th Entlibuch
and Sempach, at the instigation of Lucerne, revolted against her
Austrian rulers, expelled the bailies, and entered into alliances with
the city. Lucerne herself commenced extending her territories by the
purchase of Wiggis, and--contrary to her treaty stipulations--admitted a
number of Austrian subjects into the privileges of citizenship. Austria
retaliated by attacking Richensee, a small Lucerne town containing a
garrison of some two hundred soldiers. This she carried by assault and
destroyed, massacring the inhabitants of all ages and of both sexes.

Other reprisals on both sides followed in quick succession, in which
immense numbers of victims perished. Soon both the Duke, Leopold II, and
the Confederates were fully prepared, and the former took the field with
a large army. After menacing Zurich, the Duke, accompanied by many
nobles from Germany, France, and North Italy, headed some six thousand
picked men, and marched upon Lucerne. On his way he burned Willisau and
several smaller towns, where his troops committed every form of excess.
On July 9th a portion of his forces appeared before the walls of
Sempach, while another division menaced Zurich. At Sempach the
Confederates mustered to the help of Lucerne, but were only able to
bring about sixteen hundred men, taken chiefly from the Forest States.
In spite of their disparity in numbers, the Confederates determined to
risk an encounter.

The decisive and brilliant battle of Sempach, the second of the long
roll of victories that mark the prowess of the Swiss, is thus described
by an old writer: "The Swiss order of battle was angular, one soldier
followed by two, these by four, and so on. The Swiss were all on foot,
badly armed, having only their long swords and their halberds, and
boards on their left arms with which to parry the blows of their
adversaries, and they could at first make no impression on the close
ranks of the Austrians, all bristling with spears. But Anthony zer Pot,
of Uri, cried to his men to strike with their halberds on the shafts of
the spears, which he knew were made hollow to render them lighter, and,
at the same time, Arnold von Winkelried, a knight from Unterwalden,
devoting himself for his country, cried out: 'I'll open a way for you,
Confederates!' and, seizing as many spears as he could grasp in his
arms, dragged them down with his whole weight and strength upon his own
bosom, and thus made an opening for his countrymen to pe