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Updated: June 26, 2025
On the 3rd of September Verdugo, with the whole force at his disposal, amounting to four thousand foot and eighteen hundred horse, was at the village of Emblichen, within a league of the besieged city. That night a peasant was captured with letters from Verdugo to the Governor of Coeworden, giving information that he intended to make an assault on the besiegers on the night of 6th-7th September.
On the night of the 6th of May, he broke up his camp and stole away in the darkness, without sound of drum or trumpet, leaving all his fortifications and burning all his huts. Thus had Maurice, after showing the world how strong places were to be reduced, given a striking exhibition of the manner in which they were to be saved. Coeworden, after thirty-one weeks' investment, was relieved.
Early in the following spring, Verdugo again appeared before Coeworden in force. It was obvious that the great city of Groningen, the mistress of all the north-eastern provinces, would soon be attacked, and Coeworden was the necessary base of any operations against the place.
Verdugo and Frederic van den Berg picked up a few cities, and strong places which had thrown off their allegiance September, to the king Auerzyl, Schlochteren, Winschoten, Wedde, Ootmarzum and invested the much more important town of Coeworden, which Maurice had so recently reduced to the authority of the Union.
Should that place fall and the city was known to be most inadequately garrisoned and supplied it would be easy for the foe to reduce Coeworden, and so seize the famous pass over the Bourtanger Morass, march straight to Embden then in a state of municipal revolution on account of the chronic feuds between its counts and the population, and therefore an easy prey after which all Friesland and Groningen would be at his mercy, and his road open to Holland and Utrecht; in short, into the very bowels of the republic.
Fortunately for the States, William Lewis had in the preceding autumn occupied and fortified the only avenue through the Bourtange morass, so that when Verdugo sat down before Coeworden, it was possible for Maurice, by moving rapidly, to take the royal governor at a disadvantage.
Early in the following spring, Verdugo again appeared before Coeworden in force. It was obvious that the great city of Groningen, the mistress of all the north-eastern provinces, would soon be attacked, and Coeworden was the necessary base of any operations against the place.
Fortunately for the States, William Lewis had in the preceding autumn occupied and fortified the only avenue through the Bourtange morass, so that when Verdugo sat down before Coeworden, it was possible for Maurice, by moving rapidly, to take the royal governor at a disadvantage.
Verdugo and Frederic van den Berg picked up a few cities, and strong places which had thrown off their allegiance September, to the king Auerzyl, Schlochteren, Winschoten, Wedde, Ootmarzum and invested the much more important town of Coeworden, which Maurice had so recently reduced to the authority of the Union.
Having thoroughly entrenched his camp before Coeworden and begun the regular approaches, Maurice left his cousin Lewis William to superintend the siege operations for the moment, and advanced towards Ootmarsum, a frontier town which might give him trouble if in the hands of a relieving force.
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