MEMOIRS of the LIFE of PRINCE EUGENE, of SAVOY; WRITTEN by

HIMSELF.

T

E prince having entered in 1633, at the age of 20, into the service of the emperor Leopold I. commenced his military career at the celebrated siege of Vienna. Before the expiration of that year he was appointed colonel of a regiment of dragoons; at twenty-one he was promoted to the rank of major general; at twenty-five to that of licutemant-general; and, before he had been ten years in the service, he became a field-marshal. For this rapid advancement he was indebted only to his extraordinary talents and success.

Passing over his early campaigns against the Turks, and against the French in Italy, where he was opposed to the celebrated Catinat, we shall commence with the events of the year 1697; when he was at the head of the imperial army, acting against the former power.

1697.-The Turks are never in a hurry. The grand signor, Kara Mustapha, himself did me the honor to arrive at Sophia with his army in the month of July. 1 collected mine at Veris Marton; I called in Vaudemont and Rabutin, as it appeared to me to be the grand signor's design to make himself master of Titul, that he might be able to lay siege to Peterwaradin. I encamped on the 25th of August at Zenta. General Nehm was attacked. I anived too late to his assistance, but nevertheless praised him, for he could not have held out any longer, overwhelmed as he was by numbers. God

be thanked, I never complained of any one, neither did I ever throw upon ano

ther the blame of a fault or misfortune. Titul was burned. remained on this side of the Danube, The grand vizie which it was necessary for the grand signor to cross before he could lay siege to Peterwaradin; but marching along the bank of the river, and concealing my intention by my skirmishes with the spahis, I got before him, passed the bridge, and thus saved the place. This march, I must own, was well conducted, and equivalent to a victory. I entrenched myself with great dispatch, Among some prisoners that we took, and the enemy durst not attack me. there happened to be a pacha, whom designs of Kara Mustapha; but four I questioned in vain respecting the hussars, with drawn sabres, ready to cut him in pieces, extorted the confession that the enemy at first intended to make an attempt on Segedin; but that the grand signor having afterwards changed his mind, had already begun to cross the Teisse; and that great part of the army under the command of the gand vizir was still in good entrenchments near Zenta. I was marching to attack them, when a cursed courier brought me an order from the emperor, not to give battle under any circumstances what

ever.

I had already advanced too far. By stopping where I was, I should have lost part of my army, and my honor. I put the letter in my pocket, and, at the head of six regiments of dragoons, approached so near to the Turks, as to perceive that they were all preparing to pass the Teisse. I rejoined my army with a look of satisfaction, which, I was told, was considered a good omen by the soldiers. I began the engagement by charging myself two thousand spahis, whom I forced to return to their en trenchments. A hundred pieces of cannon annoyed me greatly. I sent orders to Rabutin to advance his left wing so as to form a curve towards the right: and to Stahrenberg, who commanded the right, to do the same towards the left, with a view to take in the whole entrenchment by a semicircle. This I could not have ventured to do before Catmat, who would have interrupted me in so slow and so complicated a movement. The Turks, however, gave

me no molestation. They attacked my left wing too late; but yet they would, have used it roughly, had it not been for four battalions of the second line, and the artillery, which I sent very opportunely to repel their cavalry, and make a breach in the entrenchments. It was six in the evening. The Turks, assaulted, and their entrenchinents forced in all points, hurried in crowds to the bridge and choked it up, so that they were obliged to throw themselves into the Teisse, where those who escaped drowning were killed. On every side was heard the cry of Aman! aman! which signifies Quarter! At ten, the slaughter suil continued; I could take no more than 4,000 prisoners, for 20,000 were Jeft dead on the field, and 10,000 were drowned. I did not lose a thousand men. Those alone who first betook themselves to fight at the commencement of the battle, rejoined the corps which had remained on the opposite side of the river. It was the 11th of September: I sent Vaudemont with the account of this affair to Vienna. I then went and took two forts and two castles in Bosnia, burned Seraglio, and returned to Hungary into winter-quarters.

