The Capsina: An Historical NovelBenson, E. F. (Edward Frederic)
History
The Capsina: An Historical Novel
Benson, E. F. (Edward Frederic)
Greece -- History -- War of Independence, 1821-1829 -- Fiction
Jourdain's combustible balls were made to be fired from the smaller
guns, and the two spent a sulphurous morning. They made good shooting
with them, and it is true that they discharged immense volumes of smoke
when they struck, but there seemed no truth in the proverb that where
there is smoke there is also fire. Jourdain had manufactured some
twenty of them, and in an hour they had used them all up. The breeze
was blowing from the town, and volumes of vile-smelling vapor were
wafted on it. Hane was a man of few and pointed words.
"So here is the last of the Froggy's stink-pots," was all his comment
when the last of the shells was fired.
But the Greeks were in raptures of delight. It seemed impossible that
so magnificent a firework should be ineffective, and they strongly
recommended a repetition of the display; but Hastings meant business,
and, after some parley, was allowed to make another attempt, not with
the "stink-pots," but with ordinary shot from the 68-pounders; for
the 32-pounders were, so he believed, of too light a calibre to be
effective at the distance.
Next day the heavier cannonade went on. The Turks returned the fire
with vigor, but without much success, and, as Hastings had anticipated,
the chief risk was from the concussion of their own artillery, which
dangerously shook the faulty and ill-built walls. After the first day
it was found impossible to fire the bigger guns, and the 32-pounders,
with their light shells, were soon seen to be useless; Hastings,
however, kept up the cannonade for two days more, partly to give
practice to the untrained gunners, partly because he was of a nature
that groans to be doing nothing.
At the end of the third day the Turkish fire ceased altogether, for
the flight and destruction of Dramali's army had become known, and it
was no longer possible to hope that by a show of resistance and brisk
firing, they might encourage the timid Serashier to march from Argos
and attempt to raise the siege. Had he known it, the town was now so
well supplied with provisions that, even if they had to evacuate it,
they could have joined forces with him and marched to Corinth. But now,
as throughout the war, what seemed blind chance, but what was really
the legitimate result of cowardly and hesitating policy, once more
combined to fight against them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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