The Siege of Maastricht: 1793
The Dutch During
The Revolutionary Wars: 7
22 February 1793-28 February 1793
by Geert van Uythoven, The Netherlands
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Friday, 22 February 1793
"Lieutenant Mock, directing the fire at the French field positions" Drawing by Jan Hoynck van Papendrecht I received orders to direct the fire of these batteries during the whole day and night, and did this with great success. We hampered their activities more and more, because our gunners' aim became better all the time, with the result that nearly every shot was on the target. However the French, in spite of all their dead an wounded casualties they received during this day, continued their labour, but not as quickly as it was done at dawn. His Highness the Lord Prince Van Hessen, the [Lieutenant-General Walraad Lamoraal Batavus] count Van Welderen, Major Wil[c]ke, and most of the officers of the garrison, visited the walls during the day to observe the labour of the enemy. In the distance we saw some wagons moving, and I trained a cannon on these, which shot fell very near. I repeated the shot, and this time I hit a wagon, after which the others made good their escape out of range. If they had not, they would have risked more wagons destroyed. Outside the Bossche Gate, on the Kaberg [height] left of the Belvedère, the enemy had opened trenches also, with also many men at work. They also were heavily fired upon from the capital wall, by the batteries on the 'high front'. Their effect was however less then our fire at the trenches outside the Wijker Gate, because the trenches were on much higher ground, already deeper, and provided with a very strong parapet in front. Our cannonade lasted the whole day and night and was very accurate, this kind of fire being the best sort of practice for our gunners." Saturday, 23 February 1793 "At dawn, I again observed that the French had extended their entrenchments, and that they had erected a redoubt on their right wing. We also noticed that our fire from the previous night had done much damage to their labour. Again, we cannonaded the newly erected field fortifications with great success, bringing their labour nearly to a standstill. I was told by a farmer from the surroundings of the Poort d'Almagne, that during the afternoon he had seen passing by a wagon filled with uniforms of which most were badly stained with blood. This gave us the opinion that the wags ['snaaken'], who had worn this uniform, had not died from a toothache. The cannonade from the Wijker wall did much damage to their entrenchments. During the night the entrenchments on the Kaberg were also much extended, and labour on them still continued with haste. The men working here were also fired upon during the whole day and night, from the capital wall of Maastricht, by the 'Kalverie', 'Nassauw', 'Hoogfrankrijk', and 'Lindekruijs' batteries, and the 'Holstijn' bastion. However, the fire had not the desired effect because the trenches were already very deep, and the parapet so thick that only at some weaker spots our cannonball went through it. However, our bombs and grenades, of which we fired a lot at them, caused many dead in their trenches." Sunday, 24 February 1793 "Our cannonade during the previous night was again maintained with much success. We observed that the enemy had concentrated their labour on the construction of parapets in front of their entrenchments outside Wijk, which was however much hampered by the fire of our battery. During the morning, the Poort d'Almagne was opened, and out marched a corps of cavalry, chasseurs, grenadiers, and the immigrants, who were in this city and had taken up arms to defend the city and their own lives. Their aim was to pull down the houses outside the St. Martens Gate, a gate which was already barricaded for some days. When this corps arrived on the lane, with houses situated on the right and left side, they
were greeted with the fire of a cannon that was positioned by the enemy near the tavern called 'Den Popelaar'. Because of this fire, five immigrants were killed or so badly wounded they later died. On our capital wall, no cannon could enfilade the lane, except for a 12-pdr gun that I found on the 'St. Martens' bastion. This cannon stood transverse on its foundation but had no orders to fire. Ascertaining that with this cannon I could end the enemy cannonade, Major Baumbach, [2] who arrived by chance at this moment, gave me the order to fire, which I did. My first shot came down right in the middle of the enemy cannon, with the result that they fired only four shots more and then retired with two cannon taking up a new position in their field fortifications. From there, they fired some shots into the flank of our detachment, which all missed. I continued firing on the French, so that they withdrew these cannon, placed on and beside the lane, to a new position, behind the tavern.
