In 1705, the French, who were besieged in Haguenau by Count Thungen,
found themselves incapable of sustaining an assault. Péri, the
governor, who had already distinguished himself by a vigorous defence,
despairing of being allowed to capitulate on any terms short of
becoming prisoner of war, resolved to abandon the place and cut his way
through the besiegers.
In order to conceal his intention more effectually, and while he
deceived the enemy, to sound at the same time the disposition of his
officers, he assembled a council of war and declared his resolution to
die in the breach. Then, under pretext of the extremity to which he was
reduced, he commanded the whole garrison under arms; and leaving only a
few sharpshooters in the breach, gave the order to march, and set out
in silence, under cover of the night, from Haguenau. This audacious
enterprise was crowned with success, and Péri reached Saverne without
having suffered the smallest loss.
Two fine instances of defence in later times are those of Massena at
Genoa, and of Palafox at Saragossa.
The first marched out with arms and baggage, and all the honors of
war, after rejecting every summons, and defending himself until hunger
alone compelled him to capitulate. The second only yielded after having
buried his garrison amid the ruins of the city, which he defended from
house to house, until famine and death left him no alternative but to
surrender. This siege, which was equally honorable to the French as
to the Spaniards, is one of the most memorable in the history of war.
In the course of it, Palafox displayed every possible resource which
courage and obstinacy can supply in the defence of a fortress.
All real strength is founded in the mind; and on this account I am of
opinion that we should be directed in the choice of a governor, less by
his genius than his personal character. His most essential qualities
should be courage, perseverance, and soldierlike devotedness. Above
all, he should possess the talent not only of infusing courage into
the garrison, but of kindling a spirit of resistance in the whole
population. Where the latter is wanting, however art may multiply the
defences of a place, the garrison will be compelled to capitulate after
having sustained the first, or at most, the second assault.