CHAPTER XIV.

The French enter the Prussian Dominions, where they commit great Disorders— Reflections on the Misconduct of the Allied Army-Russian Fleet blocks up the Prussian Ports in the Baltic—Russians take Memel—Declaration of the King of Prussia on that Occasion-Army of the Empire raised with Difficulty-The Austrians take Gabel-and destroy Zittau-The Prince of Prussia leaves the army— Communication between England and Ostend broke off-Gueldres_capitulates— Skirmishes between the Prussians and Austrians and between the Prussians and Russians-Mareschal Lehwald attacks the Russians in their Intrenchments near Norkitten-Hasty Retreat of the Russians out of Prussia-French and Imperialists take Gotha-Action between the Prussians and Austrians near Goerlitz-The French oblige Prince Ferdinand to retire-Berlin laid under Contribution by the Austrians: and Leipsic subjected to military Execution by the Prussians—Battle of Rosbach -The Austrians take Schweidnitz: and defeat the Prince of Bevern near Breslau -Mareschal Keith lays Bohemia under Contribution-King of Prussia defeats the Austrians at Lissa; retakes Breslau and Schweidnitz, and becomes Master of all Silesia--Hostilities of the Swedes in Pomerania-Mareschal Lehwald forces the Swedes to retire-Memorial presented to the Dutch by Colonel Yorke, relative to Ostend and Nieuport-King of Prussia's Letter to the King of Great Britain-His Britannic Majesty's Declaration—Disputes concerning the Convention of ClosterSeven-Progress of the Hanoverian Army-Death of the Queen of Poland-Transactions at Sea-Fate of Captain Death-Session opened-Supplies granted-Funds for raising the Supplies-Messages from the King to the House of CommonsSecond Treaty with the King of Prussia-Bill for fortifying Milford-HavenRegulations with respect to Corn-Bills for the Encouragement of Seamen, and for explaining the Militia Act-Act for repairing London Bridge-Act for ascertaining the Qualifications of voting-Bill for more effectually manning the Navy-Amendments in the Habeas-Corpus Act-Scheme in Favor of the Foundling Hospital-Proceedings relative to the African Company-Session closed-Vigorous Preparations for War-Death of the Princess Caroline-Sea Engagement off Cape François-Remarkable Success of Captain Forest-French evacuate Embden-Success of Admiral Osborne-French Fleet driven ashore in Basque RoadAdmiral Broderick's Ship burnt at Sea-Descent at Cancalle-bay-Expedition against Cherbourg-Descent at St. Maloes-English defeated at St. Cas-Captures from the Enemy-Clamors of the Dutch Merchants on Account of the Capture of their Ships—Their famous Petition to the States-general.

THE FRENCH ENTER THE PRUSSIAN

DOMINIONS.

army on the 27th, 28th, and 29th of the same month, in three columns, which pene

THE Hanoverians being now quite sub-trated into Halberstadt and Brandenburgh, dued, and the whole force of the French let plundering the towns, exacting contribuloose against the king of Prussia by this tions, and committing many enormities, at treaty, mareschal Richelieu immediately or- which their general is said to have condered lieutenant-general Berchini to march nived. In the mean time the duke of Cumwith all possible expedition, with the troops berland returned to England, where he arunder his command, to join the prince de rived on the 11th of October, and shortly Soubise the gens-d'armes, and other troops after resigned all his military commands. that were in the landgraviate of Hesse- Had the allied army, after the battle of Cassel, received the same order; and sixty Hastenbeck, marched directly to the Leine, battalions of foot, and the greatest part of as it might easily have done, and then the horse belonging to the French army, taken post on the other side of Wolfenbutwere directed to attack the Prussian terri- tel, Halberstadt, and Magdebourg, it might tories. Mareschal Richelieu himself arrived have waited securely under the cannon of at Brunswick on the fifteenth of September; the latter place for the junction of the Prusand having, in a few days after, assembled sian forces, instead of which, they injudi a hundred and ten battalions, and a hundred ciously turned off to the Lower Weser, reand fifty squadrons, with a hundred pieces tiring successively from Hamelen to Nienof cannon, near Wolfenbuttel, he entered burgh, Verden, Rothenburgh, Buxtehude, the king of Prussia's dominions with his and lastly to Stade, where, for want of sub