Later I heard that if I had not fired this effective cannonade at them, our detachment would have received an additional twenty or more shots, which would have resulted in many dead and wounded. Our corps retreated back into the city, without any further loss, but without having reached their goal. The houses were riddled with cannonballs, and nearly brought
down by them.
The enemy was already during the evening of the previous day informed of our expedition, and that was the reason they greeted us in this way even before our corps had reached the houses.
We shot at their entrenchments the whole day with much success, especially at the location were their battery had withdrawn to, which was completely demolished the same day. The cannonade of the enemy at the Kaberg was also lively during the whole day. In the afternoon, at around five o'clock, an enemy colonel with a trumpeter arrived at the Bossche Gate to see the Governor, sent with a message by Général Miranda. The named colonel was blindfolded and brought to his Highness the Lord Prince Van Hessen by an escort of chasseurs. There he fulfilled his task demanding on behalf of his general and the French Republic the surrender of the city Maastricht, by way of a letter and also verbally. However, our brave prince answered, with his usual bravery, al his questions with no, telling him that before he would surrender the city, entrusted to him by the Stadtholder, he would defend it to the last man, including himself, even when the walls were breached, with his sword in his hand. The answer of this brave hero increased the courage of our brave garrison even more, and everyone was prepared to give up his life for such a brave prince.
Our city had received only three hours respite to come to a decision, after which we had to expect the cannon fire of the enemy. However, only during the night, at about eleven o'clock, the French greeted us with their bombs and howitzers from the Kaberg, with such a heavy fire that after only an hour had passed, the city was on fire in several places. This way of besieging a city had the result that the next morning there was already a huge devastation to be seen. The French continued their intensive bombardment, during the following night and day, resulting in very sad and extensive damage by the bombs. The decent citizens were the victim of this bombardment, but loyal to their sovereign they combined their efforts to extinguish the fires that could occur at any moment in their own houses, the clergy as well as the citizens, not to be discouraged by the hail of bombs and grenades."
Monday, 25 February 1793
"This morning we saw the horrifying devastation caused by the enemy bombs. The barracks at the Linde Kruys as well as several houses were on fire, several other houses were completely destroyed. One heard nothing else than the sad lamenting of the women and children, leaving their houses and taking flight to the 'Fathers and Nuns Gate', were it was somewhat safer. Others awaited their destiny in their cellars, covered with dung and earth. The civic virtue and love for each other in this city is indescribable. Many citizens houses were ruined, but these were assisted by those whose houses were still standing. Our brave Governor, commandant and major were seen in the streets, exposing themselves to great danger in doing so, but
maintaining the courage of the citizens. The magistrate comforted the inhabitants, while some of them had even lost their houses, changed into ruins by the infernal bombardment of the enemy. Soldiers and citizens were one, and assisted each other as much as possible, as one could expect.
Our guns answered the bombardment with an intensive fire, having great effect on their batteries. During the afternoon enemy fire slackened, but in the evening it became so intensive again that the air was at no time without bombs. During this day, over a thousand bombs were thrown into the city, of which however many exploded in the air, while others buried themselves into the ground and did not explode. [3]
During the night it was better than during the day, because when it was dark one could see the bombs and grenades much better, and at least evade them. The cannon fire from our batteries situated in Wijk so much hampered the labour of our enemy, that during the following night they direct the fire of three mortars to that quarter of the town. However, because of the bad aiming of the French gunners the bombardment did not do us much harm. Our artillery by contrast, managed to throw virtually all bombs and grenades in their entrenchments. On this day we also fired with red hot shot from the 'Parma' bastion to the church of [the village] Neer, in order to blow it up, something we nearly accomplished had we not received a counter-order. It was reported to us that the French had a powder magazine there. Later we heard that this was not the case, explaining the order to cease fire."
Tuesday, 26 February 1793
"This night again the French brought about much destruction in our city with their bombs. In several places fires were caused, which however were quickly extinguished by the combined efforts of the citizens and the soldiers. We see miracles of God happen, when complete houses collapse with the occupants still inside, when these occupants come out unharmed.
