242 BELGIUM flJV‘D H OLD/2N1). From the London Observer.

The citadel of Jlntwerp is at length in the hands of those who are proclaimed by the Powers of the Conference its rightful owners- The Dutch flag was lowered to the victorious besiegers on Monday eve- ning, and those who command for his Belgian Majesty are by this in possesion of the keys of the fortress. It will be recol- lected, as we stated last week, that the breaching batteries commenced their fire on Friday. On Saturday the cannonade on both sides was kept up with extraordi- nary energy, the besiegers pressing their works close up to the fosse, and the be- sieged retarding their operations with all the missiles which the utmost refinements in the art of war could bring forth for such an occasion. The loss of life at this eriod is said, not without reason, to have een great on both sides; but the spi- tit and the resolution of the besiegers sur- mounted every obstacle, and on Sunday morning, at nine, General Chasse had the mortification to see the body of the works reduced to a heap of ruins, and the build- ings of the interior demolished or in flames, and to learn that a breach had been made sufficiently practicable to justify an assault. Under such circumstance, with his troops dispirited, and all hope of suc- cour from the Prince of Orange complete- ly extinguished, General Chasse, at nine o‘clock on Sunday morning, hoisted a flag of truce, and the firing being immediately suspended on both sides,Lieutenant-Colonel Zelig of the Dutch Artillery, and Major Delprat, of the Engineers, were dis- patched to Marshal Gerard with propositions for a capitulation. A Council of War was instantly summoned, and after a negocia- tion prolonged till Monday evening, at half- past ten, the terms for the evacuatiou of the citadel by the Dutch troops were fi- nally signed. It is understood that Chasse, in the first instance, demanded as the con- dition of his surrender, that the garrison should be allowed to march out with all the honors ofwar, and carry with them all their material to Holland. This proposition met a'decided refusal, and it was finally arranged that the citadel of Antwerp and its dependencies. the Tete de Flandres, Forts Burght, Zwyndrecht, and Austre- weel should be delivered up, with all their artillery, ammunition, and provisions, the troops and inhabitants, if any, keeping their baggage, horses, and effects, and the ofiicers retaining their arms. The garrison, it was also agreed, should march out with the honors of war, and Marshal Gerard engaged to have them conducted back to the frontiers of Holland, where their arms shall be restored to them as soon as the King of Holland shall have ordered the delivery up of Forts Lillo and

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Liefkenshoek. With this view, Marshal Gerard was to send without delay, an offi- cer to the Hague, and permit General Chasse to dispatch one on his part, if he should think proper. It was also provi- ded, that for the sick and wounded the necessary boats should be furnished at [the expense of the Dutch Government, to Ber- gen-op-Zoom;such of the sick as were not in a state to be removed continuing to receive medical attention at the expense ofthe Dutch government, from surgeons of that nation, who should enjoy on their leaving, the same advantages as the gar- rison.

These, divested of their formalities, are the principal provisions of the capi- tulation, and the French having taken pos- session of the out works, both parties are now anxiously waiting for the decision of the king of Holland wtih respect to Forts Lillo and Liefkenshoek, as on that decision depends the ultimate fate of) the troops, and perhaps the stay of the French army in Belgium, It appears that while negociations were going on with Marshal Gerard, the Dutch fleet, consisting of a frigate, two sloops, three steamers, and ‘20 gun-boats, with aforce of 2,000 men from the garrison of Lillo and the forts in the neighbourhood, made a violent at- tack on the pasition occupied by Gen. Sebastiani at the dyke of Doel, with the obvious intention of forcing thte passage of the river. The troops of the General, consisting of little more than 700, repulsed this attack with the bayonet, and com- pelled the enemy to abandon their en- terprise, with the lass of one hundred men, although protected by the fire of near 200 pieces of artillery. In this affair the Gene. ral lost 12 killed, and 40 wounded. The deplorable condition in which Major de la Fontaine found the citadel is beyond all description. Not a house was left which could shelter the garrison; their ammuni- tion and provisions were either des- troyed, burnt, or blowu up, and only sufficient food was left for one days, ra- tions. The casemates, or vaulted passa- ges, were all knocked down; and Chasse himself was seated in a vault at a table, with every thing around him destroyed by thebombs. The garrison bore theirmis- fortunes with great bravery and devoted- ness, and until Friday night not a murmur escaped their lips. On that night a“depu- tation of the garrison waited on Chasse, and urged him to make a desperate sortie ; and either to succeed in spiking the guns of the besiegers, or fall in the attempt. They complained that the fire of the enemy prevented them from standing to their guns, and that they preferred risk- ing their lives on the field of battle, to being murdered by bombs coming from an enemy away from their sight, and against whom they could take no sure aim. Chasse

an 31 felt all the force of this remonstrance having proved to the world the brhver of his men, and satisfied the honor of h- country, he succumbed to superior force"

The first interview the French Commie sioner had with Chasse, he was iutroduced with his eyes covered. The veteran the instant he saw him, ordered the band 9 to be removed. “We have no more 59. crets,” said he, “ admire the glorious work of your bombs—tell Marshal Gerard the exact situation of the citadel.”

The Journal du Commerce, Paper, says also that “ The citadel offers a picture of extreme desolation—no build. ing remains entire—all are totally destrov. ed or crippled by the projectiles of the besiegers, not a foot of ground but i. ploughed up by the balls and shells. One important building still stood, it was the provision warehouse; Saturday night it was destroyed, with all its contents. It would appear that this loss determined the beseiged to capitulate. It is clear that they held out to the last extremity. Ge. nerel Chasse is confined with a rheumatic attack, and not able to come out. The Marshal, accompanied by the Royal Dukes, paida visit to him in his quarters in the citadel. It is said that at the interview the old veteran observed he was afraid the French would consider that he might have defended the citadel better ‘ than he did. “ My dear General,” replied Gerard, “ your conduct has been that of a brave man, and the world will do you jus- tice. In the name of the French army, 1 am proud to say that they admireyouas a soldier, and are anxious to call you their brother.” lmme Iiately after the conclusion of the negociations signals were made from the citadel, and the twelve Dutch gun-boats in the river attempted to escape. They were fired on from the batteries erected on the banks by the French, and their commanders finding it hopeless to get dOWn the Scheldt, strewed the decks with gun-powder, and set them on fire. . They were all consequently destroyed, : except one ofthe smallest. ‘This act was perpetrated by the express command of the King of Holland, in order to prevent their falling into the hands of the Belgians, The French state their loss, during the seige, to be five officers and sixty-eight privates killed, and ten officers, and 479 privates severely wounded. The slightly wounded are not included in this estimate. The loss of the garrison is about 250 men. The monster mortar; of which we gm some account, fired eight or ten shells dU‘ ring the seige; but, as far as we can learn; the garrison 'were more‘ frightened. than hurt by its explosion. The shell requiredls so large, the extent ofits range so uncer‘ tain, and the danger of discharging It 50 great, that it cannot form a model for 1 class. Some of the shells burst the m0‘

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