over the Canal of Malopera, and this day Prince A, C, Eugene has receiv'd Advice, that they quitted all 1706. their Pofts along the Adige, whereupon his Highnefs has given Orders to all his Forces to draw this Way. The Enemy had begun to cut the Banks and Dykes of the Adige, and thereby they could have drowned all the Lands between the Po and the Adige, from this Place to the Gulph of Venice, and caus'd an irreparable Lofs to the Venetians. The Detachemnt under Colonel Patee would have been alfo in the utmost danger of being 'drown'd, but the Proveditor of the Republick fent a Deputation to the Duke of Vendofme, to let him 'know,that if they cut the Banks of the Adige,as they 'intended, which could not but deftroy the Lives of many thousand Subjects of the Republick, befides the Lofs of one of their best Countries,the Venetians would take futable measures against France,look, ipfo facto, upon the Forces of the two Crowns as their de clar'd Enemies, and use them accordingly. The haughty Monfieur de Vendofme could hardly digeft that Meffage, but however defifted from his barbarous Defign, feeing France had already too many Enemies to deal withal. Lieutenant General Rhe'binder was fent fome Days ago to Verona, to confer on the part of Prince Eugene with fome Deputies of the Republick: He had a long Conference with them, and made them fome advantageous Propofals 'to diffwade the Venetians from renewing the Treaty of Neutrality with France. They return'd a civil 'Anfwer; and declar'd, that they had Power only "to hear what his Highnefs had to propofe to them, and that they would inform the Republick there, • with. We hope they will at least, give Paffage through Verona to our heavy Cannon and Baggage. 6 I am your High Mightineffes, &c. Caftelbaldo, July 9. 1706. 7. H. Baron de Bette. The further Progrefs of Prince Eugene till the 15th of July is related in the following Extract of a Letter from the Prince of Anhalt Deffau to the King of Prussia. His A. C. 1706 Letter to the King of Pria, di ten at Sa Mich. le, July 16. N. S. ، . HIS Highness Prince Exgene having caus'd Colo nel Patee to pafs the Adige the 6th at Rotta-nouve The Prince with a body of Troops, made the neceffary Dif of Anhalt pofitions for attacking on all fides the Enemy's ArDeffau's my which lay very ftrongly intrench'd along the Adige. The Enterprize was happily begun the 12th in the Beginning of the Night, by the faid "Colonel Patee, who with his Body of 2500 Men march'd down the Canal de la Fratta to the Canal Bianco, the Water of which being very low, the Foot led by the Prince of Beveren, Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment of Wolfenbuttel,pafs'd it with all imaginable Bravery. The Enemy, after firing a few Shot from their Intrenchments, which our 'Men anfwer'd from 2 Pieces of Cannon, fled with fo great Precipitation, that they left behind their "Tents, Bread and other Provifions, and all they. had in their Camp. Their Cavalry run away without Bridles or Saddles, their Horfes having only Halters ou. Two French Battalions, that were pofted in a Caffine, quitted it and fled likewife: and the Disorder was fo great, that as the Prifoners report, and according to other Advices, the Soldiers left their Colours and difpers'd themselves, their Confternation being inconceivable. After this happy Succefs Prince Eugene fent to view the Po, and order'd a Detachment under Lieutenant Colonel St. Amour to purfue the Enemy, at the fame time ordering Colonel Patee to make a Halt near the Po, and 4 Imperial Regiments of Foot with a like number of Horfe to poft themfelves near Caftel Guilielmo, Monfieur de St. Amour fent Prince Eugene the following Account. mour's Letter to 6 Having Col. St. A. Aving Intelligence that 20 Boats, in which was the Enemy's Hofpital with 400 fick and wounded Men, were 'on the Canal Tartaro, P.Eugene. and were guarded by 200 Foot and fome Horfe commanded by 2 Captains, and 3 Lieutenants, I 'attack'd them happily, and forc'd them, the Fire was great; I had Captain, Lieutenant, 2 Corporals, and feveral Soldiers killid, or wonded, 40 of the Ene my that got into a Cafline gave us the most trouble. I have taken Prifoners 1 Captain, 2, Lieutenants, and above 200 Soldiers, almost all of them wound. A. C. ed; and alfo fome Surgeons; the reft were cut in 1706. Pieces. Their Sick made a fhift to do them good Service by firing from the Boats, in which I found a large quantity of Dough new made, which I will caufe to be bak'd. This Action happen'd within 8 Miles of Oftiglia. I am, &c. The 13th in the Night the Enemy abandon'd all 'their Pofts and Lines behind the Adige. The 14th Prince Euthe Prince of Anhalt, who was left at San Michiele gene passes with 28 Battallions and 24 Squadrons, to command the Po. on the upper Adige, fent fome Men over that River and took Poft on the other fide of it, caufing the Bridge to be brought down from Peroua to San Mi chiele. The 15th he caus'd it to be remov'd to Brua; and gave Advice of all he had done to Pinrce Eugene, who fent him word that Colonel Patee having happily pafs'd the Po, with fome Troops the 15th in the Evening, he would have him come down in all Hafte with the entire Body of the Pruffians to la Badia, which Order ke prepar'd to execute that Night. Prince Eugene having caus'd all his Army to Join him (6000 Men excepted, which he left near