Transcriber's Note:
Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully aspossible, including some inconsistent hyphenation. Some minorcorrections of spelling and punctuation have been made.
The Romance of Modern Sieges
The Sally from the Fort at Kumassi
Led by Capt. Armitage, some two hundred loyal natives sallied forth. At their headmarched the native chiefs, prominent amongst whom was the young king of Aguna.He was covered back and front with fetish charms, and on his feet were boots, andwhere these ended his black legs began.
THE ROMANCE OF
MODERN SIEGES
DESCRIBING THE PERSONAL ADVENTURES,
RESOURCE AND DARING OF BESIEGERS
AND BESIEGED IN ALL PARTS OF
THE WORLD
BY
EDWARD GILLIAT, M.A.
SOMETIME MASTER AT HARROW SCHOOL
AUTHOR OF “FOREST OUTLAWS,” “IN LINCOLN GREEN,” &c., &c.
WITH SIXTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS
PHILADELPHIA
J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY
LONDON: SEELEY & CO. LIMITED
1908
PREFACE
These chapters are not histories of sieges, but narrativesof such incidents as occur in beleaguered cities, andillustrate human nature in some of its strangest moods.That “facts are stranger than fiction” these stories go toprove: such unexpected issues, such improbable interpositionsmeet us in the pages of history. What writerof fiction would dare to throw down battlements andwalls by an earthquake, and represent besiegers as paralysedby religious fear? These tales are full, indeed,of all the elements of romance, from the heroism and self-devotionof the brave and the patient suffering of thewounded, to the generosity of mortal foes and thekindliness and humour which gleam even on the battle-fieldand in the hospital. But the realities of war havenot been kept out of sight; now and then the veil hasbeen lifted, and the reader has been shown a glimpse ofthose awful scenes which haunt the memory of even thestoutest veteran.
We cannot realize fully the life that a soldier livesunless we see both sides of that life. We cannot feel thegratitude that we ought to feel unless we know thestrain and suspense, the agony and endurance, that go[Pg viii]to make up victory or defeat. In time of war we arefull of admiration for our soldiers and sailors, but in thepast they have been too often forgotten or slighted whenpeace has ensued. Not to keep in memory the greatdeeds of our countrymen is mere ingratitude.
Hearty acknowledgments are due to the authors andpublishers who have so kindly permitted quotation fromtheir books. Every such permission is more particularlymentioned in its place. The writer has also had many atalk with men who have fought in the Crimea, in India,in France, and in South Africa, and is indebted to themfor some little personal touches such as give life andcolour to a narrative.
CONTENTS
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