squadrons, who stood the charge and were immediately broken. Then the English horse fell upon the enemy's infantry, which suffered greatly, while the town of Warbourg was assaulted by the Britannic legion. The French, finding themselves hard pressed on both flanks, as well in front as in rear, retired precipitately, with considerable damage, occasioned chiefly by the British cannon and dragoons, and many were drowned in attempting to ford the Dymel. The battalion of Maxwell, and a brigade under colonel Beckwith, composed of grenadiers and highlanders, distinguished themselves remarkably on this occasion. The enemy left about fifteen hundred men killed or wounded on the field of battle; with some colours, and ten pieces of cannon; and about the same number were made prisoners. Monsieur de Muy lay all night under arms, on the heights of Volk-Missen, from whence he next day retired towards Wolfshagen. On the evening of the battle, the marquis of Granby received orders to pass the river in pursuit of them, with twelve British battalions and ten squadrons, and encamped at Wilda, about four miles from Warbourg, the heights of which were possessed by the enemy's grand army. [See note 4 O, at the end of this Vol.] By this success, prince Ferdinand was enabled to maintain his communication with Westphalia, and keep the enemy at a distance from the heart of Hanover; but to these objects he sacrificed the country of Cassel: for prince Xavier of Saxony, at the head of a detached body, much more numerous than that which was left under general Kielmansegge, advanced towards Cassel, and made himself master of that city; then he reduced Munden, Gottengen, and Eimbeck in the electorate of Hanover. All that prince Ferdinand could do, considering how much he was out-numbered by the French, was to secure posts and passes, with a view to retard their progress, and employ detachments to harass and surprise their advanced parties. In a few days after the action at Warbourg, general Luckner repulsed a French detachment which had advanced as far as Eimbeck, and surprised another at Nordheim. At the same period, colonel Donap, with a body of the allied army, attacked a French corps of two thousand men, posted in the wood of Sababourg, to preserve the communica- | tion between their grand army and their troops on the other side of the Weser; and, notwithstanding the strength of their situation, drove them from their posts, with the loss of five hundred men, either killed or made prisoners; but this advantage was overbalanced by the reduction of Ziegenheim, garrisoned by seven hundred men of the allied army, who, after a vigorous resistance, were obliged to surrender themselves prigoners of war. the Dymel, at the village of Witzen, they were joined by the light troops under major Bulow; and now the disposition was made both for entering the town, and securing a retreat in case of being repulsed. When they were within two miles of Zierenberg, and in sight of the fires of the enemy's grand guard, the grenadiers of Maxwell, the regiment of Kinsley, and the Highlanders, advanced by three separate roads, and marched in profound silence: at length the noise of their feet alarmed the French, who began to fire, when the grenadiers proceeded at a round pace with unloaded firelocks, pushed the piquets, slew the guard at the gate, and rushing into the town, drove everything before them with incredible impetuosity. The attack was so sudden, and the surprise so great, that the French had not time to assemble in any considerable number; but they began to fire from the windows; and in so doing, exasperated the allied troops, who, bursting into the houses, slaughtered them without mercy. Having remained in the place from two to three in the morning, they retreated with about four hundred prisoners, including forty officers, and brought off two pieces of artillery. This nocturnal adventure, in which the British troops displayed equal courage and activity, was achieved with very little loss; but after all, it deserves no other appellation than that of a partisan exploit; for it was attended with no sort of advantage to the allied army. Considering the superiority of the French army, we cannot account for the little progress made by the duke de Broglio, who, according to our conception, might either have given battle to the allies with the utmost probability of success, or penetrated into the heart of Hanover, the conquest of which seemed to be the principal object of the French ministry. Instead of striking an important stroke, he retired from Immenhausen towards Cassel, where he fortified his camp as if he had thought himself in danger of being attacked; and the war was carried on by small detachments. Major Bulow, being sent with a strong