The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1579-80 | Page 7

population. To the technical mind, the siege no doubt
seemed a beautiful creation of human intelligence. To the honest
student of history, to the lover of human progress, such a manifestation
of intellect seems a sufficiently sad exhibition. Given, a city with
strong walls and towers, a slender garrison and a devoted population on

one side; a consummate chieftain on the other, with an army of veterans
at his back, no interruption to fear, and a long season to work in; it
would not seem to an unsophisticated mind a very lofty exploit for the
soldier to carry the city at the end of four months' hard labor.
The investment of Maestricht was commenced upon the 12th of March,
1579. In the city, besides the population, there were two thousand
peasants, both men and women, a garrison of one thousand soldiers;
and a trained burgher guard; numbering about twelve hundred. The
name of the military commandant was Melchior. Sebastian Tappin, a
Lorraine officer of much experience and bravery, was next in command,
and was, in truth, the principal director of the operations. He had been
despatched thither by the Prince of Orange, to serve under La None,
who was to have commanded in Maestricht, but had been unable to
enter the city. Feeling that the siege was to be a close one, and knowing
how much depended upon the issue, Sebastian lost no time in making
every needful preparation for coming events. The walls were
strengthened everywhere; shafts were sunk, preparatory to the
countermining operations which were soon to become necessary; the
moat was deepened and cleared, and the forts near the gates were put in
thorough repair. On the other hand, Alexander had encircled the city,
and had thrown two bridges, well fortified, across the river. There were
six gates to the town, each provided with ravelins, and there was a
doubt in what direction the first attack should be made. Opinions
wavered between the gate of Bois-le-Duc, next the river, and that of
Tongres on the south-western side, but it was finally decided to attempt
the gate of Tongres.
Over against that point the platforms were accordingly constructed, and
after a heavy cannonade from forty-six great guns continued for several
days, it was thought, by the 25th of March, that an impression had been
made upon the city. A portion of the brick curtain had crumbled, but
through the breach was seen a massive terreplein, well moated, which,
after six thousand shots already delivered on the outer wall--still
remained uninjured. It was recognized that the gate of Tongres was not
the most assailable, but rather the strongest portion of the defences, and
Alexander therefore determined to shift his batteries to the gate of
Bois-le-Duc. At the same time, the attempt upon that of Tongres was to
be varied, but not abandoned. Four thousand miners, who had passed

half their lives in burrowing for coal in that anthracite region, had been
furnished by the Bishop of Liege, and this force was now set to their
subterranean work. A mine having been opened at a distance, the
besiegers slowly worked their way towards the Tongres gate, while at
the same time the more ostensible operations were in the opposite
direction. The besieged had their miners also, for the peasants in the
city had been used to work with mattock and pickaxe. The women, too,
enrolled themselves into companies, chose their officers--or
"mine-mistresses," as they were called--and did good service daily in
the caverns of the earth. Thus a whole army of gnomes were noiselessly
at work to destroy and defend the beleaguered city. The mine advanced
towards the gate; the besieged delved deeper, and intersected it with a
transverse excavation, and the contending forces met daily, in deadly
encounter, within these sepulchral gangways. Many stratagems were,
mutually employed. The citizens secretly constructed a dam across the
Spanish mine, and then deluged their foe with hogsheads of boiling
water. Hundreds were thus scalded to death. They heaped branches and
light fagots in the hostile mine, set fire to the pile, and blew thick
volumes of smoke along the passage with organ-bellows brought from
the churches for the purpose. Many were thus suffocated. The
discomfited besiegers abandoned the mine where they had met with
such able countermining, and sunk another shaft, at midnight, in secret,
at a long distance from the Tongres gate. Still towards that point,
however, they burrowed in the darkness; guiding themselves to their
destination with magnet, plumbline and level, as the mariner crosses
the trackless ocean with compass and chart. They worked their way,
unobstructed, till they arrived at their subterranean port, directly
beneath the doomed ravelin. Here they constructed a spacious chamber,
supporting it with columns, and making all their architectural
arrangements with as much precision and elegance as