Page:Kickerbocker Feb 1833 vol 1 no 2.djvu/8

stirred up anew all the elements of European discord, and Brussels soon had its three days. Placed, by this event, in a situation where he must choose between his fidelity to his colors and to his Dutch allegiance, and a cause that appealed to him in the name of liberty and popular rights, he decided with a soldier's honor to stand by his flag, and throwing himself into the citadel of Antwerp, in October, 1830, he declared his purpose to hold that post for Holland and the House of Orange to the last extremity. Neither menace, nor promises, nor entreaties, could shake his firm resolve; and all that could be extorted from him was, that if not attacked from the city, nor endangered in his position by the construction of any new works, or the repair of old ones, he would remain passive and await ulterior orders from the Hague. On the 27th October, however, some hostile movements against the citadel having occurred among the Belgian volunteers in Antwerp, General Chassé, with his wonted decision, commenced an immediate bombardment of the city, as well from the citadel as from the Dutch ships of war lying at anchor in the Scheldt. The cannonading lasted from four o'clock in the afternoon until eleven o'clock at night. Red hot balls and shells were fired, and a vast destruction of property, though with little loss of life, was occasioned by it. Among the buildings consumed was the Entrepôt, which was peculiarly exposed, from being situated between the citadel and the river. There was a great amount of foreign property deposited there, of which a large proportion belonged to our own countrymen, and for which it is believed a claim upon the king of Holland, or as he is still called, of the Netherlands, may be rightfully preferred. The judgment passed at the time of this occurrence, upon General Chassé, for thus assailing a comparatively defenceless town—for the citadel was originally constructed full as much to overawe and control the citizens, as to strengthen their means of resistance against external enemies—was generally unfavorable. His course was readily ascribed to Dutch jealousy of Antwerp, as the commercial rival of Amsterdam; and as the effervescence of popular movements against established authorities, had affected the leading presses of France and England, they willingly enough adopted a version of the affair, which tended to excite sympathy in favor of the revolted Belgians, and angry feelings against the Dutch. Looking, however, from this distance, at the conduct of General Chassé, as that of a trusted military commander, who under circum-