party from the camp of the allied army at Buline, surprised the town of Marburg, destroyed the French ovens, and brought off a considerable quantity of stores and baggage, with some prisoners. He met with the same success at Butzback, where he surprised and took two companies belonging to the regiment of Raugrave, and retired with this body to Franckenberg, where he joined colonel Forsen. On the twelfth day of September they made a movement towards Franckenau; and M. de Stainville, who was posted with a body of French troops at Merdenhagen, advanced to check their progress. He came up with their rear in the neighbourhood of Munden, and attacked them in passing the river Orck with such vigour, that Forsen, with some of his cavalry, was taken, and Bulow obliged to abandon some pieces of cannon. The On the fifth day of August, prince Ferdinand, being encamped at Buhne, received intelligence that a considerable body of the enemy, amounting to upwards of twenty thousand men, were in motion to make a gen-action was just determined, when this last was reineral forage in the neighbourhood of Geismar. He passed the Dymel early in the morning, with a body of troops and some artillery, and posted them in such an advantageous manner, as to render the enemy's attempt totally ineffectual, although the foragers were covered with great part of their army. On the same morning, the hereditary prince set out on an expedition to beat up the quarters of a French detachment. Being informed that the volunteers of Clermont and Dauphiné, to the number of one thousand, horse and foot, were cantoned at Zierenberg, at a small distance from the French camp at Dierenberg, and passed their time in the most careless security, he advanced towards them from his camp at Warbourg, within a league of their cantonment, without seeing any of their posts, or meet-eral Luckner gained an advantage over a detachment ing with any of their patrols, a circumstance that encouraged him to beat up their quarters by surprise; for this service he pitched upon five battalions, with a detachment of Highlanders, and eight regiments of dragoons. Leaving their tents standing, they began their march at eight in the evening, and passed the Dymel near Warbourg. About a league on the other side of VOL. II. forced by the hereditary prince of Brunswick, who had made a forced march of five German miles, which had fatigued the troops to such a degree, that he deferred his attack till next morning; but, in the meantime, M. de Stainville retired towards Franckenberg. The Hanoverian general Wangenheim, at the head of four battalions and six squadrons, had driven the enemy from the defiles of Soheite, and encamped at Lawenthagen; but, being attacked by a superior number, he was obliged in his turn to give way, and his retreat was not effected without the loss of two hundred men, and some pieces of artillery. When the enemy retired, general Wangenheim repassed the Weser, and occupied his former situation at Ussar. Meanwhile, genof French cavalry near Norten. Prince Ferdinand, when mareschal Broglio quitted his camp at Immenhausen, made a motion of his troops, and established his head-quarters at Geismer-wells, the residence of the landgrave of Hesse-Cassel; from thence, however, he transferred them, about the latter end of September, to Ovilgune, on the Westphalian side of the Dymel. 40 May: but one of their detachments of cavalry having received a check from a body of Prussians near Lutzen, they fell back; and on the fourth day of June encamped at Litchenfels upon the Maine. The small detachments of the grand armies, as well as those belonging to the bodies commanded by general Sporcken and the count de St. Germain, in the neighbourhood of Dusseldorp, skirmished with various success. The hereditary prince of Brunswick being detached from the allied army, with some battalions of grenadiers, and two regiments of English dragoons, advanced to the country of Fulda, where he was joined by the troops under general Gilsoe, and achieved some inconsiderable exploits, particularly at Hosenfeldt and Zielbach, where he surprised and took divers parties of the enemy. By the twenty-fourth of June, prince Ferdinand, quitting his situation at Fritzlar, marched to Frillendorf, and encamped on the hills between Ziegenheim and Freysa; general Imhoff commanding at a small distanc on the right, and the hereditary prince, now retur from Fulda, being posted on the left of the army the meantime, the duke de Broglio, assembli forces between Merlau and Laubach, advanced stadt, where he encamped on the twenty-eig the month, and at the same time occupied at Wassenburgh. His intention was through the country of Hesse into Har himself entirely master of that elect view he resolved to effect