Volume 2

Wonderful characters : comprising memoirs and anecdotes of the most remarkable persons of every age and nation. / collected from the most authentic sources by Henry Wilson.

  • Wilson, H. (Henry), 1864-1934.
Date:
1821
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Wonderful characters : comprising memoirs and anecdotes of the most remarkable persons of every age and nation. / collected from the most authentic sources by Henry Wilson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    This success astonished the English; they appeared like men disconcerted and infatuated; the common sol- diers.began to believe all the stories propagated by the French, concerning the supernatural power of Joan ; while their officers were struck with the masterly man- ner in which every thing was disposed and executed on the side of the besieged. The latter had now even the boldness to think of investing the works of the besiegers. Accordingly, a body of volunteers, more hardy than wise, agreed to sally ou^ of the city, the same day the convoy entered, and attacked the tower of St. Loupe, on the side of the Beausse. Joan, fatigued with the service of the morning, had retired to rest; but when she awoke she received the dis- agreeable news that the volunteers had been repulsed, and were then making a precipitate retreat back into the city. Alarmed at this defeat, she instantly sallied out to stop their shameful flight, while the Count de Dunois posted himself at the head of another party, to cut off all communication between the fort that had been at- tacked, and Lord Talbot's quarters. Joan no sooner appeared than the fugitives recovered their strength, their spirits, and their courage. The fortune of the day was changed; the English were driven back to their tower, which Joan, with her party, entered almost at the same time. Scarcely a man of them escaped being put to the sword, and the tower was immediately razed to the foundation, while Lord Talbot was obliged to remain an idle spectator. This amazing success roused Joan's enthusiastic par- tisans to the highest point of fury.. Nothing was now considered as impossible. She even urged the generals to attack, the main body of the English in their.intrench- ments; hut Dunois, unwilling to hazard the fate of France by too great temerity, and sensible that the least reverse of fortune would be sufficient to dispel all the mists of enthusiasm, and restore every thing to its iormer