Haarlem (Netherlands War of Independence)

This city was invested by the Spaniards, 30,000 strong, under Don Francisco de Toledo, December 11, 1572. It was held by a garrison of 4,000, under Ripperda, including a corps of Amazons, led by a widow named Kenau Ha elaer. The batteries opened on the 18th, and on the 21st an a ault was repulsed, the a ailants losing 400, the garrison three or four only. A second a ault, on January 31, 1573, was also repulsed, while a brilliant sortie, on March 25, captured a large and welcome convoy of provisions. On May 28, however, the patriot flotilla of 150 ve els under Martin Brand, on the lake, was defeated by 100 Spanish ships, under Count Bo u. From this point the reduction of the city by famine was inevitable, and the place was surrendered, July 12, 1573. The garrison, reduced to 1,800, was ma acred, with the exception of 600 Germans, and altogether 2,300 persons perished after the capitulation. The Spaniards lost 12,000 men in the course of the siege.