a junctio St. Germain, whom he directed Brilau and Corbach; while he hi Neustadt on the eighth day of way of Frankenburg. Prir ceived intelligence that th in motion, began his ma the ninth day of July in the neighbourhood THE HEREDIT The heredi corps, reinf under maj enhauser The he enemy whol Sevr osi tl st her consider Hanover, and establishing which And lavished away so Many days, however, did not par wi s was not re on the em, and atcamp. Fe the evening, e squadrons, observe Rhynbe attempt cn ied forces could er the necessity rregulars, which ae distance of half e occasioned some the French army. h great expedition. mere they were imme st obliged to give ground; ved all they had lost, and sustained g an unceasing fire of musketry, from e morning till nine at night, when they u the fruits of their perseverance. The hereditary prince, whose horse was killed under him, seeing no prospect of success in prolonging an action which had already cost him a consiedrable number of men, thought proper to give orders for a retreat, which was not effected without confusion, and left the field of battle to the enemy. His loss on this occasion did not fall short of sixteen hundred choice men, killed, wounded, p of this kind, we ap- and taken; and his loss fell chiefly on the troops of without any imputa- Great Britain, who were always found in the foremost Whatever the motives of ranks of danger. All the officers, both of infantry and at have been, he certainly dragoons, distinguished themselves remarkably, and the allies in the month of many were dangerously wounded. Among these, the Westphalia, with twenty nation regretted the loss of lord Downe, whose wounds quadrons, appeared on the proved mortal: he was a young nobleman of spirit, who by Schermbeck and Dussel- had lately embraced a military life, though he was not -ninth day of the month he regularly trained in the service. chment over the river at Rocroot, Next day, which was the sixteenth of October, the Beck, and scoured the country. Next was posted in a wood before Elverick, and extended part of the French partisan Fischer's enemy attacked an advanced body of the allies, which es crossing at Rees and Emmerick, along the Rhine. The firing of cannon and musketry of some redoubts which the French had was maintained till night. Meanwhile, a column of the the bank of the river; and here they French infantry, commanded by M. de Cabot, marched umber of boats sufficient to transport the rest through Walach, and took post among the thickets, at Then the prince advanced to Cleves; the distance of a quarter of a league, in the front of the approach the French garrison, consisting of prince's army. By this time the Rhine was so much Adred men, under the command of M. de Barral, swelled by the rains and the banks of it were overflown A defend; for on the third day of October they move lower down, the bridge which had been thrown d into the castle, which, however, they did not in such a manner, that it was necessary to repair, and sted, and surrendered themselves prisoners of over that river. This work was accordingly performed war, after having in vain endeavoured to obtain more in the presence of the enemy; and the prince pass. ing without molestation, proceeded to Bruyinen, where favourable conditions. important object was Wesel, which the he fixed his head-quarters. His passing the Rhine so A more prince invested, and began to besiege in form. The easily, under the eye of a victorious army so much approaches were made on the right of the Rhine, superior to him in number, may be counted among the while the prince in person remained on the left to cover the siege; and kept his communication open with the other side, by a bridge above, and another below the place. He had hoped to carry it by a vigorous exertion, without the formality of a regular siege; but he met with a warmer reception than he expected; and his operations were retarded by heavy rains, which, by swelling the river, endangered his bridges, and laid his trenches under water. The difficulties and delays occasioned by this circumstance entirely frustrated his design. The French, being made acquainted with his motions, were not slow in taking measures to antioipate his success. M. de Castries was detached after him with thirty battalions, and thirty-eight squadrons; and, by forced marches, arrived on the fourteenth day of October at Rhynberg, where the prince's light troops were posted. These he attacked immediately, and compelled to abandon the post, notwithstanding all the efforts of the prince, who commanded in person, and appeared in the warmest parts of this short but sangui fortunate incidents of his life. Such was the issue of an expedition which exposed the projector of it to the imputation