1706.

While all the rest of Europe rung with the won- A. C. derful Succeffes obtain'd by the Duke of Savoy and. Prince Eugene, the French Court endeavour'd to keep off the Report from the Ears of their People, by making a mighty Noife about a fmall Advantage Progrefs of gain'd, (two Days after the Battle of Turin) by the Prince Count Medavi, over the Hereditary Prince of Heffe.of Heffe in About the latter end of July, his Highnefs arriv'd at LombarVerona, where he found the 6000 Imperialifts Princeby. Eugene had left near that Place, under the Command of Baron Wetzel, a Major General; and ftaid there fome Days, expecting the coming up of the Heffians. Upon certain Information that the Enemy had quitted the Mincio, he made a Detachment to fecure the Paffes on that River, which defign was put in Execution the 8th of Auguft, N. S. on the fide of Valegio, without the leaft Oppofition. This done, his Highnefs caufed the Bridges, which the Enemy had broke down to be repair'd with all fpeed, and left there five Imperial Regiments, under the Com mand of Major-General Wetzel; who, notwith ftanding the feveral Motions the Enemy made to give him the Alarm, continued very quiet in his Poft. Hereupon the Hereditary Prince of Hesse pafs'd the Adige, (the 13th of the fame Month) with all the Heffian Foot, 3 Regiments of Horfe, and one of Dragoons, (that of General Spiegel, and the Dragoons of Averoch, being still behind on the fide of Roveredo,) and encamp'd at Paveano, within three Leagues of the Mincio. A Week after, his Highnefs wrote the following Letter to the States Gene ral, about his further Progrefs, and the Taking of

Goito:

High and Mighty Lords,

I

Give my felf the Honour to acquaint your High Migh-His Letter tineffes, that I have received an Exprefs from Princeto the States Eugene of Savoy, with Letters dated the 16th Inftant General, from his Camp between the Lenza and Parma, wherein bis Highness gives me Advice, that after having taken Reggio, he is advanced that way, with the Refolution of Marching to the Affiftance of the Duke of Savoy, whoje Capital City is in greater Streights than ever, the Enemes having redoubled their Fire and Efforts to reduce it. Hi Highness bas sent me Orders to use all poffible Endeavours

R 4

A. C. deavours to gain the Communication with the Po, and 1706, closely follow the Enemy, who march on this Side of that

River. Having in order thereunto paffed the Mincio, and joined the 16th Inftant, Major General Wetzell, with the whole Body of Heffian Troops, I encamped in this Camp the 17th, and the fame Day went in Perfon to take a View of Goito, having detach'd the faid Ma jor General to Invest that Place with 1800 Foot, and 1000 Horfe. I found that the Place had a large Ditch, a thick Wall, 4 Baftiens and a Ravelin, and I caused the Troops to take Poft in two Places on the very top of the Ditch. I caufed 8 fmall Field Pieces (all the Artillery that I had with me) to batter the Walls, but that being without any effect, I refolved to fcalade the Place, and Goito ta-take it by Storm. The neceffary Preparations were making ken Aug. for it, when the Governor fearing the Confequence of that 19. N. S. Attack, furrendred laft Night, upon condition to march

out with Arms and Baggage, and be conducted to Cremona, which will be executed this Day. The Garrifon confifted only of 200 Men. I was obliged to take this Place, that I might have no Enemy behind me, upon my Marching towards the Po or Oglio, where the Enemy, as I am Informed, have left 9000 Men to oppose my Paffage, with the Success of which, I shall acquaint, in due time, your High Might ineffes. I am, &c. At la Volta, August 20.

Sign'd

FREDERICK, Prince of Heffe.

The Prince Not many days after the taking of Goito, the Prince of Heffe is of Heffe laid Siege to Caftiglione delle Stivere, but oblig'd to Count Medavi having drain'd the Garrifons of feraile the veral Places, fell, upon him unawares, and forc'd Siege of Ca-him to an Engagement, in the beginning of which, Stiglione. his Highness behaving himself with his ufual Va

lour, had all the Advantage; took fome Cannon from the Enemy, and turn'd 'em against themfelves; but the French, who were much Superior in number, renewing the Charge, and being like to furround him, his Highnefs was oblig'd to retire to Valeggio, which he did in good Order, and without any Interruption from the Enemy; fo that this Action had no other ill Confequence, than to retard the taking of Caftiglione, which foon after fell of Courfe.

How

However the French magnify'd this Advantage to A. C. an extravagant degree: Giving out, That the 1706. 16th of September, N. S. Monfieur de Grancey

