. heim. At the same period, colonel Donap, town, drove everything before them with with a body of the allied army, attacked a incredible impetuosity. The attack was so French corps of two thousand men, posted sudden, and the surprise so great, that the in the wood of Sababourg, to preserve the French had not time to assemble in any communication between their grand army considerable number: but they began to fire and their troops on the other side of the from the windows; and in so doing, exasWeser; and, notwithstanding the strength perated the allied troops, who, bursting into of their situation, drove them from their the houses, slaughtered them without merposts, with the loss of five hundred men, cy. Having remained in the place from either killed or made prisoners; but this ad- two till three in the morning; they retreated vantage was overbalanced by the reduction with about four hundred prisoners, includof Ziegenheim, garrisoned by seven hun- ing forty officers, and brought off two pieces dred men of the allied army, who, after a of artillery. This nocturnal adventure, in vigorous resistance, were obliged to surren- which the British troops displayed equal der themselves prisoners of war. courage and activity, was achieved with On the fifth day of August, prince Ferdi- very little loss: but after all, it deserves no nand being encamped at Buhne, received other appellation than that of a partisan intelligence that a considerable body of the exploit; for it was attended with no sort of enemy, amounting to upwards of twenty advantage to the allied army. thousand men, were in motion to make a Considering the superiority of the French general forage in the neighborhood of Geic- army, we cannot account for the little promar. He passed the Dymel early in the gress made by the duke de Broglio, who, morning, with a body of troops, and some according to our conception, might either artillery, and posted them in such an ad- have given battle to the allies with the utvantageous manner, as to render the ene- most probability of success, or penetrated my's attempt totally ineffectual, although into the heart of Hanover, the conquest of the foragers were covered with great part which seemed to be the principal object of of their army. On the same morning the the French ministry. Instead of striking hereditary prince set out on an expedition an important stroke, he retired from Immento beat up the quarters of a French detach- hausen towards Cassel, where he fortified ment. Being informed that the volunteers his camp as if he had thought himself in of Clermont and Dauphine, to the number danger of being attacked; and the war was of one thousand, horse and foot, were can-carried on by small detachments. Major toned at Zierenberg, at a small distance Bulow, being sent with a strong party from from the French camp at Dierenberg, and the camp of the allied army at Buline, surpassed their time in the most careless secu- prised the town of Marpurg, destroyed the rity, he advanced towards them from his French ovens, and brought off a consideracamp at Warbourg, within a league of their ble quantity of stores and baggage with cantonment, without seeing any of their some prisoners. He met with the same posts, or meeting with any of their patrols; success at Butzback, where he surprised and a circumstance that encouraged him to beat took two companies belonging to the regi up their quarters by surprise: for this ser- ment of Raugrave, and retired with this vice he pitched upon five battalions, with a body to Franckenberg, where he joined colodetachment of Highlanders, and eight regi- nel Forsen. On the twelfth day of Septemments of dragoons. Leaving their tents ber they made a movement towards Franckstanding, they began their march at eight enau; and M. de Stainville, who was posted in the evening, and passed the Dymel near with a body of French troops at MerdenhaWarbourg. About a league on the other gen, advanced to check their progress. He side of the Dymel, at the village of Witzen, came up with their rear in the neighborhood they were joined by the light troops under of Munden, and attacked them in passing major Bulow; and now the disposition was the river Orck with such vigor, that Forsen, made both for entering the town, and se- with some of his cavalry, was taken, and curing a retreat, in case of being repulsed. Bulow obliged to abandon some pieces of When they were within two miles of Zieren- cannon. The action was just determined, berg, and in sight of the fires of the ene- when this last was reinforced by the heremy's grand guard, the grenadiers of Max- ditary prince of Brunswick, who had made well, the regiment of Kinsley, and the a forced march of five German miles, which Highlanders, advanced by three separate had fatigued the troops to such a degree, roads, and marched in profound silence: at that he deferred his attack till next morning; length, the noise of their feet alarmed the but in the mean time, M. de Stainville reFrench; who began to fire; when the tired towards Franckenberg. The Hanovegrenadiers proceeded at a round pace with rian general Wangenheim at the head of unloaded firelocks, pushed the picquets, slew four battalions and six squadrons had driven the guard at the gate, and rushing into the the enemy from the defiles of Soheite, and encamped at Lawenthagen; but, being at- ing by Schermbeck and Dusseldorp. On tacked by a superior number, he was obliged, the twenty-ninth day of the month he sent in his turn, to give way, and his retreat was a large detachment over the river at Rocnot effected without the loss of two hundred root, which surprised part of the French men, and some pieces of artillery. When partisan Fischer's corps at