of temerity. Whatever his aim might have been, besides the reduction of Wesel, with the strength of which he did not seem to have been very well acquainted, he certainly miscarried in his design; and his miscarriage was attended with a very considerable loss of troops, occasioned not only by the action, but also by the diseases engendered from the wet weather, the fatigue of long marches, and the want of proper conveniences; not to mention the enormous expense in contingencies incurred by this fruitless undertaking. In the month of November, while he lay encamped in the neighbourhood of Schermbeck, a body of the enemy attempted to beat up his quarters; having received intimation of their design, he immediately called in his advanced posts, and made a disposition for giving them a proper reception. He abandoned the tents that were in the front of the camp, and posted his infantry in ambuscade behind those that were in the rear; at the same the allied army had not been weakened for the sake of a rash, ill-concerted, and unsuccessful expedition to the Lower Rhine, in all probability the French would have been obliged to abandon the footing they had gained in the course of this campaign; and, in particular, to retreat from Gottengen, which they now maintained and fortified with great diligence and circumspection. e heart ptember, that of the allies, com a them near the abbey CHAPTER XX. Exploit of the Swedes in Pomerania--Skirmishes between the Prussians and Austrians in Saxony-Position of the Armies in Saxony and Silesia-General Laudohn defeats General Fouquet, and reduces Glatz--and then undertakes the Siege of Breslau, which is relieved by Prince Henry of Prus sia-The King of Prussia makes an unsuccessful Attempt upon Dresden He marches into Silesia--Defeats General Laudohn, and raises the Blockade of Schweidnitz-Action between General Hulsen and the Imrial Army in Saxony- Dangerous Situation of the Prussian Monarch The Russians and Austrians make an Irruption into Brandenburgh, and ss themselves of Berlin-The King of Prussia defeats the Austrians orgau--Both Armies go into Quarters of Cantonment-The Diets of oland and Sweden assembled-Intimation given by the King of Prussia to the States of Westphalia-King of Poland's Remonstrance--Reduc tion of Pondicherry--Part of the British Squadron wrecked in a Storm --Death of King George II-His Character--Recapitulation of the principal Events of his Reign-His Death universally lamented-Account of the Commerce of Great Britain--State of Religion and Philosophy Fanaticism--Metaphysics and Medicine--Mechanics-GeniusMusic Painting, and Sculpture. THE king of Prussia, after all his labours, notwith and obstinate engagement, EXPLOIT OF THE SWEDES IN POMERANIA. u driven to Bulemont, with the n, baggage, and a good number of into the hands of the victors. After this standing the great talents he had displayed, and de Stainville advanced to Halberstadt, and the incredible efforts he had made, still found himself aded of that capital a contribution of one million surrounded by his enemies, and in danger of being ve hundred thousand livres; but the citizens had been crushed by their closing and contracting their circle. so drained by former exactions, that they could not raise Even the Swedes, who had languished so long, seemed above thirty thousand: for the remainder the French to be roused to exertion in Pomerania, during the severpartisan took hostages, with whom he returned to theity of the winter season. The Prussian general Mangrand army encamped at Cassel, from whence they in a little time fell back as far as Gottengen. teuffel had, on the twentieth day of January, passed the river Peene, overthrown the advanced posts of the enemy at Ziethen, and penetrated as far as the neighbour. THE ALLIES AND FRENCH GO INTO WINTER | hood of Griessewalde; but finding the Swedes on their QUARTERS. guard, he returned to Anclam, where his head-quarters were established. This insult was soon retaliated with interest. On the twenty-eighth day of the month, at five in the morning, a body of Swedes attacked the Prussian troops posted in the suburbs of Anclam, on the other side of the Peene, and drove them into the city, which they entered pell-mell. General Manteuffel, being alarmed, endeavoured to rally the troops; but was wounded and taken, with about two hundred men, and three pieces of cannon. The victors, having achieved this exploit, returned to their own quarters. As for the Russian army, which had wintered on the other side of the Vistula, the season was pretty far advanced before it could take the field; though general Tottleben was detached from it, about the beginning of June, at the head of ten thousand cossacks, and other light troops, with which he made an