The Fortnightly Review Volume 13 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1870 Excerpt: ...assembled by Mr. Garashanin, the Prime Minister, and they all proceeded in a body to the fortress. Ere they arrived, however, a fire of shot and shell was opened from the fortress upon the city, and the Turkish messengers were killed by the exasperated people. The scene that followed may be imagined. A general" stampede" of women and children ensued, some by boats crossing to Senilin, others retreating to the village of Toptchid re about a mile off, and still more hiding themselves in the cellars. The people of the city began to throw up barricades, and kept up a galling fire on the gunners. A sortie from the garrison was bravely repulsed, the Turkish colonel being killed. It so happened that the Prince was absent at Schabatz, but the Princess was at home, and a witness of the outrage. He arrived, however, before the bombardment had ceased. At the instance of the Austrian consul, who wished to remove some Austrians, and after five or six hours of intermittent bombardment, the Pasha consented to a truce of six hours. Again did the consuls exert themselves to put an end to this monstrous conflict; the French consul-general, it is said, gave himself up as a hostage to the Turks, making himself responsible for the Servians, while Mr. Longworth, on behalf of the Turks, became a hostage to the Servians. A tent was pitched for the Frenchman on the glacis of the fortress, and another in front of the Servian redoubts. It is said that M. Tastu, on his part, with difficulty restrained the Pasha from opening fire at midnight, with the idea that the Servians were about to make a night attack. Meantime, peasants to the number of 20,000 marched into Belgrade, a motley crowd of admirable material for street fighting, but armed with firelocks of every possibl...