er of ballistae and other ancient
engines still employed in sieges, were mounted on carriages in order to
transport them to Constantinople. The conveyance of this formidable train
of artillery, and of the immense quantity of ammunition required for its
service, was by no means a trifling operation.

The first division of the Ottoman army moved from Adrianople in February,
1453. In the mean time a numerous corps of pioneers worked constantly at
the road, in order to prepare it for the passage of the long train of
artillery and baggage wagons. Temporary bridges, capable of being
taken to pieces, were erected by the engineers over every ravine and
water-course, and the materials for every siege advanced steadily, though
slowly, to their destination. The extreme difficulty of moving the
monster cannon with its immense balls retarded the Sultan's progress, and
it was the beginning of April before the whole battering-train reached
Constantinople, though the distance from Adrianople is barely a hundred
miles. The division of the army under Karadja Pacha had already reduced
Mesembria and the castle of St. Stephanus. Selymbria alone defended
itself, and the fortifications were so strong that Mahomet ordered it to
be closely blockaded, and left its fate to be determined by that of the
capital.

On April 6th Sultan Mahomet II encamped on the slope of the hill facing
the quarter of Blachern, a little beyond the ground occupied by the
crusaders in 1203, and immediately ordered the construction of lines
extending from the head of the port to the shore of the Propontis. These
lines were formed of a mound of earth, and they served both to restrain
the sorties of the besieged and to cover the troops from the fire of
the enemy's artillery and missiles. The batteries were then formed; the
principal were erected against the gate of Charsias, in the quarter of
Blachern, and against the gate of St. Romanus, near the centre of the
city wall. It was against this last gate that the fire of the monster gun
was directed and the chief attack was made.

The land forces of the Turks probably amounted to about seventy thousand
men of all arms and qualities; but the real strength of the army lay in
the corps of janizaries, then the best infantry in Europe, and their
number did not exceed twelve thousand. At the same time, twenty thousand
cavalry, mounted on the finest horses of the Turkoman breed, and hardened
by long service, were ready to fight ei