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Water Line - 1625

In 1625 the Spanish Army, commanded by the Marquis de Spinola, then the first General in the World, attacked the prince of Orange, and besiged the city of Breda. The citadel of Breda, which formed the residence of the princes of Orange, was surrounded by a ditch of prodigious depth filled with water, and a strong wall defended by three great bastions; and the arsenal was celebrated for its extent. Justin de Nassau resolved to try the effect of water. With this view, he stopped up the course of the river Marck; and having formed a large basin of water, opened the sluices, swept away men, horses, ard houses, in an inundation, and overflowed the whole country. The chief force of the torrent fell upon Spinola's quarters, and he exerted his utmost ability to remove the consequences. He dug large pits, and cut out ditches and canals to receive the water ; but these being filled, and the whole ground covered over, so as to appear one unisoim mass of water, served only to entrap his cavalry. The inundation was augmented by the rains which happened to fall; a mortality among the soldiers and horses ensued.

The Spanish general caused himself to be carried about the works in a litter; he inspected and directed eveiy thing; and displayed the activity of full health at the time his life was in imminent danger from an acute malady. He ordered several breaches in the lines to be repaired. These the Hollanders had made by sap, with a view of introducing succours to the besieged. He drove piles into all the ditches and canals through which their boats could pass. He made drains, to clear off the waters of the river Marck; and succeeded in a great measure by dint of perseverance, vigilance, and conduct.

Henry, finding no prospect of being able to relieve the garrison, sent a permission to the governor to surrender on the best conditions he could obtain. This plan, which was signed with no name, fell into the hands of the besiegers, and Spinola sent it open, by a trumpet, to Justin de Nassau, offering him an honourable capitulation ; but that intrepid governor, suspecting the letter was forged, because 't was anonymous, replied civilly, that a permission was not an. order to surrender; and that he should better follow the prince of Orange's intention, and show his respect for Spinola, by continuing to defend the city to the last extremity.

At last the marquis, determined to pursue the dictates of his noble generosity, and sent such terms as could not be refused. They were accepted, and the garrison marched out on the 6th of June, after having sustained a siege for ten months, whereby they were diminished twothirds ; nor was the loss inferior on the part of the inhabitants. Spinola drew up his army to salute them.