irruption into Pomerania, and established his head-quarters at Belgarden. SKIRMISHES BETWEEN THE PRUSSIANS AND As the enemy retreated, prince Ferdinand advanced as far as Hurste, where he established his head-quarters about the latter end of November. While he remained in this position, divers skirmishes happened in the neighbourhood of Gottengen. Major-general Briedenbach, at the head of two regiments of Hanoverian and Brunswick guards, with a detachment of cavalry, attacked, on the twenty-ninth day of November, the French post at Heydemunden, upon the river Worrau. This he carried, and took possession of the town, which the enemy hastily abandoned. Part of their detachment crossed the river in boats; the rest threw themselves into an intrenchment that covered the passage, which the allies endeavoured to force in several unsuccessful attempts, galled as they were by the fire of the enemy's redoubts on the other side of the river. At length M. Briedenbach was obliged to desist, and fall back into the town; from whence he retired at midnight, after having sustained considerable damags. Prince Ferdinand had it very much at heart to drive the French from Gottengen, and accordingly invested that city; but the French garrison, which was numer- | ous and well provided, made such a vigorous defence, as baffled all the endeavours of the allies, who were moreover impeded by the rainy weather, which, added to other considerations, prevented them from undertaking the siege in form. Nevertheless, they kept the place blocked up from the twenty-second day of Novem-ake him quit that advantageous situation, by cutting ber to the twelfth of the following month, when the garrison, in a desperate sally, took one of their principal posts, and compelled them to raise the blockade. About the middle of December, prince Ferdinand retired into winter-quarters; he himself residing at Uslar, and the English troops being cantoned in the bishopric of Paderborn. Thus the enemy were left in possession of Hesse, and the whole country to the eastward of the Weser, to the frontiers of the electorate of Hanover. If At the beginning of the campaign, the king of Prussia's chief aim was to take measures for the preservation of Silesia, the conquest of which seemed to be the principal object with the court of Vienna. While the Austrian army, under mareschal count Daun, lay strongly intrenched in the neighbourhood of Dresden, the king of Prussia had endeavoured, in the month of December, to off his provisions, and making an irruption into Bohemia. For these purposes he had taken possession of Dippeswalde, Maxen, and Pretchendorff, as if he intended to enter Bohemia by the way of Passberg: but this scheme being found impracticable, he returned to his camp at Fribourg, and in January the Prussian and Austrian armies were cantoned so near each other, that daily skirmishes were fought with various success. The head of the Prussian can was formed by a body of four THE HEREDITARY PRINCE MARCHES TO nary affair. The enemy leaving five battalions, with some squadrons, at Rhynberg, marched by the left, and encamped behind the convent of Campen. The prince, having received intimation that M. de Castries was not yet joined by some reinforcements that were on the march, determined to be beforehand with them, and attempt that very night to surprise him in his camp. For this purpose he began his march at ten in the evening, after having left four battalions, and five squadrons, under general Beck, with instructions to observe Rhynberg, and attack that post, in case the attempt on Campen should succeed. Before the allied forces could reach the enemy's eamp, they were under the necessity of overpowering Fischer's corps of irregulars, which occupied the convent of Campen, at the distance of half a league in their front. This service occasioned some Such was the position of the two opposite grand armies, when the world was surprised by an expedition to the Lower Rhine, made by the hereditary prince of Brunswick. Whether this excursion was intended to hinder the French from reinforcing their army in Westphalia-or to co-operate in the Low Countries with the armament now ready equipped in the ports of England; or to gratify the ambition of a young prince, overboiling with courage and glowing with the desire of conquest-we cannot explain to the satisfaction of the reader; certain it is, that the Austrian Netherlands were at this juncture entirely destitute of troops, except the French garrisons of Ostend and Nieuport, which were weak and inconsiderable. Had ten thou-firing, the noise of which alarmed the French army. sand English troops been landed on the coast of Blank- Their commander formed them with great expedition, enburg, they might have taken possession