter, if required, and the zone of action of these -second works extends beyond the outer line of forts. Railways are -required to connect the forts of each zone, and to put them in -communication with the body of the place. - -This extension of the fields of defence may, according to the nature of -the ground, be divided into two zones with a central nucleus. - -[Illustration: FIG. 83.] - -The interior zone would consist of permanent works, forming an _enceinte -de préservation_; a line of forts at intervals sufficiently -strengthened, in case of war, by field works. - -The exterior zone would be fixed by occupying strategic points well -chosen and considered beforehand, forming small camps protected by -temporary works, and affording security to a numerous army, whose -manoeuvres the enemy could not espy. - -The expenditure entailed by such a system of defence is unquestionably -enormous. But as respects this question there is to all appearance an -unwillingness to realize exactly the new state of things produced by -artillery of long range. - -The expenditure involved in the successive systems of defence from -ancient times downwards has been a continually increasing one. The wall -built round Paris by Philippe-Augustus, would not cost, the running -yard, as much as that of Charles V.; the latter, again, must have been -less expensive than the bastioned fronts of Louis XIII., and these again -would be far from necessitating the outlay (_i.e._ estimated by the -running yard, and reckoning detached forts) occasioned by the -fortification of Paris under Louis Philippe. Similarly the mounting of -four or five trebuchets, and the movable towers required for attacking a -fortified place before fire artillery was employed, cost less than the -manufacture of the artillery used at the siege of Turin in 1535. The -latter again would be far less costly than the French and English -artillery at the siege of Sebastopol. Whereas at the time when -smooth-bore guns were used a place might be attacked with about sixty -pieces, five times the quantity are needed now; since it is necessary to -operate over a much more extensive area. - -War is therefore a game which tends to become more and more costly, and -especially siege warfare. Are we then to conclude that nations will -become disgusted with warfare on account of the frightful expense it -involves? This is not probable. - -At the present day, as in times past, that which costs most is defeat. -With forty millions well laid out in France, before the war of 1870, and -from forty to eighty millions spent in the war itself, we probably -should not have had to pay the four hundred millions which this war cost -us, and we should not have lost two provinces which are certainly worth -still more than that sum. - -Parsimony in military preparations, in times of serious change, such as -ours, is ruinous. - -The principles to be followed may be summed up as follows: Commit -yourself to no superfluous outlay, but spend all that is necessary. -Besides, is it after all certain that a good system of territorial -defence is so costly as some allege? - -Is it a question of building something like a Chinese Wall on our -eastern frontier? Is it likely that if a few strong positions rendered -impregnable without unnecessary works enabled us to keep an army of -observation two hundred thousand strong, secure from any surprise in the -elevated valleys bounded by the ranges of hills which stretch from the -Jura along Belfort, Remiremont, Epinal, Langres and Dijon, and border -the right bank of the Saône as far as Lyons, the Germans would be in a -hurry to make their way a second time to Paris? If they experienced the -slightest check on such a route, if they were obliged even to halt, what -would become of them? - -The essential consideration therefore is a good choice of positions; -shelter from the approach of an invasion on the flanks, and the -avoidance of enormous expenditure in the attempt to defend all points. -Let us suppose that Metz had been rendered impregnable, or at least so -provided with defences that it could have held out for six months; and -certainly the thing was possible. In the first place we should not have -lost that town, and secondly the war, notwithstanding our deficiencies -in soldiers and in artillery, might have taken quite another turn. -Greater sacrifices on the part of the enemy, more prudence, and a still -greater loss of men, would have been required to constrain us to a peace -accepted before the cannon's mouth. - -War is made now a-days with armies a million strong; this is all very -well while the invading force meets no very serious obstacle, either in -front of it or on its flanks; when the combinations which such a vast -display of forces necessitates are not disturbed at any point, and when -the strategic operations upon the ground succeed each other with perfect -precision, as one might trace them on a map in our studies. But these -enormous agglomerations of men could give rise in a single day to -appalling perils, after a grave check on one of their flanks. Such -masses can be advanced, fed, and manoeuvred only by means of a very -complicated, and therefore delicate and easily deranged machinery. The -Germans asserted that by the possession of Alsace and a part of Lorraine -we