worthy of their leader, General Chassé; the fort mounted one hundred and eighty guns, most of them of heavy calibre, and the fortress was well supplied with ammunition. Immense casemates and covered galleries and lodgments for the protection of the troops had been constructed, and the Dutch general was prepared for a hard fight. The French army had an enormous battering train, as it was well known that the siege of Antwerp would be no holiday affair.
The French crossed the frontier at Charleroi on the 18th November, and arrived in front of Antwerp near the end of the month. The preliminary work of the siege was begun immediately, and at the same time there was a correspondence between the Dutch and French generals of a somewhat novel character. General Chassé insisted that the French should not make use of the works of the city in their siege operations, otherwise he should consider the city taking part in the siege and would proceed to bombard it. Marshal Gérard sent the following letter to General Chassé:
"Sir.—In the name of His Majesty the King of the Belgains, I ask you to hand over the citadel and all the forts along the Scheldt; if not so disposed, I shall force you. Whatever you do, mind not to fire on the city."
To this summons the Dutch commander replied as follows:
"Sir.—I shall stick to my post as long as life will last. The city is safe. Pray stop your siege works before negotiations have come to an end, or else I shall fire."
For a time there was little prospect that the city could be spared the horrors of war, and preparations were made in Antwerp by barricading the streets and removing the pavements so as to reduce as much as possible the effects of the bombardment. Many people left the city in anticipation of their worst fears being realized, but it was finally agreed that the city with all its outworks should
