By confident cool valour beaten back!
Six baffling years of sortie, and of sally,
Sudden alarum, stubborn stand, stout rally!
How the besiegers in their bannered host
Banded at first around this bastion'd post,
In sanguine, fierce assault, and shook their spears,
Strong hopes derided, mocked at fancied fears.
The Citadel's defence was all in vain,
They vowed; a year should end the brief campaign;
Yet year to year succeeded slow, and still