had a hold upon Germany. Now their country is almost dove-tailed into -France. The future will show whether that will greatly benefit them. - -In 1870 and 1871 we saw what could be accomplished by the little -fortress of Belfort; which was perhaps the only one among our strong -places possessing guns of long range, and a garrison well commanded and -determined to defend itself. - -It persisted in maintaining the offensive over a circle of from twelve -to sixteen miles, thanks to a few rifled cannon with which the ramparts -were furnished, and which protected sorties through a radius of three to -four miles. For a month it hindered the planting of siege batteries; -and, in spite of a bombardment of seventy-three days, the town had only -four of its houses burned. This defence is instructive, and shows that -the old defensive system has had its day. - -During the siege the batteries of the besieged hardly suffered at all, -and had recourse to indirect firing--that is, they fired over the -barracks from the gorge of the castle without seeing the mark, but -regulating by observation. This indirect firing, which took no account -of the plan of the crests of the defence, and which thus enabled a -powerful fire to be directed to any point, without regarding the faces, -produced a great effect on the batteries of the enemy, who, on his side, -could not see these guns, and did not know how to regulate his fire. - -The question, therefore, remains undecided; and, though a long range -enables the attack to envelope each work more decidedly with its fires, -each battery of the besieger may be subjected to the fire of a greater -number of guns by the defence. At Paris, the forts which are by no means -planned in view of the present long range, enabled a weak and -inexperienced garrison, whose _morale_ was none of the firmest, to -execute sorties with success to a distance of two miles and a half.[65] - -With good troops, then, we might have raised in one night, works which -would have enabled us to resume the offensive, and to push further on, -to break the line of contravallation, and seriously to embarrass the -besieger. It is not therefore proved that long ranges give a greater -advantage to the attack than to the defence, while, on the other hand, -the long range of rifled cannon may be affirmed to be favourable to the -defence; but it would be so only on the condition of the works being -planned in view of the new action of artillery, and not according to old -traditions, however glorious. The destructive power of explosive -projectiles puts obstacles in the way of the besieger's approaches; and, -in fact, during the late war we never saw employed that old mode of -approach with a view to attacking by breach and crossing the ditch. - -The Germans were not so stupid as to employ these classical methods. -They took up their position on favourable and often commanding points, -at three thousand eight hundred to four thousand two hundred yards -around our fortresses, which adhered to the old defensive system adapted -to ranges of two thousand two hundred yards at most; and covered with -shells our works and the towns they were supposed to protect, without -risk to a single sapper. We thought that odious and unreasonable; like -those nobles of the fifteenth century, who thought it an abominable -shame that their feudal nests should be breached with bombards, and -declared that the trade of war was thereby damaged. But suppose we -should some day condescend to practical consideration, when these old -flanked fronts fall into disesteem, and the new generation of military -engineers determine to admit that we have to do with artillery of long -range, and to take advantage of the fact, a certain degree of -superiority might be doubtless given to defence over attack. - -How ought these isolated forts, which are destined to replace the -salients of our old fortresses, to be planned? They should afford ample -space for a large number of fires--even indirect fires--in case of need; -consequently extended faces and short flankings--that is, as shallow as -possible, and perfectly open gorges. They should efficiently protect the -works of counter-approach, and consider defence at close quarters as a -question of only secondary importance; for very seldom would there be -occasion for it, if indeed the case ever presented itself, which is -doubtful. - -[Illustration: FIG. 84.] - -Referring to the general defensive system shown in Fig. 83, and required -the plan of one of the forts, A, the result will be Fig. 84, giving the -work at the lower level at C, and at the level of the batteries at D. -The counterscarp should be cased up to at least sixteen or seventeen -feet above the bottom of the ditch. - -The escarp should be made with tipped earth. The masonry works should -all be covered and secured from being enfiladed; they form casemates -inside E. Beneath the terracings, powder magazines, F, and the passages -communicating with the _oiseaux_ or lower _orillons_, G, protected by -the counterscarp and the covered way, and which are used only if the -enemy attempts to pass the ditch. The faces and flanks on the outside -are planned on angles sufficiently obtuse to cross their fires. The two -faces in the plan (Fig. 84) may be armed with eight guns and the flanks -with six guns. This work is separated from that of the gorge by a -traverse that efficiently protects this gorge, which possesses its -flanks, armed with four guns and its orillons. - -From the work of the gorge is a communication into the fort by a covered -caponnière, forming traverse in the direction of the _capital_ or centre -line. The gorge is defended by a curtain for the riflemen, and, at need, -for small pieces of artillery. At need also, on the terre-plein of the -work of the gorge may be mounted guns of long range, affording an -indirect fire in the circumference of a semi-circle, over the great -traverse H, if the parapets of the faces are damaged by the fire of the -enemy. - -Fausse-braies consisting of palings are fixed in the ditch at ten feet -from the base of the escarp, to hinder the fallen _débris_ of the escarp -from filling up the ditch, and to enable its passage to be defended. The -well-covered internal masonry works prevent the accumulation of earth on -the interior platforms, and afford casemates, which enable the garrison -to take rest in perfect security; at any rate along the two faces and -the great traverse. Blindages can be set up on the traverses of the -batteries, and can be easily repaired every night, as well as the escarp -of tipped earth. - -It would be difficult to say how many projectiles it would require to -render such a work untenable; since we have seen in the siege of Paris, -that a marine battery erected on tipped earth on the military road -between the forts of Rosny and de Noisy, armed with three guns, had been -a mark for the German shells during twenty-four days, without any of its -guns having been dismounted, or its escarp suffering more than could be -made good each night. - -Permanent works should, however, only be established with the utmost -circumspection:--1. Because they require a very considerable outlay. 2. -Because they are necessarily familiar to, and for a long while studied -by the enemy, who takes his measures accordingly. - -The important point is to possess an accurate acquaintance with the -ground to be defended, and only to establish permanent works in second -line, and on points incontestably favourable for defence, supposing an -artillery of even a still longer range than the present. - -Every centre to be defended should therefore possess works sufficient to -prevent a surprise; and in addition at a distance of six to eight -thousand yards, a line of forts, crossing their fires if possible, or at -any rate connected by strong batteries; and lastly, at a distance of -about four thousand yards, positions previously examined and known, -suitable for placing very simple works of field fortification, but which -at a given moment may offer a resistance sufficient to permit movements -on a grand scale--and delay the formation of an enemy's batteries. - -[Illustration: FIG. 85.--DEFENSIVE SYSTEM OF THE GREAT INTRENCHED CAMP.] - -In applying these principles to the defence of the town of La -Roche-Pont, whose strategical position is one of major importance, since -it connects Besançon with Dijon, and forms a salient on the flanks of an -army which manoeuvres from Epinal and from Vesoul upon Langres and -Chaumont, it would be necessary to construct around this place, whose -old fortifications are no longer of any value (Fig. 85) eight forts, A, -on the brows of the plateaus which surround the town, and thirteen -batteries or redoubts, B, a little behind or to command the meeting of -the river Abonne with the Saône and enfilade the valleys. Thus the group -of roads which from the point C lead to Langres and Champlitte, from D -to Dijon and Beaune, from E to Besançon and Dôle, from F to Gray and -from G to Saint-Jean-de-Losne, would be occupied. A _tête du pont_ H, -protected by batteries which would dominate the Saône, would enable an -army to manoeuvre on both banks. - -This passive defence would occupy a perimeter of forty miles, and the -zone of action of the permanent works, a perimeter of sixty miles. - -The purely passive defence would require, for the eight forts, four -thousand eight hundred men; for the thirteen batteries two thousand men; -for the guard of the intermediary trenches and the service of the -_enceinte de préservation_, not including the forts and batteries, -eighteen thousand men; reserve in the fortress, two thousand five -hundred men; total, twenty-seven thousand three hundred men, whilst the -effective investment would require an army of one hundred thousand men. -But if this great intrenched camp contained an army of a hundred and -fifty thousand men in addition to the troops necessary for the passive -defence, this army could besides, on a very extended perimeter or on -some advantageous points, occupy within the zone of action of the forts, -an _enceinte de combat_ defended by field works, which would enable it -to assume the offensive at the opportune moment. - -The armament of the forts would consist of a hundred and sixty guns of -large calibre, and that of the batteries of forty-five guns of long -range. With the reserve park this would give a total of two hundred and -thirty pieces of ordnance. - -Harnessed guns would be also necessary to support the trenches of the -passive defence. - - Each fort would cost about £48,900. The eight together £391,200 - Each battery or redoubt would cost about £6,000. The - thirteen together 78,000 - -------- - Total £469,200 - ======== - -To make head against an invasion at all points at once has always been a -difficult problem to solve; and it is still more so if we confine -ourselves to the defensive, for the enemy starts from a base of -operation with a view to concentrating himself upon a point unknown to -the defenders. The latter has therefore only a line to oppose to the -apex of a triangle of action. He must limit himself to preserving the -heart of the country and certain districts that are already naturally -protected, and which allow him to operate on the flanks of the invading -forces; regions behind which lie extensive tracts of country from which -supplies may be drawn. - -Let us suppose that on the zone of defence of which La Roche-Pont forms -the centre, an army of a hundred and fifty thousand men were assembled, -which was able to reach Belfort through Besançon or by the road from -Vesoul to Langres through Gray or Châtillon-sur-Seine through Dijon, -these towns of Besançon, Vesoul, Langres, and Dijon being themselves in -a condition to arrest the enemy's advance: the latter in attempting to -make his way to Paris would be obliged either to watch this zone with an -army of three hundred thousand men, or to move, and that with extreme -caution, along the Lunéville and Nancy routes. - -If a defensive zone of the same importance is disposed on the north, a -point becomes very dangerous, especially if the capital is provided -with an _enceinte de préservation_, and an _enceinte de combat_ allowing -an army to manoeuvre. - -Three hundred thousand men therefore would be required to watch the -defensive zone of Burgundy and the same number that of the north, and -four hundred thousand men to invest Paris; total, one million, without -reckoning the troops required for keeping open the communication between -the three armies and guarding the base of operations. - -It follows that the slightest check might entail a serious disaster. - -As the army of Metz under the ramparts of the town was not able to -manoeuvre, the two hundred thousand men employed in blockading it were -rendered inactive for two months. - -If the French army had been able to move within a perimeter of 60 miles, -with a good supply of provisions, it would have reduced three hundred -thousand men to inaction; since the Germans, who leave nothing to -chance, reckon--and not unreasonably--that on the field it is desirable -to be at least two to one. It would seem then that the art of war -now-a-days--as far as resistance to an invader is concerned--consists -not in endeavouring to defend any extensive lines which may be taken or -outflanked, but in establishing a small number of centres of defence, -sufficiently remote from each other and connected by a system of -railways in the rear; which are capable of holding out long, and which -compel the enemy either to divide in order to watch them or to take -them, or to expose his flanks to an attack if he leaves them alone, or -to see himself cut off from his base of operations if he advances _en -masse_ against one of them without covering himself against the -others.... - -But we must confess to a limited confidence in fortifications on this -immense scale. It is certain that they are ruinous: it is not certain -that they are effective in proportion to the enormous expense they -occasion. - -The men-at-arms of the fifteenth century cased themselves and their -horses in iron to resist crossbow bolts, lance-thrusts, and strokes of -axe or sword. Fire artillery, which at first aimed at nothing more than -substituting powder for the mechanism of engines worked by counterpoise -or ropes, and like these discharged only stone balls, becomes improved -and uses iron balls and leaden bullets; and instead of being ponderous -and fixed as formerly, moves on wheels and is rendered easily -manageable, and at the beginning of the sixteenth century places pistols -and arquebusses in the hands of foot-soldiers and horsemen. What plan do -the men-at-arms adopt? They thicken the plates of their armour and line -them so thoroughly that they are no longer fit for a charge. This method -lasts about fifty years, until it is perceived that the best way to -enable cavalry to face artillery, so as not to be crushed by it, is to -allow it to move rapidly. - -Cannon are made whose balls pierce through and through the wooden planks -of a vessel. Immediately these planks are cased with iron. To-day's -balls are resisted by the vessel's sides. The plates of iron are doubled -... and forthwith the penetrating force of the projectiles is increased; -but those of the next day pierce them. Steel is made to take the place -of iron: but after thousands upon thousands have been spent the -projectile has always the best of it. But it happens in a naval -engagement that an Admiral steams at full speed right athwart an enemy's -ship and sinks it! In fact it is by rapidity of movement and facility in -manoeuvring that victories at sea are ensured much more than by -increased protective plating. - -And in the art of fortification we are exactly at the same point as -were the men-at-arms of the end of the fifteenth century, who heaped -plates on plates to protect