Verona to wait for the Heians), pafs'd the Po the 17th and 18th at Francolino: and the 21ft Encamp'd at Santa Bianca: From Whence the Baron de Bette the following Letter to the States-Grneral. High and Mighty Lords, Prince Eugene having pafs'd the Adige, Canal Baron de Bianco and the Po, without any Difficulty or Bette's Lofs, His Highness encamp'd the 20th Inftant be- Letter to tween Ferrara and Ponte Lago Scuro, caufing the the States Body under Colonel Patee to advance to Santa Bian-General. ca, where the reft of the Army march'd the 21ft. The Prince went immediately after in Perfon to view the Posts along the Panaro and Canal de Mo⚫dena, which he found poffefs'd by the French; but Colonel Patee was commanded the fame Day to march with his Detachment to Finale de Modena, a large Village between the River and Canal aforeffaid, which the French were fortifying. They made a fhew to defend that Poft, but this Morning they abandon'd the fame, and the Banks of the Canal A. C. Canal and Panaro, fo that our Troops took Pof1706. feffion of Finale, Bondeno, and fome other Pofts, which will enable us to march farther. "Tis likely that the French, who have put a ftrong Garrifon "into Mirandola, will endeavour to defend the Paffes of the Secchia; but 'tis not believ'd that they are ftrong enough to difpute the fame before they have receiv'd a Reinforcement of 10000 Men, which they expect in a few days from Piedmont. Prince Eugene has left 6000 Men near Verona, under the 'command of the Baron de Wetzel, which are to join the Heffians, and attack the French on the fide of the Mincio, which Diversion will facilitate the March of Prince Eugene towards Piedmont, I am, The Duks of Orleans takes c, From the Imperial Camp at Santa J. H. Baron de Bette The Duke of Orleans fet out from Milan the 14th, and was follow'd the 15th by the Marefchal of Marfin to Cremona, where they held a great Council of War with the Prince of Vaudemont and the Duke of pon him Vendofme. The 18th the Duke of Orleans arrived in the Com- the French Army and took Poffeffion of the Command of mand thereof. The Soldiers exprefs'd a great Joy to the French fee that Prince, but he was much furprized at the Army', ftrange Confternation he difcover'd amongst the July 18. Troops, and appear'd much concern'd to find Things N. S. very different from what they had been reprefented The D. of Vendome to him before his fetting out from Paris, He comfets out for plained thereof to the Duke of Vendofne, and ufed France. fome harfh Expreffions, which that General had much ado to bear withal, and fet out the 20th for. the Court of France. The 21ft the Duke of Orleans paffed by Mantua with the Army under his Command, and encamped at La Valta. He proceeded from thence to Corregiolo, where he paffed the Po, taking his Head Quarters at San Benedetto, to obferve the Motions of Prince Eugene and endeavour to ftop him on the Banks of the Secchia. He left Count, Medavi with 17 Battalions and 24 Squadrons to fecure the Mincio, and the Mountains in the Brefcian, and detach'd 14 Battalions to reinforce the Garrifons of Mantua, Oftiglia, Mirandola, and other Plá ces. The The further Motions of the Imperialists, from A, C. the 23d of July, to the 6th of August, are well rela- 1706 ted in the following Journal, dated from their Camp at Carpi, Aug. 6. The 24th of laft Month we came to Final de Mo- Further dena,and encamped there with the Panaro in our Rear. Progress of The 25th, 26th and 27th we halted there. The Prince Eu 28th at Day-break we march'd towards Campo Santo gene. where we arrived at 9 in the Morning. The fol'lowing Night we continued our march, and paffed 'the Secchia near S. Martino, the Foot over a Bridge 'that was laid with great Expedition, the Horse thro' feveral Fords. The 29th and 30th we halted, as 'well to wait the coming up of our Baggage, as to refresh our felves after the great Fatigues we had endured, efpecially by reafon of the great Heats, 'which at this Seafon are fo exceffive in thefe Parts, that we are oblig'd to march almost always in the Night. The 31ft. in the Morning we arriv'd at the Canal of Ledo near Carpi. The 1ft of this Month at Day-break, we pafs'd that Canal in 8 Columns, and having afterwards drawn up into one Body in the Plain, we divided our felves again into 4 Columns and march'd directly towards the Enemy's Army, which was behind the Parmegiana. 6 Being advanc'd within 2 Mufquet-fhot of that River, Lieutenant Colonel St. Amour was detach'd Iwith fome Troops to take a near view of it; he reported, at his return, that the Water was low, and the Banks very high; and that we could not pafs it without Boats, especially because the bottom was very muddy, and the Enemy appear'd refolv'd to difpute our Paffage, having to that end pointed 'feveral Cannon against us. Upon this Prince Eugene went himself and found M. de S. Amour had given a right Account, and that he could not attack the Enemy without expofing his Army too 'much; fo that after having halted there till three in the Afternoon, his Highnefs thought fit to march the Army back to the Canal of Ledo. The 2d at Day-break he detach'd Major General Zumjungen with 3 Regiments of Horfe, 8 Battalions and 8 Field-pieces, to attack Carpi; and about Noon Advice came that the Enemy left the Parmegiana the Night before, and retired with great Precipitation ⚫ towards |