Rhynberg, and the enemy retired, general Wangenheim scoured the country. Next day, other parrepassed the Weser, and occupied his former ties, crossing at Rees and Emmerick, took situation at Ussar. Meanwhile, general possession of some redoubts which the Luckner gained an advantage over a detach- French had raised along the bank of the ment of French cavalry near Norten. Prince river; and here they found a number of Ferdinand, when mareschal Broglio quitted boats sufficient to transport the rest of the his camp at Immenhausen, made a motion forces. Then the prince advanced to Cleves; of his troops, and established his head-quar- and at his approach the French garrison, ters at Geismer-wells, the residence of the consisting of five hundred men, under the landgrave of Hesse-Cassel; from thence, command of M. de Barral, retired into the however, he transferred them, about the lat- castle, which, however, they did not long ter end of September, to Ovilgune on the defend; for on the third day of October Westphalia side of the Dymel. THE HEREDITARY PRINCE MARCHES TO THE LOWER RHINE. they capitulated, and surrendered themselves prisoners of war, after having in vain endeavored to obtain more favorable conditions. SUCH was the position of the two opposite grand armies, when the world was sur- A more important object was Wesel, prised by an expedition to the Lower Rhine, which the prince invested, and began to bemade by the hereditary prince of Bruns- siege in form. The approaches were made, wick. Whether this excursion was intend- on the right of the Rhine, while the prince ed to hinder the French from reinforcing in person remained on the left to cover the their army in Westphalia-or to co-operate siege; and kept his communication open in the Low Countries with the armament with the other side, by a bridge above, and now ready equipped in the ports of England; another below the place. He had hoped to or to gratify the ambition of a young prince, carry it by a vigorous exertion, without the overboiling with courage and glowing with formality of a regular siege, but he met the desire of conquest-we cannot explain with a warmer reception than he expected; to the satisfaction of the reader; certain it and his operations were retarded by heavy is, the Austrian Netherlands were at this rains, which, by swelling the river, endanjuncture entirely destitute of troops, except gered his bridges, and laid his trenches under the French garrisons of Ostend and Nieu- water. The difficulties and delays occasionport, which were weak and inconsiderable. ed by this circumstance entirely frustrated Had ten thousand English troops been land- his design. The French, being made aced on the coast of Blankenburgh, they quainted with his motions, were not slow in might have taken possession of Bruges, taking measures to anticipate his success. Ghent, Brussels, and Antwerp, without re- M. de Castries was detached after him with sistance, and joined the hereditary prince thirty battalions, and thirty-eight squadrons; in the heart of the country; in that case he and, by forced marches, arrived on the fourwould have found himself at the head of teenth day of October at Rhynberg, where thirty thousand men, and might have made the prince's light troops were posted. These such a diversion in favor of Hanover, as to he attacked immediately, and compelled to transfer the seat of war from Westphalia abandon the post, notwithstanding all the into Flanders. The Empress-queen might, efforts of the prince, who commanded in indeed have complained of this invasion, as person, and appeared in the warmest parts the formality of declaring war against her of this short but sanguinary affair. The had not been observed by Great Britain; but enemy, leaving five battalions, with some considering that she was the declared enemy squadrons, at Rhynberg, marched by the of Hanover, and had violated the barrier- left, and encamped behind the convent of treaty, in establishing which the kingdom Campen. The prince, having received inof Great Britain had lavished away so much timation that M. de Castries was not yet blood and treasure, a step of this kind, we joined by some reinforcements that were on apprehend, might have been taken, without the march, determined to be beforehand with any imputation of perfidy or injustice. them, and attempt that very night to surWhatever the motives of the prince's expe- prise him in his camp. For this purpose he dition might have been, he certainly quitted began his march at ten in the evening, after the grand army of the allies in the month having left four battalions, and five squadof September; and traversing Westphalia, rons, under general Beck, with instructions with twenty battalions, and as many squad- to observe Rhynberg, and attack that post, rons, appeared on the Lower Rhine, march-in case the attempt upon Campen should succeed. Before the allied force could reach the strength of which he did not seem to the enemy's camp, they were under the ne- have been very well acquainted, he cercessity of overpowering Fischer's corps of tainly miscarried in his design; and his irregulars, which occupied the convent of miscarriage was attended with a very conCampen, at the distance of half a league in siderable loss of troops, occasioned not only their front. This service occasioned some by the action, but also by the diseases enfiring, the noise of which alarmed the gendered from the wet weather, the fatigue French army. Their commander formed of long marches, and the want of proper them with great expedition, and posted them conveniencies; not to mention the enormous in the wood, where they were immediately expense in contingencies incurred by this attacked, and at first