Outside Wijk, the enemy drove their entrenchments closer to the city, in order to be able to more accurately observe the effect of their bombs. Our cannon fire hampered their labour on this work so much that they had to stop, because our fire from the Wijker
wall, from mortars, howitzers and cannon, was so heavy that their trench was completely riddled.
We were told by country-people, that one of our bombs was a direct hit on an iron mortar mount in a French trench, resulting in twenty-one dead or badly wounded. From the capital wall of Maastricht the firing continued also, day and night. At this section until now only the artillery was able to show their zeal and bravery, serving their cannon for three twenty-four periods on ends, without leaving their batteries. The
infantry was itching to come to grips with the French who were so convinced of the bravery of our Dutch, that they did not dare to act against us. They continued bombarding the city violently from their field fortifications. One heard that the bombs caused much
damage and several dead and wounded. The tranquillity of the citizens is indescribable. They would rather see their whole city changed in ruins, than to see it fall into the hands of the infamous French, recognising as they did the bad behaviour of this gang of thieves. Our cannonade was as always very heavy, but not with so much effect as it had earlier, because the entrenchments of the enemy had become very deep and were more or less completed. I did everything that was possible to deploy more mortars in this sector, and to let them fire at the
enemy, because initially there were only two mortars located at the terreplein [4] of Hoog-Frankrijk, together on a mortars bed.
With one of these I threw a few bombs that were aimed so well that, the second bomb that I threw, aimed at 45 degrees with four pounds of powder, fell right into their trench and did much harm. I continued throwing bombs, and ordered some more mortars to be deployed, which however took some time. The French concentrated their fire on my position now, and over fifty bombs exploded above my head,
causing some of my crew to want to take flight. I opposed them however, pulled my sword, and threatened to stab anyone who dared to leave without my orders. I ordered seven mortars to be deployed, because this kind of fire could do the greatest damage to the enemy."
Wednesday, 27 February 1793
"The bombardment of the enemy lasted during the night until three o'clock, with its usual ferocity. After this hour the fire slackened and finally stopped, so that during the morning no bombs at all were thrown. The same was the case during the afternoon, because all their ammunition was used, the French thinking that the amount they now had used would suffice to capture the city. In this the French were clearly mistaken. At around twelve o'clock a trumpeter again arrived at the Bossche Gate seeking an answer to a letter, which was sent to the magistrate the previous Sunday by the so called 'bataafs comitté'. [5]
The trumpeter was not allowed to enter the city, but was
held under guard at the Bossche Gate. After waiting a while he got his answer, but not the one the French wanted to hear. In the evening they received new ammunition, and during the night resumed their bombardment with all vigour, again causing many fires and accidents. The French cattle [sic!] danced and sang in their trenches: 'a ça ira les aristocrats à la lenterne, a ça ira la guarnison on la pendra'. We continued with our high notes; a
variation on their song."
Thursday, 28 February 1793
"The bombardment from outside the Bossche Gate lasted the whole day, however it became more intensive in the evening. Outside Wijk, the bombardment was resumed around two o'clock in the afternoon and caused much damage. However, most bombs and grenades fell in the river Meuse, because they aimed at the bridge across the river. One heard of extensive damage to the houses, with now and then dead or wounded, because up till this moment over 4,000 bombs were thrown into the city. Thanks to God Almighty many bombs did no harm. We continued shooting at their batteries with bombs, grenades and cannon balls, and tried the best we could to destroy their batteries. During the afternoon, more wagons loaded with ammunition arrived at their entrenchments, 17 of them outside the Bossche Gate alone. In addition, outside Wijk a corps of about 500 men national guards arrived, which we saw marching in the distance outside the Wijker Gate through Neer."
Siege of Maastricht 1793
The Dutch During the Revolutionary Wars
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"In the morning at dawn, we observed that the French had opened their trenches at the Geusselter Broek, were many men were at work. We opened fire on them from the capital wall of the 'Wijk' crownwork and from three bastions.