sistence and elbow-room, the troops were incessant fatigue both of body and of mind, all made prisoners of war at large. They was in a manner excluded from the emmade a march of a hundred and fifty miles pire. The greatest part of his dominions to be cooped up in a nook, instead of taking were either taken from him, or laid under the other route, which was only about a contribution, and possessed by his enemies; hundred miles, and would have led them to who collected the public revenues, fattened a place of safety. By this unaccountable on the contributions, and with the riches conduct, the king of Prussia was not only which they drew from the electorate of deprived of the assistance of near forty Hanover, and other conquests, defrayed the thousand good troops, which, in the close expenses of the war; and by the convenof the campaign, might have put him upon tion of Closter-Seven he was deprived of an equality with the French and the army his allies, and left without any assistance of the empire; but also exposed to, and ac- whatever, excepting what the British partually invaded by, his numerous enemies on liament might think fit to supply. How difall sides, insomuch that his situation be- ferent is this picture from that which the came now more dangerous than ever; and king of Prussia exhibited when he took the fate which seemed to have threatened arms to enter Saxony! But, in order to the empress a few months before, through form a clear idea of these events, of the his means, was, to all appearance, turned situation of his Prussian majesty, and of against himself. His ruin was predicted, the steps he took to defeat the designs of nor could human prudence foresee how he his antagonists, and extricate himself from might be extricated from his complicated his great and numerous distresses, it will distress; for, besides the invasion of his ter- be proper now to take a view of the several ritories by the French under the duke de transactions of his enemies, as well during Richelieu, the Russians, who had made for his stay in Bohemia, as from the time of his a long time a dilatory march, and seemed leaving it, down to that which we are now uncertain of their own resolutions, all at speaking of. once quickened their motions, and entered A RUSSIAN FLEET BLOCKS UP THE Ducal Prussia, under mareschal Apraxin PRUSSIAN PORTS IN THE BALTIC. and general Fermor, marking their progress WHILST the king of Prussia was in Boby every inhumanity that unbridled cruelty, hemia, the empress of Russia ordered notice lust, and rapine can be imagined capable to be given to all masters of ships, that if of committing. A large body of Austrians any of them were found assisting the Prusentered Silesia, and penetrated as far as sians, by the transportation of troops, artilBreslau; then, turning back, they laid siege lery, and ammunition, they should be conto the important fortress of Schweidnitz, demned as legal prizes; and her fleet, conthe key of that country. A second body sisting of fifteen men-of-war and frigates, entered Lusatia, another quarter of the with two bomb-ketches, was sent to block Prussian territories, and made themselves up the Prussian ports in the Baltic, where masters of Zittau. Twenty-two thousand it took several ships of that nation, which Swedes penetrated into Prussian Pomera- were employed in carrying provisions and nia, took the towns of Anclan and Demmin, merchandise from one port to another. and laid the whole country under contribu- One of these ships of war appearing before tion. The army of the empire, reinforced Memel, a town of Poland, but subject to by that of prince Soubise, after many de- Prussia, the commandant sent an officer to lays, was at last in full march to enter Sax- the captain, to know whether he came as a ony; and this motion left the Austrians at friend or an enemy? to which interrogation liberty to turn the greatest part of their the Russian captain replied, That, notwithforces to the reduction of Silesia. An Aus- standing the dispositions of the empress of trian general penetrating through Lusatia, both the Russias were sufficiently known, passed by the Prussian armies, and suddenly yet he would further explain them by depresenting himself before the gates of Ber-claring that his orders, and those of the lin, laid the whole country under contribu- other Russian commanders, were, in contion; and though he retired on the approach formity to the laws of war, to seize on all of a body of Prussians, yet he still found the Prussian vessels they met with on their means to interrupt the communication of cruise. Upon which the commandant of these last with Silesia. The Prussians, Memel immediately gave orders for pointing it is true, exerted themselves bravely on all the cannon to fire upon all Russian ships sides, and their enemies fled before them; that should approach that place. but while one body was pursuing, another The land forces of the Russians had now gained upon them in some other part. The lingered on their march upwards of six winter approached, their strength decayed, months; and it was pretty generally doubtand their adversaries multiplied daily. ed, by those who were supposed to have the Their king, harassed and almost spent with best intelligence, whether they ever were