I set out for Vienna, where I expected to be received a hundred times better than I had ever yet been. Leopold gave me the coldest of audiences; more dry than ever, he listened to me without saying a word. I instantly perceived that somebody or other had been at work during my absence, and that while I was ridding myself of the Turks, some good Christians at Vienua had been trying to get rid of me. I went away from the audience with a feeling of indig nation, which grew still stronger when Schlick, in great consternation, came and demanded my sword. I delivered it into his trembling hand with a look of the profoundest disdain, which served to increase his dismay. It was reported that I said: "Take it, yet reeking with the blood of enemies; I have no wish to resume it, except for the benefit of his majesty's service." One half of this sentence would be a gasconade, and the other a mean resignation. My age was silent. I was put under arrest in my hotel Here I was soon informed that Gaspard Kinsky, and some others, wished me to be brought to trial for disobedience and rashness, and that I was to be tried by a court-martial, by which I should probably be sentenced to die. This report was soon circulated through

This anecdote of Leopold, whom I pity for not having felt that a more signal reparation was due to me, fully demonstrates the falschood of a saying which has been ascribed to me; that of the three emperors whom I have served, the first was my father, the second ny brother, and the third my master. pretty sort of a father truly, to cause me to lose my head for having saved his empire!

A

1609. This year I began my fine library, and conceived a taste for gardens and palaces.

I purchased, from time to time, some beautiful paintings and drawings that were not known. I was not rich enough to form a gallery, and was not fond of engravings, because other persons may possess the same. I never liked copies of any kind, and those talents which run away with valuable time. A few windinstruments, martial airs, hunting-tunes, barishes of trumpets, or pleasing airs of the comic opera, relieved me, during dinner, from the necessity of speaking of listening to tiresome persons.

1700.-After the peace of Carlowitz, Fauce was so polite as to send us M. Villars as her ambassador. He was received with great distinction by all those with whom he had been acquainted in ilungary, where he had gained great repuration as a volunteer, and by the whole city, who thought him extremely amiable. But intrigues were carried on at his court against ours without his

knowledge.

knowledge. He was highly astonished at the coldness with which he was all at once treated. Notwithstanding the friendship of the king of the Romans for me, I could not prevail upon him to relax in this respect. "Of what use," said I to him, and to the courtiers and generals who followed his example, "is this personal antipathy, which M. Villars does not deserve? I shall see him, and continue on friendly terms with him, till we begin to fire upon one another again." Prince Louis of Baden acted in the same manner, though we were not the better liked for it. We all three parted very good friends. We missed his company much; for when Louis XIV. had at length completed all his machinations, and thrown off the mask, he departed. Previous to this we had the following conversation:

"It is not my fault," said he, "if, without knowing how to suppress your rebellion in Hungary, you are determined to make war upon us. I had rather your highness would do like those gentlemen who have turned their backs upon me here, as they will do elsewhere, it I command an army." This was truly an expression à la Villars. You hope that the Turks will interfere, because the abbé Joachim has predicted that the empress would be delivered of twins, one of whom should sit on the throne of Constantinople." "I am not angry with you, M. de Villars," replied I, for in your correspondence, which to be sure is somewhat tinctured with levity, after the manner of your nation, you have transmitted to your court a portrait of me drawn by the hand of friendship. Others complain of certain inadvertencies, and the court of having read in one of your dispatches: We shall see if the Christ in Leopold's chapel will speak to him as he did to Ferdinand II.' Private individuals never forgive a satire; judge then of the effect which a severe thing said against a sovereign must produce upon him." "It is only by great reserve in conversation," said he, "that I have supported myself in this country. I am angry with your Austrians, who, among the tales which they invent concerning me, assert that I conspired with Ragotzi against the person of the emperor." "I can tell you," answered I, what gave rise to this stupid idea. People recollected an expression in a Jetter intercepted while you were a volunteer in our service: I am an Austrian with the ariny, but a Frenchman at

1

Vienna. This means a great deal, said the fools. No conspiracies have ever been formed against our emperors; they have never been assassinated. We have no Clements or Ravaillacs. The people are not enthusiasts, as with you, but for that very reason, they do not pass from one sentiment to another. Crimes indeed are very rare in Austria. Last year some persons wanted to persuade Leopold that a design had been formed to kill him because a ball went through his hat while hunting. Seek the man," said he, with his Spanish air; he is awkward one way or other; he is dying of fear or of hunger; give him a thousand ducats.'"

1704. The only time to tell Leopold plain truths was when he was frightened. Where is the mistress or friend to whom they can be told with impunity! and much less a great sovereign, spoiled by slaves who accompany him every day to church, but not his generals to war. In urgent cases, I requested an extraordinary audience of him, as if I had been the ambassador of a foreign power, and this occurred but very seldom.