obliged to give ground; fruitless undertaking. but they soon retrieved all they had lost, and In the month of November, while he lay sustained without flinching an unceasing fire encamped in the neighborhood of Schermof musketry, from five in the morning till beck, a body of the enemy attempted to nine at night, when they reaped the fruits beat up his quarters; having received intiof their perseverance. The hereditary mation of their design, he immediately callprince, whose horse was killed under him, ed in his advanced posts, and made a disposeeing no prospect of success in prolonging sition for giving them a proper reception. an action which had already cost him a con- He abandoned the tents that were in the siderable number of men, thought proper to front of his camp, and posted his infantry give orders for a retreat, which was not in ambuscade behind those that were in the effected without confusion, and left the field rear; at the same time he ordered some of battle to the enemy. His loss on the oc- regiments of horse and hussars to fetch a casion did not fall short of sixteen hundred compass, and fall upon the back of the enechoice men killed, wounded, and taken; and my. This stratagem succeeded to his wish. his loss fell chiefly on the troops of Great The French detachment, believing the allies Britain, who were always found in the fore- had actually abandoned their camp, began most ranks of danger. All the officers, both to pillage the tents in the utmost disorder: of infantry and dragoons, distinguished then the infantry sallied from the place themselves remarkably, and many were where they were concealed, and fell upon dangerously wounded. Among these, the them with great impetuosity: the artillery nation regretted the loss of lord Lowne, opened, and the cavalry charged them in whose wounds proved mortal: he was a flank. In a word, of twelve hundred who young nobleman of spirit, who had lately marched from Wesel on this expedition, embraced a military life, though he was not scarcely two hundred escaped. regularly trained in the service. ADVANTAGES GAINED BY M. DE STAIN- Next day, which was the sixteenth of October, the enemy attacked an advanced THE duke de Broglio endeavored, by sunbody of the allies, which was posted in a dry means, to take advantage of the allied wood before Elverick, and extended along army on the other side of the Weser, thus the Rhine. The firing of cannon and mus- weakened by the absence of the troops under ketry was maintained till night. Mean- the hereditary prince; but he found prince while, a column of the French infantry, Ferdinand too vigilant to be surprised, and commanded by M. de Cabot, marched too strongly situated to be attacked with through Wallach, and took post among the any prospect of success. He therefore conthickets, at the distance of a quarter of a tented himself with ravaging the country league, in the front of the prince's army. By by detachments: he sent M. de Stainville, this time the Rhine was so much swelled by with a considerable body of forces, to penethe rains, and the banks of it were overflown trate into the heart of Hanover; and on in such a manner, that it was necessary to the fifteenth day of September, that officer, repair, and move lower down, the bridge falling in with a detachment of the allies, which had been thrown over that river. commanded by major Bulow, attacked them This work was accordingly performed in near the abbey of Schacken. After a warni the presence of the enemy; and the prince, and obstinate engagement, they were depassing without molestation, proceeded to feated and driven to Bulemont, with the Bruymen, where he fixed his head-quarters. loss of their cannon, baggage, and a good His passing the Rhine, so easily, under the number of men, who fell into the hands of eye of a victorious army so much superior the victors. After this exploit, M. de Stainto him in number, may be counted among ville advanced to Halberstadt, and demandthe fortunate incidents of his life. Such ed of that capital a contribution of one milwas the issue of an expedition which ex- lion five hundred thousand livres: but the posed the projector of it to the imputation citizens had been so drained by former exof temerity. Whatever his aim might have actions, that they could not raise above thirbeen, besides the reduction of Wesel, with ty thousand: for the remainder the French partisan took hostages, with whom he re- to drive the French from Gottingen, and turned to the grand army encamped at accordingly invested that city; but the Cassel, from whence they in a little time French garrison, which was numerous and fell back as far as Gottingen. well provided, made such a vigorous defence, as baffled all the endeavors of the allies, THE ALLIES AND FRENCH GO INTO WINTER-QUARTERS. who were moreover impeded by the rainy As the enemy retreated, prince Ferdinand weather, which, added to other consideraadvanced as far as Hurste, where he estab- tions, prevented them from undertaking the lished his head-quarters about the latter siege in form. Nevertheless, they kept the end of November. While he remained in place blockaded up from the twenty-second this position, divers skirmishes happened in day of November to the twelfth of the folthe neighborhood of Gottingen. Major-lowing month; when the garrison, in a general Briednebach, at the head of two desperate sally, took one of their principal regiments of Hanoverian and Brunswick posts, and compelled them to raise the guards, with a detachment of cavalry, at- blockade. About the middle of December, tacked, on the twenty-ninth day of Novem- prince Ferdinand retired into winter-quarber, the French post at Heydemunden, upon ters; he himself residing