designed really to pass into the Prussian ter-Saxony, who forced him by their conduct ritories, not only on account of their long to take up arms for his defence. Yet, even stay on the borders of Lithuania, but also since things have been brought to this exbecause several of their cossacs had been tremity, the king hath offered to lay down severely punished for plundering the wag- his arms, if proper securities should be ons of some Prussian peasants upon the granted to him. His majesty hath not nefrontiers of Courland, and the damage of glected to expose the artifices by which the the peasants compensated with money, imperial court of Russia hath been drawn though general Apraxin's army was at the into measures so opposite to the empress's same time greatly distressed by the want sentiments, and which would excite the utof provisions: when, on a sudden, they most indignation of that great princess, if quickened their motions, and showed they the truth could be placed before her without were, in earnest, determined to accomplish disguise. The king did more; he sugthe ruin of Prussia. Their first act of hos-gested to her imperial majesty sufficient tility was the attack of Memel, which sur-means either to excuse her not taking any rendered; and, by the articles of capitula- part in the present war, or to avoid, upon tion, it was agreed, that the garrison should the justest grounds, the execution of those march out with all the honors of war, after engagements which the court of Vienna having engaged not to serve against the em- claimed by a manifest abuse of obligations, press, or any of her allies, for the space of which they employed to palliate their unone year. lawful views. It wholly depended upon His Prussian majesty, justly foreseeing the empress of Russia to extinguish the the great enormities that were to be ex-flames of the war, without unsheathing the pected from these savage enemies, who sword, by pursuing the measures suggested were unaccustomed to make war except by the king. This conduct would have imupon nations as barbarous as themselves, mortalized her reign throughout all Europe. who looked upon war only as an opportunity It would have gained her more lasting glory for plunder, and every country through which than can be acquired by the greatest trithey happened to march as theirs by right umphs. The king finds with regret, that of conquest, published the following declara- all his precautions and care to maintain tion: "It is sufficiently known, that the peace with the Russian empire are fruitless, king of Prussia, after the example of his and that the intrigues of his enemies have glorious predecessor, has, ever since his ac- prevailed. His majesty sees all the concession to the crown, laid it down as a max- siderations of friendship and good neighborim to seek the friendship of the imperial hood set aside by the imperial court of Ruscourt of Russia, and cultivate it by every sia, as well as the observance of its engagemethod. His Prussian majesty hath had ments with his majesty. He sees that the satisfaction to live, for several successive court marching its troops through the terriyears, in the strictest harmony with the tories of a foreign power, and, contrary to reigning empress; and this happy union the tenor of treaties, in order to attack the would be still subsisting, if evil-minded po- king in his dominions; and thus taking tentates had not broke it by their secret part in a war, in which his enemies have machinations, and carried things to such a involved the Russian empire. In such cirheight, that the ministers on both sides cumstances, the king hath no other part to have been recalled, and the correspondence take, but to employ the power which God broken off. However melancholy these cir- hath intrusted to him in defending himself, cumstances might be for the king, his ma- protecting his subjects, and repelling every jesty was nevertheless most attentive to unjust attack. His majesty will never lose prevent anything that might increase the sight of the rules which are observed, even alienation of the Russian court. He hath in the midst of war, among civilized nabeen particularly careful, during the disturb- tions. But if, contrary to all hope and exances of the war that now unhappily rages, pectation, those rules should be violated by to avoid whatever might involve him in a the troops of Russia, if they commit in the difference with that court, notwithstanding king's territories disorders and excesses disthe great grievances he hath to allege allowed by the law of arms, his majesty against it; and that it was publicly known must not be blamed if he makes reprisals the court of Vienna had at last drawn that in Saxony; and if, instead of that good orof Russia in its destructive views, and made der and rigorous discipline which have it serve as an instrument for favoring the hitherto been observed by his army, avoidschemes of Austria. His majesty hath given ing all sorts of violence, he finds himself the whole world incontestable proofs, that forced, contrary to his inclination, to suffer he was under an indispensable necessity of the provinces and subjects of Saxony to be having recourse to the measures he hath treated in the same manner as his own tertaken against the courts of Vienna and ritories shall be treated. As to the rest, the

THE AUSTRIANS TAKE GABEL.

