The energy of Schmettan arrested the retreat of Wallis, and revived the desponding hopes of the garrison of Belgrade.  Bastion after bastion was recovered.  The Turks were driven back from the advance posts they had occupied.  A new spirit animated the whole Austrian army, and from the depths of despair they were rising to sanguine hopes of victory, when the stunning news arrived that the emperor had sent an envoy to the Turkish camp, and had obtained peace by the surrender of Belgrade.  Count Neuperg having received full powers from the emperor to treat, very imprudently entered the camp of the barbaric Turk, without requiring any hostages for his safety.  The barbarians, regardless of the flag of truce, and of all the rules of civilized warfare, arrested Count Neuperg, and put him under guard.  He was then conducted into the presence of the grand vizier, who was arrayed in state, surrounded by his bashaws.  The grand vizier haughtily demanded the terms Neuperg was authorized to offer.

“The emperor, my master,” said Neuperg, “has intrusted me with full powers to negotiate a peace, and is willing, for the sake of peace, to cede the province of Wallachia to Turkey provided the fortress of Orsova be dismantled.”

The grand vizier rose, came forward, and deliberately spit in the face of the Count Neuperg, and exclaimed,

“Infidel dog! thou provest thyself a spy, with all thy powers.  Since thou hast brought no letter from the Vizier Wallis, and hast concealed his offer to surrender Belgrade, thou shalt be sent to Constantinople to receive the punishment thou deservest.”

Count Neuperg, after this insult, was conducted into close confinement.  The French ambassador, Villeneuve, now arrived.  He had adopted the precaution of obtaining hostages before intrusting himself in the hands of the Turks.  The grand vizier would not listen to any terms of accommodation but upon the basis of the surrender of Belgrade.  The Turks carried their point in every thing.  The emperor surrendered Belgrade, relinquished to them Orsova, agreed to demolish all the fortresses of his own province of Media, and ceded to Turkey Servia and various other contiguous districts.  It was a humiliating treaty for Austria.  Already despoiled in Italy and on the Rhine, the emperor was now compelled to abandon to the Turks extensive territories and important fortresses upon the lower Danube.

General Schmettan, totally unconscious of these proceedings, was conducting the defense of Belgrade with great vigor and with great success, when he was astounded by the arrival of a courier in his camp, presenting to him the following laconic note from Count Neuperg: 

“Peace was signed this morning between the emperor, our master, and the Porte.  Let hostilities cease, therefore, on the receipt of this.  In half an hour I shall follow, and announce the particulars myself.”

General Schmettan could hardly repress his indignation, and, when Count Neuperg arrived, intreated that the surrender of Belgrade might be postponed until the terms had been sent to the emperor for his ratification.  But Neuperg would listen to no such suggestions, and, indignant that any obstacle should be thrown in the way of the fulfillment of the treaty, menacingly said,