The time at last arrived | replied with the same indifference, "It is enough if there are left enough to shut the gates." But it appeared too plainly that heaven declared itself for the arms of the king. These people of La Rochelle recognised this themselves, and were obliged to confess that it was something astonishing to see the weather so fine in such a season as that of autumn, when the storms and the waves were accustomed to shake the whole town, and to rush even into the streets. What still more increased the astonishment of every one, and might pass for a miraculous effect of the aid of Providence in this grand enterprise, was that the plague being then furious throughout two-thirds of the kingdom, this district remained entirely free from it, in the midst of the dreadful necessities of a town reduced to such a pitiable state, and of the infection which is wont to hang about large armies, especially after such a long siege. when this town, all the hope and support of the party of the heretics, was to fall into the hands of its legitimate prince. The extrem- | ity to which it found itself reduced by famine was such, that a great number of persons died of hunger; and here I may say what I heard from the very mouth of my landlord, after we had entered La Rochelle. For, wishing to make me understand how great had been their misery, he declared to me that during eight days he had had his own blood taken from his veins to feed his poor child, little by little depriving himself of life to preserve that of his son. The eloquence of the minister, Salbert, who was a man of high consideration among them, had been chiefly able to sustain the Rochellers in suffering such great extremities. The fanaticism of their new religion rendered them insensible to everything; and the determined character, along with the great authority and heroic conduct of The Rochellers seeing then that Guiton, the Mayor of the town, there remained to them no hope who made himself so famous in from the side of England, whose this siege, seemed to give them fleet had vainly made several new strength, and hour by hour attempts to succour them, began to inspire them with fresh courage. to treat for the capitulation of the To give some idea of his firmness, town, and one of the articles was it will be enough to mention that that the Mayor Guiton should be one of his friends, showing him a maintained in all the honours and person of their acquaintance who privileges of his dignity. On the was dying of hunger and fatigue, 20th October 1628, ten deputies he answered coolly, "Are you came with the ratification of the astonished at that? You and I articles, to throw themselves at must come to the same." And the king's feet in his chamber, when another told him that every- where he was attended by the body was dying of hunger, he | Count de Soissons, the Cardinals Richelieu and De la Valette, by MM. de Chevreuse, de Bassompierre, de Schomberg, Dessiat, and others, and there they again implored the clemency of his majesty, the Sieur de la Gousse, king's advocate, acting as their spokesman. At the same time the citizens set themselves on the ramparts and counterscarps to cry, Vive le roi! Four hundred men were named by his majesty to go to take possession of the town, to prepare his lodging, to have the streets and the houses cleaned, and to see everything put in order for his entrance. He chose four captains and four lieutenants, of whom I was one, to command them, under the Duke d'Anjoulême, from whom we were to take our orders; he most expressly forbade us to cause the least disorder in the town, threatening to inflict an exemplary punishment if he heard any complaints. So entering La Rochelle with these orders from the king, we rendered ourselves masters of the gates, and established guard-houses in various places. We found this town in a state which excited horror and compassion in all those who entered it. The streets and the houses were infected by the dead bodies which lay there in great numbers, without being shrouded or interred. For towards the end of the siege the Rochellers, resembling skeletons rather than living men, had grown so feeble and helpless that they had not strength to dig graves, nor to carry the dead bodies out of the houses. The greatest present that could be given to those who remained was bread, which they preferred to all things, as being the infallible remedy which could keep them from dying, though this remedy itself proved fatal to some of them by the great eagerness with which they ate it, and choked themselves on the spot. THE BATTLE OF LUTZEN. (Schiller's Thirty Years' War.) A.D. 1632. No sooner had Gustavus Adolphus been informed of Pappenheim's departure than he suddenly broke up his camp at Naumburg, and hastened with all his forces to attack the enemy, whose numbers were now reduced by one-half. By rapid marches he advanced towards Weissenfels, whence the news of his coming soon reached the Duke of Friedland, and very much astonished him. But an immediate resolution was necessary. Wallenstein's measures were taken without delay. Although he had little more than twelve thousand men to oppose the enemy's twenty thousand, he might hold his ground until the return of Pappenheim, who could not have advanced farther than Halle. Messengers were hurried off to recall him, while Wallenstein advanced into the wide plain between the canal and Lutzen, where he awaited the king in full order of battle, in this position cutting off Gustavus' communication with Leipsic and his Saxon allies. Three cannon shots from the castle of Weissenfels announced the king's approach. At this signal the light troops of the Duke of Friedland, commanded by the Croatian general, Isolam, moved forwards to occupy the villages on the Rippach. Their slight resistance did not retard the enemy's advance; he crossed the Rippach, near the village of that name, and drew up in front of the Imperialists below Lutzen. The road from Weissenfels to Leipsic is intersected between Lutzen and Markranstadt by the