strong and regular fortifications, and at the other only a small and imperfect fort 104, called Malbosquet. On inspecting 105 their batteries 106, he found that the guns 107 were placed 108 about two gunshots 109 from the walls 110; and that it was the custom to heat the shot 112 at a distance from the place where they were to be discharged 113, in other words, to heat them to no purpose. Choosing officers of his own acquaintance to act under him, and exerting himself to collect 114 guns from all quarters 115, Buonaparte soon remedied 116 these disorders 117, and found himself master of an efficient 118 train 119 of 200 pieces 120; and he then urged 121 the general to adopt 122 a wholly new plan of operations 123 in the future conduct of the siege. 66 "is to The plan of Buonaparte appears now the simplest and most obvious 124 that could have been suggested 125; yet it was not without great difficulty that he could obtain the approbation of the doctor, who had by this time superseded 126 the painter. Your object 127," said he, make the English evacuate 128 Toulon. Instead of attacking them in the town, which must involve 129 a long series of operations 130, endeavour to establish 131 batteries so as to sweep 132 the harbour and roadstead.133 If you can do this, the English ships must take their departure, and the English troops will certainly not remain behind them." He pointed out 134 a promontory nearly opposite the town, by getting the command 135 of which he was sure the desired effect must be accomplished. 136 "Gain La Grasse," 101 Fort, n. 105 besichtigen. 106 Batterie, f. 109 Flintenschuß. 110 Wall, m. 111 113 abfeuern. take the plural. 121 dringen in. 107 Kanone, f. 108 stellen. 112 Kugel, f., 115 Seite, f. glühend machen. 114 zusammen bringen. 117 Unordnung. 118 wirksam. 119 Artillerie= 120 Stück, n., and why must the singular be used? 122 befolgen. 123 Operationsplan, m. 124 augenfällig. 123 vorschlagen. 126 ersehen. 127 Absicht. zur Folge 129 128 räumen. haben. 130 Unternehmung. 131 hinstellen. 132 bestreichen. 133 Rhede, f. bezeichnen. 135 Besit. 136 erreichen. 134 said he, “ and in two days Toulon falls." His reasoning 137 at length forced 138 conviction 139, and he was permitted to follow his own plan. A month before nothing could have been more easy; but within that time the enemy had perceived the importance of the promontory, which commands 140 the narrow passage 141 between the port and the Mediterranean, and fortified it so strongly, that it passed by 142 the name of the Little Gibraltar. It was necessary, therefore, to form extensive 143 batteries in the rear 144 of La Grasse, before there could be a prospect 145 of seizing 146 it. Buonaparte laboured 147 hard 148 all day, and slept every night in his cloak by the guns, until his works approached perfection. He also formed a large battery behind Malbosquet; but this he carefully concealed from 149 the enemy. It was covered 150 by a plantation of olives, and he designed 151 to distract 152 their attention by opening its fire for the first time when he should be about to make his great effort 153 against Little Gibraltar. But the representatives of the people had nearly spoiled everything. These gentlemen walking 15 their rounds 155, discovered the battery behind the olives, and inquiring how long it had been ready, were told for eight days. Not guessing with 156 what view 157 so many guns had been kept158 so long idle 159, they ordered an immediate cannonade. 160 The English made a vigorous sally 161, and spiked 162 the guns before Buonaparte could reach the spot. On his arrival at 163 the eminence 164 behind 165, he perceived a long deep ditch fringed 166 with brambles 167 and willows 168, 137 Ueberredung. 138 erzwingen. 139 Ueberzeugung. 140 beherrschen. 141 Engpaß, m. 142 gehen unter. 143 weitläufig. 144 Rücken, m. 45 Aus= sicht. 146 sich bemächtigen, with Gen. 147 arbeiten. 148 schwer. 149 vor. 150 decken. 151 beabsichtigen. 152 ablenken. 153 Hauptangriff. 15+ machen. 157 Absicht. 158 halten. 159 59 unbeschäftigt. 161 Ausfall. 162 2 vernageln. 155 Runde, f. 160 Kanonade, f. 156 in. 163 auf. 164 Anhdhe. 165 von der Rückseite. 166 bewachsen. 167 Brombeerstrauch, m. 168 Weide, ƒ. which he 169 thought might be turned to advantage. 170 He ordered a regiment of foot 171 to creep along the ditch, which they did without being discovered until they were close 172 upon 173 the enemy. General O'Hara, the English commander, mistook 174 them for 175 some of his own allies 176, and, rushing out 177 to give them some directions 178, was wounded and made prisoner.179 The English were dispirited 180 when they lost their general; they retreated 181, and the French were at liberty 18 182 to set about 183 the repair 184 of their battery. In this affair 185 much blood was shed. Napoleon himself received a bayonet thrust 186 in his thigh 187, and fell into the arms of Muiron, who carried him off188 the field. Such was the commencement of their brotherly friendship. His wound, however, did not prevent him from continuing his labours behind Little Gibraltar. That fort had very nearly been seized 189 by a sort of accident 190 some time before his preparations were completed; a casual 191 insult 192 excited a sudden quarrel between the men in Buonaparte's trenches 193 and the Spaniards in Little Gibraltar. The French soldiers, without waiting for 194 orders, seized their arms, and rushed 195 to the assault 196 with fury, Napoleon coming up 197 perceived that the moment was favourable, and persuaded Doppet to support the troops with more regiments; but the doctor, marching at the head of his columns, was seized with 198 a panic 199 on seeing a man killed by his side, and 169 173 say, as he. an. 170 174 verkennen. 