themselves from artillery. It is time the -art of fortification should be modified. - -It will be objected that a vessel or a horseman can move about, but that -a fortress is immovable, and that consequently passive force cannot here -be replaced by active force or agility. This is a mistake. Though a -fortress cannot be moved, the defensive system of a district can and -ought to be studied, in view of various contingencies. In future warfare -the plan of temporary fortification ought to play a principal part and -may be made to do so. In other terms, an army ought to be able to -fortify itself everywhere, and take advantage of every position. It is -temporary fortification therefore which it is desirable to render easy, -prompt, and efficacious, in order to defeat the combinations studied -beforehand by the enemy, to reduce him in certain cases to the -defensive, when he was hoping to attack, and to embarrass his movements -on the great scale by unforeseen resistance at a point which he expected -to pass with ease, and oblige him incessantly to modify his plans by -rapidly executed arrangements for defence. - -Vauban's fortresses have had their day; who can conjecture what may be -accomplished in a future war by the system of defence of which an -example has just been presented? - -Still the most reliable fortress for a country is a good and -well-commanded army, and a well-educated, brave, and intelligent -population, resolved to make every sacrifice rather than undergo the -humiliation of a foreign occupation. - -Captain Jean's papers contained many other critical remarks which cannot -be recorded here. These documents sufficiently indicate that, whatever -may have been said about the matter, there were among our officers some -who worked, and many who had anticipated the dangers to which we were -exposed by a blind confidence in our valour and an utter ignorance of -the progress made by our enemies. Indeed among these papers of Captain -Jean's, numerous notes, dated 1866, 1867, 1868, show the inefficiency of -the defensive system then recognised in France, and the necessity of -providing our strong places with works adapted to the recent progress in -artillery. - -Will the town of La Roche-Pont witness the realisation of Captain Jean's -projects, or is its military history closed for ever? The future will -show. - -In the meantime it is engaged in cultivating its vineyards, and its -suburbs are invading once more the slopes of the plateau on the south -and the west. The lower part of its donjon of the 12th century is still -visible above the escarpment of the little citadel, and antiquaries can -discover Roman basements at some points in its wall. When cellars are -excavated, Gallo-Roman coins are sometimes found with broken pieces of -red and black pottery, charred wood, and even flint hatchets. - -These evidences of the antiquity of the cité are deposited in a small -museum which also contains sculptures taken from the abbey and the -castle. - -If you go to La Roche-Pont, ascend the ruins of the donjon. From this -elevated point the view on a clear spring morning is very fine; towards -the south it extends as far as the Saône, showing the little river -Abonne, winding along the vale through meadows and orchards. On the -north spreads the plateau covered with clumps of trees, and bounded only -by the blue outlines of the hills of the Haute-Marne. At your feet the -town with its ramparts looks like a vessel moored at the extremity of a -promontory. We are reminded then of all the events which this little -nook of ground has witnessed, of the ruins that have been accumulated by -human passion, and the blood that has been so lavishly shed. We fancy we -hear the shouts with which these walls have so often echoed. - -Nature however remains the same; the meadows continue to be enamelled -with flowers, and clothe with a mantle of beauty the ruins that have -been heaped up by the fury of men. A feeling of deep sadness comes over -us, and we say to ourselves: "What use is it all?" "What use!" replies -at once a voice in the depth of our our soul. "What is the use of -independence? What good is the love of our country? What use is the -memory of self-sacrifice?" Do not blaspheme, Egoistic Philosophy; be -silent before centuries of struggle--before that layer upon layer of the -bones of the dead, and those heaps of successive ruins which have formed -our country's soil. Though often ravaged, this hill has never been -abandoned by its inhabitants; the more affronts it has had to sustain, -the more its children have become attached to its side, the more they -hold to the soil that has been impregnated with the blood of their -ancestors, and the more hatred they feel towards those who would attempt -to detach them from this ancestral tomb. This is patriotism; and it is -the only human passion that can be dignified with the title of holy. War -makes nations, and war raises them again when they sink down under the -influence of material interests. War is struggle, and we find struggle -everywhere in nature; it secures greatness and duration to the best -educated, the most capable, the noblest, the most worthy to survive. And -in the present day more than ever, success in war is the result of -intelligence and of that which develops intelligence--Work. - -Whenever what is called fraternity between nations shall become a -reality, the reign of senile barbarism and of shameful decay will not be -far distant. - -Before this rock on which so many generations have fought to defend -their independence, to resist aggression and to keep the rapacious -foreigner at a distance, it is not an expression of regret that is -called for--it is rather of homage to the dead which hearts full of -gratitude cannot withhold. They do not ask for tears but for imitation. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 65: The battle of Champigny had extended our lines to four -thousand six hundred and twenty yards from the Fort de la -Faisanderie.] - - - - -EXPLANATION - -OF SOME OF THE TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN THIS BOOK. - - -AGGER (Latin), terrace, or platform, which the Romans raised before the -fronts attacked, for the purpose of setting up their projectile -machines, securing a commanding position, and masking the troops -assembled for an assault. - -BAILEY, fore-court; court of the outer works, or yard. The stables and -the lodgings for the garrison were usually disposed in the bailey of the -strong castles of the Middle Ages (see p. 169). - -BALISTA (Latin, _onager_), an engine for propelling stones, worked by -means of strongly-twisted cords. - -BARBICAN, exterior defence protecting an entrance, and allowing a large -assemblage of men to prepare for sorties, or to protect a retreat. -Barbicans were either of masonry or earth, or constructed of a simple -palisade. They were always of a circular form (see p. 169). - -BASTION, an earthwork, cased externally with masonry, salient beyond the -main body of the fortress, and possessing two faces, two flanks, and a -gorge, so as to sweep the ground without, to cross the fires, and to -flank the curtains. The gorge of bastions is open, closed, or -retrenched. Bastions are said to be full when their _terre-plein_ is -level with the curtains; empty, when their _terre-plein_ is beneath that -level; armed with a cavalier, when upon their _terre-plein_ is raised a -battery of earth which commands the country without over the parapets -(see p. 278, 310). - -BOULEVARD, an earthwork--in use at the time when fire artillery had -attained a certain degree of importance--for placing cannon outside -ancient defences still preserved. Boulevards were of all forms--square, -circular, and triangular (see p. 229). - -BRAIE, an exterior defence of trifling height, protecting the foot of -the ramparts, and hindering the enemy's approach. - -BRETÈCHE, timber construction intended to strengthen and to flank a -front or a salient (see p. 184). - -CAT, timber gallery, low and long, covered with a longitudinal very -pointed and strongly ironed roof. Placed on wheels, these galleries were -advanced to the foot of the walls, after the ditch was filled up, and -enabled the miners to begin working into the masonry under cover. The -name _rat_ was given to these galleries in some provinces. - -CATAPULT, engine for shooting large darts by means of a powerful bow. - -CAVALIER, earthwork raised in the middle of a bastion, or upon any point -of the defence, to command the exterior. In the sixteenth century the -besieging armies erected cavaliers around defences to mount cannon upon -them. Our siege batteries are the modern analogues of these works (see -p. 237, 312). - -CHEMISE, exterior inclosure of a donjon; the chemise of the donjon -consists of a wall which leaves a space of some yards between it and the -donjon. A postern with a drawbridge gives a communication between one of -the rooms of the donjon and the rampart walk of the chemise (see p. -201). - -CLAVICULA (Latin), exterior defence, raised outside the gates of a camp, -and which obliged those who endeavoured to enter to present their flank -to the defenders of the ramparts (see p. 92). - -COVERED WAY, road formed on the counterscarp and protected by the relief -of the glacis (see p. 307). - -COUNTERSCARP, is the casing of the ditch which is opposite to the -defence. - -DEMI-LUNE, low work, disposed before a curtain between two bastions, -separated from the main body of the fortress by a ditch, and possessing -two faces and two short flanks (see p. 306). - -DONJON OR KEEP, chief retreat of the defenders of a strong castle. The -donjon was always separated from the defences of the castle, and put in -direct communication with the exterior (see p. 169). - -ESCARP is that part of a revetment of fortifications which fronts the -exterior, from the bottom of the ditch to the parapet or crenelation. - -FAUSSE-BRAIE, palisade or trench, with parapet, defending the bottom of -the ditch, low enough to be masked by the relief of the counterscarp. - -GLACIS, sloping ground which extends from the counterscarp of the ditch -towards the country, and masks the covered ways as well as the escarp. - -HOARDING, wooden gallery which in time of war was put outside -crenelations to enable the defenders to see the foot of the ramparts and -towers, and to throw stones and materials of all kinds upon assailants -attempting to approach. - -LIST, interval left between the exterior defences and those of the body -of the place (see p. 180). - -MACHICOULIS--The wooden hoarding being easily set on fire, it was -replaced in