been
intrusted with the care of the houses, but with the defence of the
fortifications. The Austrian convinced him that same evening, that
he threatened nothing but what he meant to perform. He opened his
batteries, and poured in upon the town a most terrible shower of bombs
and red-hot bullets, which continued till midnight. During this dreadful
discharge, which filled the place with horror and desolation, he
attempted the outworks by assault. The Croats attacked the covered way
in different places with their usual impetuosity; but were repulsed with
considerable loss, by the conduct and resolution of the governor and
garrison. These proceedings having made no impression on Tavenzein, the
besieging general had recourse again to negotiation; and offered the
most flattering articles of capitulation, which were rejected with
disdain. The governor gave him to understand, that the destruction of
the town had made no change in his resolution; though it was a practice
contrary to the law of arms, as well as to the dictates of common
humanity, to begin the siege of a fortress by ruining the inhabitants;
finally, he assured him he would wait for him upon the ramparts,
and defend the place to the utmost of his power. His observation was
certainly just: nothing could be more infamously inhuman than this
practice of making war upon the helpless unarmed inhabitants of a town
which has the misfortune to be beleaguered; yet the besieger pleaded the
example of the Prussian monarch, who had before acted the same tragedy
at Dresden. Laudohn being thus set at defiance, continued to batter
and bombard; and several subsequent assaults were given to the
fortifications.]

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of England in Three
Volumes, Vol.II., by Tobias Smollett

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