66 than in the words of an English officer who was an eye witness of the siege.* They are dressed in a uniform corresponding generally to that of the regiment. A light blue or French grey spencer, fitting close to the shape, with three rows of small brass buttons in front, a petticoat and drawers, or rather trowsers of red cloth, and laced boots, a man's oiled-skin hat, with the number of the regiment on it, and a brass plate on the arm, with the name of the individual. There was an air of smartness, and occasionally of coquetry about them, and at the same time a very passable decorum of manner, far removed from the the notion generally entertained of a 'camp follower.' The inborn taste for dress of a Frenchwoman triumphed over the near approach of their costume to the male attire. The smart set of the hat-the gigot sleeves the bustle-the scantiness of the petticoat, with other little feminine arrangements, redeemed them from any masculine appearance. They were to be seen with their baskets of provisions in every part the trenches, and at a later period even in the breaching battery; and one of their tribe eminently distinguished herself on several occasions by her courage and humanity." The French were much annoyed at this outpost not having been sooner taken. The "quinze jours" were expired, and only one of the external defences had fallen. They were still more cut to the heart when the garrison of St. Laurent was marched as prisoners to head quarters. In numbers they were only about sixty, and almost all were boys. When placed in opposition to the picked "army of the north," the contrast was mortifying in the highest degree to the vanity of the French. There had been a communication between the lunette St. Laurent and the citadel; but when this was broken down by the shot, the garrison were left to their fate. The gallant little band still fought on, and if I am rightly informed, they latterly had only one gun and one mortar fit for service. When they surrendered, Chassé commenced a fire on the lunette, but it did not appear to have suffered materially. In no place can steadiness be better exhibited than in battle-and there were some strong traits of character developed during the siege. On one occasion a young French recruit was placed in advance, on the very night in which Chassé made his first sortie. This sentry had it in command to fire his musket and retreat to the trenches, in case any thing should prove that the Dutch meditated an assault. As it turned out, the Dutch did not make the attempt, and the sentry performed his duty as required. After the attack had been made, and the besieged had retired to the citadel, the French troops again advanced to occupy the trench from whence they had been driven. Some time had elapsed before the officer on guard thought of his advanced post, and he ordered a fresh sentinel to be placed, thinking, no doubt, that the first had been shot in the attack. When the guard arrived, much to their surprise they found the recruit on his post, quietly walking about as if nothing had happened. He had retreated as desired; but when the Dutch retired, he immediately, without further orders, retook his position. Although the first sortie had been successful, yet it is said that no entreaties or commands of Chassé were able to bring his men to a second attempt. If this be true, it would tell much against the courage of the Dutch. They might fight well behind a wall, yet not be able soldiers in the field. Other eye witnesses declare that the Dutch did make a second and subsequent attempts, and that on one occasion, from the impatience of the French, the besieged had retired before any blows had been struck, being warned by an ill-timed rush that the French were on the alert. I had no opportunity of ascertaining the accuracy of my information, nor do I wish to cram all my anecdotes as models of truth, down the throats of the public. Such as they are, they are on this paper as heard them from the various quarters whence they are derived. LE MONSTRE MORTAR. How is it that I have forgotten this huge machine, huge indeed, since it weighed above 1,500 lbs. It was a little more * Vide "Excursion to Antwerp during the Siege," by Captain the Hon. Stewart Wortley; the best and most popular account yet published.-ED. VOL. II. 2Q The mortar was fired by percussion caps, and the trigger was pulled by a man with a long string at a distance of many yards, as if the proprietors were afraid of its bursting, which has since happened somewhere in France, at a review, where from an overcharge the "monstre" was blown into two pieces. The "gare a bombe" was hardly necessary when this machine was fired, as the shell was plainly visible, from the time it left the mortar until it reached the ground. than five feet long by three in diameter, "hanging a man with his own rope," and required a charge of 30 lbs. of then am I a Belgian-which heaven powder. With this proportion it was forefend. able to propel a shell weighing 1,000 lbs. i. e. 100 lbs. of iron and 100 lbs. of powder, into the citadel. This monstrous machine was not much used, only eight shells having been fired, and not with much effect: its great weight too would effectually prevent its being used in ordinary warfare. The mortar was placed behind Fort Montebello, about 750 yards from the nearest point of the citadel; an excavation had been made about three feet deep, and in this the bed of the mortar was laid. From the immense weight of the shell (half a ton) it was evidently beyond the unassisted power of man to load it: the engineers therefore contrived a thing like the triangular frame for market scales, to the top of which the shell was raised by a powerful system of pullies, and when over the mouth of Le Monstre, it was gently lowered into the chamber. This work, even with mechanical aid, required eight men, and was so slow that with the afterwork of sponging and cleaning, they were not able to fire more than one shot in an hour. There is a curious circumstance about this mortar which is not generally known. When the King of Holland was possessed of Belgium, he endeavoured in every manner to promote the welfare of the latter part of his dominions, particularly by promoting manufactures. One of the greatest and most prosperous in Belgium was the iron foundry at Liege, placed by the authority of the king in a suppressed convent. This great work was managed by Mr. Cockerell, an intelligent Englishman, who was ostensibly the proprietor, although the cash