France, about the end of the thirteenth century, by stone -corbels carrying a crenelation of masonry, and leaving intervals between -them for throwing materials upon the assailants who approached the foot -of the walls. In Syria, the Christians had adopted the machicoulis as -early as the beginning of the thirteenth century. - -MANGONEL, engine for propelling large stones from a kind of sling -attached to the longer arm of a movable beam heavily weighted at its -other extremity. - -MERLON, solid space in the parapet between two embrasures. During the -Middle Ages the merlons were usually perforated in the middle by a -loop-hole. In time of war the battlements were masked by mantelets of -wood, which could be raised at discretion by means of an axle turning in -two iron collars let into the upper angles of the merlons. - -MOVABLE TOWER, timber tower which was mounted on rollers and was -advanced to the walls for the purpose of assault. The movable towers -were made to command the battlements, and the upper story was furnished -with a bridge which fell upon the crest of the ramparts of the towers -(see p. 218). - -OISEAU, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, a small masonry work -which, disposed at the salient angles in the ditch, swept the latter and -was intended to bar the passage. The _oiseaux_ were masked by the -counterscarp. In modern polygonal fortifications this plan has been -re-adopted (see p. 373). - -OPPIDUM (Latin), a citadel or fortified strategical position, among the -Gallic populations. Many Roman camps were formed at the epoch of the -conquest of Gaul, on the Gallic _oppida_, which were only a kind of -intrenched camps formed upon elevated plateaux. Several of our French -towns occupy the sites of ancient _oppida_--Langres, Laon, Béziers, -Carcassone, Uzerche, Sainte-Reine (Alesia), Le Puy-en-Velay, -Semur-en-Auxois, Avalon, Puy d'Issolu, &c. - -ORILLON, projecting part of faces of bastions, intended to mask the -flanks and to shield the guns which arm these flanks (see p. 280). - -PARADOS, mound of earth disposed behind the guns in battery, to shelter -them as well as the servers from reverse firing. - -PARALLEL, trench parallel to the sides of the polygon of a fortress, -supplying a covered communication for planting and serving the siege -batteries. Formerly these parallels were required for approaching and -planting the breach batteries. These parallels communicated with each -other by trench boyaux traced in zigzags, so as not to be raked by the -fires of the place (see p. 330). - -PARÉCLAT, epaulment of earth, or formed with gabions raised on the -ramparts, or in the middle of bastions, to shelter the defenders from -the splinters of bombs and shells. - -PLACE D'ARMES, space defended by an epaulment, intended to enclose a -body of men and to protect it from projectiles (see pp. 288, 307). - -POSTERN, secondary gate, small gate, generally masked (see p. 170). - -RAMPART, epaulment raised with the earth taken from the ditch sunk on -the outer side; also a wall crowned with a parapet and rampart walk. It -signifies a permanent defence. - -RAVELIN, name originally given to demi-lunes. A work consisting of two -faces, open at the gorge, low, and intended to sweep the exterior -between two bastions (see p. 279). - -REDAN, work presenting a salient angle and a re-entering angle (see p. -305). - -RETRENCHMENT, a work made to augment the defensive strength of a place -within the permanent fortifications, so as to present a fresh obstacle -should the latter fall into the power of the enemy; the retrenchment -consists of an epaulment of earth raised with the material from the -ditch sunk on the outside. - -STIMULUS (Latin), barbed iron crook, which, fixed on a short stake stuck -in the ground or in the bottom of conical holes, protected the -approaches of a defence (see p. 80). - -TENAILLE, work consisting of a curtain having at each extremity two -demi-bastions (see pp. 278, 306). - -TRAVERSE, a mound of earth disposed across covered ways, _terre pleins_, -bastions, and curtains, to shield the guns and the defenders against -enfilade, oblique, or ricochet fire (see p. 335). - -TREBUCHET, engine for propelling large stones, very similar to the -mangonel, but whose counterpoise was suspended from the beam instead of -being fixed to it. - -TRENCH, road sunk in the ground, the earth being thrown up on one side -only, or on both sides, for enabling the approach of places under cover. - -TRENCH-SHELTER, temporary defence, consisting of an exterior epaulment -made with the earth taken from a trench, in a way to shield the soldiers -upon a front, around a camp or a post, and enable them to fire under -cover. The trench-shelter is destined to play an important part since -fire-arms have acquired a long range and a rapid discharge. The Romans, -in their day, made use of trench-shelters in the field. - -VINEA (Latin), a wooden mantlet, also a timber gallery, set up -perpendicularly to the _agger_, and which affords approach to the -platform under cover. The wooden towers intended to attack the ramparts -of the besieged were rolled forward on these wooden galleries (see p. -83). - - -THE END. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Annals of a Fortress, by E. 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