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Were both places in their power, the navigation of the river, at least as far as the bridge, would be comparatively secure. A sudden dash was made upon Liefkenshoek. A number of armed vessels sailed up from Zeeland, under command of Justinus de Nassau. They were assisted from Fort Lillo by a detachment headed by Count Hohenlo.
Upon that broken end the commanders of the expedition against Liefkenshoek were ordered to throw up an entrenchment, without loss of a moment, so soon as they should have gained the fortresses which they were ordered first to assault. Sainte Aldegonde had given urgent written directions to this effect.
The one hundred gained entrance into the fort at a point where the defences had not been put into sufficient repair. They were immediately followed by Richebourg, at the head of his regiment. The day was a fatal one. It was the 10th July, 1584 and William of Orange was falling at Delft by the hand of Balthazar Gerard. Liefkenshoek was carried at a blow.
Position and Character of Farnese Preparations for Antwerp Siege Its Characteristics Foresight of William the Silent Sainte Aldegonde, the Burgomaster Anarchy in Antwerp Character of Sainte Aldegonde Admiral Treslong Justinus de Nassau Hohenlo Opposition to the Plan of Orange Liefkenshoek Head Quarters of Parma at Kalloo Difficulty of supplying the City Results of not piercing the Dykes Preliminaries of the Siege Successes of the Spaniards Energy of Farnese with Sword and Pen His Correspondence with the Antwerpers Progress of the Bridge Impoverished Condition of Parma Patriots attempt Bois-le-Duc Their Misconduct Failure of the Enterprise The Scheldt Bridge completed Description of the Structure
Already, after the capture of Liefkenshoek and the death of Orange, the panic among commercial people had been so intense that seventy or eighty merchants, representing the most wealthy mercantile firms in Antwerp, made their escape from the place, as if it had been smitten with pestilence, or were already in the hands of Parma.
They thus gained entire command of all the high ground, which remained in that quarter above the inundation, and was called the Doel. The dyke, on which Liefkenshoek stood, led up the river towards Kalloo, distant less than a league. There were Parma's head-quarters and the famous bridge. But at Fort Saint Mary; where the Flemish head of that bridge rested, the dyke was broken.
The fortifications of Lillo was complete, but those of Liefkenshoek were not finished when Parma ordered the Marquis of Richebourg to carry it by assault. It was taken by surprise, and the eight hundred men who composed its garrison were all killed or drowned. This first blow took place on the very day the Prince of Orange was killed.
In 1583 Dunkirk, Nieuport, Lindhoven, Steenbergen, Zutphen and Sas-van-Gent fell; in the spring of 1584 Ypres and Bruges were already in Spanish hands, and on the very day of William's death the fort of Liefkenshoek on the Scheldt, one of the outlying defences of Antwerp, was taken by assault. In August Dendermonde, in September Ghent, surrendered.
Position of Alexander and his Army La Motte attempts in vain Ostend Patriots gain Liefkenshoek Projects of Gianibelli Alarm on the Bridge The Fire Ships The Explosion Its Results Death of the Viscount of Ghent Perpetual Anxiety of Farnese Impoverished State of the Spaniards Intended Attack of the Kowenstyn Second Attack of the Kowenstyn A Landing effected A sharp Combat The Dyke pierced Rally of the Spaniards Parma comes to the Rescue Fierce Struggle on the Dyke The Spaniards successful Premature Triumph at Antwerp Defeat of the Patriots The Ship War's End Despair of the Citizens
The place was stronger than Liefkenshoek, however, and Teligny thoroughly comprehended the importance of maintaining it for the States. Mondragon dug mines, and Teligny countermined.
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