Life and diary of Lieut. Col. J. Blackader

CHAP. VI. WAR IN FLANDERS. 137
among which were Mackay's, and other Scots regi-
ments, were ordered to make four different attacks at
once, with a view of taking the castle by one general
storm. But this design, though the men, as usual,
seemed to out-rival each other in rashness and impe-
tuosity, had only a partial success, owing to a mis-
take of the signals, and a miscalculation in timing the
assault. The carnage within the citadel had become
so great, that the defendants solicited a truce of one
day, for the burial of their dead, which was granted.
At the same time, they offered to surrender Fort Co-
horn, and requested that the truce might be prolonged
for ten days ; neither of which the besiegers were dis-
posed to listen to. The garrison, finding no alterna-
tive between a total surrender and the hazard of
another general assault, which they were less able to
withstand, as the walls were broken down in some
places to the extent of an English mile, proposed to
capitulate, which they did on honourable terms ; and
on the 4th of September, the castle was evacuated ;
the whole siege having lasted nearly two months.
This sanguinary contest cost the French nearly 10,000
lives, and the allies many more ; although William
gained by the recovery of Namur, more honour than
he had lost during the three preceding campaigns. *
The following year produced nothing memorable,
being entirely spent in feints and bravadoes, so ambi-
guous, that it was difficult to know whether they
were intended to challenge or avoid an engagement.
In 1697, the allies lost the town of Aeth : But France
was now so much embarrassed and reduced, that she
* London Gazette, Ralph, Mem. de Berwick.
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