The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1576-77 | Page 4

world had been
lost and won beneath that famous promontory, no such combat as the
one now approaching had been fought upon the waves. The chivalrous

young commander despatched energetic messages to his fellow
chieftains, and now that it was no longer possible to elude the
encounter, the martial ardor of the allies was kindled. The Venetian
High-Admiral replied with words of enthusiasm. Colonna, lieutenant of
the league, answered his chief in the language of St. Peter; "Though I
die, yet will I not deny thee."
The fleet was arranged in three divisions. The Ottomans, not drawn up
in crescent form, as usual, had the same triple disposition. Barbarigo
and the other Venetians commanded on the left, John Andrew Doria on
the right, while Don John himself and Colonna were in the centre,
Crucifix in hand, the High-Admiral rowed from ship to ship exhorting
generals and soldiers to show themselves worthy of a cause which he
had persuaded himself was holy. Fired by his eloquence and by the
sight of the enemy, his hearers answered with eager shouts, while Don
John returned to his ship; knelt upon the quarter-deck, and offered a
prayer. He then ordered the trumpets to sound the assault, commanded
his sailing-master to lay him alongside the Turkish Admiral, and the
battle began. The Venetians, who were first attacked, destroyed ship
after ship of their assailants after a close and obstinate contest, but
Barliarigo fell dead ere the sunset, with an arrow through his brain.
Meantime the action, immediately after the first onset, had become
general. From noon till evening the battle raged, with a carnage rarely
recorded in history. Don John's own ship lay yard-arm and yard-arm
with the Turkish Admiral, and exposed to the fire of seven large vessels
besides. It was a day when personal, audacity, not skilful tactics, was
demanded, and the imperial bastard showed the metal he was made of.
The Turkish Admiral's ship was destroyed, his head exposed from Don
John's deck upon a pike, and the trophy became the signal for a general
panic and a complete victory. By sunset the battle had been won.
Of nearly three hundred Turkish galleys, but fifty made their escape.
From twenty-five to thirty thousand Turks were slain, and perhaps ten
thousand Christians. The galley-slaves on both sides fought well, and
the only beneficial result of the victory was the liberation of several
thousand Christian captives. It is true that their liberty was purchased
with the lives of a nearly equal number of Christian soldiers, and by the
reduction to slavery of almost as many thousand Mussulmen, duly
distributed among the Christian victors. Many causes--contributed to

this splendid triumph. The Turkish ships, inferior in number, were also
worse manned than those of their adversaries; and their men were
worse armed. Every bullet of the Christians told on muslin turbans and
embroidered tunics, while the arrows of the Moslems fell harmless on
the casques and corslets of their foes. The Turks, too, had committed
the fatal error of fighting upon a lee shore. Having no sea room, and
being repelled in their first onset, many galleys were driven upon the
rocks, to be destroyed with all their crews.
[Cabrera says that thirty thousand Turks were slain, ten thousand made
prisoners, ten thousand Christians killed, and fifteen thousand Christian
prisoners liberated, ix. 693. De Thou's estimate is twenty-five thousand
Turks killed, three thousand prisoners, and ten thousand Christians
killed, vi. 247. Brantome states the number of Turks killed at thirty
thousand, without counting those who were drowned or who died
afterwards of their wounds; six thousand prisoners, twelve thousand
Christian prisoners liberated, and ten thousand Christians killed. Hoofd,
vi. 214, gives the figures at twenty-five thousand Turks and ten
thousand Christians slain. Bor, v. 354, makes a minute estimate, on the
authority of Pietro Contareno, stating the number of Christians killed at
seven thousand six hundred and fifty, that of Turks at twenty-five
thousand one hundred and fifty, Turkish prisoners at three thousand
eight hundred and forty-six, and Christians liberated at twelve thousand;
giving the number of Turkish ships destroyed at eighty, captured fifty.
According to the "Relation cierta y verdadera," (which was drawn up a
few days after the action,) the number of Turks slain was thirty
thousand and upwards, besides many prisoners, that of Christians killed
was seven thousand, of Christian slaves liberated twelve thousand, of
Ottoman ships taken or destroyed two hundred and thirty. Documentos
Ineditos, iii. 249. Philip sent an express order, forbidding the ransoming
of even the captive officers. The Turkish slaves were divided among
the victors in the proportion of one-half to Philip and one-half to the
Pope and Venice. The other booty was distributed on the same
principle. Out of the Pope's share Don John received, as a present, one
hundred