Andreas Hofer: An Historical NovelMühlbach, L. (Luise)
History
Andreas Hofer: An Historical Novel
Mühlbach, L. (Luise)
Hofer, Andreas, 1767-1810 -- Fiction; Tyrol (Austria) -- History -- Uprising of 1809 -- Fiction
The Tyrolese, carried away by their enthusiasm, followed him at the
double-quick toward the bridge, where the mouths of the cannon were
staring at them menacingly. But the Tyrolese were not afraid of the
cannon; death had no longer any terrors for them! their courage
imparted to them resistless power and impetuosity. They rushed up to
the cannon, slew the gunners with the butt-ends of their rifles, or
lifted them up by the hair and burled them over the railing of the
bridge into the foaming waters of the Inn. Then they turned the
cannon, and some students from Innspruck, who had joined the
Tyrolese, undertook to man them.
A dense column of Bavarians advanced upon them; the peasants uttered
loud cheers, the cannon thundered and mowed down whole ranks of
them. They gave way, and the Tyrolese, who saw it, advanced with
triumphant shouts into the city and took street after street. And
wherever they came, they met with willing assistance at the hands of
the citizens; in every street which they entered, the windows
opened, and shots were fired from them at the Bavarian troops; every
house became a fortress, every tower a citadel. A frightful scene
ensued: the Bavarians in some places surrendered and begged for
quarter; in others they continued the combat with undaunted
resolution; and in the melee several bloody deeds were committed,
which, in their cooler moments, the Tyrolese would have been the
first to condemn.
All at once loud cheers burst forth in the streets, and the Tyrolese
repeated again and again the joyful news: "Major Teimer has arrived;
he has several companies of the militia under his command, and with
these brave men he has already penetrated into the heart of the
city, up to the principal guardhouse! He has already surrounded the
Engelhaus, General Kinkel's headquarters, and is negotiating a
capitulation with the general." This almost incredible intelligence
raised the enthusiasm of the Tyrolese to the highest pitch. They
rushed forward with irresistible impetuosity toward the barracks and
disarmed all the soldiers who had remained there in order to relieve
their exhausted comrades. Then they rushed again into the street,
toward the principal guard-house, where an obstinate struggle was
going on. There, at the head of his regiment, stood Colonel
Dittfurt, firmly determined to die rather than surrender to the
peasants.
But the peasants came up in overwhelming numbers, and detachment of
sharpshooters, headed by Major Teimer, had already penetrated into
the general's house, and entered his sitting-room. From the houses
all around, the Tyrolese were firing at the soldiers, who, gnashing
their teeth with rage and grief, did not even enjoy the satisfaction
of wreaking vengeance on them; for their enemies were concealed
behind the walls and pillars, while the soldiers were defenceless,
and had to allow themselves to be laid prostrate by the unerring aim
of the sharpshooters.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account