Page:Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened.djvu/115

Rh 3. The Siege of the City. Having collected his resources early in the spring of 1453, Mohamet enclosed the city with an army of 120,000 men, desolated the environs and confined the inhabitants within the walls. Engines of war and guns of great magnitude were slowly dragged by oxen from Adrianople. One huge piece of artillery is particularly noticed, which had a caliber of twelve spans in diameter, and could carry a stone ball of 600 pounds over a mile. But the imperfect condition of it was indicated by the circumstance that it could be loaded and fired only seven times in one day. It finally bursted with an awful explosion, killing the gunner and others. Including army and navy, the total force brought against the city was 260,000 strong. On the other side was a garrison of only 8,000 soldiers, who had to defend a circuit of thirteen miles, comprising both sea and land.

In the Turkish army sheikhs and fanatics predicted a triumph and repeated the dream of Osman from tent to tent, and the passages from Koran was quoted as expressly promising this conquest: "Know ye a city encompassed on two sides by water and on the third by land; the last hour shall not come before it be taken by 60,000 of the faithful." The Greeks, few in number but brave in spirit, heroically defended their walls and kept the enemy in check for more than fifty anxious days. So powerful was their resistance that Mohamet at one time despaired of success and thought of raising the siege, but overwhelming numbers proved irresistible in the final assault.