canal which extends from Zeitz to Merseburg, uniting the Elster with the Saal. On this canal rested the Imperialist left wing and the right of the King of Sweden, but the cavalry of both extended themselves along the opposite side. To the northward, behind Lutzen, was Wallenstein's right wing, while the left wing of the Swedes was posted to the south of the town. Both armies faced the road, which ran between them and divided their lines; but on the evening before the battle, Wallenstein, to the great disadvan tage of his adversary, had seized this road, and, deepening the trenches by its side, filled them with musketeers, so as to render the crossing of it difficult and dangerous. The fire of the trenches was supported by a battery of seven large cannon, and fourteen smaller guns were posted at the windmills behind Lutzen, on a hill which commanded the greater part of the plain. The infantry, in five unwieldy divisions, was drawn up about three hundred paces from the road, covered on the flanks by the cavalry. That it might not impede the movements of the army, the baggage was sent to Lutzen, except the ammunition waggons, which were placed in the rear. To hide the weakness of the Imperialists, all the camp followers and sutlers were mounted and posted on the left wing. These dispositions were made during the night. At daybreak everything was ready for the reception of the enemy. On the same evening Gustavus Adolphus appeared at the other side of the plain, and formed his troops in order of battle. His disposition was the same as that which the year before had been so successful at Leipsic. Small squadrons of horse were mixed among the bodies of infantry, and companies of musketeers among the cavalry. The army was drawn up in two lines; the canal on the right and rear, the high road in front, and the town on its left. In the centre was the infantry under Count Brahe; the cavalry on the wings; the artillery in front. The command of the German cavalry on the left wing was entrusted to the heroic Bernard, Duke of Weimar; while on the right the king in person led on the Swedes, that he might excite the two nations to a noble rivalry. The second line was formed in the same way, and in the rear was the reserve, commanded by Henderson, a Scotchman. In this position they awaited the dawn of the eventful day to begin a battle which long delay rather than the likelihood of a decisive result, and the picked strength rather than the numerical force of the combatants, were to render so terrible and renowned. The eager expectation of all Europe, that had been disappointed before Nuremberg, was now to be satisfied on the plains of Lutzen. During the whole course of the war, two such commanders, so equally matched in fame and ability, had not before been pitted against each other. Courage had never yet been cooled by a hazard so dreadful, nor hope excited by so glorious a prize. To-morrow Europe was to know her greatest general; to-morrow a leader, hitherto invincible, was to acknowledge a superior. This day was to put it beyond doubt whether the victories of Gustavus at Leipsic and on the Lech were owing to his own military genius, or to the incompetence of his adversary, whether Wallenstein's merits were to justify the Emperor's choice, and prove worthy of the high price at which they had been secured. The victory was as yet uncertain; certain were the exertions and the slaughter by which it must be earned. Every soldier in either army felt that he was a partner in his general's reputation; under every corselet beat the same emotions that animated the breasts of the commanders. Each army knew the enemy with which it had to do; and the strength of each was shown by the anxiety which neither could succeed in banishing. At last the fateful morning broke; but a thick fog, which covered the plain, delayed the attack till mid-day. The king, kneeling in front of his ranks, offered up his prayers, and the whole army fell on their knees together, and burst into a solemn hymn to the accompaniment of military music. The king then mounted, dressed only in a leathern doublet and overcoat (for an old wound prevented him from wearing armour), and rode along the lines to inspire his soldiers with a lofty confidence, to which, however, the forebodings of his own heart gave the lie. "God with us!" was the war-cry of the Swedes; "Jesu Maria!" that of the Imperialists. About eleven o'clock the fog began to clear off, and the enemy became visible, as also the town of Lutzen in flames, it having been set on fire by the duke's orders, lest he should be outflanked on that side. The charge was now sounded; the cavalry rushed for wards, and the infantry advanced against the trenches. Though received by a terrific fire of musketry and artillery, these brave battalions maintained the attack with undaunted vigour, till the musketeers were driven out, the trenches crossed, the battery carried and turned against the enemy. With irresistible impetuosity they pressed onwards. The first of the five Imperial divisions was routed at once; the second soon after; the third gave way. But here their progress was checked by the genius of Wallenstein. With the speed of lightning he was on the spot, rallying his disheartened troops; and his voice alone was enough to stay the flight of the fugitives. Supported by three regiments of horse, the beaten divisions re-formed, faced the foe, and pushed forwards into the broken ranks of the Swedes. A bloody conflict followed. The closeness of the combatants left no room for firearms, the fury of the fight no time for loading; man was matched with man; the useless musket exchanged for sword and pike, and military discipline for wild rage. Wearied and overpowered by numbers the Swedes at last retired behind the trenches, and by their retreat the captured battery was again lost. Already a thousand bleeding bodies strewed the field, and not a single foot of ground had as yet been lost or won. In the meanwhile, the right wing, led by the king in person, had charged the enemy's left. |