king will soon publish to the whole world officers, three or four hundred of them the futility of the reasons alleged by the marched out of the town at that time, with imperial court of Russia to justify its ag- the music of the regiments playing before gression; and as his majesty is forced upon them; and in this manner near three thoumaking his defence, he has room to hope, sand of them filed off, and the remainder with confidence, that the Lord of Hosts will were afterwards discharged. bless his righteous arms: that he will disappoint the unjust enterprises of his ene- THE king of Prussia, upon his leaving mies, and grant him his powerful assist- Bohemia, after the battle of Kolin, retired ance, to enable him to make head against towards Saxony, as we observed before; and them." having sent his heavy artillery and mortars ARMY OF THE EMPIRE RAISED. up the Elbe to Dresden, fixed his camp on WHEN the king of Prussia was put under the banks of the river, at Leitmeritz, where the ban of the empire, the several princes his main army was strongly intrenched, who compose that body were required by whilst mareschal Keith, with the troops the decree of the Aulic council, as we ob- under his command, encamped on the opposerved before, to furnish their respective site shore; a free communication being contingents, against him. Those who fear- kept open by means of a bridge. At the ed him looked upon this as a fair opportunity same time detachments were ordered to of reducing him; and those who stood in secure the passes into Saxony. As this awe of the house of Austria were, through position of the king of Prussia prevented necessity, compelled to support that power the Austrians from being able to penetrate which they dreaded. Besides, they were into Saxony by the way of the Elbe, they accustomed to the influence of a family, in moved, by slow marches, into the circle of which the empire had, for a long time, been Buntzlaw, and, at last, with a detachment in a manner hereditary; and were also in- commanded by the duke d'Aremberg and timidated by the appearance of a confede- M. Macguire, on the eighteenth of June racy the most formidable, perhaps, that the fell suddenly upon, and took the important world had ever seen. Yet, notwithstanding post at Gabel, situated between Boemish all this, the contingents, both of men and Leypa, and Zittau, after an obstinate demoney, were collected slowly; the troops fence made by the Prussian garrison, under were badly composed; and many of those, major-general Putkammer, consisting of four not only of the Protestant princes, but also battalions, who were obliged to surrender of the Catholics, showed the utmost reluc- prisoners of war. The Austrians having tance to act against his Prussian majesty, by this motion gained a march towards Luwhich, indeed, none of them would have satia, upon a corps which had been detachbeen able to do, had it not been for the as- ed under the command of the prince of sistance of the French under the prince de Prussia to watch them, his Prussian majesty Soubise. The elector palatine lost above thought proper to leave Leitmeritz on the a thousand men by desertion. Four thou- twentieth in the morning, and lay that sand of the troops belonging to the duke of night at Lickowitz, a village opposite to Wirtemberg being delivered to the French Leitmeritz, of which a battalion of his commissary on the twenty-fourth of June, troops still kept possession, while the rest were immediately reviewed; but the re- of his army remained encamped in the plain view was scarcely finished, when they be- before that place. Next morning, at break gan to cry aloud, that they were sold. of day, prince Henry decamped, and made Next morning thirty of them deserted at so good a disposition for his retreat, that he once, and were soon followed by parties of did not lose a single man, though he marchtwenty and thirty each, who forced their ed in sight of the whole body of Austrian way through the detachments that guarded irregulars. He passed the bridge at Leitthe gates of Stutgard, and in the evening meritz, after withdrawing the battalion that the mutiny became general. They fired was in the town; and having burnt the upon the officers in their barracks, and let bridge, the whole army united, and made a their general know, that if he did not im- small movement towards the passes of the mediately withdraw, they would put him to mountains; the king then lying at Sulowitz, death. Meanwhile some of the officers, hav-near the field where the battle of Lowosing pursued the deserters, brought back a chutz was fought on the first of October of part of them prisoners, when the rest of the preceding year. The heavy baggage the soldiers, declared, that, if they were was sent on in the afternoon with a proper not immediately released, they would set escort; and in the morning of the twentyfire to the stadt-house and barracks; upon second the army marched in two columns, which the prisoners were set at liberty late and encamped on the high grounds at Lusein the evening. Next morning the soldiers chitz, a little beyond Lenai, where it halted ssembled, and having seized some of the the twenty-third. No attack was made

GEORGE II. 1727-1760.