of Bruges, and posted them in the wood, where they were immeGhent, Brussels, and Antwerp, without resistance, and diately attacked, and at first obliged to give ground; joined the hereditary prince in the heart of the coun- but they soon retrieved all they had lost, and sustained try; in that case he would have found himself at the without flinching an unceasing fire of musketry, from head of thirty thousand men, and might have made five in the morning till nine at night, when they such a diversion in favour of Hanover, as to transfer reaped the fruits of their perseverance. The hereditary the seat of war from Westphalia into Flanders. The prince, whose horse was killed under him, seeing no empress-queen might, indeed, have complained of this prospect of success in prolonging an action which invasion, as the formality of declaring war against her had already cost him a consiedrable number of men, had not been observed by Great Britain; but consider- thought proper to give orders for a retreat, which was ing that she was the declared enemy of Hanover, and not effected without confusion, and left the field of bat had violated the barrier-treaty, in establishing which tle to the enemy. His loss on this occasion did not fall the kingdom of Great Britain had lavished away so short of sixteen hundred choice men, killed, wounded, much blood and treasure, a step of this kind, we ap- and taken; and his loss fell chiefly on the troops of prehend, might have been taken, without any imputa- | Great Britain, who were always found in the foremost tion of perfidy or injustice. Whatever the motives of ranks of danger. All the officers, both of infantry and the prince's expedition might have been, he certainly dragoons, distinguished themselves remarkably, and quitted the grand army of the allies in the month of many were dangerously wounded. Among these, the September; and traversing Westphalia, with twenty nation regretted the loss of lord Downe, whose wounds battalions, and as many squadrons, appeared on the proved mortal: he was a young nobleman of spirit, who Lower Rhine, marching by Schermbeck and Dussel- had lately embraced a military life, though he was not dorp. On the twenty-ninth day of the month he regularly trained in the service. sent a large detachment over the river at Rocroot, which surprised part of the French partisan Fischer's corps at Rhynberg, and scoured the country. Next day, other parties, crossing at Rees and Emmerick, took possession of some redoubts which the French had raised along the bank of the river; and here they found a number of boats sufficient to transport the rest of the forces. Then the prince advanced to Cleves; and at his approach the French garrison, consisting of five hundred men, under the command of M. de Barral, retired into the castle, which, however, they did not long defend; for on the third day of October they capitulated, and surrendered themselves prisoners of war, after having in vain endeavoured to obtain more favourable conditions. A more important object was Wesel, which the prince invested, and began to besiege in form. The approaches were made on the right of the Rhine, while the prince in person remained on the left to cover the siege; and kept his communication open with the other side, by a bridge above, and another below the place. He had hoped to carry it by a vigorous exertion, without the formality of a regular siege; but he met with a warmer reception than he expected; and his operations were retarded by heavy rains, which, by swelling the river, endangered his bridges, and laid his trenches under water. The difficulties and delays occasioned by this circumstance entirely frustrated his design. The French, being made acquainted with his motions, were not slow in taking measures to anticipate his success. M. de Castries was detached after him with thirty battalions, and thirty-eight squadrons; and, by forced marches, arrived on the fourteenth day of October at Rhynberg, where the prince's light troops were posted. These he attacked immediately, and compelled to abandon the post, notwithstanding all the efforts of the prince, who commanded in person, and appeared in the warmest parts of this short but sangui Next day, which was the sixteenth of October, the enemy attacked an advanced body of the allies, which was posted in a wood before Elverick, and extended along the Rhine. The firing of cannon and musketry was maintained till night. Meanwhile, a column of the French infantry, commanded by M. de Cabot, marched through Walach, and took post among the thickets, at the distance of a quarter of a league, in the front of the prince's army. By this time the Rhine was so much swelled by the rains and the banks of it were overflown in such a manner, that