A. M. d’Andelot’s regiment of from ten to twelve companies
preparing to advance to the assault.
B. Four guns, belonging to M. Cassimir, leader of the Germans, on a
ridge, firing as a rule into the town.
C. Regiment of Germans preparing to advance to the assault.
D. Breach of about 30 yards.
E. M. du Bordet, at the head of twenty-five or thirty soldiers and
sappers who were to undermine the ravelin, was killed by a shot
from an arquebus.
F. M. des Champs’ regiment also making ready to advance to the assault.
G. A sortie made by the besieged against M. de Pille’s troops.
became necessary for the Huguenots to get possession of this advanced work. One of them, Du Bordet[89] by name, slipped with some pioneers into the ditch and began to sap, but being perceived by the defenders above, was shot down by an arquebus, and his men were unable to resist a sortie with which the arquebusiers followed up this success. On the same day the enemy were foiled in their endeavour to establish themselves near the suburb of S. Brice. But next morning the Huguenots, after a prolonged cannonade, effected a breach, and endeavoured to take by assault the ravelin from which they had been repulsed the night before. They were for a moment successful, but M. de Linières bravely recovered this important position. ‘Incontinent,’ wrote the contemporary historian, Simon de Gives, in his Bref Discours du Siège mis devant la Ville de Chartres,[90] ‘Incontinent, the said seigneur began to pledge the captains who were near him, boldly resolute, with a heart not sad but joyful rather, drooping his head a little, and began to throw down planks to take the place of the bridge which the cannon had broken by force. These captains, wishing to show their generous courage and doing their duty marvellous well, entered the ravelin which the enemy had seized and held. Their own men, to recover it, engaged the Huguenots in a hand-to-hand fight, and being thus mixed together, the enemy were right manfully repulsed, and left many of their number dead within the ditch.’
At the same time the enemy had made an attack upon the ravelin of the Porte S. Michel, and were repulsed there also. But not without loss to the Chartrains. The brave D’Ardelay, colonel of the Gascons, received then a wound in the eye, of which he died some days later. Of his burial in the Cathedral and its sequel we have already spoken above.[91]