175 'vortheilhaft benußen. 171 Fußvolk, n. 172 dicht. 75 als. 176 Verbündet. 177 77 hervoreilen. 178 Anweisung. 79 zu, with the Def. Art.; gefangen, treated as a Substantive. 180 entmuthigen. 181 sich zurückziehen. 182 ungehindert. 183 sich machen an. 184 Ausbesserung. 185 Gefecht, n. 186 Bayonett= 188 187 Schenkel, m. stid). say, from the. nehmen. Zufall. 191 gelegentlich. 192 Beleidigung. 193 Schanzgraben, m. 198 197 herankommen. 195 eilen. Schreck. 196 Sturm, m. 189 von. 190 194 abwarten. 199 panischer ordered a retreat, before anything could be effected. A few days after, this poltroon 200 was in his turn 201 superseded 202 by a brave veteran 203, General Dugommier, and Napoleon could at last count on having his efforts backed.204 But, for the second time, the representatives did their best to ruin 205 his undertaking. The siege had now lasted four months provisions were scarce in the camp; and these civilians 206, never being able to comprehend what was meant by bestowing 207 all this care 208 on a place so far below the city as Little Gibraltar, wrote to Paris that they saw no chance 209 of success 210, and hoped the government would agree with them that the siege ought to be abandoned.211 Two days before this letter reached Paris, Toulon had fallen, and the representatives gave out that the despatch 212 was a forgery.213 The moment had at last come when Buonaparte judged 214 it right 215 to make his grand attempt. During the night of the 17th of December, he threw 8,000 bombs 216 and shells 217 into Little Gibraltar, and the works being thus shattered 218, at daybreak, Dugommier commanded the assault. The French, headed 219 by the brave Muiron, rushed with impetuous 220 valour through the embrazures 221, and put 222 the whole garrison to the sword. The day was spent in arranging 223 the batteries, so as to command 224 the shipping 225, and next morning, so true had been Buonaparte's prophecy, when the French stood to 226 their posts 227, the English fleet was discovered to be already under weigh.228 200 Memme, f. 201 seinerseits. 202 ersehen. 203 say, old soldier. 204 unterstüßen. 205 zu Schanden machen. 206 der bürgerliche Beamte. 207 verwenden. 208 Sorgfalt. 209 Aussicht. 210 ein glücklicher Erfolg. 211 aufgeben. 212 Botschaft. 213, 3 say, forged verfälschen. 214 halten für. say, the right time. 216 Bombe, f. 217 Feuerkugel, f. 218 erschüttern. 219 anführen. ungestům. 221 Schießscharte, f. 215 220 sword über die Klinge springen lassen. 225 223 ordnen. 222 224 to put to the an. 227 Posten, m. 228 unter Segel gehen. 226 Rhederei. beherrschen. Then followed a fearful scene. The English would not quit Toulon without destroying the French ships and arsenals that had fallen into their possession; nor could they refuse 229 to carry with them 230 the Antijacobin inhabitants, who knew that their lives would be instantly sacrificed if they should fall into the hands of the victorious Republicans, and who now flocked 231 to the beach 232 to 233 the number of 14,000, praying for 234 the means of escape.235 The burning of ships, the explosion 236 of magazines 237, the roar 238 of artillery, and the cries of these fugitives, filled up 239 many hours. At last, the men-of-war 240 were followed 241 by a flotilla 242 bearing these miserable exiles 243, -the walls were abandoned, and Dugommier took possession of the place. The Republicans found that all persons of condition 244, who had taken part 245 against them, had escaped; and their rage was to be contented 246 with meaner victims. A day or two having been suffered 247 to pass in quiet, a proclamation 248, apparently friendly, exhorted the workmen, who had been employed on the batteries of the besieged town, to muster 249 at head-quarters. One hundred and fifty poor men, who expected to be employed again in repairing the same fortifications 250, obeyed this summons 251, were instantly marched into a field, and shot in cold blood. Not less than a thousand were massacred 252 under circumstances equally atrocious. Buonaparte himself repelled253 with indignation254 the charge255 of having had a hand in this butchery.256 Even if he had, he was 229 es verweigern. 233 234 um. 235 Flucht. 238 Brüllen. 230 mitnehmen. 231 sich drången. 232 Strand, m. say, in the number of in der Anzahl von. 236 das in die Luft Sprengen. 237 Pulverkammer, ƒ. ausfüllen. Kriegsschiff, n. say, a flotilla followed. 242 239 240 243 Verbannt. 241 244 Stand. 245 2 kleine 246 45 Partei. befriedigen. 249 sich einfinden. Flotte. 252 niederhauen. 255 Vorwurf. 256 Megelei. 253 zus |