came in reality from the king. In the revolution of 1830, Cockerell had to fly for his life, and the foundry being connected with the royal name, was almost ruined. When quiet was a little restored, the provisional government restored the works to something like their former magnitude, and the war being begun with Holland, guns were cast here in considerable numbers. Amongst other things they produced this huge mortar, thus furnishing from a work, created by the King of Holland, the most powerful weapon for his overthrow. If this be not a good illustration of Having thus gone the rounds, we returned to our hotel; but before I close this long detail, I must prose a little more. The assaulting army, at first view, seems to have been very unnecessarily large-not less than 64 battalions of 800 each. 12,000 cavalry, and artillery, engineers, &c. to make up a total of 70,000 men, were drawn from France. The ordnance consisted of forty 24-pounders, twenty 18-pounders, twenty mortars, and twenty howitzers, the whole of which were of brass. This metal is greatly inferior to cast iron for such purposes, from its tendency to run or melt if much or rapidly used. The utmost that was fired from any one gun during this siege was about seventy rounds per diem; while from our British iron cannon we have frequently fired 250 rounds in the same time. It is therefore requisite to bring a much larger train of brass to obtain an equal quantity of firing with the iron ordnance. The only reason why the French retain their present guns, is, that their iron work is even more easily injured than the brass. It was not necessary to use the vast army thus brought into Belgium before the citadel. Some divisions were at the opposite side of the river, some far down on its banks to hold the Dutch in check. One very large body was stationed at Mechlin, about twelve miles from Antwerp, and a fourth station was on the line of frontier, consisting chiefly of the cavalry. A jealous eye was also on the Prussian army of observation : in short, the size of the army was proportioned to the fears of the French, lest a foreign power should interfere, or the Dutch make a determined resistance and endeavour to raise the siege. A large overawing force was necessary also to insist on the neutrality on the part of the Belgians. Thus, although the "Army of the North" was ridiculously large, as taken in reference to the immediate object of the campaign, yet from the number and importance of the secondary designs, each of which required a part of the army to itself, we find that the actual troops in front of, and occupied in the attack on the citadel, were but a fraction of the whole. The garrison of Chassé was yet larger, in proportion to the works to be defended, and the means of accommodation to be found in the citadel. Not less than from 4,500 to 5,000 men were placed within the walls of the main-work or its out-defences, where in the estimation of all experienced engineers, 2,500 would have been amply sufficient. This number would allow of the lunettes being garrisoned, and at the same time leave as many in the citadel as there was proper accommodation for. There were five bastions, under each of which was a casemate or bomb proof chamber, affording barrack room for 400 men: this would give a total of 2,000 more than sufficient for the defence of the whole works. Chassé has been blamed for not destroying the gardens and shrubberies around the citadel. It is certain that the besiegers made much use of these in their advance; but those who blame Chassé for not cutting them away during the two years between the revolution and the siege, must remember that during that time the Dutch were closely blockaded by a superior Belgian army; which army did not leave their posts until the French troops came up, under the treaty of neutrality, to take their places. He is also blamed for surrendering his fort, when the breach only had been made. No man of mercy could wish that this siege should have ended in the horrors of a storming. The war had begun in a cold diplomatic tone; it had none of the heating aggravations of other warfares. The siege itself had been carried on with the usual quantity of bloodshed, and a defence had been made, sufficient to prove that had it been their intention, the Dutch could have stood many a week. I have already exceeded all due limits, but have much more to say concerning this city, which I shall defer to another period. J. S. LIFE. For what is life? 'Tis but a varied dream Where shadows flit of many a shape and hue. Friends-kindred-home-affection-these I deem Are shadows bright, that pass before our view To charm us in our vision. It is true They are but phantoms-and what else in life? Yet who would live and bid all these adieu? Who still dream on-the vision then but rife With images of doubt and fear-of sorrow and of strife? J. B. THE LATE FIRE. 'Twas night about the pole the unwearied Bear Down a dim stream, through half-forgotten vales, And Memory the cheated heart regales With banquets heaped from pleasure's funeral pyre, And sweetened with the past; when-hark! a cry of fire! Erect I sprung-sails, streams, and vallies fair Looked through the gloom a deep and settled glare, A few brief moments, and I stood without : Beneath the sky strange scene! Night's sable pall As men fled by with speed, and swelled the distant shout. I hurried forward through the gathering streets, Behind me, rattling o'er the stony way, A modern Ægeus, by the shipless tide, Of absentees and architects the pride, That now must house its score of clerks no more? Approached,-how awful! light as cloudless noon, Crowds rolling on in many a dark platoon, The screaming, too, of damsels in distress ;--- Just roused from bed-huge folios, in the press- Of mixed commands and countermands the roar: There runs a hot, black juice across the way, Nor unobserved its course; the bibulous host But to and fro within the riven doors, They ply they point they pour-they plunge-alas! And leaves the sinuous monster to enfold Its helpless prey, while heaven and earth in dread behold. Vain was the might of man that hour. On high The length of Desolation's flag unfurled! Forth from the stancheon'd windows wildly whirled And dropt as midst the ruins of a world,— While from aloft the ponderous doors down gazed Red as in ire upon the multitude amazed! bright, And houses-temples-waters-shipping, Were shewn like burning wire its slenderest mast, Vivid and strong to sight before that searching flame. |