Page:Julian Niemcewicz - Notes of my Captivity in Russia.djvu/44

16 century, was broken, and its contents were strewed on the floor of a chapel not less ruined than the other apartments of the house. I picked up a bundle of these newspapers, which contained an account of the death of Augustus II., and the journal of the diet of convocation; and the bombastic speeches stuffed with bad Latin, amused me excessively. I read a part of them at supper whilst we were talking of the strength of our position, the difficulty and almost impossibility that the enemy would have to attack us in it. At two o'clock in the morning, we received an express from General Poninski. General Kosciuszko had caused an order to be sent to him to hasten his march and to join us as soon as possible; but, alas! it was already too late.

On Friday 10th October, at break of day, we were informed that all the enemy's army was advancing towards us in battle array.

Our little army stood in readiness to receive them. As the enemy had cannon of larger calibre than ours, they opened the fire