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brought the News of a Victory won by the Count The French de Medavi the 9th, between Castiglione delle Stivere magnify and Guidizzolo, That the Prince of Heffe Caffel that Ad"had attack'd Caftiglione, and taken the Town, and vantage. was attacking the Caftle, when Count de Medevi appear'd, advancing in Battalia with Forces infe'rior to the Prince, who met him with his Army, 800 Men excepted, whom he left in the Town of Caftiglione; That the Fight began at Two in the Afternoon, and after fome Refiftance, the Imperialifts were intirely defeated, with the lofs of all their Battering and Field-Pieces, their Ammunition and Baggage; and that the Count de Medavi had driven them above two Leagues up into the Mountains, and to the Lake de Guarda. In a fubfequent Account, they added, "That the 20th, the Sieur de Ceberet arriv'd at Court with 33 Standards, and 23 Colours taken from the Enemy; That their lofs was very much augmented in the Purfuit; That they had 3000 Men kill'd, and 3500 made Prifoners, befides the Straglers kill'd by the Peafants: That all their Artillery, in number 14 Pieces, was taken with the Ammunition, Provifions, and Baggage; That they were pursued over the Mincio; And that they had repaf'd the Adige, and 'broken their Bridge, over which no more than 1800 Horfe, and 600 Foot had pafs'd All the World wonder'd to fee, that the French Court were fo modeft as not to engage their Monarch, to caufe Te Deum to be fung in as Pompous a Manner, as he had done in the Beginning of the Campaign of Italy, for the Victory of Calcinato.

But how much their Accounts of this last Advan tage was exaggerated, plainly appears by the following Letrer from the Prince of Heffe, to the States The Prince

General:

High and Mighty Lords,

of Heffe's

Letter to the States General

'I HAD the Honour to acquaint your High Mightineffes with the Reafons, upon which the Battle the Siege of Caftiglione was undertaken; and as Iof Caftig am directed by Prince Eugene of Savoy to rely upon lione, or the Medoli.

A. C.

the Intelligences, I fhall from time to time receive 1706. from Major General Wetzell, who has join'd with 'fome thoufand Men the Heffian Troops,and whom

his Highnefs has appointed to affift me with his Council, as being an Officer, who knowing exactly the Country, was able to have private Correfpondence in feveral Parts of Lombardy, I was induc'd to continue the Siege for four Days. "Mean time being inform'd by the Parties I fent abroad, that the Enemies were affembling all their Troops with a defign to engage us, I thought fit to take the Opinion of the General Officers, and according to their Advice, I refolv'd to take Meafures to prevent the Defigns of the Enemy; but Major-General Wetzell being periwaded that the 6 Advices I had receiv'd were falfe, and fpread by ، the Enemies themfelves to oblige me to raife the Siege, was of another Opinion, and infifted on the continuation of the Siege. Tis true, we might 'have had time enough to reduce the Place, before the Enemies could relieve it, had we not wanted Artillery; but 6 Days after the opening of the Trenches, 2 Battering-pieces only were brought into the Camp, whereof one burfted after fome few Shots. The Term of 4 Days, in which the faid Major-General had promifed to take the place, being expired, and two Days longer being elapfed, I was of Opinion to fend for no more Artillery, becaufe of the repeated Advices I receiv'd of the Strength of the Enemy; but on the 9th Inftant we received 4 other Picces of Cannon, and Major-General Wetzell perfifted in his former Opinion of continuing the Siege, and pretended 'that the Enemics had a Defign upon Goite, and that we had nothing to fear. Being unwilling wholly to rely upon his Intelligences and Arguments, I daily fent Parties abroad to patrol between our Camp and the Enemies, but they could never get any certain Account of their Number; the "Country People, out of Fear or Inclination, feigning to have no Account thereof. The 8th at Night, one of the Parties I had fent out, brought me word, < That the Enemies were marching towards Goito, whereupon I immediately detach'd a Major of the Heffian Cavalry with 200 Men, with Orders to obferve

obferve their March. They fell in with fome Squadrons of the Enemy, and beat them to their Camp, which was then between Goito and Medoli.

The 9th the Right Wing of the Enemy appear'd in fight in the Plain of Goito, and the Body "of Battel with the Left Wing march'd along the Hedges and Vineyards to cover their Numbers, advancing directly towards our Camp. I called 'then the General Officers to confider whether it was more advantageous to expect the Enemy in our Camp, or march out with our Army, (hardly 9000 Men,), to attack them, in order to encourage our Men, We refolved upon the latter, confidering that if we continu'd in our Camp, and had the Misfortune to lofe the day, our Retreat was 6 cut off, and therefore we advanced towards the Enemy, and drew up directly against them, ftretching our felves towards Medoli and Gaviana. The Fight begun between 12 and 1 at noon, and with fo much Succefs on our fide, that the Heffian Infantry broke through the Body of Battel of the Enemy, and feized 15 Pieces of Cannon from which they fired upon the Enemy, while the Cavalry of 'the Left forced the Right of the French to give Ground. They had 3 Lines befides a Body of Re'ferve and we had but 2, and befides, their Left ftretch'd much farther than our Right, and was intermix'd with Infantry, and this gave them an opportunity to attack our Right in Flank, and notwithstanding their vigorous refiftance, they were put into Disorder, and fell amongft our Infantry which was thereby put into Confufion. To remedy that Diforder as much as poffible, I took the Colours of one of the Battalions of the Right, ' and exhorted them to do their Duty, but that was to no purpofe; I was fpeaking to new-rais'd Men, who had never been in any Engagement, and who 'would not hearken to me.

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'Mean time the Enemy improving this Advantage, crowded upon our Left, and difperfed them, fo that I was obliged to quit the Advantage I had gained in the Center, and think of retreating, which I did about 4 of the Clock, and retir'd to Valeggio, that the Enemy might not cut off our Provilions. The French purfu'd our Rear, but without any

Suc

A. C. 1706.