at Uslar, and the the river Worrau. This he carried, and English troops being cantoned in the bishoptook possession of the town, which the ene-rick of Paderborn. Thus the enemy were my hastily abandoned. Part of their de- left in possession of Hesse, and the whole tachment crossed the river in boats; the country eastward of the Weser, to the fronrest threw themselves into an intrenchment tiers of the electorate of Hanover. If the that covered the passage, which the allies allied army had not been weakened for the endeavored to force in several unsuccessful sake of a rash, ill-concerted, and unsuccessattempts, galled as they were by the fire ful expedition to the Lower Rhine, in all of the enemy's redoubts on the other side probability the French would have been of the river. At length M. Briedenbach was obliged to abandon the footing they had obliged to desist, and fall back into the town; gained in the course of this campaign; and from whence he retired at midnight, after in particular to retreat from Gottingen, having_sustained considerable damage. which they now maintained and fortified Prince Ferdinand had it very much at heart with great diligence and circumspection. NOTES TO CHAPTER XIX. 1 One circumstance that attended this dispute deserves to be transmitted to posterity, as an instance of that courage, mingled with humanity, which constitutes true heroism. While the French and English were hotly engaged in one of the streets, a little child ran play. fully between them, having no idea of the danger to which it was exposed: a common soldier of the enemy, perceiving the life of this poor innocent at stake, grounded his piece, advanced deliberately between the lines of fire, took up the child in his arms, conveyed it to a place of safety; then returning to his place, resumed his musket, and renewed his hostility. 2 Five sons of this nobleman 3 In the beginning of April the 4 In the month of March the states of Holland and West Friesland having, after warm debates, agreed to the proposed match between the princess Carolina, sister to the prince of Orange, and the prince of Nassau Weilbourg, the nuptials were solemnized at the Hague with great magnificence. 5 Though this was the first time that Elliot's regiment appeared in the field, it performed wonders. They charged five different times, and broke through the enemy at every charge; but these exploits they did not achieve without sustaining a heavy loss in officers, men, and horses. 75* 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 Aus trians 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. EXPLOIT OF THE SWEDES IN POMER ANIA. and established his head-quarters at Belgarden. SKIRMISHES BETWEEN THE PRUSSIANS AND AUSTRIANS. THE king of Prussia, after all his labors, notwithstanding the great talents he had displayed, and the incredible efforts he had AT the beginning of the campaign the made, still found himself surrounded by his king of Prussia's chief aim was to take enemies, and in danger of being crushed by measures for the preservation of Silesia, their closing, and contracting their circle. the conquest of which seemed to be the Even the Swedes, who had languished so principal object with the court of Vienna. long, seemed to be roused to exertion in While the Austrian army, under mareschal Pomerania, during the severity of the win-count Daun, lay strongly intrenched in the ter season. The Prussian general Manteuf- neighborhood of Dresden, the king of Prusfel had, on the twentieth day of January, sia had endeavored, in the month of Decempassed the river Peene, overthrown the ad- ber, to make him quit that advantageous vanced posts of the enemy at Ziethen, and situation, by cutting off his provisions, and penetrated as far as the neighborhood of making an irruption into Bohemia. For Griessewalde; but finding the Swedes on these purposes he had taken possession of their guard, he returned to Anclam, where Dippeswalde, Maxen, and Pretchendorff, as his head-quarters were established. This if he intended to enter Bohemia by the way insult was soon retaliated with interest. of Passberg: but this scheme being found On the twenty-eighth day of the month, at impracticable, he returned to his camp at five in the morning, a body of Swedes at- Freyberg, and in January the Prussian and tacked the Prussian troops posted in the Austrian armies were cantoned so near each suburbs of Anclam, on the other side of the other that daily skirmishes were fought Peene, and drove them into the city, which with various success. The head of the they entered pell-mell. General Manteuf- Prussian camp was formed by a body of fel, being alarmed, endeavored to rally the four thousand men under general Zettwitz, troops; but was wounded and taken, with who, on the twenty-ninth day of January, about two hundred men, and three pieces was attacked with such impetuosity by the of cannon. The victors, having achieved Austrian general Beck, that he retreated in this exploit, returned to their own quarters. great confusion to Torgau, with the loss of As for the Russian army, which had win- five hundred men, eight pieces of artillery, tered on the other side of the Vistula, the and a considerable quantity of new clothing season was pretty far advanced before it and other baggage. Another advantage of could take the field; though general Tot- the same nature was gained by the Aus tleben was detached from it, about the trians at Neustadt, over a small body of beginning of June, at the head of ten thou- Prussians who occupied that city. In the sand cossacks, and other light troops, with month of March general Laudohn advanced which he made an irruption into Pomerania, with a strong detachment of horse and foot, |