THE BATTLE OF CLISSOW 263

to prevent succour being conveyed into the town, and two
thousand men had crossed the river and occupied a small
redoubt on the northern side, so that the town was com-
pletely invested. Tbe newly-arrived force was ordered to
march at once with a hundred horse and four field-pieces,
the whole under the command of Major Sion, who was well
acquainted with the country.

“What do you think of this expedition, Captain Car-
stairs?” his lieutenant, John Bowyer, asked him.

“I would rather be back with King Charles,” Charlie
replied. “Of course I don’t know the geography of the
place, but if the Russians keep their eyes at all open I don’t
see how a force like ours with cavalry and guns can hope
to enter the town unnoticed. ‘he addition of the horse-
men seems to me altogether ridiculous, as they could be no
good whatever if they did enter the town. As for those
four field-pieces, they will hamper our march; and as they
say the Russians have already some forty cannon in posi-
tion about the town, those little pieces would be useless.
Four hundred infantry making the attempt at night under
good guidance might manage to slip into the place, but this
procession of ours is, to my mind, tempting destruction,
for we certainly cannot hope to cut our way by force through
the whole Russian army.

“But even if we do get inside the town, our plight can be
no better. ‘The Russians’ cannon are bombarding it night
and day, and more batteries are in course of erection, and
Schlippenbach the governor, who is, I believe, a brother
of the general, has but a few pieces to reply to them. Were
there an army advancing to the relief of the place it would
be different altogether, for our reinforcement might be of
vital importance in repelling assaults until aid arrived. But
there is no hope of aid; the king’s army is some nine hun-
dred miles away, and his hands are full. General Schlip-
penbach has sent as many men as he could spare. They