it was necessary to repair, and move lower down, the bridge which had been thrown over that river. This work was accordingly performed in the presence of the enemy; and the prince pass ing without molestation, proceeded to Bruymen, where he fixed his head-quarters. His passing the Rhine so easily, under the eye of a victorious army so much superior to him in number, may be counted among the fortunate incidents of his life. Such was the issue of an expedition which exposed the projector of it to the imputation of temerity. Whatever his aim might have been, besides the reduction of Wesel, with the strength of which he did not seem to have been very well ac quainted, he certainly miscarried in his design; and his miscarriage was attended with a very considerable loss of troops, occasioned not only by the action, but also by the diseases engendered from the wet weather, the fatigue of long marches, and the want of proper conveniences; not to mention the enormous expense contingencies incurred by this fruitless undertaking. In the month of November, while he lay encamped in the neighbourhood of Schermbeck, a body of the ene my attempted to beat up his quarters; having received intimation of their design, he immediately called in his advanced posts, and made a disposition for giving them a proper reception. He abandoned the tents that were in the front of the camp, and posted his infantry in ambuscade behind those that were in the rear; at the same time he ordered some regiments of horse and hussars to fetch a compass, and fall upon the back of the enemy. This stratagem succeeded to his wish. The French detachment, believing the allies had actually abandoned their camp, began to pillage the tents in the utmost disorder: then the infantry sallied from the place where they were concealed, and fell upon them with great impetuosity: the artillery opened, and the cavalry charged them in flank. In a word, of twelve hundred who marched from Wesel on this expedition, scarcely two hundred escaped. ADVANTAGES GAINED BY M. DE STAINVILLE. the allied army had not been weakened for the sake of a rash, ill-concerted, and unsuccessful expedition to the Lower Rhine, in all probability the French would have been obliged to abandon the footing they had gained in the course of this campaign; and, in particular, to retreat from Gottengen, which they now maintained and fortified with great diligence and circumspection. CHAPTER XX. Exploit of the Swedes in Pomerania--Skirmishes between the Prussians and Austrians in Saxony-Position of the Armies in Saxony and Silesia General Laudohn defeats General Fouquet, and reduces Glatz--and then undertakes the Siege of Breslau, which is relieved by Prince Henry of Prussia--The King of Prussia makes an unsuccessful Attempt upon Dresden He marches into Silesia--Defeats General Laudohn, and raises the Blockade of Schweidnitz-Action between General Hulsen and the Imperial Army in Saxony-Dangerous Situation of the Prussian Monarch --The Russians and Austrians make an Irruption into Brandenburgh, and possess themselves of Berlin-The King of Prussia defeats the Austrians at Torgau--Both Armies go into Quarters of Cantonment-The Diets of Poland and Sweden assembled-Intimation given by the King of Prussia to the States of Westphalia-King of Poland's Remonstrance-Reduction of Pondicherry--Part of the British Squadron wrecked in a Storm --Death of King George II. -His Character--Recapitulation of the principal Events of his Reign-His Death universally lamented-Account of the Commerce of Great Britain--State of Religion and Philosophy Fanaticism--Metaphysics and Medicine--Mechanics-Genius Music Painting, and Sculpture. The duke de Broglio endeavoured, by sundry means, to take advantage of the allied army on the other side of the Weser, thus weakened by the absence of the troops under the hereditary prince; but he found prince Ferdinand too vigilant to be surprised, and too strongly situated to be attacked with any prospect of success. He therefore contented himself with ravaging the country by detachments: he sent M. de Stainville, with a considerable body of forces, to penetrate into the heart of Hanover; and on the fifteenth day of September, that officer, falling in with a detachment of the allies, commanded by major Bulow, attacked them near the abbey of Schaken. After a warm and obstinate engagement, EXPLOIT OF THE SWEDES IN POMERANIA. they were defeated, and driven to Bulemont, with the loss of their cannon, baggage, and a good number of men, who fell into the hands of the victors. After this THE king of Prussia, after all his labours, notwith exploit, M. de Stainville advanced to Halberstadt, and demanded of that capital a contribution of one million five hundred thousand livres; but