What I obtained was the power of negociating quite alone, and I gained over to our side queen Anne and Marlborough. I went to meet him at Heilbronn, to concert measures with him and prince Louis of Baden, whom I had not seen for a considerable time. I took upon myself the defence of the lines of Behel, and left them to follow Tallard, who was endeavouring to join the elector of Bavaria. If I am not fortunate enough to prevent their junction,(thought I,) the worst that can befal me is to fight both together, which will save me the trouble of engaging them separately. Tallard and Marsin had two other sorts of presumption than Villeroy, and more wit. The presumption of the one was founded "sur sa Spiret," that of the other on the divine protection, which, by the cabals of the pious, had certainly proved as beneficial to him as the patronage of the court. Tallard was as short-sighted morally as he was physically.

Marsin was more clear-sighted,

The prince had been the preceding year appointed president of war.

The translator has here inserted the knowledges he does not understand. words of the original, which he frankly ac Perhaps some more intelligent correspondent of the Monthly Magazine, may be able to explain the circumstance to which the illustrious writer here alludes.

possessed

possessed more talents, but luckily no prudence.

Had they exercised patience, without fighting me, they would have obliged me to abandon Bavaria, for I had no place in that country where I could form my magazines, except Nordlingen; but these gentlemen were in a great hurry, and the elector was furious at the plunder which I had suffered Marlborough to make, and who, in consequence, became my firm friend. We sincerely loved and esteemed each other. He was indeed a great statesman and warrior.

They bad eighty thousand men, and so bad we. Why did the French separate from the Bavarians? Why did they encamp so far from the rivulet which would have embarrassed us in the attack? Why did they place twentyseven battalions and twelve squadrons in Blenheim? Why did they scatter so many troops in other villages? Marlborough was more fortunate than I in his passage of the rivulet, and his fine at tack. A little ascent occasioned my being half an hour later. My infantry behaved very well, but my cavalry very ill. I had a horse killed under me. Marlborough was checked, but not repulsed. I succeeded in rallying the regiments, which were shy at first, and led them four times to the charge. Marlborough, with his infantry and artillery, and sometimes with his cavalry, cleared away that of the enemy, and took Blen. heim. We were beaten for a moment by the gendarmerie, but at length we threw them into the Danube. I was under the greatest obligations to Marl borough for his changes of disposition according to circumstances. A Bava rian dragoon took aim at me; one of n f my Danes fortunately anticipated him. We lost 9,000 men; but 12,800 French killed, and 20,800 taken prisoners, prevented them this time from singing their usual Te Deum for their defeats, which they never acknowledge.

The poor elector, with his corps, joined Villeroy, who had marched to favour his retreat. They mournfully embraced. "I have sacrificed my dominions for the king," said the first, "and am ready to sacrifice my life for him." The duke and prince, (for Marlborough was now created a prince of the Empire,) Louis of Baden, and I, went to amuse ourselves at Stuttgard. The second took Landau, the first Trarbach, while I narrowly MONTHLY MAs. No. 202.

missed the two Brisachs: the one because the governor of Fribourg mistook his way, and the other from the false delicacy of the lieutenant-colonel, whom I had directed to enter as a courier with the others, and who being unable to endure a caning from an overseer of the works of the place, ordered him to be fired upon. This was indeed insisting very unseasonably on a point of honour, and the only occasion on which a man might, without disgrace, receive a threshing. Had we succeeded, he would rather have been envied than reproached for it. I proceeded to Ingolstadt, which was on the point of surrendering, but was prevented by the valour of a French regiment, composed of brave deserters in the Bavarian service. They disre garded alike my promises and my threats: but astonishing them by the generous offer of sending them home under an escort, that nothing might happen to them, they evacuated Ingolstadt; and with the exception of Munich, all Bavaria was our's, thanks to the treaty which I concluded with the electress. The conditions were hard; she refused them; but by means of father Schuhmacher, a good Jesuit, her confessor, I prevailed on her to sign them, and set out for Vienna.