upon the rear-guard, though great numbers cil, the plate, and other things of value, of Austrian hussars, and other irregulars, had presented to the town, from time, to time, appeared the evening before within cannon- by the emperors, kings, and other princes shot of the Prussian camp. On the twenty- and noblemen, were entirely destroyed, and fourth the army marched to Nellendorf; on more than four hundred citizens were killed the twenty-fifth it encamped near Cotta, on in this assault. Of the whole town there the twenty-sixth near Pirna, where it halt- were left standing only one hundred and ed the next day; and on the twenty-eighth thirty-eight houses, two churches, the counit crossed the river near that place, and en- cil, library, and the salt-work. The queen tered Lusatia, where, by the end of the of Poland was so affected hy this melancholy account, that she is said to have faintmonth, it encamped at Bautzen. The king's army made this retreat with ed away upon hearing it. As this city beall the success that could be wished; but longed to their friend the king of Poland, the corps under the prince of Prussia had the Austrians thought proper to publish an not the same good fortune. For the Aus- excuse for their conduct, ascribing it entirely trians, immediately after their taking Gabel, to the necessity they were under, and the sent a strong detachment against Zittau, a obstinate defence made by the Prussian trading town in the circle of Upper Saxony, garrison. But what excuses can a'one for where the Prussians had large magazines, such barbarity?

ARMY.

and a garrison of six battalions, and, in his THE PRINCE OF PRUSSIA LEAVES THE sight, attacked it with uncommon rage. THE corps under the prince of Prussia, Paying no regard to the inhabitants as being friends or allies, but determined to reduce which had been witnesses to the destruction the place before the king of Prussia could of this unhappy place, was, by the king's have time to march to its relief, they no march to Bautzen, fortunately extricated sooner arrived before it, than they bombard- from the danger of being surrounded by the ed and cannonaded it with such fury, that Austrians, who, upon his majesty's approach, most of the garrison, finding themselves un- retired from their posts on the right. Soon able to resist, made their escape, and carri- after this event, the prince of Prussia, finded off as much as they could of the maga- ing his health much impaired by the fazines, leaving only three or four hundred tigues of the campaign (1), quitted the armen in the town, under colonel Diricke, to my, and returned to Berlin. In the mean hold it out as long as possible; which he time, mareschal Keith, who had been left accordingly did, till the place was almost upon the frontier, to guard the passes of the destroyed. The cannonading began on the mountains of Bohemia, arrived at Pirna, twenty-third of July, at eleven in the morn- having been much harassed in his march by ing, and lasted till five in the evening. In the enemy's irregular troops, and lost some this space of time four thousand balls, many wagons of provisions and baggage. After of them red-hot, were fired into this unfor- resting a day at Pirna, he pursued his march tunate city, with so little intermission, that through Dresden with twenty battalions, it was soon set on fire in several places. In and forty squadrons, and encamped on the the confusion which the conflagration pro- right of the Elbe, before the gate of the duced, the Austrians entered the town, and new city, from whence he joined the king the inhabitants imagined that they had then between Bautzen and Coerlitz. The Prusnothing further to fear; and that their sian army, now reassembled at this place, friends the Austrians would assist them in amounted to about sixty thousand men, beextinguishing the flames, and saving the sides twelve battalions and ten squadrons place; but in this particular their expecta- which remained in the famous camp at tions were disappointed. The Pandours Pirna, under the prince of Anhault-Dessau, and Sclavonians, who rushed in with regu- to cover Dresden, secure the gorges of the lar troops, made no distinction between the mountains, and check the incursions of the Prussians and the inhabitants of Zittau: in- Austrian irregulars, with whom, as they stead of helping to quench the flames, they were continually flying about the skirts of began to plunder the warehouses which the the Prussian army, as well in their encampfire had not reached; so that all the valu-ments as on their marches, almost daily able merchandise they contained was either skirmishes happened, with various success. carried off, or reduced to ashes. Upwards Though some of these encounters were of six hundred houses, and almost all the very bloody, they cost the Prussians much public buildings, the cathedrals of St. John, fewer men than they lost by desertion since and St. James, the orphan-house, eight par- the battle of Kolin. The reason seems obsonage-houses, eight schools, the town-house, vious:-the Prussian army had been reand everything contained in it, the public cruited, in times of peace, from all parts of weigh-house, the prison, the archives, and Germany; and though this way of recruitall the other documents of the town-coun- ing may be very proper in such times, yet