the citizens had been so drained by former exactions, that they could not raise above thirty thousand: for the remainder the French partisan took hostages, with whom he returned to the grand army encamped at Cassel, from whence they in a little time fell back as far as Gottengen. standing the great talents he had displayed, and the incredible efforts he had made, still found himself surrounded by his enemies, and in danger of being crushed by their closing and contracting their circle. Even the Swedes, who had languished so long, seemed to be roused to exertion in Pomerania, during the severity of the winter season. The Prussian general Manteuffel had, on the twentieth day of January, passed the river Peene, overthrown the advanced posts of the enemy at Ziethen, and penetrated as far as the neighbour. THE ALLIES AND FRENCH GO INTO WINTER hood of Griessewalde; but finding the Swedes on their QUARTERS. guard, he returned to Anclam, where his head-quarters were established. This insult was soon retaliated with As the enemy retreated, prince Ferdinand advanced interest. On the twenty-eighth day of the month, at as far as Hurste, where he established his head-quarters five in the morning, a body of Swedes attacked the about the latter end of November. While he remained Prussian troops posted in the suburbs of Anclam, on the in this position, divers skirmishes happened in the other side of the Peene, and drove them into the city, neighbourhood of Gottengen. Major-general Brieden- which they entered pell-mell. General Manteuffel, bebach, at the head of two regiments of Hanoverian and ing alarmed, endeavoured to rally the troops; but was Brunswick guards, with a detachment of cavalry, at- wounded and taken, with about two hundred men, and tacked, on the twenty-ninth day of November, the three pieces of cannon. The victors, having achieved French post at Heydemunden, upon the river Worrau. this exploit, returned to their own quarters. As for the This he carried, and took possession of the town, which Russian army, which had wintered on the other side of the enemy hastily abandoned. Part of their detach- the Vistula, the season was pretty far advanced before ment crossed the river in boats; the rest threw them- it could take the field; though general Tottleben was selves into an intrenchment that covered the passage, detached from it, about the beginning of June, at the which the allies endeavoured to force in several unsuc- head of ten thousand cossacks, and other light troops, cessful attempts, galled as they were by the fire of the with which he made an irruption into Pomerania, and enemy's redoubts on the other side of the river. At established his head-quarters at Belgarden. length M. Briedenbach was obliged to desist, and fall back into the town; from whence he retired at midnight, after having sustained considerable damags. Prince Ferdinand had it very much at heart to drive the French from Gottengen, and accordingly invested At the beginning of the campaign, the king of Prussia's that city; but the French garrison, which was numer- chief aim was to take measures for the preservation of ous and well provided, made such a vigorous defence, Silesia, the conquest of which seemed to be the principal as baffled all the endeavours of the allies, who were object with the court of Vienna. While the Austrian moreover impeded by the rainy weather, which, added army, under mareschal count Daun, lay strongly into other considerations, prevented them from under- trenched in the neighbourhood of Dresden, the king of taking the siege in form. Nevertheless, they kept the Prussia had endeavoured, in the month of December, to place blocked up from the twenty-second day of Novem-ake him quit that advantageous situation, by cutting ber to the twelfth of the following month, when the garrison, in a desperate sally, took one of their principal posts, and compelled them to raise the blockade. About the middle of December, prince Ferdinand retired into winter-quarters; he himself residing at Uslar, and the English troops being cantoned in the bishopric of Paderborn. Thus the enemy were left in possession of Hesse, and the whole country to the eastward of the Weser, to the frontiers of the electorate of Hanover. If SKIRMISHES BETWEEN THE PRUSSIANS AND off his provisions, and making an irruption into Bohemia. For these purposes he had taken possession of Dippeswalde, Maxen, and Pretchendorff, as if he intended to enter Bohemia by the way of Passberg: but this scheme being found impracticable, he returned to his camp at Fribourg, and in January the Prussian and Austrian armies were cantoned so near each other, that daily skirmishes were fought with various success. The head of the Prussian car was formed by a body of four |