1708.-On the 31st of March I was at Dresden, and obtained a promise of king Augustus to send me a body of his troops. I then went to Hanover, and received the same promise from the elector. I proceeded to the Hague, where with all my heart I embraced Marlborough, who had come thither on the same busi ness. We both pressed Heinsius and Fagel for assistance; assuring them, that to prevent the enemy from laying siege to the strong places, we would gain a battle as speedily as possible. I ap peased, as well as I could, those gentlemen, who were dissatisfied, because the emperor had not made peace with the Hungarian rebels, nor appropriated to his own use the revenues of Naples, the Milanese, and Bavaria. I went next to Dusseldorf, to pacny the Elector Palatine, who was likewise angry with the emperor Joseph 1. respecting the Upper Palatinate. I returned to Hanover with Marlborough, to press the elector; went to Leipsic to urge king Augustus, whom I found there, once more; and after proceeding to Vienna to give an account of ny successful negociations, I was imme

F

diately

diately sent off again to Frankfurt, to confer with the electors of Mentz and Hanover, and Rechteren, the Dutch minister. I circulated a report that this journey was undertaken for the sake of my health, and that the physicians had ordered me to use the waters of Schlangenbad. I said to all these petty allies, "It is your interest: a great emperor would live at your expense, if you did not exist, and would perhaps be better off on that account. If you do not protect yourselves by defending him, beware Jest another Louvois lay waste the Empire

with fire and sword.”

I have always taken for the foundation of my politics, the interest of the persons with whom I had to do, and have de. tested court-flatterers who say, "These princes are personally attached to your majesty." It is thus they strengthen the self-love of sovereigns, who, besides, like to be told, "every thing is going on well, in the best manner, or is likely to be retrieved,"

Villars was not duped by the prescriptions of the faculty for the cure of diseases with which I was not afflicted. He wrote to a prisoner whom he sent back to me: "If you belong to the army which prince Eugene is going to command, assure him of my respect. I understand that he is going to the baths on the 20th of June; but if I recollect right, he was not formerly so attentive to his health. We shall soon see what sort of baths he means to take." I assembled my army of Austrians and German allies at Coblentz, where I had a long conference with the elector of Treves. The French had one hundred thousand men in the Low Countries; Marlborough had but sixty thousand. I received or ders to march to his support: I directed my troops to proceed by forced marches, while I went post myself, fearful lest a battle should be fought without me. Cadogan came to compliment me to Maestricht. He told me that the French had surprised Ghent, Bruges, and Plaskendall, and that my presence was wanted. I passed through Brussels, where my interview with my mother, after a separation of twenty-five years, was very affecting, but very short-and found Marlborough in camp at Asch, between Brussels and Alost; and learning that the enemy had their left on the other side of the Dendre, I asked Marlborough, on my arrival, "if it was not his intention

to give battle." "I think I ought," replied he immediately, "and I find with pleasure, but without astonishment, that we have both made the reflection, that without this our communication with Brussels would be cut off: but I would have waited for your troops." "I would not advise you to wait,” replied I, “for the French would have time to retreat."

Vendome wanted to dispute the passage of the Dendre. He told the duke of Burgundy, that evil advisers persua ded him to march to Ghent. "When you perceive in prince Eugene a desire to avoid an engagement, he knows how to force you to one." This expression I saw in the vindication of his conduct, which he printed on his return to Paris.

Cadogan went to Oudenarde, and in a few hours threw a bridge across the Scheldt. "It is still time," said Ven dome to the duke of Burgundy, "to discontinue your march, and to attack, with the troops which we have here, that part of the allied army which has passed the river." The latter hesitated, lost time, would have turned back, sent twenty squadrons to dispute the passage, recalled them, and said, "Let us march to Ghent." "It is too late," said Vendome, you cannot now; in half an hour, perhaps, you will have the enemy upon you." 17 "Why then did you stop me?" rejoined the duke of Burgundy. "To begin the attack immediately," replied he, "Cadogan yonder, is already master of the village of Hurne and of six battalions. Let us forin at least in the best manner we can." Rantzau commenced the attack. He overthrew a column of cavalry, and would have been routed in his turn, had it not been for the electoral prince of Hanover, who had his horse killed under him. Grimaldi too soon and injudiciously, ordered a charge. "What are you doing?" cried Vendome, coming up at full gallop, "you are wrong. It is by the duke of Burgun→ dy's orders," replied he. The latter, vexed at being contradicted, thought only how to cross the other. Vendome was giving orders to charge the left. "What are you doing?" said the duke of Burgundy. "I forbid it; there is an impassable ravine and morass." Let any one judge of the indignation of Vendome, who had passed over the spot but a moment before. Had it not been for this

Afterwards George II. misunderstanding,